Many sports on campus use reliable brands for their equipment and gear. Due to various factors, SCHS athletes can often prefer popular and expensive items over less heard of brands.
In tennis, athletes are required to have a racket and a pair of reliable shoes. When it comes to the sport, sophomore Anindita Pandravada noticed that most people stay with major brands because of the rackets they see being used around them.
“I feel like our team, most players use either Wilson or Head,” Pandravada said. “I think it’s because it is a popular brand, reliable and celebrities use it, which influences people to buy more.”
A factor that can influence athletes on which equipment to buy is recognizability. Varsity softball coach Julie Kawamoto believes that brands that can spend more money on promoting their equipment through advertisements and brand deals can have a higher chance of being chosen.
“I think it’s because of professional players and advertising,” Kawamoto said. “It’s just unfortunate that smaller companies can’t afford to put out that much money to attract professional athletes.”
Although professionals can play a major role in influencing the equipment decision, some student athletes tend to look to their teammates. Following their peers makes them more comfortable with certain brands over others, leading players to buy the same items for themselves. Kawamoto has observed that most players who are new to softball tend to lean on their teammates for brand and equipment influence.
“It’s just the other girls sharing their knowledge and if they like it, then they might get something similar,” Kawamoto said.
Freshman baseball player Owen Grace believes price and availability may play a role in an athlete’s equipment choice.
“There’s not that big of a difference (between a well-known and lesser-known brand),” Grace said. “Really, the biggest difference is price because bigger brands are less expensive because there’s more of them.”
Other athletes prefer to pick equipment that suits their needs rather than popularity. In sports where athlete-equipment relationships are vital, finding items that best fit a specific athlete’s preferences are common.
Sophomore golf player Aman Puri prefers to purchase his clubs from one of the more popular golf brands, Titleist. Instead of having to change the way he played with new clubs, he noticed the Titleist ones suited his swing best.
“The main brands have better quality clubs, but to get clubs, you have to get them fitted. Basically the factors that play into getting your club is your skill level, your speed and strength, your height, your body build, your budget, and then how accurate your shots are,” Puri said. “If you have something that’s tailor fitted for you, it’s easier to swing. It’s built for what you do already.”
Similar to Puri, Pandravada looked for a racket that benefited her playing style. She recently switched from more popular tennis brands to a smaller, French brand, Artengo. There, she was able to find a racket that worked for her strengths.
“I actually think it is a pretty good racket,” Pandravada said. “The new racket gives me more power compared to my older racket.”
No matter the sport or the equipment, athletes may be influenced by purchasing from well-known brands, but Grace advised practicality over brand.
“When looking for equipment, you want to look for something that’s going to last you a while, that’s going to be good for you,” Grace said. “Make sure that you really need it more than just, ‘Oh, everyone’s saying to get this, let me get it’ and to make sure that you actually want and do research before you buy any equipment.”