| With the 2010 Soccer World Cup less than a year | | | | For younger children needing to practise for the junior |
| away, many people will be thinking about getting their | | | | leagues, smaller practice goals can be used - they can |
| own football out and having a "kick-around" with their | | | | also play on smaller pitch areas. The smaller soccer |
| friends. If you plan on doing this in your backyard and | | | | goal sizes are variable to cater to all needs, but the |
| just for fun, then it is still fine to put a couple of | | | | following guidelines, or something close to them, |
| jackets on the ground in place of goalposts! | | | | should be the aim: for 8 to 11 year olds, the goals |
| However, if you are putting an amateur team | | | | should be approximately 7 feet high by 21 feet wide. |
| together, or playing in any kind of competitive way, | | | | The pitch should be shorter, for example 70 yards. |
| you will certainly need to consider getting a pair of | | | | For 6 to 7 year olds aim to get practice goals that |
| proper soccer goals. Luckily there is a whole variety | | | | are roughly 6.5 feet high and 18 feet wide, and use a |
| from which to choose, from small-sized practice | | | | pitch area of approximately 30 yards wide by 50 |
| soccer goals to full-sized professional ones. Here are | | | | yards long. |
| some ideas to help you decide what you may need. | | | | Plastic or Aluminum Goals? |
| Practice Soccer Goals | | | | The material of construction of the soccer goals |
| There are three things to consider before buying | | | | depends on how serious you are about soccer. If |
| some goals: firstly, what are they going to be used | | | | you are a school or college team, you would probably |
| for? In other words, will they be used for | | | | be best advised to mark out permanent pitches and |
| competitions or are they just for fun? The second | | | | invest in aluminum goals, which are sturdy and long |
| thing to consider is who will be using them. Will these | | | | lasting, and reasonably weatherproof. However, if |
| be for younger children or for children older than | | | | soccer is an occasional sport for you, or if you do |
| twelve? The third consideration, having addressed | | | | not have room to mark out a permanent soccer |
| the other two, is of course the budget. How much | | | | pitch because the area is also used for other sports, |
| do you want to spend? This will determine the type | | | | then the cheaper portable plastic goals offer an ideal |
| of materials your goals are constructed from. | | | | solution. You would simply need to set them up |
| Portable practice soccer goals are readily available, | | | | before practice, and then take them down and store |
| and are normally made out of plastic so they are not | | | | them away afterwards. |
| too heavy. Many of the practice goals are smaller | | | | Soccer Goal Safety Considerations |
| than those used for competition matchplay, but are | | | | In any sport, safety is paramount, both to protect |
| excellent for shooting practice. They usually have a | | | | the players and also any spectators that come along |
| tight, springy rebound net which bounces the ball | | | | to watch the game. When setting up soccer goals, |
| back out to you after scoring a goal. | | | | either for practice or matchplay, always ensure that |
| Soccer Goals for Competition Practice | | | | they are securely anchored. The heavier aluminum |
| For any type of soccer practice which involves more | | | | goals are usually sunk into the ground and held there |
| than just shooting at goal, or a little kick-around just | | | | firmly. However, the portable lightweight plastic goals |
| for fun, it is advisable to think about using the more | | | | can be blown over by strong gusts of wind, or |
| professional styles of goal. | | | | knocked over by a strike from the ball or a player. |
| Metal or plastic professional soccer goals are available | | | | So make certain especially with these plastic practice |
| in a variety of sizes. For children older than twelve, | | | | goals, that they are anchored or staked securely to |
| the full-sized goals need to be used. These are 8 | | | | prevent any mishaps or accidents. |
| feet high and 24 feet wide. Naturally the size of the | | | | Finally remember that practice makes perfect, and |
| pitch must reflect the size of the goals used, and so | | | | that all the hard work you put in now might see you |
| a good, full-sized soccer pitch would be 50 yards | | | | become one of the soccer stars of the future, and |
| wide by 90 yards long. This also allows the players to | | | | maybe you will even get to play at a World Cup |
| get a full fitness workout as well as practising their | | | | yourself one day! |
| soccer skills. | | | | |