Whether you coach a professional soccer team, a school team or a children's team, there are soccer equipment basics every coach should think about. Everyone knows soccer teams need a ball and a goal, but there is a variety of soccer gear available that enhances play and soccer training. As a coach, providing good soccer equipment and working with well-made soccer training equipment helps enhance the skills and strengths of your team.
Soccer players on professional teams that travel the country will usually have their own preferred soccer gear. Coaching a youth league means you'll need your own equipment for soccer, with enough balls, cones and goals for a worthwhile practice. Soccer equipment beyond the typical ball and goal include:
1. Ball bags and field equipment bags. These help keep the balls clean and safe from damage. These bags also help tote a large number of balls in one trip.
2. Soccer training equipment, like passing arcs, hurdles, disc cones and evasion belts.
3. Soccer wear that your team must have include shin guards, socks, soccer jerseys, cleats and goalkeeper gloves for the goalie.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Get more soccer equipment information
There is a large selection of soccer equipment available, but not all of it's useful for every team. Before buying, do some research on what type of equipment you need. Soccer balls come in sizes 3,4 and 5 and have different feels and firmness. There are also indoor and outdoor soccer shoes. It also helps to familiarize yourself with soccer terms, such as bladder (the heart of the ball that gives it bounce) and PU (short for polyurethane, but frequently abbreviated in catalogs and on websites).
I recommend: Find more information from
Soccer Training Info about balls, shoes, shin guards and equipment.
SoccerBallWorld.com offers a soccer ball dictionary, with definitions for common words found when shopping for soccer equipment.
Order from soccer equipment companies online
If you live in an area where it's hard finding soccer equipment suppliers, get online and order whatever you need. There is a large number of soccer equipment providers online that offer everything from online discounts to online soccer shopper clubs that help you save money.
I recommend: Order hurdles, goal stakes, cones and more from
Keeper Goals. Order training balls, mini balls, indoor balls and match balls from
WorldSoccerShop.com. They also offer a wide selection of youth soccer equipment.
Find soccer equipment accessories for your team
Besides the soccer equipment needed for playing the game, there are accessories available for team morale. Browse providers of soccer equipment for trophies, medals and patches.
I recommend: Trophy Depot has all sorts of soccer trophies, plaques and medals for your team. If you coach a women's team, a trophy alternative is a necklace or key chain from
Red Rock Designs.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Don't forget about ball pumps and pump needles. This sort of soccer equipment can help save a practice if balls go flat.
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