Goalrilla makes some of the best sporting equipment for home use. Their soccer equipment is no exception, and the Goalrilla Striker Trainer is the best soccer goal for backyard training.
Dick’s Sporting Goods does sell some Goalrilla sporting equipment in their retail stores, so you may be familiar with the brand. However, they only carry basketball hoops and a couple of football blocking dummies. The last time I checked they do not carry any Goalrilla soccer equipment in the stores. Come on, Dick.
Since you likely won’t be able to find this soccer goal anywhere locally, Amazon is the best way to buy the Goalrilla Striker Trainer.
Why Is the Goalrilla Striker Trainer the Best Soccer Goal for Backyard Training?
The Goalrilla Striker Trainer is the best soccer goal to put in your yard for several reasons:
- It is durable. The frame is steel. The corners are welded. And then the entire frame is powder coated to prevent rusting. This also makes it look really cool with a glossy orange and black finish.
- It is solid. This goal weighs a little over 70 pounds (32 kg). It is heavy enough that it does not move when soccer balls are bouncing off of it, but it can still be picked up and moved out of the way when needed.
- It is the perfect size. The goal is 7 feet (2.1 m) wide by 5 feet (1.5 m) tall. At the base that sits on the ground it is a little over 2.5 feet (0.8 m) deep. This is larger than most portable goals that you will find, but it is not so large that you will not have anywhere to put it. Most yards should have enough space for a goal this size.
- It is multipurpose. The net has tension. A thick bungee cord attaches the net to the frame, giving it spring. This means that you can use it normally as a soccer goal, but you can also turn it around and use the back side as a soccer rebounder. Two pieces of training equipment in one, now that’s how you save space in your yard.
Goalrilla made a quick video showing all of the different uses for this multipurpose soccer goal.
Do I Have to Assemble it Myself?
Yes, you will have to assemble this soccer goal because it is not ready to go out of the box. The assembly process is not difficult, but it will likely take 1-2 hours to complete.
The frame of the soccer goal is actually pretty quick to assemble. The most time consuming part of the assembly will be attaching the net. This is because you must weave the bungee cords between the net and the small loops that are welded to the frame.
Goalrilla made a detailed instructional video about how to assemble the Striker Trainer so that you can see if this looks like something you want to try.
How durable is it?
The Goalrilla soccer goal is very durable and will last you many soccer seasons. That is why I like it more than some of the other cheaper soccer goals that may last only 1 year.
I have had this goal in my yard for over 3 years. So far it has survived regular use from my kids and their friends, soccer cleats getting stuck through the net, and 3 Minnesota winters sitting outside.
The only sign of wear or damage that has happened in those 3 years is that the one of the bottom corners of the net is finally starting to rip and leave a hole. It is not so bad that the goal can not be used, and the tensioned net still rebounds the ball normally, but this hole is only going to get bigger and will likely need to be fixed soon.
I took a photo of the Goalrilla Striker Trainer in my yard so you can see the the rip starting in the bottom corner of the net.
What Can I Do if Something Breaks?
One of the things that I like most about Goalrilla sporting equipment is that they include a breakdown of every single piece included in their instruction manuals, and you can order these pieces individually when necessary.
Check out the next to last page of this assembly manual to see all of the individual pieces that can be ordered for this soccer goal.