Size Guide
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Keepers are hard to size. They wear layers under the shirt in winter, they need room in the shoulders to reach a high ball, and their sleeves have to stay at the wrist when the arms come up. Youth keepers grow between tryouts and the end of the season. This guide explains the size labels we use, how to measure a shirt you already own, how to choose between two sizes, and what to do if the size is wrong. It covers every Six Yard jersey, the pants and shorts, the youth set and the warm-up layers.
Sizing at a glance
- Adult unisex: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL. 2XL and 3XL add $2; 4XL and 5XL add $4.
- First & Clash pair (two shirts): 2XL and 3XL add $4; 4XL and 5XL add $8.
- Youth: YXS, YS, YM, YL, YXL, all at one price.
- Best method: measure a keeper shirt that already fits, laid flat.
- Base layer or padded undershirt underneath: go one size up.
- Wrong size: 60 days to return, with a free return label.
The size labels we use
Every adult Six Yard item is a unisex size. Unisex sizing follows a straighter cut through the body than many fitted women’s tops, so a keeper who usually wears a women’s medium in fitted sportswear may find a unisex small or medium is the match. Measuring is a better guide than any rule of thumb, and the steps are below.
| Size label | On the size buttons | Price change (one shirt) | Price change (First & Clash pair) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | S | Base price | Base price |
| Medium | M | Base price | Base price |
| Large | L | Base price | Base price |
| Extra large | XL | Base price | Base price |
| 2X large | 2XL | Plus $2 | Plus $4 |
| 3X large | 3XL | Plus $2 | Plus $4 |
| 4X large | 4XL | Plus $4 | Plus $8 |
| 5X large | 5XL | Plus $4 | Plus $8 |
Youth items are for young keepers: the Youth Keepers shelf holds the youth jerseys and the jersey-and-shorts set. Every youth size costs the same.
| Size label | On the size buttons | Price change |
|---|---|---|
| Youth extra small | YXS | Same price for every youth size |
| Youth small | YS | Same price for every youth size |
| Youth medium | YM | Same price for every youth size |
| Youth large | YL | Same price for every youth size |
| Youth extra large | YXL | Same price for every youth size |
Youth sizes go by size, not by age. Two keepers in the same age group can be a head apart in height, so a label like “age 10” would mislead you. Measure a shirt the child already wears instead.
Why there are no garment measurements on this page yet
We will publish garment measurements in inches and centimetres only when they are confirmed for the exact blanks each design is printed on. Our range has several cuts: crew-neck and V-neck jerseys, raglan sleeves, a collared jersey, full-length and three-quarter pants, shorts, a quarter-zip and a hoodie. They do not all measure the same at the same label, and one chart for everything would steer you wrong. Fabric, padding and care details are handled the same way: they appear here once confirmed, and until then we do not describe them. If you need a number or one of those details before you order, email support@sixyard.shop with the product name and the size, and we will tell you what we know.
How to measure a shirt that already fits
You need a tape measure or a ruler, a flat table and a long-sleeve shirt that fits the keeper the way they like, ideally a keeper shirt or a training top. Lay it face up, smooth it out without stretching it, and button or zip it if it has a placket.
1. Chest width
Measure straight across the front, from the seam under one arm to the seam under the other, about an inch below the armpits. This is the number that decides the size more than any other. Write it down; you can double it for the full chest round if you want, but compare like with like.
2. Sleeve length
Measure from the centre of the back of the collar, over the top of the shoulder and down the outside of the sleeve to the end of the cuff. For keepers this one matters: in the set position the hands come up and forward, and a sleeve that is just long enough standing still pulls back up the forearm when you dive. If the shirt you are measuring is already short at the wrist in that position, choose the next size up.
3. Body length
Measure from the highest point of the shoulder, next to the collar, straight down to the hem. A keeper shirt should stay below the waistband when the arms stretch up for a cross, so the stomach does not show on every high ball.
4. For pants and shorts
Lay a pair that fits flat. Measure straight across the waistband from edge to edge, and the inside leg from the crotch seam down to the hem. Our long pants run to the ankle and the three-quarter pants stop just below the knee; compare with a pair of similar length.
Once our confirmed charts are published per product, you compare these numbers with the chart. Until then, the label of a shirt that fits well, together with the advice below, is the most reliable guide. If you are unsure, write to us with your measurements and the product.
Choosing between two sizes
| Situation | Our advice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A base layer or padded undershirt goes under it | One size up | A second layer takes room at the elbows and shoulders, where keepers move most |
| Youth keeper who is still growing | One size up | The sleeves should still reach the wrist at the end of the season |
| Quarter-zip or hoodie worn over a jersey | Usual size | These layers are meant to go over a jersey already |
| Between two sizes, no layer, grown keeper | The size of the shirt that fits you best now | A keeper shirt that is too big flaps and catches on the ball |
| Back-up keeper jersey shared by several players | One size larger than the biggest regular player | A shirt that has to fit whoever goes in goal |
| First & Clash pair | One size for both shirts, chosen as above | Both shirts come in the same size |
Our homepage has a small helper at the bottom of the page: choose adult or youth, tick whether a layer goes underneath and whether the keeper is still growing, and it tells you whether to go one size up. It collects nothing; it is the same advice as the table.
Long sleeves and the keeper’s arms
Every jersey we make has full-length sleeves to the wrist. That is a choice: on turf, frost and summer-hard ground, the forearms and elbows are what hit the ground first in a dive, and a long sleeve is the keeper’s first layer between skin and pitch. The fit around the arm matters more for a keeper than for any outfield player. Some keepers like the sleeve close, so it does not slide; others want room for a padded undershirt. If you are in the second group, the one-size-up rule above is for you.
Gloves sit over the cuff or under it depending on the keeper’s habit. We do not sell gloves, and the shirt does not need to match any particular glove; just check the cuff is not so long that it bunches inside the glove wrist.
Sizing for each shelf
Keeper Jerseys
Adult S to 5XL. Crew-neck, V-neck, raglan and collared jerseys are all on this shelf. If you have a collared shirt you like the fit of, use it to measure the collared jersey; for the others, a crew-neck shirt is the closest comparison.
Youth Keepers
YXS to YXL. The youth set includes a jersey and shorts in one size for both pieces; if the keeper is between sizes in tops and bottoms, size to the top, since the jersey is the piece that has to fit over a layer and reach the wrist.
The Second Shirt
Adult S to 5XL. Buy the second shirt in the same size as the first, so either one can go on at half-time without surprises.
Pants & Shorts
Adult S to 5XL. Pants and shorts are sized like the tops; measure the waist and inside leg of a pair you own, as above. Some leagues ask keepers to wear the team’s shorts, so check before you order.
Training & Warm-Up
Adult S to 5XL. The training top is a lighter long-sleeve crew, sized like a jersey. The quarter-zip and the hoodie go over a jersey, so most keepers keep their usual size.
Three keepers, three decisions
The Sunday-league keeper with a winter base layer
He wears a large in most tops and a thin long-sleeve layer under his keeper shirt from October to March. His current keeper shirt, also a large, pulls at the elbows when he reaches for a cross. Measured flat, its chest width is the same as his everyday large tees. Decision: one size up, XL, so the layer fits under it and the sleeves keep reaching the wrist in the set position.
The eleven-year-old who grew over the summer
Her old keeper top is a youth medium and now ends above the wrist. Her parents measure a long-sleeve school sweatshirt that fits her well today and see it is a youth large. Tryouts are in spring and she plays through the next winter. Decision: youth extra large, because she is still growing, she wears a layer in cold months and a shirt that is a little roomy in September fits right by March.
The coach buying the back-up shirt for the team bag
Three players might end up in goal: two outfield players and the second keeper. The biggest of them wears an XL. Decision: the Back-Up jersey in 2XL, so it goes on whoever needs it, over whatever they are already wearing, without a struggle at half-time. The extra $2 for 2XL is the price of not waiting at the restart.
Common sizing mistakes
- Going by another brand’s label. Sizes differ from brand to brand; measure a shirt instead.
- Measuring a stretched shirt. Lay it flat without pulling it, or the chest width comes out bigger than it is.
- Forgetting the layer. If the keeper wears one in winter, size for winter.
- Sizing youth keepers by age. Use the size of a shirt that fits them now.
- Ordering the pair in two sizes. The First & Clash pair comes in one size for both shirts.
If the size is wrong
You have 60 days to return an item, and we provide a free return label. Email us with your order number and the item, and we will reply with the steps. If you want a different size, place a new order for it whenever suits you; it follows the usual 1-3 business days to get ready and 7-14 business days of free delivery to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The refund for the return is sent within 7 days of the return reaching us. The full process is on returns and exchanges, and the money side on the refund policy. Within 24 hours of ordering, you can also simply change the size: see cancel or change an order.
Questions about fit
Write to support@sixyard.shop with the product, the keeper’s usual size, the measurements you took and whether a layer goes underneath. We reply within 24 hours on business days. More answers are in the FAQs and the Help Center.