Finding somewhere for your team to train can seem straightforward: find a pitch, find a time that works and get everyone there.
But when you are booking for a full season, particularly through the winter, a few other things start to matter. Will you have the same slot every week? Are the floodlights good enough for evening sessions? What happens when the weather is poor? Is the venue easy enough for players and parents to get to?
Before committing to a training venue, here are seven things worth checking.
1. Choose a Reliable All-Weather Football Pitch for Winter Training
A cancelled session every now and then is manageable. Regular cancellations are much harder when coaches, players and parents have already organised their evenings around training.
That makes the playing surface one of the first things to consider.
If you are looking at an all-weather pitch, ask how the surface is maintained and whether training normally continues during rain, frost and typical winter conditions. It is also worth visiting the pitch yourself rather than judging it entirely from photos.
For clubs training from autumn into winter, reliability can be just as important as the location or hourly rate.
2. Check the Floodlights for Evening Football Training
Once the evenings get darker, floodlights become part of almost every after-school training session.
Do not simply ask whether a venue has floodlights. If possible, visit during the evening and see how well the whole playing area is lit.
Check whether players can comfortably see the ball across the full pitch and whether the lighting is suitable for the type of drills and games you plan to run.
Astropark’s winter football training pitches in Coolock and Tallaght are all floodlit, with evening training slots available from 5pm.
3. Make Sure the Pitch Size and Setup Suit Your Team
The pitch that works for a younger team may not suit an older squad, and clubs running several age groups may have different requirements on the same evening.
Before booking, ask:
- What pitch sizes are available?
- Can pitches be divided if needed?
- Are goals provided?
- Can several teams from the same club train at the venue at the same time?
- Is there enough space for the drills your coaches normally run?
This is particularly useful if you are arranging training for several teams rather than booking for one squad.
Astropark currently has 14 all-weather astro pitches in Coolock and 11 in Tallaght, giving clubs the option to enquire about space for different teams and age groups.
4. Ask About Regular Training Slots and Block Bookings
Consistency makes life easier for everyone.
A fixed Tuesday at 6pm is much easier for players, parents and coaches to plan around than a training time that changes from week to week.
If you are booking for the season, ask whether you can reserve the same day and time as a block rather than arranging each session individually.
Popular after-school and early-evening times are also likely to be the ones clubs want most, so it makes sense to discuss your preferred slot before the winter schedule is already underway.
5. Check the Location, Parking and Changing Facilities
The pitch itself is important, but think about everything that happens around the session too.
How easy is the venue for most of the team to reach on a weekday evening? Is there parking? Are there toilets nearby? Can players change after a wet session?
If possible, check the journey at roughly the time your team would actually be travelling. A route that looks quick on a Sunday morning may be very different during weekday traffic.
For winter training in particular, changing rooms and showers can also make a noticeable difference after a cold or wet session.
Both Astropark Coolock and Tallaght offer free on-site parking, changing rooms and showers.
6. Compare Football Pitch Hire Costs and Club Rates
Compare the cost of the full training arrangement rather than looking only at the advertised hourly price.
Ask:
- Is there a different rate for regular club bookings?
- Are there discounts for booking several weeks?
- How and when does the club pay?
- Can the venue invoice the club directly?
- Are there any additional charges you should know about?
It can also help to divide the session cost by the expected number of players. That gives the committee a much clearer picture of what the training facility actually costs per player.
At Astropark, club rates currently start from €50 for earlier evening slots and €55 for later slots, with reduced rates available for block bookings. Clubs can also be invoiced monthly.
7. Check the Cancellation Policy and Backup Pitch Options
Winter football rarely goes exactly to schedule.
A league fixture may be called off, your club’s usual grass pitch may be unavailable or you may suddenly want an extra training session.
Ask the venue how cancellations and changes are handled before you book. It is also worth finding out whether there is any option to access additional pitch time when your weekend plans change.
Astropark currently offers clubs booking a midweek block training slot a free weekend pitch, which can be kept as backup when a fixture is cancelled or used for an additional session when needed.
Questions to Ask Before Booking a Football Training Facility
When comparing your options, having the same short list of questions for each venue makes the decision much easier:
- Can we keep the same training slot every week?
- Does training continue during poor winter weather?
- What pitch sizes are available?
- Are the pitches floodlit?
- Are goals provided?
- Is parking available?
- Are there changing rooms and toilets?
- Is there a club or block-booking rate?
- How are clubs invoiced?
- What is the cancellation or rescheduling policy?
It is also worth confirming exactly what you are booking. Some facilities provide coaching programmes, while others provide the pitch and facilities for your own coaches to run the session.
At Astropark, clubs bring their own coaches and hire the pitches for their regular training sessions.
Looking for a Football Training Venue in Dublin?
If you are currently organising training for a kids’ or youth football team, Astropark offers winter football pitch hire for clubs at both Coolock and Tallaght.
The outdoor all-weather pitches are floodlit for evening sessions, with regular club slots available from 5pm, block-booking rates and facilities including changing rooms, showers and free parking. Tell the Astropark team your age group, preferred location, training night and time, and they can let you know what slots are available.
Planning a Team Day Out?
Training is only part of keeping a team together. If you are planning an end-of-season celebration, reward day or simply something different for the squad, Astropark also runs a Sports Team & Youth Group Day Out.
Groups can spend two hours rotating through activities such as Old School Sports Day, Dodgeball and football, with Bubble Football and Nerf AstroWars included in the Gold package. The group experience is available at both Coolock and Tallaght.
