Question:
Does the colour of a goalie’s kit make a difference to the opposition. i.e. does the striker get distracted by bright colours?
Answer:
The studies I’m aware of in regards to colour have been done with football and ice hockey. There are two different schools of thought, one is to blend in and the second is to distract. Blue and green are good blending colours. On the distracting front, red, orange and yellow are good distracting colours. I recently heard mention of a study done by a Canadian university that was done with ice hockey goalkeepers. The study centered on many keepers wearing white equipment to blend in with the white ice. They also did a study as to what colour made pads (all the same size, just different colours) appear to be the “biggest” and yellow coloured equipment was deemed to be the “biggest.” You can make a case for blending in or distracting. If a striker is distracted by your colours they’re not focusing on the goal. If you’re blending in, the striker may not see you. At the end of the day it’s not so much about what the striker sees, but what colours make you feel strongest in goal.
good luck,
Jon
I’ve heard from some field hockey goalies that leg guards with black on the outside and orange or pink on the inside result in more shots at the bright colors.