Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today's subject is very specific but very important. It deals with
proper position of the hands on low balls.
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there was a desire for a new newsletter dealing exclusively with drills. This newsletter (which will
be called FineSoccerDrills will start this Monday, May 1 and will go out three times per week. To subscribe,
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The Soccer and Goalkeeping Newsletters will continue as before. Just
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Too often the keepers don't get their hands low enough to adequately hold onto a low hard shot. The key to
catching low balls is to get your arms behind the ball and the hands both behind and under the ball. The
under part is a very important part of this catch and is also the most commonly ignored part.
Let's start by thinking in terms of a rolling ball. You want to have your hands almost parallel to the
ground and slide them, fingers first, along the ground and under the ball. If this is done with your forearms
close together and behind the ball (think of your forearms as being railroad tracks and the ball will
roll up the tracks into a pulled in position), you will be able to hold onto balls without regard for how hard
the ball has been hit.
There is a tendency for keeper's heads to come up too early on low balls (this is because they are more
concerned with where players are located rather then holding onto the ball). As the head comes up, it
automatically brings your arms and therefore your hands up. If you don't start with your hands as low as they
possibly can be, this will cause your hands to be too high to adequately hold onto a ball. By keeping your
head down and your hands under the ball, you will find it much easier to hold onto balls.
It's amazing to me how little keeper's concentrate on actually holding onto balls when you would think that
would be their first priority. Get your hands under low balls and your job, as a keeper will be much easier.
