Keeper Tips?

[davidcfs]

Anyone have a website with tips for keepers or just personal tips on how to improve?

 

[Ebonix]

Depends what area of your game you want to improve.

 

[soccer4evry1]

If you tell us what you do fine and what you need to improve it would help us helping you. I'll try saying few things now (sorry if you know it, but I have no idea on how your game is):

-If you must punch the ball or can't catch it, making a defense you'll give the other team a rebound, NEVER punch it to the middle of the area. ALWAYS to the sides, you'll probably find a teammate to get a counter attack. Seems obvious, but a lot of pro goalies don't do that and cause dangerous opportunities to the opponent.

-The ball crossed in or near the small box MUST end up in your hands. Don't stand looking at it waiting/hoping for a defender to head it. If you can't catch it, punch it.

-Always ask someone to practice with you some close shots, you'll improve your reflexes.

I have to leave now, I'll try to come back later to tell you more stuff.

 

[davidcfs]

Just looking for all around improvment. As I am just starting out.

 

[soccer4evry1]

OK, I also recommend:

-If you take a decision (e.g. in a cross you decide to stay put (?) waiting for a defender to head the ball), stick with it till the end, cuz if you try to do another thing in the way (like deciding to go punching the ball) you won't do either and that can cause a goal. Decision is a very important atribute along with agility/good reflexes, and the best goalies always make the right choices.

-Go to a futsal court with 3 friends and ask them to start shooting, if possible when they get the rebound just shoot again instead of stopping to pass the ball to the guy aside. You'll have to deal with several shots in short amounts of time, and it'll improve your reflexes and decision since they'll have to cross the ball if you punch it to the sides.

-Play everyday the whole morning and/or the whole afternoon. The best way to improve in soccer is to play as much as you can. If your brother or best friend, whatever, also play soccer, ask them to tell you what you could improve, what you could have done better in the plays - that's why it's important that they also play.

That's it, if I said more I'd be giving you a training routine. All those things I told you I learned by myself playing with my brother until I was 13 yo (when I decided to play as forward even though I was the best goalie in my school), I was always asking him to practice a kind of shot with me. That's what I could remember, I hope some of it is useful. Send me PMs or emails telling me your progress if you want. Good luck mate.

 

[the twin]

my simple advice is: be brave on the pitch, put your body on the line.

 

[barthez4]

-As others have said already, be decisive in your choices. Don't come out then drop back into your net, or vice versa.
-Learn to be comfortable with your positioning vertically and horizontally. If you're a tall guy, then you can come out of your net farther because you're less likely to get chipped. However, if you're short like me (5'6"), you need to stay a little closer to your line. This is VERY important, because it can be the difference between barely missing the ball that gets chipped over your head, or handling it easily.
-Analyze the play. What I mean is that if there is a player who is on the right flank about to serve the ball in, and you see him crossing with his right foot, then it almost always means it's going to be an outswinger, so you can come off your line a little farther. However, if he plays it with his left foot from his right side, then you need to position yourself so that he can't curl one in on you, while still maintaining your control of crosses that come near you.
-On breakaways, come out and cut off the angle, but do not run normally, run with your arms and hands down, so that any quick low shots get blocked.

I could name a lot more, but I don't have time.

If you're really serious about goalkeeping, I suggest signing up for the SoccerPLUS Goalkeeping School, which is a 5 day camp in the US. It's run by Tony DiCicco (former US Women's NT Coach) and has a lot of VERY experienced staff members. There are three groups, the Challenge group, the NTC group, and the Competitive group. Challenge is based for novice to moderate skilled goalkeepers, and is much more about getting form and learning what to do. NTC (National Training Center) is the advanced group, where you'll get much more indepth advice and skills, rather than just learning how to do something. (example: In Challenge, you might spend time during a distribution session just punching the ball back and forth with a few people, while in NTC you get in the net and take crosses that you need to punch, with a few "forwards" closing in on you.) Don't get me wrong, you still get a LOT of time in the net in Challenge, but NTC just teaches you the more advanced skills that you need to be an impact goalkeeper. Competitive is the same as Challenge, except that when field players need keepers to shoot on, you jump in net for their drills, or scrimmages. This year I was in NTC. Once you're in your group, you'll be split into groups of 6-8 keepers, and each group has their own coach. My groups coach was Jose Luis Sobrinho, a keeper who played 17 years professionally in Brazil. Not only is he a great guy and a funny guy, but he REALLY knows his stuff. It's a VERY VERY TOUGH camp with 3 sessions per day, and a lecture at night, so don't go if you're not really serious about improving. Oh yeah, it's fairly pricy too, I think it costs in the range of 400-800 dollars.

 

[Torontolynx]

If you must punch the ball or can't catch it, making a defense you'll give the other team a rebound, NEVER punch it to the middle of the area. ALWAYS to the sides, you'll probably find a teammate to get a counter attack. Seems obvious, but a lot of pro goalies don't do that and cause dangerous opportunities to the opponent.

Ack! I do that all the time. D'oh. Gotta remember that, because I always seem to be getting these crummy rebounds that I can't save, as they get knocking in from a metre from the goal-line while i'm on my back...

-On breakaways, come out and cut off the angle, but do not run normally, run with your arms and hands down, so that any quick low shots get blocked.

Never thought of that...sadly. Another thing I need to remember.

 

[Ebonix]

If your looking for product advice, training advice and anything goalkeeper wise.. this is the best site I have been on. www.goalkeeperzone.com

 

[SlowSilver]

I like going in goal, but the thing that stops me from being decent is the way I dive I look like a retard If I could dive properly, then I would make a good solid keeper. :fool:

 

[Ebonix]

I like going in goal, but the thing that stops me from being decent is the way I dive I look like a retard If I could dive properly, then I would make a good solid keeper. :fool:

One of the worst excuses...ever!

Get some god damn practice in, you'll learn how to dive soon enough after you hurt yourself once or twice

 

[Goo Goo boy]

You can't enter KeeperZone unless u have pay-mail..morons