A cleat is an American term for a type of shoe designed especially for sports played on grass or dirt, such as soccer or American football. It may also refer to a type of shoe designed especially for, and only worn in, wet weather.
Unlike "spikes" for sports such as track and field and golf, the shoes generally have large studs on the bottom to assist in gripping the surface, preventing sliding and assisting in rapid changes of direction. The stud itself is often called a cleat. A metal or plastic piece that attaches to the bottom of a shoe is also called a cleat, especially a cycling shoe that interfaces with a clipless pedal system.
In football (soccer), where the shoes themselves are known as football boots, there are three different cleat types. There are soft ground cleats which are made for wet weather. The soft ground cleats are always replaceable, and are almost always metal, so when they wear down they are easy to replace. There are firm ground cleats which are made for firm natural surfaces. Also there are hard ground cleats which are made for hard natural surfaces.
In the United States, College football coach Joseph Pipal has been credited as one of the creators of "mud cleats" for football shoes.
The term originated before the manufacture of dedicated sports shoes, when sportsplayers would nail strips of leather to the soles of their ordinary shoes to assist with grip.
References
- ^ Sports Illustrated "A Roundup Of The Week's News"
Baseball Cleats | Fielders Choice | Eastbay
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LineDrive - Baseball & Softball Equipment: BASEBALL EQUIPMENT ...
NIKE SHOX FUSE METAL PREMIUM Regular Price: 119.99 Sale Price ... Cleats/Footwear; Gloves; Batting Gloves; Balls; Protective ... © 2008 LineDrive.com. All Rights Reserved
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Ausport.com.au - Nike Air Slasher Fixed Metal Cleats
Cut up the competition. The Nike Slasher Men's Baseball Cleat features a speed-inspired, classic baseball design with a lightweight, cushioning Phylon midsole wedge for sprinting ...
Replacement Spikes for Metal Cleats
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METAL CLEATS IN SOFTBALL
METAL CLEATS IN SOFTBALL. The MIAA Softball committee has elected to hold on acceptance of the National Federation rule 3-2-11 allowing players to wear metal cleats and metal toe ...
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I don't understand why now in the year 2008, the NFHS(National Federation of State High Schools Association) has passed the rule to allow high school softball teams to wear metal ...
Comments for Metal cleats
Do parents/players want to see metal cleats in HS softball? I am the parent of a catcher and would not like to see them used.