Winners are selected in each category based on value, quality and desirability.  Other criterion is category specific.  Winners are selected by a combination of votes from editors, testers and readers.  Details are available at http://blog.avidsoccer.com.

The Best of 2009 are:

• Coolest Lifestyle Product – Nominees include Nike’s Holland Anthem Jacket, the adidas Hero Hoodie.  The winner is the Calle Republic Rilo street shoe.  Calle one over great products from adidas and Nike by creating a shoe ideally suited to the soccer lifestyle and street soccer.
• Best Boot – Nominees include the adidas Predator X and Puma v1.10.  The winner is the Concave PT+.  Any of these boots could have finished first and there was a strong argument for each.  In the end, better grass roots support for the Concave PT+ pushed it ahead of the competition.
• Best Ball – Nominees include the adidas Jabulani and Nike Ascente.  Both are world class professional quality balls, but we selected the value priced (relatively speaking) Puma King XL as our winner.
• Best Kit – Nominees include the Sarson Bonn and adidas Russian National team kit.  The winner is a balance between high quality and value in the Diadora Ermano.
• Innovative Product of the Year – The first nomination for our most important award go to the Woman’s Professional Soccer league for changing the way soccer franchises are marketed in the US.  The second nomination goes to Lotto Team Sports for changing the way uniforms are designed and produced.  Our winner is the Concave striking plate.  It changes the way we think about hitting the ball.  The Concave striking patch may be the equivalent to the oversized golf club.

About AVID Soccer:

AVID Soccer is a grass roots organization that provides information and training to individual players, groups and teams. AVID Soccer consists of coaches and trainers dedicated to improving the image of soccer; the level of training; and the level of play.  http://www.avidsoccer.com

The AVID Soccer Equipment Review (ASER), one of the largest independent review sites, provides objective testing services, reviews and information on soccer equipment and related products. The AVID Soccer Equipment review web log was founded in March 2006.  http://blog.avidsoccer.com

AVID Soccer News presents product announcements, player gossip, team transfers, lifestyle, etc. In short, we present the news and views of the soccer world. Articles are compiled from original content, press releases and reprinted publications.  http://news.avidsoccer.com

Each year, the ASER writers, testers and editor select the products that provide the best overall experience.  That is defined as a balance between quality, desirability and value.

… and the nominee for best…

• Best Boot
  • adidas Predator X
  • Concave PT+
  • Puma v1.10
• Best Ball
  • adidas Jabulani
  • Puma King XL
  • Nike Total 90 Ascente
• Best Kit
  • adidas Russian Federation WC Kit
  • Diadora Ermano
  • Sarson Bonn
• Coolest Lifestyle Product
  • adidas Lampard Hooded Jacket
  • Calle Republic Rilo Street Shoe
  • Nike Holland Anthem Track Jacket
• Most Innovative Product
  • Lotto Team Sport custom jersey system
  • Concave striking plate
  • Women’s Professional Soccer League

Voting opens January 1st.  To vote, click on one of the links above and add your comments or send email to the Review Desk.  Voting will close January 22.  Winners will be announced the following week.

Concave is a relative new-comer to the soccer cleat world, having launched its first model of a technologically advanced product last autumn, after several years of research and development. Now, O’Shea is joining up with Concave just as the footwear company is introducing its much broader and eagerly anticipated new product line in soccer specialty shops and online in the UK and the USA – and soon, globally.

John O’Shea, explains: “As a professional soccer player it is crucial that I wear a cleat that can help maximize my performance on the pitch. I believe Concave is the next big thing in soccer, the cleats are unique in design and offer exclusive technology which hasn’t been seen before. The cleats offer me increased protection and confidence, and I hope to be wearing Concave for the rest of my career.”

Jim Grimes, CEO at Concave, said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome John O’Shea to our line-up. In fact, we are thrilled when someone of John’s stature believes in our product they way we do.

“It is well known that John has earned the respect of his teammates, coach, and soccer fanatics around the globe. John’s hallmarks are his enduring passion for the sport and his commitment to excellence,” Jim continued.  “Those qualities are the bedrock of our company culture.”

Concave attributes its patented technology on the top of the cleat with giving players at all levels the ability to increase their ball striking skills – in the areas of power, accuracy and control – while also protecting against foot injuries. In fact, tests have demonstrated a 15 percent increase in power and 30 percent greater accuracy when striking the ball, over traditionally designed soccer cleats.

Concave believes that O’Shea is a perfect match as brand ambassador because of his remarkable versatility – having played in a variety of positions on the pitch.

Jim continued: “Our technology is all about versatility. There are many requirements for striking a ball effectively – whether it’s for a pass, a cross, a clearance, or the most glorious of all, putting the ball in the back of the net,” he adds. “The Concave cleat can be an enormous benefit in any and all of those situations.

“John was very meticulous in his evaluation of our product, very particular about what he would sign his name to. So it truly is an honor for us to be affiliated with a player of John’s caliber.”

Kevin Moran, O’Shea’s agent, said that specific terms of the agreement will not be announced.  It is certain, however, that John O’Shea will become the focus of Concave’s brand presence, including at point of sale, online networking, and other promotional interaction with customers. Younger, up and coming soccer players do gravitate toward the product choices their idols make and Concave will certainly endeavor to make that connection at the grass roots level and beyond.

Available in outsoles for soft ground, hard ground, firm ground and rounded mould, the unique features of Concave soccer cleats include:

• Large sweet spot – four times larger than the sweet spot on other cleat on the market, the Concave design conforms to the shape of the ball to increase accuracy, power and control, and reduce errors.   The concave shape matches the circumference of a size 5 FIFA ball exactly
• Shank Balance Stabilizer – provides support for the mid-foot area to help control balance between the front and rear of the foot
• Lightweight two part injected TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomer) in the footbed spreads the pressure put onto any one point in the foot, protecting against injuries caused by turning quickly, or contact injuries
• MetaGuard – provides protection to the top of the foot and will appeal to the safety conscious customer  and parent
• Sole plate – adapted for the different outsoles to avoid pressure on the key points of the forefoot

For more information, check out the reviews of the PT1 and PT+ at ASER.

Concave Holdings, Inc. is a global company with subsidiary operations in Indonesia, and operating from Manchester in the United Kingdom.  For more information on Concave’s 2009 range, email sales@concavesports.com  or visit www.concave.com.