Hy-Pro Youth American Football

Wilson's own guide: Official size for high school, college and ages 14 and up. Youth size for seventh and eighth grade, ages 12 to 14. Junior size for fourth to sixth grade, ages 9 to 12. Pee Wee for the youngest organised level. An official-size ball in the hands of a ten-year-old is the fastest way to put them off the sport.

The NFL specification is 12.5 to 13.5 psi, and that is a sensible guide for an official-size recreational ball too. Wet the needle before you insert it - a drop of water or valve oil - because a dry needle tears the valve and a torn valve cannot be repaired.

Because a child cannot grip an official-size ball across the laces, and without that grip they cannot throw a spiral. They push the ball instead, the technique never forms, and they decide they are bad at it. A correctly sized ball solves that immediately.

No, and it is worth being precise. The NFL game ball is Wilson's The Duke, made from Horween leather by hand in Ada, Ohio - and Wilson note that even the retail Duke may differ from the balls used in games. The MVP and Super Grip are officially licensed recreational balls with composite covers. Licensed, genuinely Wilson, and not game balls.

Wet the needle before you put it in - a drop of water, glycerine or valve oil is enough. A dry needle tears the rubber valve as it goes in, and a torn valve means a ball that will not hold air and cannot be repaired. This is the single commonest way people ruin a new ball.

Heat raises the pressure inside an inflated ball, so a ball pumped in the cool morning and left on a sunlit pitch is harder by the afternoon - inflate toward the lower end of the range. UV degrades stitching, PU covers and net twine, so keep balls and nets out of prolonged direct sun when they are not in use. And dry kit properly rather than sealing it damp in a bag.

Deflate it slightly if it is going into storage for a long time, so the bladder and seams are not under constant tension. Wipe mud off rather than leaving it to dry on, because grit works into the seams. Keep it out of prolonged sun, and never leave it in a car boot. Check the pressure before every session rather than once a month.

Yes. We deliver across Dar es Salaam and send nationwide to Arusha, Moshi, Mwanza, Dodoma, Zanzibar and beyond by courier. Call or WhatsApp us if you need a same-day drop in the city.