Football Coach’s Training Essentials Checklist
One of the most beautiful things about football is its simplicity. In most cases, all you need is a ball and some makeshift goalposts and you’re ready to have a kick about with your pals.
Having said that, if you’re a coach who wants to put on some rewarding training sessions for your players, you’ll need a few more bits of equipment.
In this blog post, we’ll go over the essentials all football coaches need to get the best out of their players. So if you’re thinking of getting involved in coaching, this is your checklist of must-haves to help deliver some high-quality training sessions and get the results you need come match day!
Balls
Okay, so this one’s pretty obvious but you’d be surprised at how many coaches try to carry out training sessions with their players, only to realise they don’t have enough balls!
During your training sessions, chances are you’ll be doing a lot of passing and dribbling drills. If so, you’ll need to have a good few balls to ensure your players aren’t standing around waiting for their turn.
A good rule of thumb would be to have a ball for every two to three players. That way, your players will enjoy more time on the ball, resulting in more enjoyment and more development.
Bibs
If your team follows the regular football season, much of your training will take place in winter when the days are shorter and nights are darker. This means it can often be difficult for players to see one another during evening sessions.
High-visibility bibs or football training tops will help you overcome this issue, ensuring your players are able to see one another in spite of the low-light conditions.
There’s nothing more frustrating or counterproductive than being unable to spot your teammates when trying to make a pass. So as well as making the time spent enjoyable, bibs will also ensure your training sessions are more productive.
Cones
Simple yet highly effective, cones allow you to set up a number of mini games or exercises that can improve dribbling, passing and shooting.
To improve close control, set up the cones in a zig-zag pattern and ask players to manoeuvre the ball through. Or for an easy exercise to enhance a player’s passing, set up markers and use them as targets. Players can aim their passes at these markers, improving both the accuracy and distance control when striking the ball.
Goals/Nets
Depending on where you’re training, you might not need to worry about this. However, if you’re training on a field with no goalposts then you’ll need something your players can aim their shots at.
We stock a selection of training goals that cater to a range of budgets. So to help your players hone their shooting skills ready for those big match days, take a look at what we have in stock.
MOM Trophies
If you’re coaching youngsters, it’s always a good idea to recognise stand-out performances. This demonstrates that you, the coach, has noticed their efforts, and this can instil confidence and encourage them to give their all in your matches.
One way to do this is with man of the match awards, which you can hand to your star player after the game. You can pick these trophies up for a few quid on the internet.
Knowledge And Expertise
Last but not least, every football coach needs the know-how in order to get the best out of their players. Whether this is tactical awareness to help your team work on the right strategy to overcome your opponents, or knowing the right drills and routines to carry out in training, every coach needs knowledge to get the best out of their players.
If you’re just starting out, you can brush up your knowledge with some of the many great YouTube tutorials or books on the subject. Indeed, there are many ways to acquire knowledge on football training, so with some hard work and research, you should be able to learn the ropes as you go.
So that’s what every football coach needs. As well as balls, bibs, cones and goals, you’ll also need a man of the match trophy if coaching youngsters, as well as some knowledge and expertise, to help your players improve.
You can find the majority of these pieces of equipment here, so if you’re lacking anything, we’ve got you covered!