Coaching Sticks
Use these soccer training sticks upright as obstacle course markers or for goal keeper training. You can also use them horizontally as hurdles to develop agility and leaping skills.
Enhance Soccer Drills
Use coaching sticks for agility drills to help players increase their foot speed. Set up these soccer sticks in a slalom course to help with dribbling and ball handling skill progression. These skills will carry over into games, keeping students more reactive and agile in game situations.
Durable Construction
PVC poles resist cracking and breaking, while also offering a rigid structure. The staked ends feature a small, metal lip to apply pressure at the end of the stick for easy insertion into the ground. The bright yellow color makes them easy to see. Each stick measures 60"H x 1" dia; 7 lb.
15 Innovative PE Activity Ideas Using Gopher Coaching Sticks
The Gopher Coaching Sticks are highly versatile, adjustable-height training tools designed to improve agility, coordination, and movement precision. What sets them apart is their durable, flexible PVC shafts and steel ground stakes or weighted bases, allowing for both indoor and outdoor use. They’re great for creating visual movement pathways, gates, barriers, or slalom-style courses. These coaching sticks aren’t just for sports drills—they can be used to teach a wide variety of fundamental movement skills in fun and creative ways across all age groups.
1. Slalom Slide Show: Set up a series of coaching sticks for students to slide laterally through, like skiing. Teaches: Sliding, Agility, Dynamic Balance.
2. Zigzag Zoomers: Students sprint in a zigzag pattern through sticks placed in a line. Teaches: Running, Dodging, Direction Change.
3. Lean & Weave Relays: In teams, students weave in and out of coaching sticks and perform a bend or stretch at the last pole before sprinting back. Teaches: Bending, Running, Agility.
4. Stick Switch Sprint: Place sticks in a circle; students run to a stick when a number is called. Teaches: Running, Reaction Time, Decision-Making.
5. Stick Stand-Off: Students balance a beanbag on their head and walk between a stick course without dropping it or touching a stick. Teaches: Balance, Focus, Core Stability.
6. Speed Gate Gauntlet: Use two sticks to form “gates.” Students dribble a Soccer Ball through them. Teaches: Dribbling, Direction Control, Coordination.
7. Tag Pole Towers: In a tag game, sticks are safe zones that students must reach and touch to pause the tag. Teaches: Dodging, Sprinting, Game Strategy.
8. Twist & Touch Trail: Students twist around each stick in a path before moving to the next. Teaches: Twisting, Turning, Core Strength.
9. Coaching Stick Cones & Codes: Place a cone at each stick. Students complete different tasks based on the cone color. Teaches: Movement Variety, Memory, Agility.
10. Hopstick Hustle: Students hop on one foot between coaching sticks arranged in random distances. Teaches: Hopping, Balance, Leg Strength.
11. Push It Past the Pole: Students work in pairs to push a medicine ball between coaching stick gates. Teaches: Pushing, Teamwork, Strength.
12. Pull & Pivot Pursuit: Use resistance bands and have students pull partners through coaching stick routes. Teaches: Pulling, Coordination, Core Stability.
13. Capture the Stick Challenge: Divide into teams; each tries to retrieve coaching sticks from opponents without getting tagged. Teaches: Dodging, Strategy, Speed.
14. Swing & Stick Swirl: Combine coaching sticks with ribbons or scarves attached; students must swing around and follow the swirl pattern. Teaches: Swinging, Twisting, Flow Movements.
15. Direction Dice Dash: Place dice at each coaching stick. Students roll and perform a movement based on the number rolled. Teaches: Movement Variety, Decision-Making, Balance.