When  you need to choose new goal posts or soccer nets for your athletic field, you want to choose carefully. If you're not familiar with sports, all of these pieces of equipment may look alike to you, but they vary according to the features that are used for play and which make them more versatile for a school, club, and the like. Note a few tips for choosing goals posts and similar pieces for your athletic field.

1. Portable

Portable goal posts can be a good choice if a field is used for other sports and you need to swap out the posts, nets, and the like. However, note that the word portable may be a bit deceptive; steel posts may be very heavy and difficult to move, even when on wheels. If there is a rear stabilizing bar for the post that doesn't come off before it gets moved, this can make it even harder to move the post itself. If you want a portable goal post, be sure you check the weight of the post itself before buying. Opt for aluminum bars with a good locking system that keeps them in place rather than steel, so you know it will be easy to move the posts as needed.

2. Post Compatibility

If your school or club field already has a set of uprights for American football, you want soccer nets and other pieces that are compatible with the gooseneck or main post of these uprights. The nets should have a rear stabilizer that goes around the upright gooseneck or fits on either side of it, so you can place the net or other pieces of equipment in front of these uprights quickly and easily and use that upright for stabilizing.

3. Versatility

For the most versatility, choose goal posts that allow you to change the width of the uprights. This will mean being able to play both rugby and American football with the same uprights, as the width of the uprights needs to change for each type of game and for both practice and game play. When training kickers, you might narrow the uprights so they have a more challenging space for kicking during training. Uprights are also more narrow for professional play versus high school or college teams, so it's good to choose uprights and bars that you can slide together or apart as needed for each types of play.

If you have any other questions about goal posts and what might be best for you and your situation, consider contacting a local supplier, such as Adda Flagpoles Pty Ltd.