The Goalkeeper, The Forgotten Player In Your Team?
- Date: 2007-06-12 - Word Count: 402
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Your Goal Keeper probably represents the single most important position on the pitch, yet how much specific training do you do with this player?
I was very fortunate when I played as a youngster in that I had a coach who understood the importance of specific training for the goalkeeper.
However, It's quite easy to get carried away with the outfield players and forget about the goalie, and no... a simple shooting session or some penalties at the end of training is not enough!
However, we should all (and I include myself here!) ensure that we give sufficient time to help the goalie develop his skills too.
Your goal keeper should have a personalised coaching programme that aims to increase their strengths, develop their weaknesses, create a tactical understanding of the game and also increase the overall technique.
The conditioning of your goalkeeper should focus on all of these aspects both on their own and in team environment to enable them to develop to their full potential.
This means that sessions should contain work on the basics like head, hands and feet so that good starting positions and body alignment are well established.
From your observations during games, arrange sessions where the outfield players recreate attacking scenarios from games, this ensures that the goal keeper and defenders must work as a unit.
Remember though, work on technique first with the keeper before throwing them into the game like situation.
We have compiled checklist for you of the key things that we try to coach our keepers on in all training sessions...
#1 Always work on handling and footwork skills
#2 Develop good footwork through controlled foot movements
#3 Make quick and positive decisions when dealing with a shot
#4 Respect every shot that is attempted
#5 Concentrate throughout the session or game
#6 Build self image, confidence and communication skills
#7 Develop a variety of distribution skills
#8 Read the game, keep watch on everything happening in front, to the sides and behind them
#9 Give plenty of technical practice saving
#10 Build a positive attitude and faith in their goal keeping ability
So, there are 10 top tips that we try to build into our training sessions to ensure that we have an excellent keeper as well as outfield players.
In your next training session I recommend you print off this article and take it to the session with you and see which points you are covering now with your keeper and which ones you need to work on.
You may be surprised.
I was very fortunate when I played as a youngster in that I had a coach who understood the importance of specific training for the goalkeeper.
However, It's quite easy to get carried away with the outfield players and forget about the goalie, and no... a simple shooting session or some penalties at the end of training is not enough!
However, we should all (and I include myself here!) ensure that we give sufficient time to help the goalie develop his skills too.
Your goal keeper should have a personalised coaching programme that aims to increase their strengths, develop their weaknesses, create a tactical understanding of the game and also increase the overall technique.
The conditioning of your goalkeeper should focus on all of these aspects both on their own and in team environment to enable them to develop to their full potential.
This means that sessions should contain work on the basics like head, hands and feet so that good starting positions and body alignment are well established.
From your observations during games, arrange sessions where the outfield players recreate attacking scenarios from games, this ensures that the goal keeper and defenders must work as a unit.
Remember though, work on technique first with the keeper before throwing them into the game like situation.
We have compiled checklist for you of the key things that we try to coach our keepers on in all training sessions...
#1 Always work on handling and footwork skills
#2 Develop good footwork through controlled foot movements
#3 Make quick and positive decisions when dealing with a shot
#4 Respect every shot that is attempted
#5 Concentrate throughout the session or game
#6 Build self image, confidence and communication skills
#7 Develop a variety of distribution skills
#8 Read the game, keep watch on everything happening in front, to the sides and behind them
#9 Give plenty of technical practice saving
#10 Build a positive attitude and faith in their goal keeping ability
So, there are 10 top tips that we try to build into our training sessions to ensure that we have an excellent keeper as well as outfield players.
In your next training session I recommend you print off this article and take it to the session with you and see which points you are covering now with your keeper and which ones you need to work on.
You may be surprised.
Related Tags: goalkeeper, junior soccer, youth soccer, coaching soccer, kids football, junior football, soccer training, goalkeeping
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