As the bell rings three o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon, scores of soccer players migrate to the locker rooms to retrieve cleats, shin guards and a change of clothes for after-school practice.

Soccer is unique for its array of gear that keeps players from slipping and protects legs from full-force kicks. But does one decide on a pair of cleats that will carry them throughout the season? The numerous stacks of boxes piled high at a sporting goods store can be overwhelming, but junior Abigail Meziere–member of the Girls’ Soccer team–found her decision easy.

“[My cleats] were on sale at Dick’s [Sporting Goods], and they were the right size … I liked them, so I got them,” she said about her new Nike cleats. Meziere has been playing the sport since she was eight years old, and considers her focus to be on the game rather than on her sportswear. “[I’m there] to win,” she said. “It’s just hard for me to think of cleats [as] being about me.

Though gear might not be especially important to Meziere, sophomore Colette Breda was much more inclined to brag about her brand new Nike Namars.

“[The cleats are] so nice. I’m so stoked …  I got school colors; they’re black, white and red … and they have a sick design on them,” she said. “The inside of them is not fabric and it’s really annoying when they’re fabric because they smell gross. They’re just really cool and they look so cool.”

Breda’s love for her new cleats originates with a love for soccer that runs through her family. Prior to wearing her new pair, she had been wearing an old pair from her brother. “[E]very single person in my family plays soccer …  [it’s important] because I’m Italian, and a lot of Italians play soccer.”

Breda also feels that a choice of cleats can display certain personalities. “I guess the different colors or different designs can definitely show who the person is. I liked the design because I’m artsy,” she said.

Despite different opinions about the importance of gear, one thing is for sure: a choice of soccer gear is not all that makes our Girls Soccer teams unique. Next time you run into that rush of girls flooding toward the locker rooms, ask them about their next game—the matches always prove to be exciting.