Patent ID: 7225477

Claim:
A method of securing a set of shoulder pads, said method comprising the steps of: providing a pad assembly including a pair of shoulder pads, each of said shoulder pads including a back covering and a chest covering attached thereto, each of said chest coverings having an elongated slot extending therethrough, each of said slots being generally horizontally orientated, a pair of loops being provided, each of said loops being attached to one of said back coverings; providing a pair of straps, each of said straps having a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side; providing a pair of couplers, each of said couplers being fixedly attached to one of said first ends of said straps, each of said couplers being removably extendable into one of said slots and releasably securing a corresponding one of said straps to said chest coverings; providing a pair of hook and loop attaching assemblies, each of said hook and loop assemblies being attached to one of said straps and selectively attaching said first sides of said straps to themselves; coupling each of said couplers to one of said slots; extending each of said second ends through one of said loops such that first portions of said straps are defined between said couplers and said loops and second portions of said straps are defined between said loops and said second ends; and pulling each of said straps to form a tight fit and securing said first portions to said second portions with said hook and loop attaching assemblies.