Playing Gear – Page 12 – Portable Sports Coach

Size Does Matter It does. There’s no point in a huge goal with little Jimmy barely noticeable in the middle. That’s not going to do anything for his development. The chance are however, you’re versatile coach which means now and again you’ll want to, or even be asked to coach a different group. Heck, if you work in various schools and sessions throughout the day there’s a chance you’ll be teaching a different age group every time! What do you do? Buy goals for ever age group? Well if you have the funds to do so, and you drive then that probably won’t be much of a problem. However you may not be in this position so the next best thing is too be a little creative – buying the middle sized goal that suits both all age groups and adapt your session plans accordingly. You are an adaptable coach right? There is however another alternative. Adjustable Portable Goals There are some portable goals on the market (albeit a small number) that are adjustable. This will allow you to carry one set of nets to be used across all age groups. So not only will your session be adaptable but you’ll have goals to go along with it as well ;) The only thing with adjustable goals however, is their likelihood of breaking due to their flimsy nature. Have a think and see what option is better for you best on your circumstances such as time, budget and even things like storage capacity. Storage Speaking of storage, it’s another thing you have to take into consideration when buying a portable goal. If you’re looking to pack your goals in the wife’s side at the top of the clothes cupboard then the smallest possible goal when packed away would be your best option. If however, you lock your youth soccer equipment in a storage facility close to where you train then buying a bigger portable goal might be the option you take. Where are you going to store your goal? When asking yourself this question also think about these 6 things as well; How much space will you to store your goal? Is there any equipment currently taking up that space already? Is there other equipment stored in the same place? You don’t want to be putting your brand new goal and nets under heavy stuff. How secure is your storage space? How often will you be taking it in and out of storage? How close is the storage to the venues you coach at? Now with the way I’m chucking the word ‘storage’ about you’d think I was talking about some commercial place. But in fact I’m talking about any space you can store something – you’re best friends family van….or your local storage renting facility – ask these questions before jumping in and buying your goal. Sturdiness This one’s a given. Goals are going to be scored and conceded. You need the goal to withstand the ball constantly hitting the back of the net. Although one might be cheaper than the other – there’s usually a reason for this. Remember, if you see young players in the promotional material then there’s a good chance that the goal may only be suitable for that age group. Other things to look out for when it comes to how sturdy the goal needs to be are; Does the goal come with metal hooks, stakes or pins to fasten the goal down? What surface will you be using? The GOLME goal is great where this is concerned as it provides you will alternative methods to weight the goal down….in sand. Also, if you’re looking to use the goal indoor does it come with weighted equipment such as sandbags? Some goals don’t but you can easily buy some from Amazon Price What price are you willing to pay for your new set of portable goals? Are you looking to invest more money to save time in the long run? Or are you just testing the market to see what goals suit you and your player best? Depending on the answers to those questions will depend how much you’ll spend. If you’re looking to spend a little more on the goal ask yourself this one question; ‘Am I getting value for money?’ No-one else can answer that question for you. You know what your players need, and you know the best way in which you need to develop them. Are they always looking to shoot at goal? Positive player attitude shouldn't be suppressed but maybe you want them to start thinking about getting the ball down to pass and move – buy a small goal until there playing better football then maybe think about introducing smaller goals. Durability How long do you want this goal to last? Are you going to be using it once a year for your annual tournament? Or maybe every session twice a week throughout the school term? Goals that are being used week-in week-out will need be tough enough to withstand all the shots it’s going to receive! What do you need it for? Are you using it for competitive matches? What about training? If you’re using for training, is it small sided games you’re focusing on? These types of questions are the questions you should be asking yourself. Safety I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve walked onto pitch to find these shabby looking goals. Not only do they look hideous but they can be downright lethal. There’s guidelines and law on this stuff. If I was to start going into the intricate details here we could go on forever, so instead of doing that here are the links; USA Law & Guidelines UK Law & Guidelines Austrailia Law & Guidelines Canada If you country isn’t listed above have no fear! Take a few notes down from each of the websites above and your players will be safe. It’s important to note to look not only at the goals posts themselves but also the nets – that can be just as dangerous! Still Can’t Make a Decision? If you still can’t make a decision ask yourself these three ultimate questions; How portable is this goal in relation to my circumstances? How much value based on my criteria am I getting in return for my money What storage space have I got? Answer those 3 questions and you’ll be able to get the right goal not only for you but more importantly for your players.