Edition 10

Welcome to the 10^th edition of the Goalkeeper’s Newsletter. I had to make a decision about today’s issue since there are two subjects I wanted to discuss that are totally unrelated. One of the subject’s deals with the footwork involved in handling crosses. The second subject concerns work ethic and the real question that coaches and keepers must make which is "is she a keeper or a poser?" I have chosen the poser subject for this newsletter but hopefully will send out the footwork on crosses later on today.

The poser question has come about due to a discussion I have had recently with a coach (via email) concerning his team’s goalkeeper. This coach has told me the player talks as if she is really interested in being a keeper, acts like she is really interested in becoming a keeper and in every way except one she seems like she has the potential to be a real keeper. Unfortunately, the one area she falls short in is in training. She is not willing to do what it takes to be a real keeper. The first question of course is what exactly is required to become a goalkeeper? At the youngest ages, frequently the biggest player is put in goal because she covers the most amount of space and is probably least able to do the running necessary to be a field player. Unfortunately, many coaches don’t realize that to be a real keeper you must be in as good (if not better) shape then everyone else on the team in order to be successful. Granted, the conditioning necessary to be a keeper is different then that necessary to be a field player but it is just as important if not more so. The idea of not wanting to get in shape so become a keeper doesn’t work anymore.

To be successful, a real keeper has to train more often and more hours then the rest of her teammates. There are a couple of reasons for this. First is that its a different position then the others that they need some 1 on 1 position specific training. Second, for years, keepers were not considered to be hitting their peak performance until they’re mid 30’s because experience is such an important part of the position. With proper training, this time period can be shortened but it takes a lot of time and hard work. Any keeper not willing to do the work is not a keeper but rather a poser (a poser is someone who wants to be considered a keeper but simply can’t or wont do the job).

Another reason a keeper has to train so hard is they have to overcome the stigma of being a keeper. Since many of the field players have been around posers all of their lives, a real keeper has to work harder to gain the confidence of her teammates. Field players frequently are under the impression the keeper just sits around during training doing nothing waiting for shooting drills. Since this is their perception, a real keeper must work to gain her teammates trust. While this is a bit unfair, it is the reality. Once the poser has lost her teams confidence it is incredibly difficult to gain it back. When a team competes in a match with what the players feel is a poser in goal, it will adversely affect their performance. This is something that not many keepers realize or take into consideration.

Can a poser become a keeper? The answer is yes but it’s really quite difficult. The work necessary in being a keeper is tremendous. The only thing harder then getting a keeper to work as hard as is necessary is to get a keeper who has never done the required work to start doing it. Once the player has made the decision to change, then the next step (once they have started to work hard) is to start to break the keeper of her bad habits. This is extremely difficult because it’s much easier to create good habits then it is to break bad habits. Unfortunately, the entire time a poser stands in goal they are developing bad habits. Each time she lets a ball go in during a scrimmage or shooting drill because she is out of shape or unprepared, she is developing bad habits. Every time she does a drill at half speed, she is developing bad habits. Every time she blames a teammate or coach for a mistake, she is developing bad habits. If the keeper is willing to work to break these bad habits and is able to successfully accomplish this, then she must overcome the next obstacle, which is regaining her teammates trust and confidence. While there are some small things the keeper can do to accomplish this (such as admitting and apologizing to her teammates for her past attitude) the main way to do this is through actions. Make a commitment to being the first person at a training session working hard and the last person to stop training. Get in better shape then everyone else. Never allow a goal to be scored on you (obviously goals will be scored but make sure it’s because they beat you and not because you allowed it). Be a leader by example before trying to be a leader by words.

One of the things I want to point out is that just because a keeper is not a high level player does not mean she is a poser. If a keeper gives 100% then she is a successful keeper in my eyes. It’s only when they don’t give 100% that I would ever label them a poser.

When I lived in Atlanta, I used to conduct weekly keeper clinics (some of the keepers who attended these clinics are receiving this email). People would wonder if I would get frustrated because the same keepers would keep coming back and other keepers who would say they were coming would rarely show up. The truth is that didn’t frustrate me at all. The few keepers who kept coming back were the ones who mattered to me since they kept coming in hot weather, cold weather, rain, snow whatever it was like, they kept coming. Why would anyone think I would care about the posers who said they wanted to work but didn’t have what it takes to actually do the work? I enjoy training keepers regardless of their level of play (that isn’t completely true since I much prefer working with talented keepers rather then untalented keepers but I enjoy with working any keeper who trains hard) but it is extremely hard for me to allocate time whether it be for a camp, club, state team, or college if the person is a poser.

I guess my question for the keepers on this list is "are you a keeper or a poser?”

Remember, all back issues of the Keeper Newsletter can be found on the web site at www.finesoccer.com. Also, if you are a real keeper and are in the southeastern USA, come to my keeper camp. Information can be found at www.finesoccer.com/camp.htm

This camp is for keepers only, NO POSERS!

Have a great day.