Spectator sports got their start in ancient Rome, whose emperors enjoyed watching gladiators scamper for touchdowns while being chased by man-eating linebackers. Help your progeny defeat hungry opponents with today's Groupon for sporting goods, apparel, and other athletic accessories from Youth Sports Experience. Today's deal can be redeemed online or in-person at Youth Sports Experience's Naperville store. Choose between two options:

• For $50, you get $100 worth of merchandise.
• For $25, you get $50 worth of merchandise.

Youth Sports Experience decks out aspiring all-stars ages 6–18 in top-of-the-line equipment and apparel. The store specializes in football, baseball, and fast-pitch women's softball, but merchandise spans the sportive spectrum: miniature midfielders can shield their lower limbs from misdirected kicks and angry hedgehogs with a pair of Wilson Ultra shin guards ($14.99), just as burgeoning bat-wielders can protect their noggins from spherical projectiles with a Wilson adult/youth batting helmet with shock resistance and a breathable lining ($27.99). An array of apparel keeps youngsters from having to run wind sprints in their skinny jeans. To complement the exterior accoutrements, Youth Sports Experience also offers a wide variety of supplements and sports bars, including Optimum super antioxidants ($16.19 for 60 capsules) and Optimum Optimal Protein Diet bars ($28.35 for a box of 15).

Visitors to Youth Sports Experience's cheerful Naperville location can meet with the store's helpful squad of sports nuts, who compete to see who can evoke the most smiles while striving to promote healthy lifestyles and coaching customers on choosing the best equipment. The online store replaces the friendly face time with a streamlined interface, allowing customers to shop by category, price, and brand.