INFO SHEETS - Parents Info Sheet
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:
(to download, 'right click' on the filename & choose 'Save target as...')
Keeper Safety
(Microsoft Word file, 28kb)
