Did you volunteer to train your son or daughter’s soccer team? Is this your first year as a soccer coach? Many new soccer coaches are unaware of what soccer coaching equipment they need for smooth soccer practice sessions. If this is your first time guiding a soccer team, don’t be afraid, and don’t look any further. We bring the list of the most important soccer coach gear that every coach’s bag must have.
Let’s go over the essential soccer coaching equipment that no coach should go without.
First Aid Kit – Most Important Soccer Coaching Equipment:
This may sound basic, but shockingly, many coaches forget to keep this most important soccer coaching equipment in their bag. Nothing is more important than keeping players safe and prepared for the most common soccer injuries during soccer practice or games.
Soccer Balls:
Having at least one soccer ball in your bag is always an excellent idea. You don’t want to go to practice without a soccer ball and have none of your teammates bring one. Keeping one soccer training ball in your bag will ensure you are never left playing freeze tag throughout practice.
Most young leagues lack regulations for the quality of soccer balls used in games. On the other hand, keeping a certified soccer ball in your bag ensures that you’ll always be ready to play, no matter what league you’re in.
Spare Needles & Hand Pump:
Few things are more stressful than arriving at practice 20-30 minutes early, laying out cones, and being ready to begin, only to have players arrive with incorrectly inflated balls. A pro tip is always to keep a hand pump and spare needles in your bag’s side pocket. Show your athletes where to get the pump and emphasize the importance of having a correctly inflated ball. As a result, the first thing those players will do when they see a flat ball is pump it up.
Hand pumps with the needle attached directly to the body of the pump subsequently receive more stress at the needle with each use, making the needle more prone to breaking off. Therefore we recommended keeping a hand pump with an attached short hose. The hose releases the needle of the stress it would otherwise involve if it were hooked directly to the hand pump’s body. Also, keep a few spare needles on hand in case your needle breaks or goes missing.
Cones:
A set of colored cones for marking out grids & lines is essential to soccer coaching equipment for all coaches. Disc cones are popular among soccer coach gear. Disc cones have a lower profile with a wider base. The design allows passing more easily over the cone, and because it is flatter, players will not be injured if they fall on it.
Pinnies:
Also known as vests or bibs, they are the most important soccer coaching equipment for making your soccer training periods more efficient. When playing three-on-three, no player wants to remember who is on whose team. You also don’t want your gamers focusing their mental energy on that task. With pinnies, a good rule of thumb is to have at least two shades available, with enough of each shade to dress around one-third of your team.
You’ll also want enough to enable a full-field scrimmage with one squad fully dressed in the same shade. You’ll also appreciate having a couple of backups in each shade in case one goes missing in your player’s luggage, never to be seen again.
The Soccer Bag Itself:
Yes, it may go without saying, but the bag is just as important for soccer coaching equipment as the items in it. Low-quality bags may frustrate you in the short run and will most likely cost you more in long-term replacement costs. Invest in good quality waterproof soccer bags that can withstand rough handling.
You’ll appreciate having zippers that always function, straps that don’t break, and, most important, stitching that doesn’t unravel.
Other Items:
Here is some other soccer coaching equipment that may not be as important but will surely come in help at some point:
- Gloves for goalkeeper
- Spare set of shin guards
We hope you now better understand the essential soccer coaching equipment that your bag must have. We have covered every soccer coach equipment you require to be ready to lead that team to victory!
