Question Number: 23307

Law 4 - Players Equipment 5/13/2010

RE: Select Under 14

mike mcnelley of sandpoint, Idaho United States asks...

Are metal studs legal at the U13 level?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mike
Yes metal studs are legal provided they are not banned by a local rule and they are not allowed if they have burrs or sharp edges which makes them dangerous like any other stud.
If they are not covered under a local rule the referee in his pre match inspection should assess if they pose any danger. The material intself is not any more dangerous than say hard plastic except that any damaged edge retains a sharp profile.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Some local rules may ban metal studs.

With that exception, metal studs are legal as long as they do not have sharp edges. Walking with the studs on pavement can file the edges to a sharp knife edge, which is very dangerous.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

There was a time when metal studs did not screw into holes on the bottom of the shoes, and many youth leagues banned metal cleats because of the danger when the end of the stud came off. Modern cleats pose little inherent danger, and local rules have widely eliminated reference to metal.

The metal cleat, however, can sharpen while players walk and run on concrete (few players are evil enough to file them), and the referee must check metal cleats for sharp or burred edges. If the referee believes any cleats (metal or otherwise) are dangerous, they may not be worn.