Fit more important than price when it comes to cleats eli.cranor@gmail.com August 22, 2021 Eli Cranor is a former professional quarterback and coach turned award-winning author. Please use the “Contact” page at elicranor.com to send in questions for “Athletic Support.”

Dear Athletic Support: How much should I spend on a pair of football cleats? The prices I’ve found range from fifty bucks well up into the hundreds. I want my son to be properly equipped, but do I really have to fork out all that money, or is this more of a “style” thing? My son’s in junior high. He has his heart set on the fancy cleats.

— Fancy

Dear Fancy: When it comes to cleats, there’s not much difference in quality at the higher price points. There might be some extra swag, ig: neon green colors, Velcro ankle straps, etc. But is your kid really getting any extra protection?

Meh. I don’t think so.

I don’t have any science to back up this claim, but I have seen some cleats in my day. I’ve seen the right toe of a two-hundred buck Nike blow out the third practice of two-a-days. I’ve seen a pair of Walmart cleats make it all the way through a season.

The most important thing when it comes to cleats is how they fit. Make sure you have at least a quarter inch of space at the end of your son’s toe. That’ll give him some extra room when he plants his foot.

Cleats that are too small can result in painful blisters, and even sometimes the loss of toenails. Don’t fret over the money — just get the right size.



Dear Athletic Support: My daughter quit volleyball before the start of this season because she’s scared of COVID. What should I do?

— Scared

Dear Scared: If she’s scared enough to quit volleyball, then I don’t think you’re going to change her mind. That is, unless she’s always wanted to quit volleyball and is just using COVID as an excuse.

Regardless, I’d say it’s time for a sit-down conversation. Come to her with compassion, seeking to understand her side of the story before casting judgement or making any demands.


Dear Athletic Support: I don’t have any kids in athletics. I did, at one point, way back in the Stone Age. I’m just an old grandpa now. Even my grandkids are too old for youth sports. But I still read your column every weekend, and listen, I’ve got a question. How old are you? Judging by your picture, you look like a young buck. Anybody offering advice to other parents should be my age. Don’t you think?

— Paw

Dear Paw: I’m 33. And most of the questions I answer for this column have to do with my coaching experience. I coached for 5 years. Two as an offensive coordinator. Two as a head coach. And one spent coaching the offensive line. I also coached a little baseball and track at the varsity level during that time.

Now, there are definitely coaches out there with way more experience than what I have. The problem is, they’re probably too busy actually coaching to write an advice column.

Guess you’re stuck with me.


Previous columns:

• Facebook ads and too many practices
• Coach pushing vaccine on players
• Youth sports like a cult
• Coach’s pregame speech too crazy for kids
• Championship rings and multiple sweatbands — too much?
• Working out over the Dead Weeks?
• Summer School Blues
• Practices running late causing problems
• Softball games going past midnight
• Are athletes getting better with age?
• Are team sports a vital part of childhood?
• Summer schedule way too serious
• What if I can’t afford private speed camps?
• Quarterback lacks speed
• Should pro athletes talk politics?
• How to take a hit
• Wrestling in college, what’s the point?
• Removal of mask requirement could cost us games
• Overachieving daughter stinks at sports
• Why are we playing all the small schools?
• Freshmen don’t make varsity, usually
• Kids have changed, haven’t they?
• Esports and disc golf bigger than football?
• Little pitchers have big ears
• Pregame music offensive
• Fouls in girls basketball
• Red Shirting
• Coach makes political post
• 7th grade girls basketball woes
• Multi-million-dollar buyouts don’t make sense
• Private schools have the upper hand
• Best of 2020

Athletic Support Columns 2020


Outside of athletics, kids’ brains are also at risk. Who knows what sort of impact virtual learning will have on their cognition and critical thinking skills. In this regard, I offer one simple tool — a good book! And luckily, I know just the book for kids struggling with the shift to virtual learning:

BOOKS MAKE BRAINZ TASTE BAD! Okay, you caught me… I’m the author of this book. It was published last week and awarded a #1 New Release ranking on Amazon. BMBTB deals directly with the same topic covered in this column, except in a much more lighthearted, kid-friendly way (zombie teachers and brain-munching screens!) If you end up purchasing this book for your children or grandchildren, I only have one final suggestion — ask them to read it while standing up! Eli Cranor's new book Books Make Brainz Taste Bad has just been released. ZOMBIES HATE BOOKS! Especially the zombie teachers at Haven Middle School. That's why they're using VR headsets to fry kids' brainz. Luckily, Dash Storey knows how to save his classmates from the zombie teachers—BOOKS! They make brainz taste bad! "Eli Cranor has an almost unbeatable advantage. He can remember how it felt to think like a twelve-year-old and he can see the very same events like the adult he is. Don't try to resist this book!" - Jack Butler, Pulitzer-Prize nominated author