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Keeper Corner Goalkeeping: Youth

Let the team train the keeper!

Exercises for combined field player and goalkeeper training
by Ralf Peter, coach, German U16/U17 girls’ national teams

So there are a few things your goalkeeper needs to work on—but you don’t have a goalkeeper
coach? No problem! In this practice session, your field players train the keeper. All the games and
exercises are built around the problems and challenges of goalkeeping and every play is keeper-
oriented, with a special focus on catching flighted balls and blocking angled shots. Not that the
field players are getting left out: They’ll be practicing passing and shooting techniques, with plen-
ty of repetitions.

WARM-UP
Warm-up 1: Catching flighted balls
• The players at the outside cones pass to their teammates at the
goal line, who pass back.
• Then the original passers play flighted balls to the goalkeepers.
• Passer and receiver switch positions while the keeper rolls the ball
to the next passer in line.
• The next sequence begins from the other outside cone, etc.
Variations
• Use only one ball; the keeper rolls it first to one cone, then the
other.
• Players play low balls in the air to the keeper.
• The keeper throws a low ball in the air to the next passer.
• Players aim their flighted balls so that the keeper has to jump or
dive for them.
Tips and corrections
• Players should be practicing on both fields simultaneously.
Setup • Players should concentrate when passing and aim their passes
• Mark out two fields, each with a goal line and two outside cones as carefully.
shown. • Have players switch sides every few rounds.
• One goalkeeper stands on each goal line. • Train both feet: Players should try to play some flighted balls with
• Divide players into two teams and assign one to each field. the weak foot too.
Sequence
• Players take positions as shown.
 Success in Soccer 3/11

KEEPER CORNER GUIDES TO THE GOALKEEPER’S GAME

THE COMPLETE KEEPER

Here’s a practical goalkeeper training handbook that truly delivers, with more than
240 illustrated exercises and practice games. ­This book will help you train ­your
keep­ers in a fo­cused and system­at­ic way, teaching them age-ap­pro­pri­ate tech­
niques and tac­tics. Get the right exercises for your ­players at eve­ry lev­el!
208 pag­es, $29.99 / £ 17.50 / 24.95 €
To order, visit [Link] or con­tact us directly: NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA:
Success in Soccer, tel. (888) 828-4263 (U.S. only) or (505) 889-3680, fax (505) 889-3680;
UK: Forsport Ltd, tel. 0208 658 2007, fax 0208 658 1314; ALL OTHER COUNTRIES: Phi­lipp­ka-
Sport­ver­lag, tel. +49 251 23005 11, fax +49 251 23005 99

THE ART OF GOALKEEPING

Which characteristics define the true professional between the posts? How can a
young goalkeeper successfully survive the competition? The seven principles of the
masters unlock the secret! A unique insight into the fascinating world of goalkeeping
for every coach, goalkeeper and parent.
152 pages, $29.99
To order (North & South America only), ­please con­tact: SUC­CESS IN SOC­CER: tel. (888) 828-4263
(U.S. only) or (505) 889-3680; fax (505) 883-4577; web: [Link]

TOTAL GOALKEEPING
This great DVD is an introduction to the basics of goalkeeper training, from the
ground up. Watch youth goalkeepers from Germany’s national teams demonstrate
a variety of exercises: goalkeeper-specific warm-up, coordination, goalkeeper
gymnastics and technique, reaction training and more!
60 minutes, $29.99 / £ 18.49
To order, visit [Link] or con­tact us directly: NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA:
Success in Soccer, tel. (888) 828-4263 (U.S. only) or (505) 889-3680, fax (505) 889-3680;
UK: Forsport Ltd, tel. 0208 658 2007, fax 0208 658 1314

SPECIAL OFFER: Buy The Complete Keeper and Total Goalkeeping for just $34.99 (U.S. orders only)!

YOUR ULTIMATE COACHING EDUCATION RESOURCE

tel. (888) 828-4263 (U.S. only) or (505) 889-3680; fax (505) 889-3680; web: [Link]
3
Keeper Corner Goalkeeping: Youth

Let the team train the keeper!

WARM-UP
Warm-up 2: Goal zone
• Each team designates a wall passer to stand outside the goal zone.
Sequence
• At the coach’s signal, the players at the outside cones play wall
passes with their wall passers.
• Next they play flighted balls for the goalkeepers to catch.
• Each keeper throws the ball back into the path of the passer, who
dribbles to the other cone and lays the ball off to the next player.
• Which team is the first to get everyone back to their starting posi-
tions?
Variations
• If the goalkeeper is unable to catch the ball inside the goal zone, the
passer has to do a forward roll before tagging the next player.
• If the goalkeeper is unable to catch the ball, the next passer has to
juggle the ball three times before playing the wall pass.
• The goalkeeper starts each play with a high throw to the next
Setup passer on his team.
• The basic setup is the same as above, except the fields are closer Tips and corrections
together, creating a square goal zone in the middle. • All passes should be played directly. This forces players to use the
• The goalkeepers stand inside the goal zone. weak foot sometimes.
• Divide players into two teams and position them at the cones with • Rotate the wall players regularly.
one ball each as shown.

MAIN ACTIVITY
Main activity 1: Angled shot 1
Sequence: Field 1
• The passer stands in the middle of the field.
• Player A plays a flighted ball to the goalkeeper on the other side.
• The goalkeeper catches the ball and rolls it to the passer, who im-
mediately plays a square pass to D.
• D controls the ball and finishes with an angled shot on goal.
• Player A runs to position B while D runs to C.
• Next, C and B do the same sequence in the opposite direction.
Sequence: Field 2
• The blue team selects a passer to stand behind its goals. The pass-
er must be included at least once in the attacking combination.
• Yellow counterattacks on blue’s two goal lines.
• Teams switch sides and roles after three minutes.
Tips and corrections
• Although the exercise on Field 1 may look like a normal shooting
drill, every play is keeper-oriented. The main concepts are catching
Setup
flighted balls and blocking angled shots. Keepers should run out
• Field 1: Mark out a field with two standard goals on the endlines
to meet flighted balls instead of waiting for them. On shots, they
and cones in the middle and on the sidelines.
should close the angle and stay in position as long as possible.
• Field 2: Mark out two goal lines on one endline and one on the
other. • On Field 2 we have a numbers-down situation (3 v. 4). That means
players should finish quickly with angled shots at the goal line.
• Divide players into two teams and position them as shown.
 Success in Soccer 3/11 4

MAIN ACTITIVY
Main activity 2: Angled shot 2
and then plays a cross in front of the opposite goal.
• The goalkeeper catches the ball and rolls it into B’s path.
• B passes to the passer, who lays the ball off to the side.
• B takes the ball toward the goal and finishes.
Sequence: Field 2
• Setup is the same as for the previous exercise, except now there is
no passer and teams play 4 v. 4.
• Blue’s players are required to take two touches.
• Teams switch sides and roles after three minutes.
Tips and corrections
• On Field 1, make sure players practice finishing with both feet
rather than switching the ball to the strong foot before shooting.
This is the only way to achieve realistic goalkeeper training. Make
sure teams switch sides every few rounds, and keep plenty of extra
balls by the goals in case a cross goes astray.
Setup • On Field 2 there are no corner kicks or throw-ins. Instead of throw-
• Setup is the same as for the previous exercise, except players are ing the ball in, players dribble it in.
positioned as shown.
Sequence: Field 1
• Player A plays a wall pass with the passer, dribbles a short distance

CONCLUSION
Opening with a flighted ball
Sequence
• Teams play 6 v. 6 on two goals.
• Each attack begins with a flighted ball from the attacking team’s
passer to its goalkeeper.
• After that the game proceeds normally. Players on the field may not
pass to their passer.
Variations
• Players on the field are allowed to pass to their passer.
• After each goal, the attacking team’s passer gets to play a “bonus
cross” in front of the opposition’s goal.
Tips and corrections
• Players are not allowed to pressure the goalkeeper while he re-
ceives the initial flighted ball.
• Keepers should quickly catch the ball and launch the attack im-
mediately.
Setup • Always conclude with unstructured play.
• Mark out a field with two standard goals with goalkeepers.
• Divide players into two teams.
• Each team selects a passer who stands on the sidelines with
several balls.