Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Goal Keeper training

Basic catches/traps/punches

Partner up and practice throwing or rolling the ball to one another. The are working on catching and trapping the ball. When catching the ball you want to create a cradle or basket with your arms and chest. The forearms are parrell to the ground and close together to not allow the ball to go through. The Ball should hit the forearms first and them roll to your chest. At that moment you pull your forearms to your chest to trap the ball. 

Balls that are head height or higher can be caught with the diamond method. The thumbs and forefingers create a diamond shape shape to cradle the ball in. It is best for the thumbs and fingers to be almost touching.  Practice catching the ball in the diamond and pulling into your chest. 

Scoop or drop and trap. You can have a stance like an infielder in baseball or your legs can be staggered to prevent the ball from making it through. 

Infielders stance: On balls of feet, weight forward and bend at waiste. When the ball comes in you get your fingertips in the grass. Forearms close together and move to the ball, your body should be centered on the ball. Scoop the ball up to your chest. 

Staggerd stance: You turn your hips and drop to the knee on your rear leg. Keeping your legs close enough together that the ball cant go through. You drop your hands at the same time and scoop the ball up. Same as before, figertips in the grass, forearms close together, and scoop the ball into your chest. 

Punching: Sometimes the ball is too high to catch and a punch is needed. To punch the ball you will jump up to the ball and both or one of your fists to punch the ball out and away from the danger area. 

Collapsed dive: This is for when you cannot get to the ball on your feet and you must dive after it. Move towards the ball and at the last minute you will collapse your body in the direction of the ball. Pushing off with your lead foot, and then allowing your leg, hip, and side to cradle you. At the same time your are reaching out to try to catch the ball. One hand should be on top of the ball, while the other is on the back of the ball. The ground becomes the third point of contact to help you trap the ball. 

Keeper combination

Keeper starts on their line, at the coaches signal they move around the mannequin and defend a low shot. They immediately move back to their line and defend a hard mid line shot. Catching the ball in their chest. Then defend a low shot to the corner of the goal. 

Goalkeeper Handling & Footwork Technical #2

• Basket Catch - used for balls coming in waist height when you can getyour body behind the ball; use hands, arms, & chest to cradle the ball;want the ball to hit your forearms first and then pull into your chest
• Diamond Catch High- used when the ball is coming in higher than thechest; create a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers while youbring one leg up; bring the ball to your chest right after you catch it toprotect it
• "W" Catch Chest - used when the ball is coming in at chest height;create a "W" shape with your thumbs and index fingers upwards; bringthe ball to your chest right after you catch it to protect it
• Scoop Catch - used when the ball is coming in on the ground and you areable to get your body behind the ball; get your body behind the ball, leanover, and scoop the ball to your chest

· Front Smother Scoop Catch - used when the ball is coming in on theground fast, maybe slightly bouncing, and you are not able to get your bodybehind the ball; get your body behind the ball as much as possible, lean over,and scoop the ball to your chest while landing on your forearms

Goalkeeper Handling & Footwork WU #2

Penalty Area with 4 x cones set up in a diamond shape in front of each post Coach positioned 6 yards away with footballs. The goalkeeper performs footwork patterns through the cone to catch a volley performed by the Coach. GK performs 4 repetitions per set before moving to the opposite side and performs dynamic stretches in-between each set.