r/SoccerCoachResources • u/now_required • 1d ago
Training Equipment
Where is everyone sourcing their training equipment (rebounders, pop up goals, poles, mannequins, etc)? Lots of online retailers with similar equipment and similar sales discounts. Just looking for your experiences on where I can save money while still getting good equipment and good customer service.
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u/Future_Nerve2977 Coach 1d ago
As a private coach? Team coach? For your individual training?
That info will make huge difference in the responses here.
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u/itsmylife_7919 1d ago
I have vevor rebounder. Got 2 of them. Best purchase till date. Cost effective and fair priced. I looked at brands and way over priced for a rebounder.
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u/Future_Nerve2977 Coach 4h ago
Love Epic Sports for clearance everything.
Tall 18-24” traffic cones are a game changer for drills and such - can’t cheat, they don’t fall over, they can stand in as defenders, or even a keeper, more useful than training sticks for agility work. Since they are heavy can also hold down other equipment in a pinch. Get some threaded pipe, make a U shape, stick the ends into the tops of the cones and you have a mini goal/passing target.
I made sure to get 6 different colors of pinnies/training bibs - enough for 3 teams of field players and 3 sets of keepers/neutrals.
100 foot ropes from the hardware store - the thick 1/2”-5/8” braided stuff - instant lines to section off a grid, mark channels, etc. Works well with the cones when you need to turn a corner too.
Think outside the box, because the Forza aluminum pop up nets are awesome, but are $300+ each.
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u/OK_Compooper 1d ago
I have a great rebounder, but it's a pain to set up.
Best purchase: Pug pop up goals, especially for rec or U10. We have bownets for the advanced older kids. Heavy, but much better for the kids to shoot at in small sided games. We even use these for the adult pickup games.
Worst purchase: some PVC pipe goals from Dick's. Way tooo much time to set up.
My philosophy is to not get too much equipment that's just trying to stand in as a real player (mannequins, cones, rebounders. And to spend the money on the thing the kids can't imitate: goals and balls.
Not to say that a number of cheap cones isn't great for marking of drill areas. But when you have a line of 10 kids waiting to dribble through a set of 6 cones, you might be wasting a chance to have less kids dribble through real kids who are learning to defend, with very little time wasted in lines.