Soccer goalie training tips

[radith]

1. General fitness:
As much as they might like to skip it, goalkeepers are required to take part in the punishing cross country runs and sprint sessions that the outfield players are also put through!

2. Weights work:
Goalkeepers also do a lot of gym work to build up their strength and general fitness. Goalkeepers, of course, rely on being agile and carrying weight reduces their effectiveness. Strength of wrists is also vital when dealing with powerfully hit shots.

3. Dealing with crosses:
It's common for a club's first choice and reserve goalkeepers to work together in training. One goes in goal and the other delivers ball after ball into the penalty area for his team-mate to come and deal with. This is a vital element of a goalie's game and repetition is the best way to build confidence.

4. Shot stopping:
An obvious one. Another player (or players) takes multiple shots and the goalkeeper tries to keep them out. This should cover both long range and shorter range shots, plus penalties.

5. Speed of reactions:
Perhaps the most important attribute for a goalkeeper isn't their ability to simply save a shot but how quickly they can then react to make the next save. Goalkeeper training should always include a session where the keeper is asked to make rapid saves, one after another. This is achieved by throwing or kicking multiple balls at them from a short distance, in rapid succession.

6. Goal kick and throwing practice:
Goalkeepers have to take goal kicks, both from their hands or from the ground. A faulty kick can lead to a goal-scoring chance for the other team, so it's important to practice this skill as well as the saving-related training drills.
Additionally, it's worth practicing throwing the ball to a team-mate. This is a skill that can help your team launch a rapid counter attack but if mistimed it can backfire badly!

7. Ball work:
Unless you happen to be a maverick South American goalkeeper, with a penchant for dribbling the ball upfield, it's unlikely that you will be required to be hugely skilled on the ball. However, you will need to control back passes and at times you will need to clear the ball by foot or possibly pick out a team mate with a pass. For this reason, it's vital that goalkeepers don't ignore basic ball skills work.

8. Study of opposition:
Okay, this one's just for professional level players. They will study opposition penalty takers to see which side they favour when taking penalties. Sometimes it's these kind of small details that can make the difference at the very top level.