One of the beautiful things about soccer is that it doesn’t require much equipment or many supplies to play the game. This is one of the reasons it’s the most popular sport in the World. In many countries, they have a ball and that’s all they need. A lot of these countries in poverty don’t have access to the soccer supplies we have in the United States, like soccer cleats, training equipment, goals and anything else that comes with a price tag. With that said, there are still several soccer supplies that can help with team training, individual training and I’ll discuss several soccer supplies that have helped me throughout my years as a competitive soccer player in the United States.
One of the first soccer supplies I personally owned was called kickback. I recently found a great option for this called KicPocket. It allows players to individually work on their skills whether they’re home in the yard or out at practice, without having to chase the ball down. A stripe runs down the center of the KicPocket (which is easily visible) and when you shoot or kick the ball to the stripe, it will bounce right back to you. It’s extremely easy to set up and breakdown since it only weighs 30lbs.
Every coach should have a set of disc cones in their soccer supply arsenal. They’re great for training to help develop ball skills when doing drills. They can also be used for boundaries as well as fitness training sessions. I always prefer a bright color so they stand out and the markers are clearly visible.
Having quick feet in soccer is one of the best skills to have. Fitness is a huge part of the game and if you’re not fit, it will show on the field. If you’re slow, it will also show. One of the best soccer supplies to work on having quick feet, improve agility and to help improve fitness are training ladders. I recommend purchasing a set with different colors, which can help indicate different drills for the team. It’s also great for balance and coordination, which are another huge aspect of soccer. These ladders (4-pack) can be purchased at soccer.com for $49.99.
Small sided games are extremely popular during training sessions or if you have the urge to pick up and play with some friends. It doesn’t make sense to use full size goals in a small soccer game, so one of the best soccer supply inventions is the Pugg goal. These are small mini nets that fold up and are great for a small game. It also helps players focus on finishing the ball, rather then just blasting a shot. The ball must be placed to score a goal. The goals come in a set of two and the size is measured at 6′W x 3.5′H x 3.5′D. The set will only way 7lbs total and these soccer goals are sold for $99.99 at soccer.com.
These are some of my favorite soccer supplies on the market. They can really help during training sessions or for individual needs at home. Now the easy part is getting them, the hard part is actually working hard with them. I wish you the best of luck and be sure to take advantage of your new soccer supplies!