One of the biggest mistakes that many coaches make is to not specifically train the goalkeeper. Most youth teams and even high school for that matter do not work the keepers separately from the team. The coach just figures that scrimmages and shooting drills will give the keepers enough work to be ready for the game.

Well, nothing can be further from the truth. Keepers need very specific individual training drills and sessions to develop the skills that they need to be effective in the net.

Having played as a goalkeeper and coached the goalkeepers on a high school team, I can tell you that they need as much focused attention as any other player on the field. With keepers you need to work on reflexes, distribution, diving techniques, catching, 1 vs 1 and jumping just to name a few.

Set up time each and every practice for you keepers to have individual work. There are a ton of really easy to set up drills that you can run to get the fundamentals on lock down for your netminder.

If you are looking for inspiration, take a look at Print & Go Practice Plans – Goalkeeping. (look at the upper right hand corner). The site isn’t the prettiest, but the drills and practice plans for goalkeepers are incredible. I really like the fact that I can print sessions that work on specific skills and just take them with me to practice to run. Great stuff!

I’ve included the table of contents from the Print & Go Practice Plans Goalkeeping below.

Introduction
Coaching Philosophy
Usage Recommendations
Practices Summary Matrix
Season Practice Sequences

Print & Go Practices
• # 1 Catching, Diving, Breakaways, Distribution
• # 2 Reaction, Flexibility, Diving, Wall
• # 3 Diving, Jumping, Corners, 1v1
• # 4 Jumping, Diving, Abdominals, Pass Backs
• # 5 Strength, High Balls, Goal Kicks, Reading Play
• # 6 Ball Handling, Leg Strength, Dives, Crosses
• # 7 Reflex Dives, Leg Strength, Distribution
• # 8 Agility, Change of Direction Dives, Penalties
• # 9 Continuous Diving, Reaction, Organizing Play
• #10 Catching, Back Dives, Angles, Long Balls

Warm Up Drills
• # 1 Catching, Diving
• # 2 Flexibility, Coordination
• # 3 Coordination, Catching
• # 4 Jumping, Abdominal Strength
• # 5 Jumping, Flexibility
• # 6 Ball Handling, Reaction
• # 7 Leg Strength, Catching
• # 8 Agility, Catching, Recovery
• # 9 Catching, Jumping, Diving
• #10 Catching, running, Passing

Technique/Skills Drills
• # 1 Diving, Distribution
• # 2 Reaction Dives
• # 3 Jumping, Diving
• # 4 Backward Dives
• # 5 Diving after Motion
• # 6 Turn & Dive, Bouncing Balls
• # 7 Reflex dives
• # 8 Change Direction & Dive
• # 9 Continuous saves
• #10 Diagonal Backward Dives

Fitness Drills 43
• # 1 Diving, Recovering
• # 2 Circle Dives
• # 3 Jump from Lying Position
• # 4 Jumping & Diving
• # 5 Run-Jump-Crouch-Throw
• # 6 Sideway Hops & Dive
• # 7 Sprint-Jump-Dive
• # 8 Balance-Sprint-Dive
• # 9 Triple dive-Recovery-Dive
• #10 Rapid Fire

Tactical Drills
• # 1 Breakaways
• # 2 Setting Up A Wall
• # 3 Corner Kicks
• # 4 Pass Backs
• # 5 Goal Kicks
• # 6 Crosses
• # 7 Wide Distribution Throws
• # 8 Penalty Kicks
• # 9 Organizing Play
• #10 Long Balls – Incoming

Scrimmage Drills
• # 1 4v4 from two sides of goal
• # 2 4v2 in penalty area
• # 3 4v2 or 1v1
• # 4 3v3 on two goals
• # 5 3v3 with 2 balls
• # 6 crossing and 4v2 in penalty box
• # 7 4 x 1v1 in penalty box
• # 8 GK in 1v1
• # 9 4v6
• #10 2v5 in penalty box

Related posts:

1. Should Coaches Play at Soccer Practice?
2. How to Take a Penalty Kick
3. The Penalty Kick

Ultimate Soccer Coaching

If you’re like me you probably know that soccer training tips for goalkeeper are of immense value since a goalie is the only player on the field who is allowed to touch the ball by both hands and arms.

That’s why a goalie’s soccer skills put him/ her in an advantageous position from rest of the ream members. But this also makes training goalkeepers for soccer not only unique but challenging.

Goalkeepers in soccer are more often than not, the first line of offence and the last line of defense, based on the playing skill. They will not hesitate in putting their bodies in harms way to stop or block a shot into the goal. They are ready to dive in any direction to catch hold of the ball.

Goalkeeper’s training for soccer on different skills and techniques can be one tough job depending upon their role requirements and level of play. You must also keep in mind, his mental state when you are training him/ her on all important skills and techniques.

Soccer Training

The only player in the team who can match the vigor of a goalkeeper is the striker. Almost all goalies have essentially played as goal hungry strikers at one point or the other in their soccer careers. You’ll be able to encounter frequent one on one battle between the goalie and the forwards at different levels of competition.

One of the most important soccer training tips for a goalkeeper is to stay balanced and know the center of gravity of the body. In a game setting, this will benefit by improving the goalkeeper’s activity and the inclination of the other player.

Though most goalkeepers in soccer are tall with long arms and big hands, but even if otherwise they easily compensate for the need of physical built with good vertical and lateral mobility.

It is important for a coach to realize that goalies have a great sense of worth but still need to be motivated on a regular basis. Soccer Goalkeepers need to do their regular warm ups with the team, but then separate from the team and perform the specific soccer drills that will prepare them for the game.

Goalkeepers act as the leaders of the team as they have a personality that is both dominating and controlling. So they must be supported by the rest of the team to successfully execute their role by being placed in a vocal and demonstrative capacity.

The goalie is allowed to handle the ball only in the 18 yard box. If the ball is touched by any player’s arm other than the goalkeeper, the opposing party gets a free kick. If it is a goalie’s teammate, it’s a penalty shoot from “the spot”.

So you should now concentrate on using these soccer training tips by encouraging the goalkeeper who leads the team inside the 18 yard box, and needs appreciation of remaining teammates. Join our youth soccer coaching community that has loads of relevant articles, videos, and newsletters to update your knowledge on the subject.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Soccer Drills.

Coaching Soccer Drills

If you guys watch soccer players and goalkeepers seem to have some kind of turtle neck around there neck and i was wondering whats it called.
Julio Caesar in Inter Milan usually wears it.

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Technorati Tags: caesar, goalkeepers, Inter milan, soccer players, turtle, turtle neck

Soccer Goalkeeper Jerseys

I’ve been playing the goalkeeper position for a few months now and have learned pretty quickly. My friend who played goalkeeper for years can jump very far to save a ball. Is there a way to learn how to dive in the air towards a ball like that?
I workout about 5 times a week and have specific days just for legs so I work them out quite a bit. More spefically is there a certain technique to do this?

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Technorati Tags: legs, workout

Soccer Goalkeeper Jerseys

I’m watching USA vs Czech Republic and the Czech goalkeeper is wearing a helmet that you see in those old NFL highlights and I’ve also seen it on other goalies too.

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Technorati Tags: czech goalkeeper, czech republic, goalies, helmet, nfl highlights

Soccer Goalkeeper Jerseys

I get bruised even with pads!

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Soccer Goalkeeper Jerseys

Do soccer teams recruit goalkeepers if they have weak eye sights? but they wear contact lenses. If yes, or there is give me an example of a current professional goalkeeper that wears contact lenses.

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Technorati Tags: contact lenses, eye sights, professional goalkeeper, soccer teams

Soccer Goalkeeper Jerseys

If you also share similar thoughts as I do, you’d know that soccer training tips for goalkeepers have a great importance as he/she is the only player that has the freedom to touch the ball with hands and arms both.

And so, soccer skills that a goalie possesses give him an edge over other remaining players. But this makes a coach’s job tougher and more complex when training goalkeepers for soccer.

Based on the method of play in soccer, goalkeepers are the first line of offense and last line of defense. These players don’t think twice before putting their body in harms way to stop or block the ball from getting into the goalpost. They are ready to dive in any direction to catch hold of the ball.

Goalkeepers training for soccer on various techniques specific to their role and the level of their play can be extremely demanding. At the same time, his or her mental state should be kept in mind while teaching him various skills.

Soccer Training

In terms of comparison, only a striker can match the skills and enthusiasm of a goalkeeper. Actually some of the best goalies have already been great strikers at some point in their career. You’ll frequently encounter a one on one battle at various levels of competition between goalies and forwards.

When it comes to soccer training tips, staying balanced and knowing the center of gravity of the body is of the essence to the goalkeeper. This will benefit a game setting by enhancing the activity of a goalkeeper and the promptness of other players.

Though most goalkeepers in soccer are tall with long arms and big hands, but even if otherwise they easily compensate for the need of physical built with good vertical and lateral mobility.

A coach must always remember that though goalkeepers have a good sense of self-worth but even then they need constant motivation. Soccer Goalkeepers need to do their regular warm ups with the team, but then separate from the team and perform the specific soccer drills that will prepare them for the game.

Because goalkeepers have a dominant personality and a sense of control, they are leaders of the team. So they should be placed in a voiced and representative capacity so that they can successfully accomplish their duties with the support of all the team members.

The ball can be handled by the goalie only in the 18 yard box. When the ball gets touched by the arm of any player other than the goalie, the opponent team gets a free kick. It’s a penalty shoot from “the spot” in case of a goalkeepers’ team member.

Your next step? To take what you’ve just learned and apply the above soccer training tips as goalkeepers are definitely leaders in the 18 yard box, and should get due respect from their team. Join our youth soccer coaching community that has loads of relevant articles, videos, and newsletters to update your knowledge on the subject.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Soccer Drills.

Tryouts Soccer

If you also share similar thoughts as I do, you’d know that Soccer training tips for goalkeepers have a great importance as he/she is the only player that has the freedom to touch the ball with hands and arms both.

For this reason, the soccer skills of a goalie give him an advantage over all the other players on the field. But this also makes training goalkeepers for soccer not only unique but challenging.

Soccer Goalkeepers are often the first line of the offense and the last line of defense, depending upon the technique of play. They will not hesitate in putting their bodies in harms way to stop or block a shot into the goal. They are all so set to proceed in any direction when it comes to getting the possession of the ball.

A goalie’s training for soccer can be very challenging, keeping in view their specific role requirements and their level of play. It simultaneously calls for you to consider his mental state while training him on different skills and techniques.

Soccer Coaching Drills

The only player in the team who can match the vigor of a goalkeeper is the striker. Actually some of the best goalies have already been great strikers at some point in their career. You’ll observe that very often, it’s the goalies and forwards that get into a direct battle on the field, no matter what the level of competition.

One of the most important soccer training tips for a goalkeeper is to stay balanced and know the center of gravity of the body. This will have a positive effect on the game setting by way of improving a goalkeeper’s activity and the speediness of other players.

Even though most of the goalkeepers are tall, have long arms, and big hands, but even if it isn’t so, they can compensate for it with good vertical and lateral mobility.

Goalkeepers need unvarying motivation even though they have a good sense of self-worth and the coaches should never forget this. After the goalkeepers have done their routine warm up rounds with the team, they should then focus on performing soccer drills meant for their specific role in the team.

Goalkeepers are the leaders of the team as both their role and their personality is quite dominating. Therefore, they need to be constantly supported by all their teammates in successfully doing their job by being in a representative capacity.

The ball can be handled by the goalie only in the 18 yard box. When the ball gets touched by the arm of any player other than the goalie, the opponent team gets a free kick. In the case of the goalie’s team mate, it is a penalty shoot from “the spot”.

Your next step? To take what you’ve just learned and apply the above soccer training tips as goalkeepers are definitely leaders in the 18 yard box, and should get due respect from their team. Subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that has tons of articles, newsletters, and related videos to improve your coaching skills.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make training fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Soccer Drills

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