Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today's subject will introduce a new keeper drill.
First I would like to address a small problem I am having. This is the 68th edition of the
Goalkeeping Newsletter and I am running out of ideas for new subjects. Without your help and
suggestions, I don't know how many more newsletters there will be. When you get a chance, check out
the archives at
http://finesoccer.com/keepers.htm
and look for other subjects that have not been addressed. If you can think of some, please send
them to me at comments@finesoccer.com . Thanks
The drill I want to introduce is a very simple yet very effective footwork drill. The one negative to
it is that it is best if you have 6 servers for this drill (since it only takes a couple of minutes, you
can do it before or after a team practice when there are a bunch of field players around).
Start with the keeper in goal, one server in each corner to take corners, two players at the corner of
the 18's and two players on the top of the D. To get a better idea of what this looks like,
check out the diagram below
First the player in the right corner serves the ball into the box between the 6 and the 12. The keeper
comes out and tries to catch it in the air. Then the player on the left corner of the 18 hits either a shot
or a cross (depending upon the positioning of the keeper). Once this ball is smothered, the player in the
left corner serves the ball and then the player in the right corner of the 18 serves the ball. This is
followed up by a shot from the top of the D and then a breakaway by the last remaining server. Each keeper
will go through this sequence two times and then rest.
The next step in this progression would be to have a coach alter the order of the
serves. The coach could assign each server a number and when he calls out a number, that server plays the ball. This will force the keeper to not only work on receiving balls, and
footwork and conditioning but also a little bit of thought as well since she will have to be able to
process the information of what number was called and which server does that number represent.
The next progression would be to add an opponent who would try to win the serves and deflect the shots.
The last progression would be to add both an opponent as well as a defender. Now we have added a number of
variables including communication and reading of the game.
Give this progression a try and let me know what you think. It can be done for all ages but is best for
older, more advanced keepers.
There is a new survey online as well the results of the previous survey. The results of the last survey
are a bit scary to me as a keeper coach because the lead me to believe that defense is not being
emphasized enough. Check out the new survey and the
results at
http://finesoccer.com/survey.htm
