By Jakub Pietrzak,
These drills focus on the improving the ability of handling and catching the ball. That’s the basic skill for a goalkeeper at any level. Currently we see a big trend among the goalkeepers, being very good with the ball at their feet and playing far away from their goal. Despite that handling is still a skill that has to be at a fantastic level if you want your goalkeepers to progress in the game. All the drills have a physical aspect and aim to improve the goalkeepers movement.
Drill 1
Goalkeepers : 4
Needed : 4 balls
One of the goalkeepers is lying on the ground facing the players on the ball. He’s working with the player closer to him. He throws the ball back using one hand only. The other goalkeeper without the ball jumps over the lying goalkeeper. After every 2 jumps he catches the shot on the floor taken by the furthest goalkeeper with the ball.
Working in groups of 2. You can change the type of jumps of one of the working GKs or the type of shots taken at him.
Drill 2
Goalkeeper: 4
Needed: 4 balls
On a distance of 15-16 yards goalkeepers move while bouncing the ball (once with right hand, once with left hand). On the coaches signal they both bounce the ball higher and swap sides so they can use the other goalkeepers ball and continue bouncing his ball. Make them swap the balls 2-3 times during every set and then the next 2 joins in.
Can change the type of how they swap balls (example : very high bounce to catch the ball in the air) or form of signal (instead of whistle, to add observation skills).
Drill 3
4 goalkeepers
Needed: 1 ball
In a square goalkeepers are positioned in any way they want. Depending on coaches choice, goalkeeper with the ball throws or kicks it in the air and calls the name of the next goalkeeper to catch in the air.
You can let the players decide who will attack the ball without calling the name.
By Jakub Pietrzak
