Like the great NFL Legend Deion Sanders said: “If you look good, you feel good, if you feel good, you play good, if you play good, they pay good”.
Wearing accessories in high school, college, and professional sports has become a large part of the athlete culture. In all levels of football, accessories such as visors for the facemask, arm sleeves with intricate designs on them, bicep bands, and socks are an essential part of the football player look. Although these items are not mandatory, players are still willing to buy them in order to separate their style from other players.
“When you wear things that make you look good, you ball out,” said senior David VanBuren, this may be true considering the WS Football team has recently won the Patriot Conference Championship.
In basketball, accessories would include items such as head bands (made famous by NBA players like LeBron James, Allen Iverson, and Carmelo Anthony), shooting sleeves, and the leg sleeve. Just as in football, these accessories that are worn by players have no actual physical benefit, but are merely worn for looks.
Is it true that wearing certain things can help improve your game, just because you look better? The history of sports doesn’t have an exact answer, but some evidence would lead you to believe that there is a chance that the “look good, play good” saying is a fact.
When NBA legend Michael Jordan signed a deal with Nike in 1984, the basketball shoe business was changed forever. Nike began to produce Jordan brand shoes that became an instant hit on the streets and on the court. NBA players all across the league sported the popular brand, and convince the average consumer that wearing Jordan brand shoes would give them some sort of athletic boost. When observing a pickup basketball game at the courts notice how many people are wearing Jordan brand shoes, or any extra accessories. Companies market their product to give athletes some sort of physical benefit, but in reality, unless the product is a brace, pad, or medical tape of some sort, products such as arm sleeves and bicep bands have no benefit to athleticism.
Although most sports accessories don’t give any athletic advantage, they are still a great way to look good on the field and enhance your confidence.
However, some WS students are not convinced. They believe accessories are flashy and unnecessary.
“They do not improve your game because they do not affect your skill in any way” said senior Byung Hyun.