Goalkeeper Basics
This is by no means everything an effective keeper needs to know, but it will give parents help understanding of what your keeper needs to do to be successful, some of what we are teaching them, and hopefully allow you to have productive conversations with your keeper.
Off the line
Too far back
Good positioning
Good positioning
The goalkeeper being off their line provides space between the goalkeeper and the goal. If the save carries the goalkeeper backwards, or the ball is parried slightly backwards, being off the line may prevent a goal.
Good positioning
Good positioning
Good positioning
Just as important, being off the line allows the goalkeeper to cut the shooting angle.
Side to Side positioning
Detail your services
Detail your services
Detail your services
The goalkeeper must also adjust their position side to side in the goal based on where the ball is. As a general rule, draw a line from the center of the goal to the ball. The keeper should be straddling this line.
Poor Positioning
Detail your services
Detail your services
Not centered on the ball.
Poor Positioning
Poor Positioning
Poor Positioning
Not centered on the ball.
Good Positioning
Poor Positioning
Poor Positioning
Centered on the ball, this maximizes your coverage of the goal.
Set/Ready Position
As the game has developed over the years, speed of movement has become a key component. Players’ actions are quicker and so is the game as a whole and movement of the ball. As a consequence of this development, one of the key guiding principles of goalkeeping which has emerged and become of the utmost importance is, that the goalkeeper should be in a good set/ready position to either move or intercept the ball as quickly and efficiently as possible at any given moment during match play.
The goalkeeper’s set/ready position will change depending on the position and situation of the ball on the pitch. However, there are key components which remain common in almost all situations: the head, hands and feet. Many young goalkeepers struggle with balance; they fall back onto their heels and their head sways from side to side, backwards and forwards, restricting their ability to move or dive effectively and efficiently as the ball is being played.
The goalkeeper should always be on the balls of his feet (body weight forward) with both feet in contact with the ground a shoulder width apart to give stability. If the feet are too far apart movement is restricted and if they are too close balance is affected.
Set/Ready Position Cont.
Weight and Balance
Weight and Balance
Weight and Balance
The head is relatively heavy and should always be as steady as possible, in the middle of the body and slightly forward and with eyes fixed on the ball when possible. The keepers weight should be centered between their feet to keep them balanced.
Hands
Weight and Balance
Weight and Balance
When the opposition has the ball within shooting range, the hands should be in the optimal position to make contact with the ball as quickly as possible, to either catch or deflect. By positioning the hands in the middle of the body, in an open relaxed manner, with arms bent at the elbow, the goalkeeper can quickly adjust to deal with all types of shots, low or high.
Knees
Weight and Balance
Knees
To intercept shots, the knees should be slightly bent (holding the body in an upright shape to fill as much of the goal as possible from an attacker’s view point) but allowing the main leg muscles to operate effectively.
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MAKING SAVES
• The goalkeeper should have his arms apart (shoulder width) and have his weight slightly on his toes,
• The goalkeeper takes the ball with arms stretched, elbows in. The keeper should keep their body behind the ball. If the ball slips through their hands, it will hit their body.
• The position of the hands and fingers is very important. Hands will be rounded to match the shape of the ball. Fingers and thumb form a triangle or “W” behind the ball. (see photo).
Tactical Behavior
This behavior is characterized by the series of decisions the goalkeeper makes to constantly adapt to the situation in order to implement an effective technical maneuver. The goalkeeper takes up a position depending on the match situation, intervenes in accordance with the trajectory of the ball and then distributes the ball depending on his team-mates’ positions.
Distribution
One of the most important tactical decisions a goalkeeper has to make, and one of the most frequent, is what to do when the ball is in their hands. While we are all impressed with a powerful punt, powerful punts rarely result in an attacking opportunity for our team, instead gifting possession to the opposition.
Just like a field player, when the goalkeeper has the ball, it is their job to find a teammate so that we can maintain possession and organize an attack. This can be accomplished most effectively with a rolled ball, thrown ball, or even putting the ball on the ground and playing with their feet.
When we are in possession, our players need to be able to play attacking balls, horizontal passes, or pass backwards for support. For our defenders, the goalkeeper should always be a passing option. The goalkeeper isn't a passing option while they are standing in their goal. The goalkeeper should move with the team in possession to provide the supporting option.
Sweeper Keeper
When our team is defending, as the ball nears our goal, the keeper has to be prepared for shots. However, when the ball is on the other half, while a shot on goal is not a concern, a ball played behind our defense for a breakaway is a very real concern.
The goalkeeper playing off their line (The Sweeper Keeper) can clear these balls before the breakaway happens.
Goalkeeper Strength and Conditioning
It's not uncommon to hear that goalkeepers don't need the physical fitness of field players. It is true that a goalkeeper will not run five miles in a game like a midfielder, but strength, agility, and conditioning is every bit as important for a goalkeeper.
Physical Training Program
Overview
Strength, endurance, agility and speed training is not something you do once or twice a week. Properly developing your body and preparing to perform at your highest level is a constant process and a way of life. Training sessions are designed to also incorporate physical development along with technical and tactical development, but with the limited time available each week for practice, dedicating significant time to physical development frequently isn't realistic.
What this means is the physical development of each player needs to also occur outside of organized practices
Endurance
For 6-10 year olds, endurance is developed through natural play. While children at this age do not need dedicated endurance training, ensuring they remain active is essential. Every hour they spend playing soccer, riding a bike or running around with friends is helping to develop their endurance.
For players aged 11-15 they can begin focusing time towards endurance training. For goalkeepers, endurance training should be focused on long duration endurance. Short duration endurance (1-2 minutes) and medium duration endurance (2-8 minutes) are extremely useful for field players, but do not reflect the goalkeepers role in a game. 300-800m runs, or running for 1-10 minutes will not provide the goalkeeper with the endurance they need. Jogging for 20 minutes is much better for developing the goalkeepers long duration endurance. Rather than trying to extend the amount of time the keeper runs for endurance training, focus on the distance covered during those 20 minutes and focus on increasing the distance covered each time.
Once a player reaches the age of 16, they are typically ready to engage in physical development programs designed for adults. Circuit training that incorporates jumping, fast footwork, ladder or ring work and steppers for periods of 15-20 minutes are a great way to build strength and coordination, but also develop endurance. At age 16, players should be able to perform two to three 15-20 minute circuit sets with five minute recovery period in between sets.
Again, for 6-10 year olds, strength training should be simply part of their normal play. Keeping them active is an important part of helping their muscles develop.
11-14 year olds should avoid traditional strength building using weights, but can begin focusing on developing their core, upper body strength and abdominal muscles.
By age 15, players should be ready for a traditional strengthening program with weights.
Speed
When we talk about speed, most people think of how long it takes to get from point A to point B. However, when we talk about speed, we are looking for how fast the keepers muscles get them moving, and then how fast they move.
This is one area that fits perfectly into the goalkeeper training environment. In training sessions we have goalkeepers perform a high number of repetitions of the movements they are required to perform in competition. Working on their footwork, hands, dives and more increased the speed in which they are able to perform these manuevers.
COORDINATION
This is one of the most important and frequently overlooked physical development areas. While coordination is developed to some extent organically during training, additional dedicated focus on coordination will produce results.
Work with ladders, rings, hurdles and other similar exercises will help the keeper develop their coordination. Coordination exercises can be performed at any age.