Gear
Gear for every sport. Budget to premium.
Tools we recommend, each tied to a skill or a test. Every tool has a budget, mid and premium choice so you can decide what to spend; where a free method works, it comes first.
Tools for this skill
Every tool, grouped by skill.
Each tool shows the sports it belongs to; tap a sport to see its own list on that sport's page.
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Holiday gift guides. For the sports in season now.
Holiday gift guide · Basketball
Gifts that get used. Basketball season is on.
Each gift trains a skill or a test on this page. Pick the price level that suits you; the free one comes first.
- Check the size and the age range on the listing first: the right size matters more than the price level.
- With younger athletes, an adult sets it up and stays close for the first sessions.
- These are practice tools, not safety equipment. None of them makes an athlete faster or stronger by itself: the practice does.
Free
A testing night at home
Mark a take-off line with masking tape, measure the standing broad jump and the jump-and-reach, and save both in the free My Athlete app. Do it again in eight weeks to see the change.
Small gifts
Wilson NBA DRV outdoor basketball, 27.5, 28.5 or 29.5 in
The right-size ball for their age: 27.5 in at 7-8, 28.5 in at 9-11 and for girls from 12, 29.5 in for boys from 12. A ball that fits the hands lets practice go into the skill. NBA and USA Basketball youth guidelines
Safety: Pick the size on the listing; an adult-size ball is too big before 12.
On AmazonDribbling goggles with an adjustable strap
They block the view of the ball, so a player dribbles by feel with the eyes up. No study has tested them; the learning comes from lots of dribbling with both hands.
Safety: Clear the floor first: the view down is blocked. The strap adjusts, but they can be big on young children.
On AmazonMid-size gifts
Zenaro silent basketball, sizes 6 and 7
Ball handling in the house, every day. Children who began dribbling practice with their weaker hand learned a dribbling course better than those who began with the strong hand (52 children, about 12 years old). Stockel, Weigelt & Krug, Res Q Exerc Sport 2011
Safety: It bounces lower than a real ball: use it for handling and keep shooting for the hoop. Clear breakables first.
On AmazonWilson NCAA Final Four indoor/outdoor basketball
A composite ball for the player who plays inside and out, in 28.5 and 29.5 in.
Safety: No 27.5 in size: for about 9 and up.
On AmazonGoSports XTRAMAN defender mannequin
Shooting over a body changes the shot: in one study, a shot under high pressure was about three times more likely to miss than an open one. A stand-in defender lets a player practise that alone. Vencurik et al., Front Physiol 2022
Safety: Weight the base outdoors and keep it out of strong wind; it is tall for young children.
On AmazonBig gifts
Hathaway basketball return net
More shots, less chasing. In a small study, 13-year-olds who practised free throws from varied conditions were more accurate later, so move around rather than standing in one spot. Hernandez-Davo et al., Kronos 2014
Safety: Check that it fits your rim before you buy; an adult fits it.
On AmazonSilverback Yard Guard rebounder net system
A wide net that keeps the ball in play, so a driveway session is shooting, not fetching.
Safety: Check the fit on your pole (other brands vary); an adult installs it.
On AmazonFor the coach
Every pick was checked by hand in October 2026: fast Prime delivery, no recall, nothing worrying from recent buyers. See it on the basketball page, with every list for the sport.
Holiday gift guide · Wrestling
Gifts for the practice space at home. Wrestling season is on.
These gifts are for stance, motion, drilling and conditioning at home; takedowns and live wrestling stay in the room with a coach. Pick the price level that suits you; the free one comes first.
- Check the size and the age range on the listing first: the right size matters more than the price level.
- With younger athletes, an adult sets it up and stays close for the first sessions.
- These are practice tools, not safety equipment. None of them makes an athlete faster or stronger by itself: the practice does.
Free
A testing night at home
Mark a take-off line with masking tape, measure the standing broad jump and the jump-and-reach, and save both in the free My Athlete app. Do it again in eight weeks to see the change.
Small gifts
Champion Sports segmented jump rope
Cheap, quiet conditioning. Preadolescent soccer players who jumped rope at the start of practice for eight weeks got 9% faster on a coordination circuit and balanced better (one study, 24 players). Trecroci et al., J Sports Sci Med 2015
Safety: Trim it to their height, and jump on a flat floor with room overhead.
On AmazonElite Jumps beaded kids rope, adjustable
A beaded rope at a good weight for 7-9-year-olds; the length adjusts.
Safety: Same as any rope: a flat floor, room overhead, set to their height.
On AmazonMid-size gifts
Unfilled youth grappling dummy
A drilling partner when no partner is around: something to shoot on and sprawl over. No study tests dummies; the reps are the point.
Safety: It arrives empty: fill it with rags or old clothes, never sand. Keep it well under the athlete's weight, and drill entries and sprawls; don't lift or throw it.
On AmazonCanvas grappling dummy, unfilled
A sturdier canvas dummy for older wrestlers.
Safety: The same rules: rags, never sand; well under their weight; no lifting or throwing.
On AmazonCAMRY digital hand dynamometer
Grip turns into a number they can track. The low-cost Camry agreed well with the clinical Jamar in adult studies.
Safety: It measures; it isn't a trainer. A few squeezes per hand with a rest between, then write down the best.
On AmazonBig gifts
We Sell Mats folding mat, 4 x 8 ft, 2 in
A firm, padded floor for stance work, sprawls, bridges and conditioning at home. KidsHealth, Gymnastics safety tips
Safety: Floor work, not throws or flips: a 2-inch home mat is not a landing surface. Air it out after unpacking.
On AmazonWe Sell Mats folding tumbling mat with hook-and-loop ends
Joins end to end with a second mat for a longer strip.
Safety: The same rule: floor work only, never throws.
On AmazonFor the coach
Every pick was checked by hand in October 2026: fast Prime delivery, no recall, nothing worrying from recent buyers. See it on the wrestling page, with every list for the sport.
Holiday gift guide · Swimming
Gifts for the practice bag. Short-course season is on.
Every gift here is a training aid for swimmers who can already swim, used in sets the coach plans. Pick the price level that suits you; the free one comes first.
- Check the size and the age range on the listing first: the right size matters more than the price level.
- With younger athletes, an adult sets it up and stays close for the first sessions.
- These are practice tools, not safety equipment. None of them makes an athlete faster or stronger by itself: the practice does.
Free
A kick test
Ask the coach for a 25 m flutter kick time now and again in a few weeks, and save both in the free My Athlete app.
Small gifts
Sunlite Sports swimming kickboard
Kick sets aren't filler: in young national-level swimmers, the legs made about 30-33% of the force on a tether. Morouco et al. 2015: arms and legs in tethered front crawl
Safety: A training aid, not a float: for swimmers who can swim, with an adult watching.
On AmazonSunlite Sports EVA pull buoy
A buoy floats the legs so the swimmer can work on the arm stroke. It's a technique tool, not a substitute for full-stroke swimming. Sports Biomechanics 2025: arm stroke with and without a pull buoy
Safety: Not a float. Small; fits most kids.
On AmazonSporti junior pull buoy
A junior buoy for swim-team kids around 9 and up.
Safety: Not a float.
On AmazonMid-size gifts
Kids short swim fins
With fins, swimmers took longer strokes with a smaller kick: short fins help a swimmer feel a faster kick in the sets that call for them. De Matos et al., Front Physiol 2023
Safety: Fit matters: too tight means blisters. Fins are not a float for weak swimmers.
On AmazonArena Kids junior swim fins, open heel
Short open-heel fins made for lessons and junior training.
Safety: Fit matters: too tight means blisters. Fins are not a float for weak swimmers.
On AmazonFINIS Alignment kickboard
A small, low-drag board for older swimmers.
Safety: A training aid, not a float.
On AmazonFEROK swim resistance band with hand paddles
Across 16 dry-land studies, 7 found no effect on swim times, and the benefits were mostly in older swimmers. So cords are a warm-up and technique habit, not a shortcut. Amaro et al., Science & Sports 2018 (16 dry-land studies)
Safety: Lightest resistance first. Anchor it to something that can't move, and check the cord for nicks before each use.
On AmazonBig gifts
No big-ticket swim gift passed our checks. A kickboard, a pull buoy and a pair of short fins together make the whole practice bag.
For the coach
Every pick was checked by hand in October 2026: fast Prime delivery, no recall, nothing worrying from recent buyers. See it on the swimming page, with every list for the sport.
Passing
Target practice for quarterbacks. Every throw shows the result.
What a home kit needsAccuracy is trained with feedback: a target shows where every throw lands, so a passer can work on one spot at a time without a receiver. A coaching habit, not a study.
ZELUS 7 x 7 ft throwing net with five target pockets
A folding frame with five pockets at different heights; light enough to move around the yard.
On AmazonGoSports football throwing net with target pockets, 6 x 6 or 8 x 8 ft
A sturdier frame in two sizes; the 8 x 8 suits older passers. Stores flat.
On AmazonSolo passing reps. Pick the ball by age.
What a home kit needsOne flat end bounces the ball back off a wall, so a passer gets many throws in a session without a partner. Sizes follow the maker's age bands.
Passback Peewee rubber football
The smallest size, for young hands. Ships flat: pump it up and check the valve the day it arrives.
On AmazonPassback Junior composite football
The junior size most youth leagues use. Ships flat; inflate it before it goes in a gift box.
On AmazonPassback Official composite football
High school and adult size. Throw against a solid outside wall.
On AmazonCatching
Catch with the fingers, not the palms. Hands that give.
What a home kit needsCoaches teach catching with spread fingers and hands that give, like a shock absorber. Physics explains why: letting the hands give stretches the catch over more time, which lowers the force on the hands (impulse = force x time), so the ball is less likely to bounce out. OpenStax College Physics, Impulse
SKLZ Great Catch receiving trainer
A small ball strapped to each palm blocks palm catches, so the fingers do the work. Sized for teens and adults (medium); too big for most hands under about 12.
On AmazonCatching is learned, not born. Lots of catches, many kinds.
What a home kit needsBaseball · Softball · Cricket · Tennis
Planned skill practice improved young children's object-control skills such as catching, while free play alone barely changed them. Vary the height, speed and angle of every catch. Logan et al., Child Care Health Dev 2012
A wall and a tennis ball
Throw at a solid wall from different spots and catch the rebound; change the height and distance every few throws.
Multi-sport rebound net with adjustable angle
Light and quick to set up; weigh the base so it doesn't shift.
On AmazonSKLZ fielding trainer rebounder net
Returns grounders, liners and pop-ups at different angles, so a player can field alone.
On AmazonKicking and special teams
Tees and holders. Check your league's tee height.
What a home kit needsHigh school (NFHS) rules allow a tee on kickoffs and on field goals and tries, no higher than 2 inches; college allows a tee only on kickoffs, 1 inch. Youth leagues set their own rules, so check yours. NFHS/NCAA rules differences, San Diego County Football Officials Association
Champion Sports heavy duty kickoff tee, 2 in, high-visibility orange
The 2-inch height high school rules allow; rubber, bright enough to find in the grass.
On AmazonGoSports metal place-kicking stand
Holds the ball for field goals and extra points so a kicker can practise alone.
On AmazonTrailblaze True Strike kicking stand
A folding metal holder for solo field-goal practice. Made to stand on the ground, not on a 1-2 inch riser.
On AmazonA net for every kicker. More reps, no chasing.
What a home kit needsKick into a net and the ball stays put, so a kicker gets far more reps in a session instead of chasing every ball.
GoSports 7 x 4 ft football kicking net
A sideline net for punts and place kicks; sets up with sandbags and packs into a bag.
On AmazonBlocking, tackling and defense
Shoulder tackling, head out of the contact. Technique first.
What a home kit needsTeach the tackle with the head up and to the side and first contact with the shoulder. The NATA position statement calls initiating contact with the shoulder or chest while keeping the head up the safest way to play football. Good technique lowers the risk; no equipment removes it. NATA position statement, J Athl Train 2004
GoSports inflatable football tackling dummy
Light and soft for first form-tackling drills; inflate, fit the cover, go.
On AmazonGoSports heavy duty football tackling dummy
A foam dummy with handles for fit-and-drive drills. On the light side, so best for younger players.
On AmazonFisher tackle wheel, 28 in
A rolling ring for pursuit and finish drills. Ships in about 3 days.
On AmazonBlock shedding: hands, rip and swim. Coaching technique.
What a home kit needsDefenders win with their hands first, then rip or swim past the block. A partner holds the pads so the move can be drilled at full effort.
GoSports padded blocking guards, 2 pack
Handheld pads a partner holds to play the blocker for hand fighting and rip or swim moves.
On AmazonPop-up defenders. Angles without a live opponent.
What a home kit needsSet them up as blockers or rushers to rehearse blocking angles, pass-rush lanes and routes around a defender before it's live.
GoSports XTRAMAN pop-up defenders, 3 pack, large
Spring frames that pop up in seconds; weight the bases outdoors, as wind tips them.
On AmazonShoot and drive with a defender in front. Pressure changes the shot.
What a home kit needsDefensive pressure makes shots miss more often: in one study, a shot under high pressure was about three times more likely to miss than an open one. A stand-in defender lets a player practise shooting over and driving around a body. Vencurik et al., Front Physiol 2022
Tackle shape on a shield. Bend, drive, wrap.
What a home kit needsAcross 32 studies, young players' tackles showed less hip and knee bend, less leg drive and more arm-only contact than adults' (an association, not a test of any equipment). Shield and bag work builds the low, driving shape before live contact. Follow your league's contact rules by age; an adult holds the shield. Edgington et al., Sports Med 2026 (32 studies)
Play calls
Play-call wristbands. Read the call at a glance.
What a home kit needsA wristband card lets a player read the play call without a huddle. They are standard in flag football and common in tackle.
Protective gear
Back plates. Check the fit first.
What a home kit needsA back plate is extra foam padding over the lower back that bolts to the shoulder pads. Make sure it fits your player's shoulder-pad attachment points and your league's equipment rules.
Battle premium football back plate, youth and adult sizes
Bolts to most shoulder pads; check the screws before each game.
On AmazonBall care
Game-ball care. A tackier grip.
What we useBrushing a leather football with conditioner takes off the slick factory finish and leaves a tackier surface that is easier to grip.
The right ball
The right-size ball. Check the age chart.
What a home kit needsUSA Basketball and the NBA set the ball by age: 27.5 in (size 5) at 7-8, 28.5 in (size 6) at 9-11 and for girls from 12, 29.5 in (size 7) for boys from 12. A ball that fits the hands lets practice go into the skill. NBA and USA Basketball youth guidelines
Wilson NBA DRV outdoor basketball, 27.5, 28.5 or 29.5 in
Rubber, made for outdoor courts; pick the size on the listing.
On AmazonSpalding Rookie Gear 27.5 in basketball
Built lighter on purpose for the youngest players.
On AmazonWilson NCAA Final Four indoor/outdoor basketball
A composite cover for indoor and outdoor play, in 28.5 and 29.5 in.
On AmazonIn real games, 9-11-year-old boys made more dribbles, passes and catches with a ball lighter than regulation. A smaller ball doesn't make a better shooter on its own; check your league's ball and basket rules. Arias, Argudo & Alonso, Res Q Exerc Sport 2012
Balls for wall ball, inside and out. Soft ones for the basement.
What a home kit needsGame balls keep wall ball counts true to the test; soft balls make indoor reps possible, and USA Lacrosse's girls 8U rules use a soft ball. USA Lacrosse girls youth rulebook
A size-correct training ball. Size 3, 4 or 5 by age.
What a home kit needsRetailers' guides put size 3 at about ages 5-9, size 4 at about 10-14 and size 5 over 14; check your league's age-grade rule. A ball that fits the hands is one a player can spin off both sides, and the passing test scores left and right.
Practice balls for the yard. No hard ball needed.
What a home kit needsLots of catches at different heights and speeds is what improved catching in young children. Heavy tennis balls let batting and fielding practice happen without a hard ball. Logan et al., Child Care Health Dev 2012
Nivia heavy tennis cricket balls, 6 pack
Heavier than a tennis ball, softer than a cricket ball; they wear out on concrete.
On AmazonA lighter 12U ball. Regulation size, a quarter lighter.
What a home kit needsIn one study, year-7 girls had more successful sets and serves with a ball 25% lighter than standard. The 12U ball is regulation size, just lighter; players 13 and up move to the standard ball. Flinders University: junior volleyball modifications (Pellet et al. 1994)
Balls by age, and soft ones for indoors. 11 in at 10U, 12 in from 12U.
What a home kit needs10U and under play an 11-inch ball; 12U and up play the 12-inch fastpitch ball (check your league). Lots of varied catches and throws is what builds young children's ball skills; foam balls keep it going indoors. Logan et al., Child Care Health Dev 2012
Stage balls: red, orange, green. The ball is too fast for them.
What a home kit needsSince 2012 the ITF rules require red, orange and green balls for 10-and-under competition. In small studies, beginners on scaled courts with slower balls got more hitting chances and more successful hits. Farrow & Reid, J Sports Sci 2010
Ball handling and stick skills
Dribble goggles. Eyes up, feel the ball.
What a home kit needsGoggles block the view of the ball, so a player dribbles by feel and keeps the eyes on the game. No study has tested them; the learning comes from lots of dribbling with both hands.
Off-ice stickhandling. Hands work at home.
What a home kit needsIn one study, eight 50-minute stickhandling sessions cut young players' times on most drills, while a group that didn't train didn't change. No study shows a particular gadget carries over to the ice: the reps do the work. Fickel 2017, Brock University: off-ice stickhandling sessions
Green Biscuit off-ice puck, 2 pack (Original and Snipe)
Glides on concrete instead of bouncing like a ball.
On AmazonBetter Hockey Extreme stickhandling trainer
A frame to handle around and through, for patterns at home.
On AmazonBetter Hockey Extreme dryland flooring tiles
Slick interlocking tiles for a garage or basement handling and shooting surface.
On AmazonShooting and scoring
A ball return. More shots, less chasing.
What a home kit needsA return sends the ball back, so more of the session is shooting. In a small study, 13-year-olds who practised free throws from varied conditions were more accurate later than those who repeated one shot: move around, don't stand in one spot. Hernandez-Davo et al., Kronos 2014
Shooting targets. Aim small.
What a home kit needsA target turns every shot into a clear hit or miss, the feedback accuracy practice needs. In one study, 13-year-olds who did 12 weeks of varied shooting practice hit about 14% more accurately (there was no group that skipped the training). Novak et al., J Hum Kinet 2022
Top Shelf Targets 8 in magnetic targets, 4 pack
Magnetic discs that stick to a steel goal frame.
On AmazonSnipers Edge heavy vinyl shooting tarp
Covers the net and leaves pockets in the corners.
On AmazonFranklin NHL youth steel roller hockey goal
Real pucks wear the net: use street balls on the driveway.
On AmazonGoal targets. Pick the corner.
What a home kit needsA target shows exactly where each shot went, which is what the accuracy test scores. Children's throwing studies lean toward varied targets over one repeated target (the evidence is limited): call a corner before each shot. Graser et al. 2019: varied practice in children's throwing
Pop-up mini goals. Small games, more touches.
What a home kit needsIn one small study of academy players, each player's touches rose from about 13 per game in 8v8 to 36 in 4v4. Two small goals make a small-sided game anywhere. Jones & Drust 2007: touches in 4v4 and 8v8
GoSports pop-up soccer goals, 2 nets with cones and bag
Pop up in seconds; stake them down on grass.
On AmazonSolo reps
A passer. A partner that passes back.
What a home kit needsA passer returns every pass, so a player can practise giving and receiving alone. No study tests passers; it is a way to get more reps.
Wall ball without a wall. Weak hand first.
What a home kit needsChildren who began practice with their weaker hand learned a two-handed ball skill better. No lacrosse study exists, but the habit carries: count wall ball with each hand and alternating, the way the test does, and start with the weak hand. Stockel, Weigelt & Krug, Res Q Exerc Sport 2011
A brick wall
Any solid outside wall works; pick a spot and count catches with each hand.
Multi-sport rebound net with adjustable angle
Light and quick to set up; weigh the base so it doesn't shift.
On AmazonSolo passing. A ball that comes back.
What a home kit needsThrown at a wall, a rebounder ball comes back at odd angles, so one player can pass and catch alone. Planned catching practice improved young children's ball skills; free play alone barely did. Logan et al., Child Care Health Dev 2012
A wall and a ball
Pass at a wall from both sides and catch the rebound; step back as the passes get crisp.
A rebounder. A wall that passes back.
What a home kit needsTraining the weaker foot improved soccer players' two-footed play. A rebounder returns every pass, so one player gets hundreds of touches with both feet; vary the angle, foot and speed rather than one repeated pass. Haaland & Hoff, Scand J Med Sci Sports 2003
A solid wall
Pass at a wall, weak foot first, and take the rebound on the move.
Franklin Sports soccer rebounder
A full-size frame and net for ground and lofted passes.
On AmazonA ball on a cord. Touches without chasing.
What a home kit needsPlayers who later turned professional had logged more play with the ball at ages 6-12, not more drills. A cord brings the ball back every time, so a beginner can practise touches alone. It is touch practice, not game practice. Ford, Ward, Hodges & Williams, High Ability Studies 2009
A rebounder for solo passing. Every pass comes back.
What a home kit needsA rebounder returns every pass, so a player can practise passing alone at different heights and angles. No volleyball study; it adds reps.
A rebound net. Rally alone.
What a home kit needsA rebound net returns every ball, so a player can rally alone and count consecutive hits like the rally test. A wall works too.
A practice wall
Count consecutive hits off a wall; tape a line at net height.
Hitting
A batting tee. Mechanics first, then timing.
What a home kit needsA tee holds the ball in the same spot every swing, so a hitter can work on the swing itself. In 20 youth hitters, trunk movement differed between swings off a tee and swings at a front toss: the tee builds mechanics, a moving ball adds timing. Int J Sports Med 2024: tee and front-toss swings in youth hitters
Ten off the tee, then ten tosses
Hit off the tee into a net, then an adult kneels to the side and tosses underhand into the same net, so timing gets practised too.
Eastgoing heavy-duty portable batting tee
Adjustable and light enough to carry to the field; baseballs and softballs.
On AmazonTanner Tee, The Original
A simple, durable tee that adjusts low enough for young hitters and high enough for teens.
On AmazonA hitting net. Every ball stays put.
What a home kit needsA net catches every ball, so tee work and front toss can happen in the backyard instead of only at the field.
GoSports 7 x 7 ft baseball and softball net
A bow frame that sets up in minutes; stake it down outdoors.
On AmazonThrowing and pitching
Track velocity over time. Never chase max effort.
What a home kit needsPitch Smart (MLB and USA Baseball) sets daily pitch limits by age (75 at 9-10, 85 at 11-12), rest days by pitch count, no pitching three days in a row, and at least 4 months a year off throwing. A radar reading is one number among many (and readings differ between brands, so compare a player only with the same radar); young pitchers should learn to change speeds, not just throw harder. MLB and USA Baseball, Pitch Smart guidelines
A pocket target for pitching. Call the pocket, then throw.
What a home kit needsA target turns every pitch into a hit or a miss, which is how an accuracy test scores it. Children's throwing studies lean toward varied targets over one repeated target, though the evidence is limited: call a different pocket each pitch. Graser et al. 2019: varied practice in children's throwing
9-pocket pitching net with strike zone
Set it at your league's pitching distance for the age; baseball and softball.
On AmazonServing and spiking
A serve and spike trainer. Contact reps alone.
What a home kit needsIn young attackers, successful spikes had faster arm swings than faulty ones. A trainer gives dozens of contacts without a partner to toss or set; it adds reps, not jump height. J Sports Sci 2020: successful and faulty spikes in young attackers
Serving targets. Every serve, a score.
What a home kit needsA target turns every serve or set into a clear hit or miss, which is what an accuracy test scores. Children's throwing studies lean toward varied targets (limited evidence): change the zone often. Graser et al. 2019: varied practice in children's throwing
A ball hopper. Dozens of serves, no chasing.
What a home kit needsA hopper of 70-80 balls turns ten minutes of serving into dozens of serves. Changing targets beat repeating one shot for the forehand in one study: move the target as you go. Douvis 2005: variable practice and the forehand (ITF Coaching)
Court targets. Place it, don't just land it.
What a home kit needsFlat targets give every serve and groundstroke a spot to hit, so practice measures placement. Flat markers only where players run. Douvis 2005: variable practice and the forehand (ITF Coaching)
Starts, hurdles and relays
Practice hurdles. Learn at child height.
What a home kit needsWorld Athletics' Kids' Athletics builds low, light hurdles into its events from age 7, so hurdling is learned at child height first. Cross from the side that lets a hurdle tip if clipped, never backwards; start on grass or a track. World Athletics Kids' Athletics guide (ages 7-12)
Relay batons. The race is won in the hand-off.
What a home kit needsIn the Tokyo 25 4x100 m finals, teams ranked by their runners' season bests didn't finish in that order: the best exchanges kept the baton moving fast. Practise the hand-off with a real baton. World Athletics 2026: baton exchanges in the 4x100 m (Tokyo 25 finals)
Throws
A youth training javelin. Pick the weight by age.
What a home kit needsUSATF youth meets use a 300 g mini javelin for 10 and under, then heavier implements by age (check your own meet). A soft-tipped plastic trainer is still thrown under supervision: one direction, everyone behind the thrower, retrieve together. USATF Lake Erie 2026 youth throws implements
In the pool
A kickboard. Kick sets aren't filler.
What a home kit needsIn young national-level swimmers, the legs made about 30-33% of the force on a tether, and in about-9-year-old girls kick and full-stroke times went together. A kickboard is a training aid, not a float: for swimmers who can swim, with an adult watching. Morouco et al. 2015: arms and legs in tethered front crawl
A pull buoy. Arms only, for technique.
What a home kit needsA buoy floats the legs so the swimmer can work on the arm stroke. It changes body position, so it's a technique tool, not a substitute for full-stroke swimming. Sports Biomechanics 2025: arm stroke with and without a pull buoy
Short training fins. Feel a faster kick.
What a home kit needsWith fins, swimmers took longer strokes with a smaller kick; match the equipment to the session's goal. Fit matters: too tight means blisters. Fins are not a float for weak swimmers. De Matos et al., Front Physiol 2023
Dryland stretch cords. A warm-up, not a shortcut.
What a home kit needsAcross 16 dry-land studies, 7 found no effect on swim times and the benefits were mostly in older swimmers. So cords are a warm-up and technique habit: lightest resistance first, no claims beyond that. Amaro et al., Science & Sports 2018 (16 dry-land studies)
Barre work
A portable barre. Class technique at home.
What a home kit needsA barre puts support in the right place for pliés, relevés and extensions. Balance control develops with practice: novice dancers swayed more in pirouettes than experienced dancers. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019: postural stability in pirouettes
A turning board. Optional, after a clean single.
What a home kit needsNo study tests turning boards, and teachers are split: the board spins on a flat foot, unlike a turn in relevé. Use it only for spotting practice once a dancer can turn a clean single pirouette on the floor. Dance Australia: do turn boards help with pirouettes?
Balance
A balance pad. The surface the BESS test uses.
What a home kit needsGymnastics · Cheer · Dance
Standing on foam makes balance harder in a controlled way. The BESS balance test, done partly on a foam pad, was reliable in children aged 5-14, and balance training improved balance in young athletes of any age. Hansen et al., Clin J Sport Med 2017
A floor beam. Beam skills, no height.
What a home kit needsA floor beam lets a gymnast repeat beam skills they already do in class with no height to fall from. Balance training improves balance in youth at any age. Keep it at floor level, mats along both sides, an adult watching. Gebel et al., Sports Med 2018 (balance training in youth)
Flyer balance, from the floor up. Positions the coach taught.
What a home kit needsFlyers can practise a tight body line and one-leg positions without a stunt group. The AAP's 2024 guidance keeps stunts with qualified, certified coaches and spotters, so at home it is balance and body position only: never stunts, tosses or pyramids. AAP 2024 cheerleading safety recommendations
Tumbl Trak Fly Right flyer trainer
A spring platform at 12, 15 or 18 in: lowest setting, over a mat, an adult beside.
On AmazonStart at floor level on the balance pad above before any platform.
Flexibility
A stretch strap. Gentle, often, self-controlled.
What a home kit needsGymnastics · Cheer · Dance
Across 28 studies, stretching improved range of motion in children and teens; children gained more with more total stretching time, about three sessions a week for ten weeks. The athlete controls the pull: no partner pushing or sitting on them, and never into pain. Donti et al., Sports Med Open 2022
Trideer stretching strap with loops
Non-elastic loops, so the athlete sets the stretch.
On AmazonMyosource cheer flexibility and stunt strap
Made for scorpion, needle and heel-stretch positions; long for very young athletes.
On AmazonFlexistretcher elastic stretch band
An elastic band dancers and gymnasts use for arabesque and attitude lines.
On AmazonMats
A 2-inch folding mat. Floor work, not flips.
What a home kit needsGymnastics · Cheer · Wrestling
A firm folding mat gives a padded floor for rolls, bridges, stretching, conditioning and stance work. Paediatric safety advice: practise only on padded floors, have a coach spot any new or hard skill, and learn tumbling in the gym. A home mat is not a landing surface for flips. KidsHealth, Gymnastics safety tips
A grappling dummy. A drilling partner at home.
What a home kit needsNo study tests dummies; it gives a wrestler something to shoot on and sprawl over when no partner is around. Keep it well under the athlete's weight, drill entries and sprawls, don't lift or throw it, and fill youth dummies with rags, never sand. J Strength Cond Res 2017: physical attributes of wrestlers
Strength and grip
A grip dynamometer. Measure grip, don't guess.
What a home kit needsIn over a million adolescent males, higher grip strength was linked to lower risk of early death (an association, not a cause). A dynamometer turns grip into a number; the low-cost Camry agreed well with the clinical Jamar in adult studies. Ortega et al., BMJ 2012
CAMRY digital hand dynamometer
The model compared with the Jamar in published studies.
On AmazonConditioning
A jump rope. Cheap, quiet conditioning.
What a home kit needsPreadolescent soccer players who did jump rope at the start of practice for 8 weeks got 9% faster on a coordination circuit and balanced better (one study, 24 players). Trecroci et al., J Sports Sci Med 2015
Practice indoors
Soft footballs for indoor catch. Nothing gets broken.
What a home kit needsA foam ball lets a player get catches and throws in the house without damaging anything. Foam is light, so it is for catch, not for long spirals outside.
A quiet ball for indoor handling. Weak hand first.
What a home kit needsChildren who began dribbling practice with their weaker hand learned a dribbling course better than those who began with the strong hand (52 children, about 12 years old). A foam ball makes daily handling reps possible in the house; it bounces lower than a real ball, so keep shooting for the hoop. Stockel, Weigelt & Krug, Res Q Exerc Sport 2011
Soft baseballs for indoor reps. Catch and swing in the garage.
What a home kit needsPlanned catching and throwing practice improved young children's ball skills, while free play alone barely changed them. Foam balls let those reps happen indoors; they fly and feel different from a real ball, so they are for practice only. Logan et al., Child Care Health Dev 2012
Rawlings official T-balls, 12 count
The softer sponge-core balls T-ball leagues use, about ages 4-6.
On AmazonStreet hockey balls and pucks. Driveway and basement.
What a home kit needsStreet balls and roller pucks let players handle, pass and shoot without ice or hard pucks. They are lighter and bouncier than a puck, so they add volume; they don't replace ice time.
A soft indoor ball. Touches in the house.
What a home kit needsFree play with the ball at home, not more drills, separated players who progressed. A soft ball makes winter touches possible indoors; it is lighter and bounces differently, so it's for touches, not shooting. Ford, Ward, Hodges & Williams, High Ability Studies 2009
A soft indoor volleyball. Sets and passes in the house.
What a home kit needsA soft ball lets a player set and pass against a wall indoors without stinging arms; it is lighter and slower than a match ball.
Speed
Time sprints the same way every time. Hand times read fast.
What a home kit needsSoccer · Basketball · Football · Flag Football · Baseball · Softball · Hockey · Lacrosse · Track & Field · Tennis · Rugby · Cricket · Training · Multi-Sport
Stopwatch 40-yard times averaged 0.31 s faster than electronic timing in one study of football players, and there is no reliable way to convert one to the other. Use the same timer, the same start rule and the same distance every time, and never compare a hand time with a gate time. Mayhew et al., J Strength Cond Res 2010
ACCUSPLIT Pro Survivor A601X stopwatch
The large-display coach's stopwatch; keep hand times in their own column.
On AmazonDisc cones, 25/50/100 pack with holder
Mark the start, the finish and the 5, 10 and 20 yard lines for the sprint and agility tests.
On AmazonElectronic timing gates: none sold on Amazon passes our standard yet (rating, delivery and the buyer complaints we check). We look again every month.
Footwork and agility
Line footwork: step-overs. Short, quick steps.
What a home kit needsLinemen drill short, quick steps and high knees over low bags so their feet stay under them. Coaching technique.
Goalrilla football step-over dummy with handles
A low bag for O-line and D-line footwork lanes. Ships in about 3 days.
On AmazonFootwork and rhythm. Pair it with reaction work.
What a home kit needsEvery sport
In two small randomized studies of under-13 soccer players, six weeks of agility-ladder training improved sprint, change of direction and dribbling no more than normal training did. Use ladders, rings and low hurdles for footwork, rhythm and warm-ups, and pair them with drills where the athlete reacts to a cue. Padrón-Cabo et al., J Hum Kinet 2020
GHB pro agility ladder, 12 rungs, 20 ft
Flat rungs with a carry bag; lay it out straight before each use.
On AmazonAgility ladder set, 12 rungs, with training cones
A ladder plus cones for a full footwork station.
On AmazonSKLZ speed and agility ladder
Adjustable rungs and a sturdier build for team use.
On AmazonSKLZ 6X agility hurdles, 6 in, 6 pack
Low 6-inch hurdles, a good height for most young athletes.
On AmazonPoles for a dribbling course. Same course, fair times.
What a home kit needsPoles and cones let you lay out the same dribbling course every time, so a time can be compared fairly. Running a known course and reacting to an opponent are different skills, so pair the course with small-sided games. Int J Sports Sci Coach 2015: agility and change of direction are separate skills
Reaction
Reaction: the part a ladder can't train. React to a cue.
What a home kit needsSoccer · Basketball · Football · Flag Football · Baseball · Softball · Volleyball · Hockey · Lacrosse · Tennis · Wrestling · Rugby · Cricket · Training · Multi-Sport
Reacting to an opponent and running a known cone drill are different skills. In a randomized study, small-sided games improved reactive agility by speeding up decisions, while cone drills improved neither reactive agility nor planned change of direction. Young and Rogers, J Sports Sci 2014
A partner and a late call
A partner points or calls the direction at the last moment; the athlete reads it and goes.
SKLZ reaction ball
Six bumps make every bounce unpredictable; a hard rubber ball for older athletes, used against a wall or outdoors.
On AmazonBlazePod reaction training kit, light pods
Light pods the athlete reacts to. They run from a phone app, and many drills sit behind the app's paid plan: check it before you buy.
On AmazonLower-body power
Measure the broad jump the way the test does. Track it in My Athlete.
What a home kit needsEvery sport
The standing broad jump is a core test of lower-body muscular fitness in youth fitness batteries (ALPHA, and the 2025 YFIT consensus of 169 experts). Jump training gave small-to-moderate gains in sprint and jumping in controlled trials of young athletes. Ramirez-Campillo et al., Sports Med Open 2023
Toes behind the line, measure to the heel
Both toes behind a taped line, jump from two feet, land on two feet and hold. Measure to the back of the nearest heel; best of three, on a non-slip floor, not concrete.
Komelon self-lock 25 ft tape measure
Lay it flat from a strip of masking tape at the take-off line.
On AmazonKomelon 100 ft open-reel fiberglass tape
For outdoor jumps and marking sprint distances on a field.
On AmazonBroad jump mats: none on Amazon has the rating volume we require yet; a tape and a taped line measure the same thing.
Measure the vertical jump the way the test does. Jump and reach.
What a home kit needsEvery sport
My Athlete's vertical jump is a jump-and-reach test: the highest touch minus the standing reach. The wall version of this test was valid and repeatable in under-15 soccer players. de Salles et al., J Hum Kinet 2012
Chalk, touch, jump, touch
Chalk the fingertips, reach as high as you can standing flat-footed (standing reach), then jump from two feet and touch. Jump height = highest touch minus standing reach.
SPRI chalk block and chalk ball
Chalk for the fingertips so each touch leaves a mark; use it with any tape measure.
On AmazonKreg 12 ft self-adhesive measuring tape
Stick it up a wall with zero at the floor for a permanent jump-and-reach scale.
On AmazonVane testers (the tall stands with flip-over vanes): none on Amazon meets our standard yet. Mats and phone apps measure differently, so their numbers don't match this test.
Plyo boxes: the right height for the age. Landings first.
What a home kit needsEvery sport
Jump training helps young athletes when it starts low and builds with good technique; youth guidance (NSCA) says begin with low-intensity jumps and progress gradually. No study sets box heights by age, so the bands here are a coaching guideline: under about 10, no box (hops over a line, step-ups); about 10-13, start at 12 in; 14 and up, start at 16 in. Step down, don't jump down, and stop at the height where landings stay quiet and controlled. NSCA youth resistance training position statement, 2009
Yes4All 3-in-1 soft-padded plyo box with wooden core, 16/14/12 in
A soft cover over a wooden core; turn it to the 12-inch side to start. Use it on a non-slip floor. Ships in about 3 days.
On AmazonYes4All 3-in-1 soft-padded plyo box with wooden core, 20/18/16 in
The next size up for older athletes; start on the 16-inch side.
On AmazonPacing and timing
Splits teach pacing. Time each lap.
What a home kit needsYounger children sped up at the end of a run because they couldn't yet judge the effort; older children paced more evenly. Lap splits show whether a race was run evenly. Hand times read fast, so compare them only with other hand times. Micklewright et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 2012
A phone's lap timer
Tap lap at every lap or length and write the splits down; use the same timer every time.
Growth
Track how fast they're growing. A ruler and paper work too.
What a home kit needsEvery sport
Feet often grow before height does, though that can't predict any one athlete's timing. Faster foot growth can be an early sign of a growth spurt, nothing more. Busscher et al., Scoliosis 2011
A ruler, paper and a wall
Stand on a sheet of paper with the heel against a wall, mark the tip of the longest toe, then measure wall to mark in millimetres. Do each foot three times; the app keeps the middle value. Any rigid ruler you already own does the job.
Westcott 12-inch stainless steel ruler, inch and metric, cork back
Reads millimetres for the paper-and-wall method, and a steel ruler stays straight. If you already own a rigid ruler, you don't need this one.
On AmazonBrannock Junior (US), the metal shoe-store device
The shoe-store standard: metal and built to last; the maker says it fits most children up to about 10. It reads shoe size in half sizes (about 4 mm steps), so for the foot-length number you log in My Athlete, the ruler-and-paper method is the more precise way.
On AmazonBrannock Combination men's / women's (US), metal
The same standard device sized for teens and adults (men's 5-15, women's 4-14). Half-size steps again, so pair it with the ruler method for the millimetre number you log.
On AmazonMeasure foot length and height the same way every 8-12 weeks and track the rate in My Athlete. When growth is fast, talk to the coach about workload. IOC consensus on youth athletic development, Bergeron et al., BJSM 2015
Measure height the same way every time. The rate says more than one number.
What a home kit needsEvery sport
One height says little. Measured the same way every 8-12 weeks, the change shows how fast an athlete is growing. Height is one of the measures in the youth fitness test battery that 169 experts from 50 countries agreed on. Ortega et al., J Sport Health Sci 2025 (YFIT)
A flat wall, a square and a tape
Shoes off, on a hard floor: heels, back and head against the wall, looking straight ahead. Rest a carpenter's square or a hardcover book flat on top of the head and square to the wall, mark the wall under it, and measure floor to mark. Measure twice (a third time if the two differ by more than 4 mm) at about the same time of day; the app saves the middle value.
Swanson Speed Square, 7 in. aluminum (S0101)
A rigid right angle for the wall method: hold its lip flat against the wall and rest it on the head, so the mark is level. The app rates a wall and a rigid headpiece as medium quality; a hardcover book held square works too.
On AmazonRoad Rod portable stadiometer (Hopkins Medical)
A free-standing height rod with a sliding head plate that sets up and packs away quickly; it reads 10 to 78 inches in 1/8-inch steps. A stadiometer is the method the app rates highest, as long as each reading is repeated and the method stays the same.
On Amazonseca 213 portable stadiometer
seca's portable stadiometer, sold for clinics and field testing: it reads 20 to 205 cm to the millimetre (centimetres only, no inch scale). Set it on a hard, level floor and check it once against a tape measure.
On AmazonLog every reading in My Athlete: it shows the observed growth rate, not a prediction. When growth is fast, talk to the coach about workload. IOC consensus on youth athletic development, Bergeron et al., BJSM 2015
For coaches
A whistle. Metal or pealess.
What a home kit needsSoccer · Basketball · Football · Flag Football · Baseball · Softball · Volleyball · Hockey · Lacrosse · Rugby · Cricket · Multi-Sport · Training · Track & Field · Swimming · Wrestling · Tennis
A metal whistle is cheap and loud. A pealess whistle has no ball inside to stick or freeze, so it works in rain and cold.
A stopwatch. Time it the same way every time.
What a home kit needsSoccer · Basketball · Football · Flag Football · Baseball · Softball · Volleyball · Hockey · Lacrosse · Rugby · Cricket · Multi-Sport · Training · Track & Field · Swimming · Wrestling · Tennis
Hand times read faster than electronic times, so keep one timer, one start rule and one distance, and keep hand times in their own column.
Cones. Same course, every time.
What a home kit needsSoccer · Basketball · Football · Flag Football · Baseball · Softball · Volleyball · Hockey · Lacrosse · Rugby · Cricket · Multi-Sport · Training · Track & Field · Tennis
Cones let you lay out the same drill or test course every session, so times compare fairly. They mark the course; the drill does the training.
Reversible pinnies. Two teams from one set.
What a home kit needsSoccer · Basketball · Football · Flag Football · Volleyball · Lacrosse · Rugby · Multi-Sport
Reversible pinnies split a group into two teams in seconds for small-sided games, which give every player more touches.
A mesh ball bag. Every ball, one trip.
What a home kit needsSoccer · Basketball · Football · Flag Football · Volleyball · Rugby · Multi-Sport
A big drawstring mesh bag carries a team's balls in one trip and lets them dry between practices.
A stocked first aid kit. For the practice bag.
What a home kit needsEvery sport
Keep a stocked kit and a cold pack in the bag for every practice and game, and check the contents each season.
Football sideline kit. Tee and wristbands.
What a home kit needsA kickoff tee at the height your league allows (2 inches in high school), and youth wristbands so players read the call without a huddle.
A football play board. Draw it, show it, erase it.
What a home kit needsA dry-erase board shows a play at a glance on the sideline.
A basketball play board. Draw it, show it, erase it.
What a home kit needsA dry-erase board shows a set or an inbound play during a timeout.
A soccer tactics board. Draw it, show it, erase it.
What a home kit needsA dry-erase board shows shape and set pieces at halftime.
A lineup board. Lineup and positions at a glance.
What a home kit needsA board keeps the batting order and positions in view in the dugout.
A volleyball rotation board. Rotations at a glance.
What a home kit needsA board shows rotations and serve-receive at a glance.
A hockey rink board. Draw it, show it, erase it.
What a home kit needsA rink board shows breakouts and line changes on the bench.
A lacrosse board. Draw it, show it, erase it.
What a home kit needsA board shows rides, clears and set plays on the sideline.