Soccer training equipment and kits

Abstract

A soccer training device can include: a body having a front surface facing a first direction; and an illuminating contact sensor associated with the body so that a light emitter is visible and capable of emitting light in substantially the same first direction that the front surface faces and so that a force contact above a predetermined threshold with the body is sensed by a sensing module. In some aspects, the illuminating contact sensor is at least one of: coupled with the soccer training member; removable from the soccer training member, or integrated with the soccer training member.

1 . A training device comprising:
 a rebounding member having a front side facing a first direction, wherein the front side of the rebounding member includes at least a portion that is configured as a rebounder that rebounds a ball;   an illuminating contact sensor removably couplable with the rebounding member so that when the illuminating contact sensor is coupled with the rebounding member a visible light from a light emitter of the illuminating contact sensor is visible in substantially the same first direction that the front side of the rebounding member faces and so that a force contact from the ball above a predetermined threshold with the rebounder member is sensed by a sensing module; and   a coupler configured to removably couple the illuminating contact sensor with the rebounding member,   wherein the illuminating contact sensor has the sensing module and the light emitter that emits the visible light, wherein the force contact above a predetermined threshold is sensed by the sensing module and modulates the visible light emitted from the light emitter.   
     
     
         2 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler comprises:
 a receptacle in the rebounding member or attached to the rebounding member that is adapted to removably receive the illuminating contact sensor, wherein the receptacle includes at least one receptacle member.   
     
     
         3 . The training device of  claim 2 , wherein the receptacle has an optical aperture that is substantially aligned with the first direction so that placement of the illuminating contact sensor in the receptacle directs the light emitter through the optical aperture. 
     
     
         4 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the illuminating contact sensor is coupled with the rebounding member so that the force contact above the predetermined threshold with the rebounding member is sensed by the sensing module and so that the visible light from the light emitter is visible in substantially the first direction that the front side faces. 
     
     
         5 . The training device of  claim 2 , wherein the receptacle member includes a pliable material, a hard material, a strap material, Velcro, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The training device of  claim 1 , the receptacle member forms a receptacle cavity to receive the illuminating contact sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the rebounding member is configured as a rebound board, rebound goal, rebound target, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The training device of  claim 7 , the rebound board comprising:
 the rebounding member having a body with a front surface that is rigid and structurally sufficient to rebound a soccer ball;   a receptacle in the rebounding member or attached to the rebounding member that is adapted to removably receive the illuminating contact sensor, wherein the receptacle includes at least one receptacle member; and   at least one extending support coupled with the body of the rebound board.   
     
     
         9 . The training device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one extending support extends in a manner to support the body in a position such that the extending support is normal or at some angle relative to the flat front surface of the body. 
     
     
         10 . The training device of  claim 9 , wherein each extending support is coupled to the body via a rotatable hinge, such that the extending support can be rotated from a flat storage position to an extended position for use. 
     
     
         11 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler comprises an extension member such that the illuminating contact sensor is positioned away from the rebounding member. 
     
     
         12 . The training device of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of illuminating contact sensors removably coupled with the rebounding member. 
     
     
         13 . The training device of  claim 7 , which is configured as the rebound goal, comprising:
 the rebounding member including a planar body that is a flexible or bendable material; and   the coupler comprising at least one target member configured to be removably coupled with the rebounding member, wherein each target member includes a receptacle configured to receive the illuminating contact sensor.   
     
     
         14 . The training device of  claim 13 , wherein the planar body is a goal barrier selected from fabric, canvas, plastic, net, or other flexible or bendable material. 
     
     
         15 . The training device of  claim 14 , wherein the rebounding member is configured to be attached to a goal frame or is attached to a goal frame. 
     
     
         16 . The training device of  claim 13 , wherein the target member comprises Velcro. 
     
     
         17 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler comprises Velcro. 
     
     
         18 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler couples the illuminating contact sensor with a top region of the rebounding member. 
     
     
         19 . A kit comprising a plurality of the training devices of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . A method of training with a ball, comprising:
 providing at least one training device of  claim 1  illuminating a color of the visible light; and   striking a first training device with a ball such that the color of the visible light changes.