coming forward on high balls.

It's important to try to get behind where the ball is going to come down. This allows a hard step forward to get momentum in order to jump higher and reach the ball at a higher point. The other advantage of getting behind the ball and then coming forward to receive the high ball is if you misjudge the ball it's more likely to end in front of you (which is bad) than behind you (which is much worse).

In the diagram below, the yellow player is going to serve a high ball and the black keeper will go up to win the ball.



The ball gets tossed up and the keeper is going to take a step or two backwards and then come forward to receive the ball. This is done to develop the habit of getting behind the ball.



After doing this a few times, the next thing is to put an object on the ground to force the keeper to actually leave the ground on the jump as well as to jump up and forward.

Start by putting a flat or low cone and the keeper has to clear the cone on the jump while receiving the ball.



The keeper must continue to concentrate on the ball and simply believe in themselves that they will clear the cone.

Once the keeper is comfortable clearing the cone, put something more substantial in it's place. Some coaches will have a person lie down (facing sideways) so the keeper must clear the person the ground when receiving the ball. Personally, I prefer to use a bag (a gym bag with nothing hard in it) because one bad serve can result in an injury to both the keeper and the player on the ground.

The thing we are trying to accomplish here is to make sure the keeper gets up and comes forward on the jump. Encourage them to keep focusing on the ball an clearing the object will be easy.

Goalkeeper Challenge
Using two full-sized goals (or smaller cone goals) placed 18 yards apart,this is an outstanding environment for goalkeepers to learn to deal with 1v1 situations. Each restart begins with the attacking goalkeeper with one hand on the ball at the center of the area and the defending goalkeeper standing two yards away. As soon as the attacker removes
her hand from the ball, play is live, as the attacker attempts to score and the defending goalkeeper attempts to secure control of the ball. This exercise creates coaching and learning opportunities in the areas of angle play, closing down, blocking, covering, shot-stopping, recovery, fitness and more. Moreover, by playing the attacker, goalkeepers develop an advanced understanding of the attacker’s mindset, options and challenges in these situations. When the ball leaves the area, a goal is scored, or the defending ‘keeper gains control, a restart results with the goalkeepers changing roles.

Variations
• play is live off of turnovers. This rule change speeds up play but also detracts from the structure and focus gained through the set restart.
• instruct goalkeepers to focus on both sides of the ball on a particular aspect of the duel. For example, the attacker cannot shoot and must

Seven tips for young goalkeepers
Use these tips to coach your goalkeepers and give them more confidence.

1. Get hands in the correct position. It's critical that a goalkeeper's hands, especially the thumbs, are behind the ball. When the ball is above waist height, the fingers and thumbs should form a "W" shape with the thumbs touching. Below waist height, the hands should form a basket, or M shape, with the little fingers touching.

When picking the ball up from the ground, your goalkeeper should bend their knees and back, stay low with finger tips brushing the ground and scoop the ball in one fluid motion.

2. Get behind the ball. Make sure your goalkeepers always get some part of their body behind their hands when catching or picking up a rolling ball. They should sidestep quickly to get in line with the shot, and not reach out sideways for the ball.

Activity

Have your players stand in a circle about 15 yards across. Start the exercise by getting the players to throw one ball around the circle at shoulder height. The only rule is it can be passed to anyone except the player next to them.

After a minute or so, add a second ball. For young players or beginners, the passes need to be slow. But older or more experienced players will enjoy seeing how quickly they can throw and catch the balls without making errors.

Then allow balls to be thrown at knees or rolled along the ground. Balls can also be thrown intentionally off target to test footwork.

Coaching points

Check your players' hand positions are correct and make sure they stay on the balls of their feet, moving quickly to get behind the ball.


3. Don't stand rooted to the goal line. This is perhaps the biggest mistake young goalkeepers make. You can easily demonstrate the benefits of closing down approaching attackers by standing on the goal line with your goalkeeper in front of you, about 5 yards away. Ask them: 'how big does the goal look?' Answer: 'big!'

Then you move off the line by 10 yards or so and place your goalkeeper right in front of you. Ask: 'how big does the goal look now?' Answer: 'very small!'

This should be enough to convince your goalkeeper that they should get as close to approaching attackers as possible and not wait on the line for them to shoot.

4. Get your knees dirty! Beginner goalkeepers tend to bend from the waist to block low shots and rolling balls. This makes it hard for them to get their hands low enough and prevents them getting some part of their body behind their hands. You need to encourage them to get down. Call out: "Get your knees dirty!"

5. If you're not sure, kick towards the touch lines. Young goalkeepers often struggle to get any distance on their kicks and throws. Accuracy can be a problem too, and the receiving player doesn't often have brilliant ball skills.

All this adds up to danger... goalkicks in youth soccer often result in goals for the opposition. Especially if they are coached to step in front of the receiving player and intercept the ball.

Tell your goalkeepers to take their time and not rush. If they are not sure where to kick or throw the ball, they should kick towards one of your players on the touch line - not straight up the middle of the pitch. It's safer that way.

6. Stay focused. Children often switch off when the action is at the other end of the pitch. You need to help your goalkeeper to stay alert, even when the ball doesn't come close by for long periods.

If you're on the touch line, occasionally talk to them. Ask them if they are okay and encourage them to move around the penalty box to stay warm. That way they will be ready for a sudden attack from the other team.

7. It's not your fault! Young goalkeepers nearly always blame themselves if they let in a goal. Sometimes they can get really upset. I always tell my goalkeepers we have 10 outfield players whose job it is to stop the other team shooting at our goal. If they can't stop the other team shooting, it's not the goalkeeper's fault if the shot goes in. It's a team game!

Todays topic deals with trying to avoid going backwards on crosses.

One of the most difficult things to do as a keeper is backpedal for crosses. It's a slow way to move, it's potentially dangerous and it causes way more problems than it solves.

In the diagram below, the ball is out wide and near the end line and is crossed in by the black player. The ball is played beyond the keeper so to get to it the keeper must get back toward the far post.



In the diagram below, you can see where the keeper must get to in order to make the save (it's where the ball is currently located)

Too often, a keeper will try to get to this spot by backpeddling

The problem with this is it's slow PLUS it's difficult for the keeper to see any obstacles he might encounter

The alternative is to use a drop step to open up your body

Then take another step so you are running to get behind the ball and then come forward (I'm not able to show this but it's extremely important to keep your eye on the ball at all times)

By doing this, the keeper can get back further, faster and be able to take the last step coming forward to attack the ball. Also, if an opponent (or teammate) is in the way, you can prepare accordingly.

Working on this footwork on a regular basis will allow a keeper to get much better at getting back on crosses.

Today's topic deals with balls bouncing in front of the keeper.

In the diagram below, you can see two white lines just in front of the keeper.



Any ball that bounces in the area between these two lines will cause the keeper a great deal of difficulty. If it takes a bad bounce (skids, hits a rock etc) there is very little time to react.

The first option, when possible, is to try to get to the ball before it hits the ground. Sometimes this might mean taking a quick step forward to get to the ball earlier. Other times, it might mean doing a forward dive to get to ball quicker.

Frequently there isn't time to get to the ball before it hits the ground. When this is the case, the keeper needs to do everything possible to try to get as much of their body behind the ball.

Even if a forward dive wont result in getting to the ball before the ball hits the ground, it might result in getting to the ball before the potential bad bounce.

Other options would be a kick out dive or a collapse dive.

One key to dealing with balls hitting the ground in this dangerous area is to make sure to keep your eyes on the ball throughout the whole process. There is a tendency to lift the head to see what is going on in front of the you but it's vital to keep your eyes on the ball the whole time.

Handling balls that bounce just in front of the keeper is difficult. The thing to remember are:

* Try to get to the ball before the bounce
* Get as much of your body behind the ball as possible
* Keep your eyes on the ball at all times.


If you do the above you will be more successful with these balls.

Today's topic deals with keeping your head forward even while backpeddling.

This will be a very short newsletter but also an extremely important one.

All keepers will find themselves too far out at some point. They need to get back toward their goal line and will do so by a combination of back peddling and taking a drop step and then going somewhat sideways. In the diagram below, the keeper finds himself too far off his line and must get back quickly or will will get chipped.



I have written previously about the technique used to get back quickly so today's it's about the head placement. While working your way backwards, make sure to keep your chin in front of your chest while the ball is in front of you. Too often, keepers will lift their head up and lean it back while going backwards and this will result in two problems:

1. Loss of sight of the ball
2. Loss of balance


Concentrate on keeping your chin in front of your chest while going backwards and when the ball is in front of you and you will find you will be much more successful in getting back, making the save and staying on balance.