When marking a field, it is important measure correctly. For example, if you are marking the penalty kick line on a soccer field and you accidentally paint the line at 9 yards instead of 12 yards, you are inadvertently giving the offensive team an advantage if a penalty kick ensues. Or vice-versa, if you were to measure 15 yards instead of 12 yards, you are giving the defensive team a clear advantage. Be sure to get your measuring tape out to avoid an embarrassing episode!

You can mark a field using a few different tools:

1) A chalkliner

2) A dual chalkliner

3) A painting machines

4) A paint can

Generally, marking an athletic field will be cheaper if done with a chalkliner or dual chalkliner. Paint machines can be expensive and difficult to maintain. Chalkliners range anywhere from $300-$500, whereas paint machines start at $1,000 and go up from there. Additionally, chalk is usually cheaper to replace than cans of paint.

A chalkliner is a machine or tool that drops fine chalk lines on the grass or soil. Chalkliners vary depending on the sport. The most popular chalkliner for soccer is a fifty-pound liner. It is called a fifty-pound liner because it holds 50 pounds of chalk. It is easy to mark with because of the fingertip controls. One can easily adjust the amount of chalk in a line, as well as adjust the width of the line – from four to eight inches. This fifty-pound chalkliner is also ideal for football, baseball, field hockey and lacrosse.

The size of the wheels on a field marking machine is also important. Most chalkliners have large wheels enabling the user to easily maneuver the field. Some field keepers find a chalkliner with large wheels in back and small wheels in front easier to maneuver. It definitely depends on the sport and field surface you are working with. On grass surfaces, large wheels in back are definitely an advantage. On dirt surfaces, the wheel size does not necessarily matter. Before you purchase a chalkliner, ask your field keeper first.

Lining a field is key for the success of any outdoor sport. Using a chalkliner definitely has its benefits and should be at the top of your list for consideration. Be sure to choose the best equipment to mark your field!

- Jan

A chalkliner is a machine or tool that drops chalk to mark lines on grass or dirt. Chalkliners vary for different sports.  The most common chalkliner for soccer is a fifty pound dry line marker.  A fifty pound dry line marker will hold more chalk than normal.  A soccer field is so big, that you probably will need a fifty pound dry line marker or bigger.  Also using chalkliners is nice because you can control the width of the line.

The size of the wheels on chalkliners is also important.  This will depend on the sport you decide to use the chalkliner for.  Why I say this is because you need to have good sturdy wheels to paint straight lines.  For soccer I would recommend using smaller wheels in the front and bigger wheels in the back.  That way it will keep the chalkliner machine steadier, so it can paint perfect straight lines.

Field marking and field lining is used in many sports and plays an important role in the game. Be sure to choose the best equipment to mark your field!

- Sussa, Guest Author

Here is one basic speed drill that will help you with you.  Mark a large area 20 by 20 yards.  Then basically you run around in the square.  You don’t want to be jogging.  You should be sprinting the whole time until your instructor tells you to stop.  Also you should be running in different directions.  Don’t run around in a circle the whole time.  Run to a corner and hurry and turn around.  This will help you in soccer because if your opponent steals the ball, then you can turn around and catch up to your opponent faster.

A good agility drill is the shuffle.  What you do is put two cones 20 yards apart from each other.  You will sprint to one end, and then shuffle back to the other end.  Basically, shuffling is when you slide your feet side by side.  This drill is convenient for soccer because it teaches you a fast method of defending your opponent.  You can constantly be guarding your opponent by shuffling side by side.

There are more drills that you can come up with.  The key thing in agility and speed training is doing sprints and staying low.  Sprints are the best thing to improve your speed.  Staying low will help your balance. The more and more you do these drills, the better your performance will be in the game.

- Sussa, Guest Author

Your basic soccer cones are orange practice cones.  I like these cones because they are tall and easy to see.  For me, orange practice cones improved my dribbling skills the most.  The tallness of the cone forced me to go around the cone, instead of trying to go over the cone.   They are also good cones to mark off boundaries for small scrimmages.

Disc soccer cones are also very good cones.  These cones are great for dribbling, drills, and making boundaries for a scrimmage.  My favorite use of disc cones is for drills.  For me, they are the easiest to set up and take down.  Also they are nice and easy for drills.  If you use the orange practice cones for drills, they tend to fall over.  With disc cones, they never fall over.  You can use the disc cones for any basic drill.

A great accessory is a disc cone carrier.  Usually, disc cone carriers will hold up to over 150 cones.  This is great because it organizes the cones.  It’s so easy to stick in your car, and it won’t make a mess.  The disc cone carrier will be a great help to organizing all the cones.

- Sussa, Guest Author

The rules of soccer rely on the soccer equipment on the field.  Soccer corner flags are very important in soccer.  Corner flags make the soccer game more fair for everyone. Soccer corner flags go on the corners of the soccer field.  One reason corner flags are used in the game of soccer is for corner kicks. When we make corner kicks, we need to stay in a certain small area at the corner of the field.  The corner flag is there to make sure we stay in that area. Additionally, each corner flag is used to help mark the out of bounds area. It is easy for the referees and for us to tell where the boundaries are when we cannot see the ground where the paint may be marking.

All corner flags are basically the same.  The real difference between corner flags is the weight.  There are two basic types of corner flags: natural surface and artificial surface.  Natural surface flags are heavier than artificial surface flags.  Both types have a base or shaft that is usually made of plastic. The natural surface flag goes into the ground and is used for outdoor soccer.  The artificial flag can be used for both indoor and outdoor soccer fields.  This is because of the dome shaped plastic base around the bottom.

Personally if I were playing outdoor soccer, I would choose the natural surface flag.  When you’re playing outdoors, you get all kinds of weather from rain to snow to hurricane type winds. I know I could rely on the natural surface flag because it is heavier and it is partially in the ground.  That way when it gets really windy, you won’t have the corner flag blowing over all the place.

I also really like portable corner flags. It saves a lot of room in the car when you’re traveling to and from practices and/or games.  Also, these portable flags are easier to store in your garage, shed, or equipment closet in the house. Simply fold them up, put them in the bag, put them on the shelf or hang them from a hook. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed with portable corner flags.

- Sussa, Guest Author

When you’re choosing a soccer net to buy, it’s always important to remember who is going to use it. Age is a very important aspect to think about when you are going to buy a soccer net. Why I say that is because little kids hardly even touch the net when they shoot. Older kids, teens, young adults, and adults tend to have a lot more power in their shots.

Soccer nets are usually made from polyethylene. Polyethylene is a material that is a type of nylon cord. These nets come in different sizes, heights, widths, depths, thickness, and mesh sizes. The thickness of the net plays a key role. Usually if the soccer players are ten years old or older, you should use a thicker net. I would suggest using a 3mm size. The nets come even thicker too. Just depends on how powerful their shots can be. The thinner the net, the easier the ball can go through it. So always make sure to choose a thick soccer net. A general rule of thumb is the thicker the net, the better.

The mesh sizes are also very important. Mesh sizes are the squares in the nets. They come in all different sizes. I recommend the smallest mesh size. The reason is because the smaller the mesh size, the longer the net will last and the harder it is for the ball to sneak through if the mesh loosens and creates larger squares or holes.

Remember, the key things to look for in a good net are the mesh size and the thickness of the net. If you want to spend you’re money wisely then I would suggest buying a thick net, and also a small mesh size. I can guarantee you they will last the longest.

Sussa, Guest Author

Of the various types of soccer goals, there are full size goals, junior size goals, coerver goals, infinity goals, and many more. Full size, junior, and coerver goals are really good goals for a whole team to practice. They are bigger goals; therefore your whole team can practice shooting at once. If you’re looking for a soccer goal to practice by yourself, then I would suggest the infinity goals. Infinity goals come in different shapes, but they are the easiest to haul around. It also helps you to practice controlling your shots because they are smaller goals. Also futsal goals are really good soccer goals to practice your shots in. They are also smaller soccer goals.

The infinity and futsal soccer goals are also known as portable soccer goals. These goals are soccer goals that you can haul around. Portable goals are the best if you’re coaching. That way you can move them around wherever, and they also help you to control your shots. Portable soccer goals are usually pretty small. For me I would use these goals to practice my shots. That way when I played in a game, I knew how to shoot for a specific spot in the full size goal.

Any soccer goal is a good goal, but remember to always take the time to practice.

- Sussa, Guest Author

For me dribbling is the best thing you can work on to improve your soccer skills. The soccer equipment I use to improve my dribbling is soccer cones. Now, there are all types of cones. There are carrier, disc, flat marker, multi-packs, and practice cones. For me I like the practice cones the best. They are taller cones; therefore you have to go around the cone. They are also generally the cheapest in price.

Another favorite soccer training equipment of mine is the rebounder. The rebounder is used as a goal, but after you kick the ball, the ball rebounds towards you. It can be used for practicing your shots or practicing goalie position. Personally I like it because you don’t have to have a goalie. You can play by yourself without having to get the ball every time you shoot. Also you can throw the ball against the rebounder, and then practice your stalls and volleys.

The most basic soccer training equipment you need is a soccer ball. You can basically do anything with a soccer ball. You can practice your dribbling, shooting, juggling, and much more.

Having the right soccer training equipment can really help you to become better. If you want to become a better soccer player, then just simply practice. You can use any soccer training equipment you want, but you must simply practice. For me when I’m watching T.V. I sometimes will stand there and practice juggling the ball. So whenever you have a chance, do anything to practice.

- Sussa, Guest Author

This is especially true for traveling soccer teams. Recently, we received multiple orders for this set from the same soccer director in Minnesota. Julie is responsible for a soccer team that is often on the road, traveling to games. They don’t have much room in the van to carry corner flags. We wish her and her team the best this season!

The Soccer Corner Flag Folding Set is one of our top sellers. We believe it is because of the unique design and ease of use. You can break it down and store it in seconds!

Specifications

• Constructed of 1″ OD Post
• Internal shock cords (to stretch)
• Four Neon Corner Flags
• Four Posts

Features

• It FOLDS!
• Easy to use
• Simple to Store
• Portable
• Strong, flexible, safe
• Comes with carry bag

Best Uses

• Ideal for practice and game drills
• Perfect for games on the road
• Great for soccer moms and dads, soccer coaches, field managers, and athletic directors
• Various uses – other fields (football, lacrosse, field hockey), construction marking,  land plotting

Check out the unique folding system of the Soccer Corner Flag Folding Set at www.soccerfieldpro.com/product/SCFF.

Good luck on the field this season and remember to KICK GRASS!

The  soccer rebounder goals make excellent training aids for soccer practice, youth soccer leagues, or even your own backyard. The goals are great for repetitious passing and shooting to help you hone in and nail your target (whether your target is another player or the goal).

Once kicked into the rebounder goal, the soccer ball will bounce back to you. You can forget about the bothersome task of retrieving your ball after each shot or pass. Stand as close to, or as far back from the ball rebounder as you’d like. Test your aiming skills!

The training rebounder goals consist of 1 3/8″ OD galvanized steel tubing. Each goal features a complete back frame and ground bar. You truly cannot tell the difference between a rebounder goal and a professional soccer goal (except for the size, of course).

The net on the rebounder has elastic stitching around the netting for extra bounce back. The bars of the goal are designed to sleeve and lock together into place with simple push buttons – it is very easy to assemble and take apart. Each rebounder goal folds flat, making it a breeze to transport and store.

The Rebounder Goal includes the following components: steel frame, rebounder net, anchors, and net attachments.

Good luck on the field, and remember to kick grass!