Secrets to Soccer Training: Soccer Goal Keeper Tips and Tricks

A goalkeeper has the most responsibilities on it’s shoulders. He should possess characteristics of both attacker and defender, fast like an attacker and even strong and stiff like a defender. The main thing in a goalkeeper is his/her reflexes, its the point on which the focus should be maintained mostly.

Exercise on improving the reflexes should be done throughout, like making him/her catch the ball with extreme speeds and nonstop for a period of time. He/She should be taught about the posture they should stand at the goal line, like:

Their feet should be shoulder width apart.(makes the jump cover more distance)
Bent knees, always ready to jump.
Weight maintained forward.(to grab the ball effectively)
Eyes always on the ball.
Stiff hands, like a wall to guard the goal line.
Keep in mind the wind direction.(the attacking ball tends to swing more in that way).

The formation in the defend in the game and during freekicks should be kept according to the goalkeeper’s comfort and confidence. Good diving with good reflexes are the important things to save a goal. Exercise them daily with at least 30 diving saves daily. With daily exercise the ball can be easily stopped during the games as it will be inbuilt in the reflexes.

Don’t be afraid to dive, it wont hurt. Spread the body to the farthest and let the body fall in the parallel position to the ground with the hands and legs stretched. It might hurt in the starting training but the the body will get used to it with bearing no pain.

Always keep in mind that the goalkeeper is guiding the goal line like a soldier guard’s it’s country, not to let anything in their area. Be strong like a wall that nothing surpasses you, and to be like that the goalkeeper should be strong with good hand and forearm muscles. Tighten up the muscles with exercises, because the goalkeeper has to jump in between the legs of many players who are blindly trying to kick the ball into the net when they are in the goal area to grab the ball. That requires a lot of strength and confidence.

The training of the goalkeeper should have sets of diving practice, running, jumping. He/She should have the ability to understand the mind and thinking of the on coming attacker, where he would pass or go for the goal himself. This should be done by a exercise in which the goalkeeper should stand in the middle, surrounded by at least three players passing the ball and preventing from goalkeeper grabbing the ball, by this the reflexes too will improve and the foot variation of the attacker can be understood too.

Its not the height that matters here, it’s the leg and thigh muscles that matter here which can help the goalkeeper reach to higher distance. This is essential when the ball is crossed into their area, the Goalkeeper should come forward and jump higher of them all and grab the ball.

While facing a penalty, try to distract the penalty taker forehand by swinging the body sideways, it works. It make them change their decision mostly, and in that they tend to shoot outside. If the penalty taker is taking a long run, always remember that the shoot will be taken from the waist level to the goal’s top level (like David Luiz). If the run is less then the power too will be not more when compared to the long run, its basic physics, because there won’t be much angular momentum. If the kick-taker is taking a pause in its run, then always keep in mind that he/she will go the opposite side of its stronger foot (foot by which penalty is taken) or straight.

In free kicks when a goalkeeper has the freedom to make d defenders stand on the goal line and protect the goal, then by such opportunities most of it should be made. So a goalkeeper should never take much stress and pressure, which causes problems understanding the on coming ball. Long range shots with high power can not be held properly, instead it should be stopped and diverted with hand facing bent upwards, which makes the ball go for a corner, it wont drop back in the playing field. Keep calm and enjoy the game.

Secrets to Soccer Training: Soccer Goal Keeper Tips and Tricks

written by: flyhigh09