SKLZ Star-Kick Hands-Free Adjustable Solo Soccer Trainer - Fits Ball Sizes 3, 4, and 5 (Volt)

Why it's worth it

A neoprene belt and an 18-foot cord that snap onto a ball and return it after every kick. It fits ball sizes 3 through 5, so it works whether your recipient is a second-grader or a weekend adult leaguer.

This is the rare soccer gift with no measurements to get wrong. The belt adjusts with hook-and-loop closure and fits most body sizes. The ball glove stretches around size 3, 4, or 5 balls, which covers essentially every organized age group. You don't need to know their foot size, their arch, or what surface they play on. You just need to know they play soccer.

The use case is genuinely common. A kid wants to practice, nobody's free to shag balls, and the yard isn't big enough to blast shots into. The cord solves that. Owners describe kids using it in the backyard, in a driveway, before practice starts — juggling, trapping, working on first touch. Parents of new players report it helps most with technique repetition, which is exactly the thing that's boring to drill with a partner.

From our review of 8 gifts for soccer players

What we like

• +This is the rare soccer gift with no measurements to get wrong
• +The use case is genuinely common
• +It's also useful past the youth level
• +Note that the ball isn't included

What to know

• –The neoprene is the weak point
• –Younger kids can struggle to get the ball into the glove on their own