Soccer Tips: Any advice for a goalkeeper?

[Gregory Pratt]

I played much soccer as a younger lad, and was primarily a defender or midfielder.

I always liked goalkeeping, though.

 

Now, for my school team, I am the starting goalie for the fall.

 

Any advice on what workouts to do? How to stretch before a match? What'd you do, if you played?

And, hell, any words of wisdom about technique in in-game action would be appreciated, too.

[Milkman delivers]

Always remember you can use your hands.

 

Which brings me to my second point. Don't do crack.

Edited July 7, 2006 by Milkman delivers

[SoxFan1]

Well, I'm the starting goalie for my HS varsity soccer team as well. We start practices sometimes next month.

 

There is a lot to being a goalie and you have to be fit for the position. You have to have good instincts and reaction. A few tips:

 

1.) When jumping, always jump with a knee up, guard your midsection and groin, because when people are running at you full speed after a ball in midair, you might get hammered. So, get that knee up high.

 

2.) When a player of the opposing team is on a breakaway by himself with the ball, you want to get closer to him and approach him rather than sitting back in the goal, getting closer closes the area he has to shoot.

 

3.) Know when to come in for corners. If you know you can catch the ball, catch it. If you think you might only get a hand on it, punch it away.

 

As far as workouts or drills, lay flat on your back and have someon stand about 5 feet away from you. Have them throw the ball in different directions making you dive for it. Another, in the same position (you on your back and another 5 ft away), get in a sit-up position and do situps but when you come up, catch the ball and throw it back (2 handed) on your way down.

 

Stretching: Do a lot of back and leg stretches.

 

Another tip, do 1/2 way PK's. Instead of 10 yards away, do it 5 or 7 yards away, it will improve your reaction time. Spend a lot of time in the goal, it will help.

 

Get like 3 or 4 guys shooting at once and try to save as many as you can, that will improve your quickness.

[RME JICO]

Another, in the same position (you on your back and another 5 ft away), get in a sit-up position and do situps but when you come up, catch the ball and throw it back (2 handed) on your way down.

^ ^ That is a good one ^^

[danman31]

For my college IM team we had a goalie who had never played before but was a good athlete so we figured he could pull it off given the lack of a real goalie. The one thing he had trouble with was being aggressive. Be aggressive on breakaways and any opportunity you have to get the ball, get it. Even if you miss the ball or don't get there in time it puts pressure on the attacker and makes them at least think about you. If you're lucky they'll even panic and miss. I've barely played goalie before but this sounds like a similar scenario and I noticed that aggressiveness was the hardest thing for him to learn.

[Gregory Pratt]

I luuuuv it when you advise, my friend.

 

Well, I'm the starting goalie for my HS varsity soccer team as well. We start practices sometimes next month.

 

Good luck. Until we face off, that is!

 

There is a lot to being a goalie and you have to be fit for the position. You have to have good instincts and reaction.

 

That I do have, if I say so myself. Of course, my Coach and a few other people say so, too.

 

1.) When jumping, always jump with a knee up, guard your midsection and groin, because when people are running at you full speed after a ball in midair, you might get hammered. So, get that knee up high.

 

This is, I think, the only bit of advice I hadn't been given. I've always jumped straight up, and gone for it regardless of whether or not someone crashes. I'll try to get my knees up from now on.

 

2.) When a player of the opposing team is on a breakaway by himself with the ball, you want to get closer to him and approach him rather than sitting back in the goal, getting closer closes the area he has to shoot.

 

This I've always done. I am also known for diving and rolling to take the ball away.

I was practicing earlier today, in fact, for an hour, and I blocked two shots like this.

 

3.) Know when to come in for corners. If you know you can catch the ball, catch it. If you think you might only get a hand on it, punch it away.

 

Got ya.

 

As far as workouts or drills, lay flat on your back and have someon stand about 5 feet away from you. Have them throw the ball in different directions making you dive for it. Another, in the same position (you on your back and another 5 ft away), get in a sit-up position and do situps but when you come up, catch the ball and throw it back (2 handed) on your way down.

 

I've done the former, not the latter, but I'll be doing that.

 

Another tip, do 1/2 way PK's. Instead of 10 yards away, do it 5 or 7 yards away, it will improve your reaction time. Spend a lot of time in the goal, it will help.

 

Get like 3 or 4 guys shooting at once and try to save as many as you can, that will improve your quickness.

 

Thanks.

 

For my college IM team we had a goalie who had never played before but was a good athlete so we figured he could pull it off given the lack of a real goalie. The one thing he had trouble with was being aggressive. Be aggressive on breakaways and any opportunity you have to get the ball, get it. Even if you miss the ball or don't get there in time it puts pressure on the attacker and makes them at least think about you. If you're lucky they'll even panic and miss. I've barely played goalie before but this sounds like a similar scenario and I noticed that aggressiveness was the hardest thing for him to learn.

 

Believe me, the one thing I don't lack is aggressiveness!

Thanks.

[SoxFan1]

Glad I could help GP.

[Milkman delivers]

I guess my advice wasn't good enough. Well, you can go to hell.

[Gregory Pratt]

I guess my advice wasn't good enough. Well, you can go to hell.

 

I am terribly, terribly sorry to have overlooked you.

 

I took your advice about hands and crack to the deepest depths of my soul. Thank you.

[DBAHO]

Always remember you can use your hands.

 

Which brings me to my second point. Don't do crack.

Yes because you don't want to become exactly like Mark Bosnich now........ (only DePloderer and credepopsup will get that joke).

[Goldmember]

Soccer Tips: Any advice for a goalkeeper?

 

don't let the ball past you...

[Gregory Pratt]

don't let the ball past you...

 

[dasox24]

^ ^ That is a good one ^^

Yes, it is. It's probably one of the hardest ab workouts I've done (though I did it with a medicine ball, not soccer ball), if not the hardest. And believe me, I've done plenty of different core/ab workouts since I had a stress fracture in one of my lower vertabrae, so I know all about what helps the core, and this is definitely one of them.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Be vocal. Orchestrate your D.

[LosMediasBlancas]

Wear your team's colors.

Not sure why goalies wear totally different colors from the rest of the team. Is it so we can tell them apart ?

[danman31]

Wear your team's colors.

Not sure why goalies wear totally different colors from the rest of the team. Is it so we can tell them apart ?

I've heard it's that and somebody told me goalies wear vibrant colors to distract shooters. I'm not sure it works, but he played some goalie in high school.

[Goldmember]

i think it's mostly so the refs can tell them apart since goalies are able to use their hands and rest of team, of course can't. it keeps down on confusion and ability of a team to do a lil cheating...

[Gregory Pratt]

Thanks, everyone.