By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on footwork, balance and shot blocking.
A keeper is in the middle of 12 cones which make up a circle (this will represent a clock so the cones should be evenly spaced out and the circle is approximately 5 yards in diameter). A server is 12 yards away with a ball.
The cone directly in front of the keeper represents 12 o’clock. The cone directly behind the keeper represents 6 o’clock. The cone to the keepers right would represent 3 o’clock and the cone to the keepers left would represent 9 o’clock.
The server starts by calling a number. If he calls 3, the keeper must slide to his right, go around the 3 cone and then the server plays the ball to the center for the keeper to make the save. It’s important for the keeper to always be facing the server while sliding.
As soon as the keeper makes the save the server calls another number and the keeper slides around that cone, and then makes the save in the middle.
There should be no order to the numbers so it might be 2 then 8 then 11 then 5 then 4. The keeper must use proper footwork to get around the cones while facing the server the whole time.
If you want you can make the circle bigger to force more movement or smaller for quicker turns etc.
Do this at full speed for a 2 minute period than take a 2 minute break and then start again.
Have a great day!
Lawrence
By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
