If you or a loved one have been playing soccer for a little while and want to start upping your game, the gear you don’t have might be exactly the thing that helps you begin to improve. Soccer is an easy sport to pick up and play. Kids worldwide play with plastic balls and no nets, only their friends. But if you want to improve your soccer skills for a little more than time with loved ones, it can be overwhelming to figure out what’s worth the investment.
Most soccer teams or leagues will require a few essential pieces of equipment to play. Your kit should already have a uniform, training clothes, cleats, shin guards, and other essentials. But playing with just the essentials means missing out on some game-making gear.
The training equipment to improve your game at home
Soccer is a sport that takes a lot of energy and skill. Frequent practice and conditioning is the best way to stay ready for a match, but practicing at home with the right tools can be challenging. If you’re looking to put in some more time off the court, try picking up one of the following.
Agility rings
Agility rings are sets of plastic shapes, usually hexagonal or round, that you set down on the ground and use as guides for drills. Soccer players must be agile and quick; agility rings are a great way to train speed and precision at home. The different configurations make them useful for a number of different drills and exercises. They’re also helpful for warm-ups before practice or a match so you can get into the game at your peak.
Weighted soccer ball
This item costs more than a regular ball, but it’s also one of the most valuable tools a young or aspiring player getting into the game could have. A weighted soccer ball is heavier than a regular ball and often smaller. One of the most critical skills a soccer player can develop is kicking the ball toward a specific point accurately.
A weighted soccer ball helps train ball control and footwork, intensifying training sessions, and giving players the challenge that will help them improve. Weighted balls can also help train reaction time and ball tracking in goalkeepers, making them useful for any young soccer player.
The best gear to bring onto the field
When the training is done and you’re off to the game, you want to be sure you have the best soccer protective gear. Soccer can be risky without proper protective equipment, and soccer players wear minimal padding compared to most other sports. Consider these pieces of soccer protection gear to prevent injuries and play to the fullest.
Sliding shorts
Sliding shorts are padded compression shorts, often worn underneath the usual uniform.
Storelli sliding shorts are built to give players the confidence and protection they need to make game-changing plays. With padding to absorb the worst of any impact and to protect from turf burn and friction injuries, players can feel protected from injury and play with confidence.
Goalkeeper shorts
If you’re playing on defense, consider padded goalkeeper shorts. Built for diving, these heavy-duty padded shorts can insulate and protect a goalie when they dive for the ball. Protection from turf burn and friction injuries is useful, but the added padding can defend a player from more serious injuries and keep them at their peak for longer.
Grip socks
For goalkeeper socks or a little more traction for any player, grip socks are the answer. Why wear grip socks? Many soccer players feel like their feet slide too much within their cleats, impacting their performance and reaction time.
These grip socks are designed to add more grip to the points of the foot that need it most, grabbing at the inside of the cleat to keep the body moving fluidly for better reaction times and agility. Grip socks help players move with added traction, and goalkeepers feel secure in their footing.
Protective headgear
You wouldn’t play a hockey game without a helmet, but plenty of people always walk onto soccer pitches without proper protective gear. Even though high school soccer players are six times more likely to get a concussion than other high school sports players, using soccer goalie headgear, or player headgear, is still not common practice in many leagues and teams.
While soccer helmets may once have been clunky, large, and challenging to play with, new technological advancements have changed that. The Storelli ExoShield Head Guard leads the market for soccer concussion headbands, with proven protection from concussions and head injuries for goalies and players.
Get all the soccer gear you need at Storelli
Storelli is your one-stop shop for all your soccer gear needs. Take a look at their wide range of soccer items today!
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