INFO SHEETS - Coaches Info Sheets
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Basic Goalkeeping Techniques for Team Coaches in correct 'Keeperspeak'
Why Goalkeepers Must Take Goal Kicks
Incorporating Goalkeepers into team training sessions
Goalkeeping Psychology
Safety for Keeper's
Basic Goalkeeping Techniques for Team Coaches in correct 'Keeperspeak'
There are basic goalkeeping technical points that team coaches can learn. This allows coaches to run simple drills that teach and reinforce the technique. Secondly, during shooting drills, small games at training etc the coach can use simple effective language that constantly reminds and reinforces correct technique, leading to improved goalkeeping.
This is my first instalment on this topic. It is too big an area to squeeze into one info sheet so I will add more training events in future info sheets as well as drills to teach the techniques. I think that the stuff below is a good place to start. This information will be much more meaningful if you attend one of my sessions. Please talk to your Club President about if and when I am booked to visit your club. I have not got to all clubs yet so if there is no booking and you are interested in some keeper coaching for your keepers and keeping tips for coaches please email me at keepercurley@westnet.com.au
Starting or 'set' position. This is the cornerstone to good goalkeeping. The keeper stands on the balls of their feet, knees bent, shoulders forward so that the shoulders, knees & toes are in a straight vertical line. With the weight distributed forward, the keeper is ready to respond to shots, crosses, through balls etc much quicker than if they were standing upright. Once the keeper has learned the correct set position all the coach has to do during a shooting drill is 'set' or 'set position' and the keeper is immediately reminded to assume the correct body shape. This meaningfully includes the keeper in the drill.
WATCH THIS SPACE... MORE TO COME
- Dave Curley
This 'Info Sheet' is available for download below:
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Basic Goalkeeping Techniques for Team Coaches
(Microsoft Word file, 27kb)
Why Goalkeepers Must Take Goal Kicks
One of my regrets as a player is that I never mastered the goal kick. Keepers who take goal kicks poorly find that this effects other areas of their game. Goalkeeping is very much a confidence position. If one part of your game is poor and you lack confidence, it will affect your overall confidence. If a goalkeeper relies on an outfield player to take goal kicks they are admitting to a shortfall and are not a complete keeper. It is not fair to an outfield player to expect them to run back every time there is a goal kick. It also means that your defense is not in proper shape as one defender is absent.
Therefore team coaches must insist that their keepers take goal kicks and they must teach them how to do so successfully. As mentioned above I was never a great striker of a dead ball so I have sourced an article from my friends at www.finesoccer.com that has helped me in teaching keepers to improve their goal kicks. (the stuff in italics are my additions) Please be patient with your keepers in this area. Coaching young players is about long term objectives more than short term objectives. Sure, you might concede the odd goal due to a poorly taken goal kick by a keeper who is still learning. You may even lose the game because of it. It is much more important for your keeper's long term development that you stick with it and allow them the time they need to master their goal kick taking. Not doing so is sending them a message that they are incompetent and incomplete as a keeper. The damage to their self esteem and development as a complete keeper is far worse than the odd lost junior match (where results should not matter anyway).
Chris Bahr has written the below article and there aren't many people who know more about hitting a long ball accurately than Chris. He has been an All American Soccer Player in college, has played professionally in the old North American Soccer League (NASL) and he also was a kicker in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 years and has won two Super Bowls as a kicker. Chris's father Walter Bahr is one of the all time legends in soccer in the US and Chris has taken his fathers experience and knowledge and applied it to hitting a ball (soccer or football) long and accurately. Below is Chris's article.
Thanks to Chris and thanks again to Lawrence Fine.
Cheers, Dave
"As goalkeepers, in addition to keeping the ball out of the net and keeping the defense organized, you have become the eleventh field player. To be a top keeper, not only are you expected to be able to handle the ball with the skill of a field player, you are also expected to be able to deliver the ball with accuracy at distances of up to 50 yards and more. This is a skill that very few players, not just keepers, possess.
Whether striking a moving or still ball, the chances for success increase with proper technique. I spent 22 years kicking a football but I have spent 40+ years kicking a soccer ball. The technique used to strike a soccer ball accurately over long distances is no different than that used by top NFL place-kickers.
Almost all the balls that a keeper is asked to hit a long distance with accuracy are either goal kicks or slow rolling balls where you have time. Both should be struck the same way.
Pick Your Target:
It may sound obvious but you should pick a specific target or spot that you are trying to hit not just a general area. For practice you can place cones at various spots on the field and aim at them. (aim high and wide to begin with to get the ball away from danger)
Focus on the Ball:
You need to focus on the specific point on the ball that you are trying to contact. (this should be the bottom half of the centre of the ball to ensure you hit through the ball and get height as well as distance on your kick) Solid contact on the proper part of the ball allows you to control trajectory and lets you hit a ball further with less effort.
Control Your Approach:
You don't gain any power with your approach. You need to be able to repeat the same leg swing over and over. Controlling your approach gives you a better chance of doing this. Power is generated by how fast your foot moves through the ball and how solid your contact is not how fast or how far your approach is.
Follow Through to Your Target:
When striking the ball your plant foot should be even with the ball and pointed towards your target. At impact your body should be square to your intended target. When you swing through the ball, allow your momentum to take you past the ball on your target line. You should still find yourself square to your target after you have finished the kick.
Placement of your plant foot in relation to the ball and approach will vary from player to player. However, successful kickers have two things in common. Their plant foot will be pointed at their target and their follow through will take them to their target. You should not find yourself falling left or right and you should not be stuck on your plant foot after impact.
If I were to pick the two most important keys to success it would be these. You need to make solid contact on the ball and your follow through should be on your target line.
As with anything it takes a lot of practice to be successful. However, if you can master this skill you will become a much more valuable asset to you team."
I would like to thank Chris for taking the time to write this for everyone.
- Dave Curley
This 'Info Sheet' is available for download below:
(to download, 'right click' on the filename & choose 'Save target as...')
Why Goalkeepers Must Take Goal Kicks
(Microsoft Word file, 29kb)
Incorporating Goalkeepers into team training sessions
Most of the goalkeeper coaching I do is done separate from the team. This allows me to give keepers more specific training and is a way of showing how much value needs to be put on the position.
It is also important to integrate the keepers into regular practice by designing drills to include field players which allow the keepers to get involved.
One example of how to do this is in a 5v2drill. Rather then separate the keepers, have a keeper be one of the 2 defenders. While the other defender plays normally, the keeper uses their hands. It becomes a great reaction and breakaway drill (anytime a player has the ball stuck at their feet, the keeper goes for it as if it were a breakaway). To give the keeper a rest, they can occasionally rotate into one of the attacking roles to work on their foot skills.
It is very important for the keepers to be given specific attention during the regular team practice because it is very easy to create a drill in which the keeper is being used, and then completely ignore the keeper. This is especially true for a team with only one coach. With proper preparation and knowledge a coach can utilize economical training to allow the team and the keeper to get the most amount of work in with in the shortest period of time.
A common mistake that team coaches make during shooting drills is not giving the keeper enough time between shots. The coach may have a keeper - outfield player ratio of 1 - 15 so they want to get through the group as quickly as possible to save players ‘standing around’. This is a classic example of ignoring the keepers needs for the sake of the outfield players needs. If the keeper does not get reasonable time in between shooters to recover and resume the correct set position they will develop poor technique. Commencing a dive from an incorrect starting position forces keepers to chase the ball rather than attack it and to dive backwards rather than diving forwards to reduce the angle.
Most shots a keeper faces in a match are such that the keeper is able to be in the correct set position when the shot is played. Training therefore should replicate this. Sure we have to train for the rebound and the second shot but if we only train for a situation that occurs infrequently we are not preparing keepers for what happens more frequently. Not having ample recovery time also damages keepers confidence as they are not making as many saves at training as they are actually capable of. This practice by coaches is very damaging to their goalkeeper and therefore their team.
It is vital also for a coach to have at least a basic knowledge of ‘the set position’, correct diving/landing techniques and keeper communication tasks. This allows the coach to correct mistakes and reinforce correct techniques as the drills are in progress.
To this end I have designed programs for coaches and I welcome team coaches to observe my sessions and ask questions afterwards in order to increase their knowledge of goalkeeping and in so doing become a more complete coach.
- Dave Curley
This 'Info Sheet' is available for download below:
(to download, 'right click' on the filename & choose 'Save target as...')
Incorporating Goalkeepers into team training sessions
(Microsoft Word file, 22kb)
SAFETY for KEEPER's
There are reasons people with strong personalities and a sense of responsibility and selflessness become goalkeepers.
As well as the mental pressure a keeper has to deal with as the last line of defense, keepers bodies are also in the firing line:
desperate strikers boots flying around your head.
a trio of big, tall opponents competing with you in the air.
Bodies streaming at you as attacks are launched.
It's a tough gig, that's why we love it.
If you are a keeper and you play long enough, you will probably get a knock or two.
It comes with the territory. If you don't like it PLAY TENNIS!
However, the frequency of the injuries and the severity of the injuries can be controlled somewhat.
Keepers who are in good shape and warm up properly are less likely to suffer an injury than a keeper who is out of shape or is not warmed up.
Keepers who are not trained or who are poorly trained are susceptible to unnecessary injuries.
Some examples of this:
when a keeper dives incorrectly and lands with their elbow under their ribs there is a great risk of broken ribs.
When a keeper dives incorrectly and lands on the point of the elbow there is a major risk of a dislocated shoulder.
a keeper landing hands first on a dive is at great risk of a broken wrist.
The above three scenarios can easily be avoided by teaching a keeper how to collapse and dive with a soft landing.
when the keeper is not willing or able to communicate properly they are at risk. Keepers coming out for crosses can get knocked to the ground because their own teammates don't know they are coming.
When a keeper is out of position many balls that should easily be claimed become 50/50 challenges. The keeper may have to dive at an oncoming players feet due to bad positioning. With good positioning dangerous challenges can be avoided.
With good technique the sometimes unavoidable task of diving at an oncoming players feet can be made safer. The most common mistake is when keepers attack the ball (and the player) with their legs. This practice will ultimately lead to serious injury. The keeper must remain standing, staying low holding their shape for as long as possible. When they are close enough to the ball to pounce they attack the ball hands first with the head down.
A keeper who does not use the correct footwork approach to a high ball and does not get to the ball early enough is at greater risk of a harsh physical challenge and subsequent injury. A keeper who collects the ball high above their head consistently gets challenged less as the attacking players cannot get close enough to the ball to make a serious challenge.
There are many other examples but in short, with proper training, a keeper can avoid many injuries.
Unfortunately, coaches are responsible for some of the most serious injuries.
Consider the consequences as a coach when you put a random field player in goal where a team is winning by a lot (or losing by a lot) and the keeper wants to come out of the goal and the untrained keeper breaks a wrist as they were never taught how to land a dive safely. Consider the consequences of your regular keeper not being taught basic technical safety techniques.
It is commonly agreed that the keeper is in the position of most danger. The idea of putting an untrained person in goal is fraught with danger. As coaches we have a responsibility to give attention to player safety issues. These specific keeper safety issues must not be overlooked.
To this end it is beneficial for all young players to receive basic keeper techniques.
It is vital that we strive for safety more so than winning games. It is paramount that keepers receive specialist training and that team coaches have an understanding of 'keeper safety techniques'. (by the way, this will lead to you winning more games)
This 'Info Sheet' is available for download below:
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Keeper Safety
(Microsoft Word file, 28kb)
Most of the info sheets appearing on this site I have written or will write myself.
From time to time if I find someone else's work that I endorse and would like to share with coaches I will include it.
The following piece is by Jeff Benjamin from: www.jbgoalkeeping.com
Thanks for taking an interest in your keeper, read on,
Dave
Goalkeeping Psychology
As athletes advance in their sport, it becomes crystal clear how influential the mind can be in altering performance.- Caroline Silby, Games Girls Play
The position of goalkeeper is one of the most psychologically demanding on the football field. Mistakes are final. The glory is usually reserved for the players at the other end of the field. It's not a position for everybody. You can't be stupid and play goal, but perhaps you must be a little crazy.
A coach must, of necessity, be a part-time psychologist, and nowhere is this more important than for the goalkeeper, where confidence is key. I am not a sports psychologist, nor do I play one on TV, but here are a few ideas I have found a coach can use to help a goalkeeper's mental toughness and attitude.
Only play those who want to play in goal
In youth football, everyone is encouraged to try all positions. However, I would not include goalkeeper in that category, at least in game situations. It does no good to put someone in the box who simply does not want to be there. It can be shattering for a youngster to be scored upon. If you must, try everyone in practices, but limit game play to those who want to be (or at least, don't mind being) in net.
Stay positive when goals are scored
It can be tough to be positive, especially when a simple lapse has just let in the game-losing goal with seconds to play. Goalkeepers need to be able to put mistakes behind them quickly and recover, so try to put a positive spin on things:
Credit the shooter. Sometimes the opposing team has just made a great play; give them credit - it's not always a mistake by the keeper that lets a goal in.
Don't dwell on it. Help the goalkeeper shake it off quickly, make a fast coaching point if necessary, and move on once the kickoff has been taken. You can cover problems in more depth at the next practice.
Look for the technique that needs improvement. Focus on the skill that needs work, not the fact that the goal was allowed. Very often it's just basic footwork or catching that needs brushing up.
Give credit for other than direct saves
A keeper can keep the football ball out of the net in more ways than making a direct save - forcing a missed shot gets the job done too. Aggressiveness goes a long way here - by making the shooter decide too early, a keeper can force a miss or a pass on an otherwise open shot. A goalkeeper who can get into the heads of opposing forwards early has a huge advantage.
Don't panic after a save
This applies to both coach and goalkeeper. Give the keeper time to internalize the save (builds confidence), calm down, give field players time to recover, and look upfield to restart the attack. Six seconds is plenty of time to do all this. If you stay calm, you're showing that you have confidence in the keeper's ability to control the ball and the game.
Help the keeper develop good habits
Teach them good technique, then hammer it in with repetition. Don't allow any lazy or sloppy technique, even when they're not officially doing drills or playing. Good habits will show themselves in games just like bad habits. Repetition is the key; doing it right every time (consistency) is what separates a good goalkeeper from a great one.
Don't allow less than full effort, every time, every shot
Every shot deserves an attempt at a save, even if it seems futile. Eventually, the shots that seemed impossible to stop before will start coming into range. If the effort is there, the results will start to come.
If things aren't going well, pull the goalkeeper with care
Many coaches will pull a keeper if they are getting shelled, but be aware of the repercussions of this. Some players will take this as a sign you lack confidence in them, and only go downhill. Make sure you stay positive, and point out you're not pulling them because they are a poor player or person, just that it's not their day.
Encourage additional training
There isn't always time to properly train a keeper in normal practice sessions, especially when that player needs to develop foot and field skills as well. Encourage them to attend club or private training sessions, goalkeeper camps, rent or buy books or videos, or visit this and other web sites. A player who is serious about goalkeeping needs all the extra training and practice they can get.
This 'Info Sheet' is available for download below:
(to download, 'right click' on the filename & choose 'Save target as...')
Goalkeeper Psychology(Microsoft Word file, 28kb)