ReadyHarbor

First practice

First practice is Saturday and there is no kit

What you actually need for first practice — 15 things to cover, each with a pick.

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Shin guards

Most clubs will not let a child on the field without them, so this is the one item that can end the morning before it starts. They are also the difference between a knock and a bruise that lasts a fortnight.

What to check
  • Size by the child's height, which is how these are sold, not by age
  • Slip-in guards need a long sock to hold them; strapped or sleeve versions stay put on their own, which is easier for a younger child

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

Boots for the surface they actually play on

Firm-ground studs on artificial turf grip too hard and are hard on knees and ankles; flat trainers on wet grass slide. Getting this wrong is the most common first-season mistake.

What to check
  • Ask the club whether practice is grass, artificial turf or indoors, because the boot differs for each
  • Check the club's rules on blades versus moulded studs, since some ban blades outright

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A ball in the right size

Youth football is played with a size 3, 4 or 5 depending on age group, and a child practising at home with the wrong one is learning a different weight and bounce to the one they play with.

What to check
  • Confirm the size for the age group with the club before choosing
  • Check whether it is sold inflated or flat, because a flat ball on Saturday morning needs a pump you do not own yet

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A pump and spare needles

Every ball in the house is flat by week three, and the needle is always missing. This is a small purchase that prevents a specific and very predictable Saturday morning.

What to check
  • Look for one with a pressure gauge, since an over-inflated ball is hard and unpleasant to head or control
  • Buy the version that comes with spare needles, because they bend and get lost

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

Long socks

Socks have to come over the shin guard, which is why football socks are a different item to ordinary ones. Two or three pairs, because they come home wet every single time.

What to check
  • Check the club's colour rule before choosing, since many specify one
  • Buy several pairs - a single pair means washing on a Friday night, every week, forever

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A mouthguard

Required in some sports and strongly recommended in most contact ones. Dental damage is the injury that costs the most and lasts the longest, and it is the one prevented by the cheapest item in the bag.

What to check
  • Boil-and-bite gives a much better fit than a stock guard, and a guard that does not fit gets taken out and lost
  • Check whether it comes with a case, because the alternative is a bag floor

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A water bottle they can open themselves

A coach with twelve children is not opening twelve bottles. A bottle a child can work alone, with one hand, while walking, is the one that actually gets drunk from.

What to check
  • Look for a squeeze or push-pull top rather than a screw cap
  • Check the size - big enough for a session, light enough to carry, and check it fits in the side pocket of the bag

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A bag that keeps the wet kit separate

Boots, wet socks and a damp shirt go in with a clean top and a snack. A bag with a separate compartment is the difference between doing one wash and washing everything in the bag.

What to check
  • Look for a vented or waterproof compartment for boots
  • Check the straps adjust small enough for the child to carry it themselves, which is worth insisting on early

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

Name labels for everything

Twelve children, near-identical kit, one changing area. Everything unnamed comes home as somebody else's or does not come home at all, and it starts in week one.

What to check
  • Iron-on or stick-on labels both work; check which survives a hot wash if the kit is washed hot
  • Buy far more than you think, because every sock, boot, guard and bottle needs one

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A folding chair for the touchline

Two hours standing on a wet field is why parents stop watching. A chair in the boot means you are there for the whole session rather than sitting in the car.

What to check
  • Check the folded size against the boot you actually have, and the weight rating
  • A cup holder and a shoulder bag matter more than they sound when you are carrying it across a field

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A pop-up shade or shelter

Youth sport happens in full sun and in rain, and the field usually has neither shade nor cover. This is the item that decides whether the whole family comes or just one parent.

What to check
  • Check the pack-down size and how many people it takes to put up, since some need two
  • Look for a UV rating rather than just fabric, and for weights or pegs, because a field is windy

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

Sunscreen and a hat

Children burn on grey days, at 9am, in autumn. A sports formulation is the one that stays put through sweat, which ordinary lotion does not.

What to check
  • Look for broad spectrum, SPF 30 or higher, and a sport or water-resistant formulation
  • A stick is easier for a face and ears; a spray covers arms and legs faster before you leave the car

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

Instant cold packs and a small first aid kit

Someone takes a knock at every session, and the club's kit is on the other side of the field with the coach. A pack in your own bag is thirty seconds instead of five minutes.

What to check
  • Instant packs need no freezer, which is the point on a touchline
  • Check the first aid kit has plasters, wipes and a bandage rather than being a box of plasters, and check the expiry dates once a season

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

A cool bag for the touchline

Practice runs across a mealtime nearly every week. Cold drinks and real food in a bag is what stops the drive home being a detour, and it is also where the ice packs live.

What to check
  • Check it is leak-proof, since half-drunk bottles go back in it
  • A soft bag with a shoulder strap carries across a field far better than a hard cooler with a handle

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

Snacks for the team, for the week it is your turn

Most clubs run a rota, and your week comes round with no warning. Having a box in the cupboard means it is not a Friday-night trip to the shops.

What to check
  • Individually wrapped, nothing that melts, and check for common allergens because a team will include at least one child who cannot have nuts
  • Count the squad and add a few for siblings

3 options — pick the one that fits, then tap through for the current price on Amazon.

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