To ensure that you never have to skip a training session, you need to keep your Size 4 AFL women’s ball in the pink of its health and glory. AFL balls are pretty robust and sturdy and last long. However, for that the ball has to be taken care of and maintained properly. Only then they will only last long for multiple seasons and remain in the best of condition. Regardless of whether you have bought the ball for some informal game in your backyard or for some serious training with the aspiration of growing up to be a serious professional player, the rules for cleaning your ball are all the same.
Let us discuss the steps.
Know what the ball is made up of and how to store it
Before you get on with the cleaning you must know what the ball is made up of. This will help you in the cleaning of your AFL ball.
The official AFL game ball is made up of Australian to-rated cowhide leather. So when it comes to storing the ball following the cleaning, the following steps need to be maintained?
- Storing the ball in dry, cool, airy place is a MUST
- Keeping the ball in your car for a long period is a strict NO-NO. That is because when the car is parked overnight locked in the garage for long – maybe for an entire week or even 2 to 3 days, a fair amount of heat is generated. This heat will inflate the bladder of the ball and will invariably damage the ball.
- You need to keep the ball away from direct sunlight. Do not keep the ball exposed to direct sunlight for long, for the same odd reason.
- You need to ensure that you retain some amount of air in the bladder of the ball, except for the short stints of period when you are shipping the ball due to home relocation or other reasons. Remember, when you keep the bladder entirely devoid of air for long, the inner surface of the bladder will stick together, damaging the health of the bladder, deeming the ball useless.
- Do not keep the ball in a box for long, as it will leave indentations and marks at the contact points between the surface of the ball and that of the inner surface of the box.
Cleaning the ball
- Cleaning the Size 4 AFL Women’s Ball like any of its counterparts of other sizes has to be careful and comprehensive. All the bits and pieces of grass, dirt, earth and the likes have to be thoroughly cleaned with clean, plain, cool water. It is better to use running water from a garden hose, as the force of the water will remove all the unwanted elements from the surface.
- Do not use pressure cleaning tools (in case you are adventurous with a curious set of mind). The reason is obvious – the immense pressure of the water will ‘destroy’ the ball no matter how controlled the force you apply.
So if you are to maintain your AFL Training Equipment as important as the ball, you must follow these steps.
However, you need to get the original version of the ball from a reputable online sporting goods store like That Training Ball. Call us at the earliest to place your order. We will have the ball shipped at the earliest.
