Soccer Tactics Board
The soccer tactics board is one of the essential pieces of equipment for any coach. Whether you are coaching a school youth team or a Premier League title contender, the ability to quickly give your players clear and understandable tactical instructions is invaluable. Explaining tactics, game plans, or mid-game adjustments; is easiest and quickest if you actually draw it. With a pen or magnetic marker, you can quickly explain to a player where they need to be or when to move or block. But not all soccer tactics boards are made equal.
Soccer Tactics Board Reviews
Here is the list of soccer boards I consider to be among the best available. They have various sets of features I’ll describe in a short review of each, which should help you pick the one that suits you.
GoSports Coaches Board
GoSports’ Coaches Board is the simplest soccer tactical board on my list. It serves the basic function of the soccer or football tactics whiteboard but does it well. It features a full pitch on one side and half-pitch with the squad and match-score tracker on the other side. One side features a metal clip for attaching notepad or notes. And you can use almost any size of notepad because the board itself is 9.5×11.75 inches. It comes with two dry-erase pens, black and red, with erasers on their caps. I’ve found it to be made of very sturdy plastic material, and if you need to give your players quick and simple tactical or set-piece instructions, it is very useful. You could say that it is perfect for coaches of younger teams, where tactics are kept simple.
Personally, I would have preferred that it has clips for notepads on both sides, or just on the back, which would make it easier and quicker to access notes while using the board.
Pros
- Rugged and sturdy design
- Comes with pens of different colors
Cons
- Notepad clip might be more useful on the backside
FORZA Pro A4 Sport Coaching
FORZA is a well-known name among sports equipment makers. Their Pro A4 Sport Coaching folder, as its name suggests, is a folder form whiteboard that can accept the A4 notepads, a bit narrower and longer than the letter size. On one side it has a soccer pitch diagram with a dry-erase surface, on which you can use a provided pen. It has steel backing, and it comes with two sets of 13 differently colored magnets. Using magnets to represent players on the pitch is excellent for visualizing the changes of the team’s shape. And this only increases the functionality.
On the other side, it has a very sturdy clip for inserting notepads. It comes with practice notes/planning sheets, which I find a bit limiting. Keep in mind that they are useful for planning practice sessions. But it would be more functional if it also had notepad for match notes. Overall, because of the build quality and functionality, it is a good sideline soccer tactics board.
Pros
- Magnets for representing players
- Compact design
- Good for planning practice sessions
Cons
- You will need an additional notepad for match notes
Molten Strategy Board
Molten Strategy Board is a concept different from the previous two. While they were suitable for use on the sidelines, this one is for the locker room. It is a bit too big to hold in hand and thus has two hooks for mounting on the wall. Measuring almost 18 by 12 inches, it is big enough to have your players a few yards from you. Molten is a big name, and this board is of their usual Japanese high quality. It is best described as a soccer coaching whiteboard, as it is intended for match preparation or analysis during dedicated sessions. It is a magnetic dry-wipe tactical whiteboard. It comes with two markers, red and white, and two sets of 11 player pieces.
Magnets are colored and have an off-centre white circle, which is useful for including direction players are facing in the analysis. It is a two-sided whiteboard. On one it features a full pitch diagram for the full formation analysis while the other side has a half-pitch diagram for set-pieces.
Pros
- Large enough to be used in the locker room or for dedicated sessions
- Sturdy and high-quality design
Cons
- Too big to use on the sideline
FORZA Coaching Whiteboard
When it comes to soccer coaching whiteboards, this FORZA’s product is most likely what you have in mind as the “whiteboard”. It has all the features you would expect from any office whiteboard, dry-erase surface, wheels, pens and eraser holder, including the size. Measuring 60×47 inches of writing area, it is by far the largest one on my list. Big enough to have tactical sessions in a classroom atmosphere. It is two-sided, but both have the same features. And that is not a drawback, as you can use one side for in-possession/attacking phase analysis, and the other for defending analysis.
Half of this tactics board is taken by the full pitch diagram, on which you can use the provided magnets. There are two different colored sets of 14 for outfielders and two yellow magnets for goalkeepers. The other half is taken by six half-pitch diagrams, which is perfect for all your team’s set-pieces routines up on the board at the same time.
Pros
- Professional grade product
- Excellent feature set
Cons
- Might not be suitable for younger selection coaches
Temma Software TacticalPad
While TacticalPad Pro technically is not a soccer coaches whiteboard, it is a soccer application suite that has a functionality of soccer tactic board included. By leveraging the ubiquity of various devices, smartphones, tablets, laptops; Temma Software has made a product every coach can use. From the school or college coaches, up to top-flight coaches.
On your device, you can use it as a tactics board, drawing Xs and Os and such. But you can also create animations of actions you are explaining or analyzing. It comes with hundreds of drills and set-piece routines from other coaches. The pitch diagram can be changed to suit any need. And you can also use custom diagrams. On tactical views, you can have numerous and various notes. Roles, covers, pressing cue/triggers for any position can be shown or hidden with a single click. You can also use it as a scouting tool, and more. The only drawback is that it is software, and you will need a device to run it on. But you can use it on any device, Apple, Android, or Windows PC.
Pros
- It has all functions of a soccer strategy board and much more
Cons
- Requires additional equipment
How to Choose the Best Soccer Tactic Board
On the market, there are many different types of soccer coaches whiteboard. And you should be aware that some do not have features you might need. So, it is important to be aware of some different features and characteristics that should influence your buying choice.
Durability
The durability of any product is very important. But even more so of your next soccer coach board. You most likely will be using it outdoor, and thus it should be able to withstand the elements, and any old cardboard clipboard won’t make it. Some are intended exclusively for indoor use, and with them, you should be careful to be able to withstand the way they will be used.
Where you will use it
There are some excellent soccer tactical boards that are the size of a notebook, and perfect for use during games and drills. But, there are also those the size of a school blackboards, which can only be used during tactical classroom sessions. Depending on where you will use it, the size of your soccer whiteboard can be a limiting factor.
How will you use it
You can say that there are two main ways to use soccer whiteboard. To draw on them and to move around magnetic pieces. If you need just to draw on them, you must be careful to choose one with the dry-erase surface and appropriate pen. Otherwise that it has a metallic or magnetic backing, and that it comes with the set of magnets in sufficient number. Almost all magnetic boards feature the dry-erase surface; thus, they have increased functionality. And you can draw on them as if they were non-magnetic.
Features
This is probably the single most important criteria for choosing. Some have half-pitch diagrams for drawing set-piece routines. Some are small enough to use on the sidelines, while others are big enough to make everything visible in larger rooms. Some even come with included practice session planners or match trackers. Depending on your needs and the way you will use it, you should choose the one with appropriate features.
FAQs
- Who should use a soccer whiteboard?
Tactical soccer or football boards are exceptionally versatile coaching tools. When it comes to tactics, it is a great help being able to visualize the situation on the pitch. Whether you are coaching youth teams, and need to explain to a player what their position in relation to teammates is. Or you are a top-flight coach explaining the pressing triggers or cover zones. Soccer whiteboard is the tool that you will find to be irreplaceable.
- Are there different types of soccer whiteboards?
There are two ways to classify them. The first way is whether they are for drawing or magnetic. Drawing boards are used to simply draw on them. They are excellent when you need to quickly give information to your player, especially when making some changes to your game plan during the match. Magnetic boards use colored magnets to represent players. They are excellent for situations when you wish to explain some dynamic situations on the pitch. When, for example, it would be cumbersome to constantly draw and erase the position of one or more players in formation.
The second classification is the intended use. Soccer tactics boards can be used on the sidelines and inside the locker room or classroom. The first type is small and portable. Usually, the size of a notebook, as you most likely be using it to explain things to a player standing next to you. The second type is much bigger, with dimensions often measured in feet so that even players sitting several yards from you can see the drawings on the board.
In recent years there is another type emerging. Software tactical boards. They range from very simple ones that allow you to draw diagrams on smartphone or tablet, maybe even to export or print them. While some are very feature-rich applications, which can also be used for training sessions planning, as match logs, scouting tools, or even give you access to a large coaching knowledge base.
- Can I make my own soccer tactics board?
In its simplest form, they are just a simple piece of dry-erase friendly transparent plastic with a soccer pitch printed under it and glued on rigid backing, very often with a notebook clip on one side. So, if you like DIY projects and making your own coaching equipment, all you need is a clipboard, printed soccer pitch, some transparent plastic sheet, and a bit of glue.
Conclusion
The soccer tactics board is a piece of coaching equipment that helps greatly teach young players tactics or to get across to more experienced ones your own philosophy. They are also a great help to quickly give your player or players the necessary information on the pitch. You should use them before games, during half-times, or when bringing a fresh player on. And you will find that they are the most helpful tool for coaching your team or managing the games. If you have a tablet or laptop, my recommendation is to use a software solution, such as TacticalPad Pro. It has all the functions of regular tactics whiteboards, plus a wealth of other coaching functions that are very useful. Otherwise, your best option is FORZA Pro A4 Sport Coaching Folder or Molten Strategy Board. Depending on whether you will use it on the sideline or in a team room.