Individual and Team Equipment
for Training Sessions and Games

Individual Equipment

From Day One, coaches should insist that players (and parents) be responsible for bringing the following items to all soccer games and training sessions:

Shoes

• molded cleats or turf shoes. Basketball/tennis shoes are acceptable alternatives for very young players or on hard dry ground. Baseball/football cleats are not.

Shinguards

• for all contact soccer activities. All leagues require them for games.

Ball

• #3, 4, or 5 depending on age. A rubber/plastic ball is acceptable, but a stitched synthetic leather ball feels more user friendly. Write your name on it with a permanent marker and bring it to every practice. Take responsibility for pumping it up - about the same pressure as a basketball.

Water bottle

• even in cool weather. Eight ounces every 20 minutes is a good rule of thumb.

Clothing

• official team jersey, shorts, socks for games. Additional garments worn underneath uniform in cold weather should be the same color. Bring extra layers in cool weather for both games and practice. For training sessions, a white top is preferred unless you're lucky enough to have reversible game jerseys. No baseball caps.

Small equipment/travel bag

• to carry these personal items.

Team Equipment

The following team equipment items are listed more or less in order of importance:

1. Coach's first-aid kit
2. Cell phone

   (For medical emrgencies and "I'm late/I'm lost" calls. You can get one for about $11/month from AAA.)

3. Medical release forms

   (Keep them in a ziplock bag at all games, practices, tournaments, etc., along with other official paperwork, such as rosters and player passes, where appropriate.)

4. Balls

   (Use #3, 4, or 5 depending on what your league uses. Coach should carry a #5 for demonstration purposes. Many activities will require one ball for each player.)

5. Ball pump

   (with needle attached to flexible tubing so kids can use it without breaking needles.)

6. Net ball bag
7. Pinnies, practice bibs or tank tops

   (to distinguish one group of players from another during drills, small-sided games, etc.); you can make your own

8. cones

   a couple of dozen 7" flat cones in a variety of colors to mark areas; eight 11" flat cones for corners, small goals, and shooting targets. Don't buy taller lightweight rigid cones; they are easily knocked over and can cause injury.

9. GK gloves and jersey

   the latter must be a different color than the players' jerseys. Pinnies are a nice substitute for the jersey, especially for younger players where GK changes during games are more frequent.

10. Clipboard/dry erase board with soccer field on the back. Large magnetic board (commercial or recycled dryer door) with small magnets simulating players give an even clearer picture.
11. Office supplies

    Dry erase markers, pencils, pens, index cards, plain paper, computer printouts for easy reference to training session plans, game lineups, tactical ideas. Peel-apart clear plastic sheets available at office supply stores allow you to laminate essential paperwork for rainy days.

12. Large equipment bag
13. Hair elastics (for making pony tails)
14. Watch with stopwatch feature

    to keep training session, pregame acticities, and game substitutions on schedule.

15. Whistle

    in case a volunteer referee is needed on game day (but don't use it for training sessions)

16. Velcro strips

    for attaching nets to goal

17. Duct tape

    to repair shoes, hold up socks, etc., but not for attaching nets to goal. They're too easily damaged.

18. Corner flag

    for corners and adjustable width small-sided goals and gates. Start with four; eight is even better. Avoid the kind with 1/4" multiple-bend steel points that are friction fit into thin PVC pipe. They come loose, get lost, and destroy lawnmower blades . . . or worse. Consider making your own.

19. PUGG goals

    Lightweight, easy to set up, collapse to fit into your trunk. A step up from large cones for small-sided goals at a modest cost.

20. Coerver goal

    a portable goal that can be shot at from either side. Where practice field goals are permanently located, the full-sized version can create a shorter field for small-sided games with goalies. A good long-term investment.

21. Nets

    for scrimmages and shooting games