What’s in your bag?

Category: Advice for Coaches

How many times have you been in a situation where a player forgot shin pads, needed a hair elastic, or needed a tissue? It happens all the time! But there’s something you as a coach can do about it. Be prepared! We’ve compiled a helpful list of items to include in your bag that will hopefully cover as many situations as possible!

First-Aid Kit, Pre-Wrap, Tape, Ace Bandages, Ice Packs
Soccer is not considered a dangerous sport, but unfortunately injuries do happen and you have to be prepared for them. Having a first-aid kit, ace bandages, ice packs, etc will come in handy.

Emergency Contact List
In the event of an emergency, it’s important to have a list of emergency contacts for each player. This list should include the contact name, relationship to player, and phone numbers (work and house).

Player ID Cards, Copies of Team Roster
These may not be necessary during practice, but they are a must for games. Always make sure you bring player ID cards with you. Have extra copies of the team roster because you’ll need to give copies to the referees as well as the other team.

Extra Equipment (Shin Pads, Socks, Shorts, Jerseys, Goalie Gloves)
This will save you so many headaches! No matter what age players are, they always forget something! So bringing extra equipment is always helpful when situations like these happen.

Women’s Accessories (Hair Elastics, Tampons)
Long hair tends to get in the way while running so girls like to use hair elastics to hold the hair away from their faces. In the event that they forget or misplace them, it’s great to have extras just in case.

Tissues, Eye Contact Solution
The sniffles are always around due to colds or just the cold weather. So make sure you have tissues readily available. Having eye contact solution is helpful for those players using eye contacts.

Sun Block, Insect Repellent
Protect yourself and your players from the sun by bringing sun block. This is especially helpful during tournaments, when you’re outside for long hours under the hot sun. Getting bitten by bugs during practices or games is annoying so having insect repellent is great!

Ball Pump, Stop Watch, Practice Pinnies
After prolonged use, soccer balls will lose air so make sure you have a ball pump. To keep track of game time, it’s good to bring a stop watch with you. Practice pinnies can come in handy if both teams have the same shirts and there are no alternates. They can also be used for pre-game warm-ups when players are split into groups.

White Board, Markers, Paper, Pens
Some coaches like to use a white board to draw plays and discuss setups. If you’re that type of coach, don’t forget to bring one, including extra markers. You could also use pen and paper. The extra pen and paper can be used for taking notes during practices and games.

If we’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment!