Soccer and Coaching Equipment and Supplies in the Portland Area

You would think that after 30 something years in the sport I would realize the amount of equipment needed for a program. Little did I realize the amount of equipment a club uses or what they need to keep it going. With a few seasons of equipment coordination under my belt though I think I have a grasp on who to talk to and where to get equipment from. So for anyone else who is a new equipment coordinator take a look and I hope this helps you out.

Who:
For me the best info I received was from other board members. Now in my situation I was new and behind when trying to get things ready so I'm sure I pushed a little too hard to try to get resources and names from people. Someone did it before you did so ask them. AND don't be timid. You have a whole club to buy for and you need answers and resources quickly. Your job is to insure the coaches and kids don't have to think about whether or not you have the equipment available. So don't be timid just ask until you get a name and then ask them too.

Timing:
I'd advise starting to get your contacts in order at least 5-5 months before your Fall season starts. Also keep in mind that if you have a Competitive Program you will likely be called upon to refresh supplies for them year round. Keep extra equipment for them on hand in storage so you can pull quickly and refresh at your leisure.

What is needed:
A typical recreational coaches bag should include these basics short cones, tall cones, balls, practice vests, a medical kit, and a bag to put them in. At our club this is the breakout, by age group, of what quantities you need per bag.

K-2nd:
2  - Practice Balls (size 3)
12- Short Cones
8  - Tall Cones (may not even need them but it gives coaches some options)
8  - Practice Vests (size small - one color)

3rd-5th:
2  - Practice Balls (Size 4)
20- Short Cones (aka disc cones)
8  - Tall Cones (8-12 inch)
10- Practice Vests (size junior or small - one color! only half of the team should need them at any practice. If you are scrimmaging another team you should discuss before to insure they have separate colors)


6th-8th:

2  - Practice Balls - (size 5)
1  - Game Ball
20- Short Cones (disc cones)
12- Tall Cones (at least 12 inches)
14- Practice Vests (size adult)


High School Rec:
6  - Practice Balls (or more depending on the program budget)
2  - Game Balls
30- Short Cones
12- Tall Cones (consider also agility poles if your club can afford them. It's much cheaper to make them yourself out of PVC)
20- Practice Vests (Adult)

Where:
The big chain stores are fine in a pinch (Dicks, Sports Authority, ect..) but from my experience there are two other sources that will get you what you want either cheaper or faster than they can, Online and local shop's (like Tursi's in the Portland area). Fold-A-Goal is an excellent west coast based company that has all types of equipment at good prices. If you are just starting out or are a little behind schedule they can help you out. Also consider that if you have time and plan accordingly you can make some of the equipment your coaches may want to use. For instance a few years ago I started integrating more agility training for the 4th grade and up so I made agility poles from PVC. The trick here is finding the right ground stakes for the end of the pole. I found mine at Fold-A-Goal online but they are available at many other stores that sell field equipment such as flags. You can do the same with passing arc's, 10 yard rope squares and boxes, hurtles, and even kick back targets. I'll do another post on making your own equipment.  

Medical:
I put Medical second as it should be the first part of equipment you think of and for me it was the most difficult to source. Most local places will have very over priced small medical kits ranging from $15 to $50 but hardly any of them under $50 will have an ice pack. In my numerous trips to stores I couldn't find any I could buy in bulk for an entire club that were reasonably priced. If you have a member in the club with a "Safety Supply" business you may be able to get a good deal but barring that Fold-A-Goal has a great little kit that is inexpensive.
If you want to try to save and build your own kits keep in mind you need to prepare for different injuries at different levels of play. Kindergarten through 5th or 6th grades tend to be simple scrapes and knock injuries. A small kit with band-aids, a few ice packs, an ace bandage and a larger dressing (just in case) should suffice. As they get older the number of ice packs goes up and the possibility of breaks does too. Therefore the best thing is to spend the money to buy a trainers kit (or make your own) and definitely get those coaches and Assistant coaches into a First Aid/CPR class. Knowledge is power.     

Balls:
But shouldn't balls be obvious? The short answer is no. There are many different styles and quality differences between manufacturers. Most generally fall into practice, match cheap and match expensive. The practice balls are going to be the most durable and depending on the manufacturer they will be the cheapest. These are what you want to put in coaches bags!They are usually heavier and the materials may be harder than match balls. The first place to check is with your club to see if they have an agreement with any particular vendor. If not then go with the balls you like best. Personally I find that Adidas balls perform better than almost anything around and are a higher quality in the lower price ranges.

Bags:
There is a difference between what a recreational coach needs and what a competitive coach needs. Your competitive coaches will be experienced and likely tell you just what they want. However your rec coaches just need something that will transport the normal equipment needed for practice. A plain "mesh" sports bag is the right option here. It's simple and comes in many colors in case you want to separate by age group. I find this extremely helpful due to the different ball sizes and player counts in different age brackets. For instance your typical Kindergarten teams are 4v4 and a size 3 ball. Your 3rd grade teams are typically 6v6 and size 4 balls. Having the bags created in advance of handing them out and separated by color makes the whole process smoother.  

Field Equipment:
This is tougher than it seems. In this one you may want to take a visit to the local HS team or college team to get some advice. First you will want to look at your goal sizes. Different clubs may have different goal sizes. Locally in the Portland area I go to Tursi's. They are always helpful and know exactly what to get once you give them the goal sizes. They can order anything they don't have in stock also. When you go to measure a keep in mind the depth of the top of the goal. Not the width, that is standard. The depth may be different but usually will fall into a the area of a few different sizes. When in doubt order a size up. It's better to tie down the excess than to have holes in the goal. 

Checklist:
Timing - Start at least 3 months before your practices start
Who - Ask other club members!
Where - Big chain stores are ok for emergencies but better deals and quality equipment will be found at the niche' stores and Online. (In the Portland area: Tursi's, the Corner Kick, )
Medical Supplies - Just the basics.
Balls - "Practice" balls for daily and a "Match" ball for games
Bags - Keep it simple
Cones - get them in bulk and save a lot of money
Logo Equipment and Team Branded Merchandise:


Coach Trevor