Footloose: Prep players step out in style

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Spats went out of style a century ago, but smooth ankle tape remains a popular fashion for prep football players on Friday nights.

It’s a look.

It’s a trend.

It’s a verb.

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Lakewood Ranch Mustangs co-captains, from left, James Jeffcoat and Wanley Desir who were playing the Palmetto Tigers at Palmetto's Harlee stadium Friday evening in Palmetto, Florida. (Staff photo by Thomas Bender)

Lakewood Ranch Mustangs co-captains, from left, James Jeffcoat and Wanley Desir who were playing the Palmetto Tigers at Palmetto's Harlee stadium Friday evening in Palmetto, Florida. (Staff photo by Thomas Bender)

“I spat,” says Karan Higdon, a running back at Riverview High School. “Every game.”

“I’m the best spatter on the team,” says Dimitry Smith, a wide receiver for Southeast High. “I do a figure-eight around the heel; it’s called a heel-lock. And If you get the right angle, if you wrap the tape perfectly, it looks smooth, it looks sharp.”

“Spatting looks good and it helps protect your ankles,” says Mitch Arimura, a Cardinal Mooney High tight end who tapes a half-dozen teammates each week. “A lot of guys don’t like wearing ankle braces because they’re not as comfortable.”

High school football uniforms are just that, uniform — same helmets, same jerseys, same pants — but most players have the freedom to choose their own cleats, socks and tape. In a sport that prizes teamwork above all, it’s a chance for them to express their individuality.

Flair on the field.

Maybe a little fun.

Footloose.

In October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, prep styles are expressed in bright pink — a color most players would never wear otherwise.

“I’ve got pink gloves, pink tights, pink socks,” says Arimura. “I’m a senior, so I’ve gotten four years of use out of them.”

Braden River's Dylan Tyson during the pre-game warm-up before playing Somerset Academy at Braden River's football stadium Friday evening in East Bradenton.  (Staff photo by Thomas Bender)

Braden River's Dylan Tyson during the pre-game warm-up before playing Somerset Academy at Braden River's football stadium Friday evening in East Bradenton. (Staff photo by Thomas Bender)

High school players buy cleats that cost anywhere from $50 to $150 or more. Pink tape is cheaper than pink gear, especially for just one month.

Even the smallest detail can be a big deal.

“My socks have to be perfectly scrunched,” says Nick Sutter, a Riverview tight end. “I don’t like them all the way up — I feel like a goober — but I don’t like low socks, either.”

This year, Sutter and a few teammates raised $17,000 from local boosters so Riverview could have the latest Nike Pro Combat uniforms. Most of the Rams wear Nike cleats, too, because mixing brands is considered a faux pas.

At the same time, many players worry about looking like they care too much about how they dress. That’s not cool. There’s a fine line in football fashion.

“If you play good, you look good,” says Higdon, the spatted running back. “You don’t have to look good to play good.”

Of course, he says this while pulling a knee brace over pink leggings. His latest accessory? An arm sleeve with a leopard print.

“We were just talking about stupid stuff one day,” Higdon says, laughing. “This guy asked me if I would wear one. He didn’t think I would do it. So I found it on the Internet.”

At Cardinal Mooney, players are grateful that the Catholic high school changed colors as part of a rebranding campaign last year.

Out went a bright yellow that looked a little loud and garish.

In came a rich gold — “Vegas Gold,” of all things — that looks strong yet subdued.

Arimura tapes the ankles of other players, but not his own. He chooses to wear high-top Under Armour cleats that don’t need to be taped. He does wear a long-sleeve undershirt to cover the tattoo on his right shoulder and bicep.

“If we’re wearing white uniforms, I wear white tights and socks, so it all blends in,” he says. “When we wear black, a lot of guys go black tights.”

Linebacker Sam Leonard goes with gold-and-white adidas cleats. He likes short socks that show a lot of skin. When asked who set that trend, he shakes his head.

“No one,” Leonard says. “That’s why I do it.”

Most Riverview players wear black cleats that match their uniforms.

When Southeast takes the field, footwear comes in all colors — orange, blue, white, black and, this month, pink.

Katelyn Billy, a student trainer, noted the contrast between the Rams and the Seminoles.

“When everyone’s the same, it looks sharp,” she says. “Last week, when we played Riverview, it was like sharp versus a rainbow. At the end of the day, it’s all fine.”

Ricardo Rodriguez, the Seminoles punter, is also a soccer player. Like a lot of high school kickers, he chooses super-bright Nike Mercurial cleats — the kind that Lionel Messi wears for Barcelona.

“Football cleats, they’re heavy,” Rodriguez explains. “Soccer cleats are light. These are like 5 ounces. And they look good.”

One of Billy’s jobs is taping ankles for Southeast, which is why she’s pretty sure that spatting is mostly for show.

“I just think it’s a waste of tape,” Billy says, laughing. “It does look nice, though.”

Smith, the spatted wide receiver, argues against the Seminoles wearing black socks and tape. He thinks it looks raggedy. He wants to look neat and coordinated, on and off the field.

“It lets people know I mean business,” Smith says. “I always like to look sharp at school, at home, at church. You know, in the future, when you want to get a job, the way you dress, that’s your foot in the door.”

 

 

 

Last modified: October 23, 2014
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