By Wayne Henderson -
This drill is specifically for adult goalkeepers of a good technical standard. It is ideal for preseason training or when your goalkeepers return after a short winter break and need an exercise to boost their fitness levels. Although the drill is predominantly a fitness drill it incorporates various goalkeeping skills i.e. different types of passes, low diving saves and high diving saves.
This drill can be known as a “pendulum drill” because the ‘keeper is always working from one side of the goal to the other.
Set Up
1 Goalmouth, 1 goalkeeper, 2 feeders and 1 bag of footballs.
Drill starts with goalkeeper in the middle of his/her goal.
On the coaches command they move across laterally until inline with 1st feeder. Feeder passes ball along the floor for ‘keeper to pass ball back accurately 1st time with his/her left foot.
After the ‘keeper has passed the ball back he/she moves laterally across the goalmouth to the other side where feeder number 2 passes the ball along the floor for the ‘keeper to pass the ball back 1st time – this time with his/her right foot.
Goalkeeper continues to work from side to side across the goalmouth taking 8 deliveries in total.
Feed numbers 3 and 4 – are fed from feeder by hand for volleyed pass back from the goalkeeper. Left foot pass at left side of goal, right footed volleyed pass from the right side.
Feed numbers 5 and 6 – are passed along the ground from feeder for low save.
Feed numbers 7 and 8 – are fed from feeder by hand for high save.
All diagrams are only showing feeds to the goalkeepers’ left hand side but as stated the ‘keeper moves laterally across the goal to receive the same feed from the right hand side.
Feeders deliver the following deliveries
Feeder number 1 delivers feed numbers 1, 3, 5 and 7
Feeder number 2 delivers feed numbers 2, 4, 6 and 8
Coaching Points
Goalkeeper always moves laterally across the goal when changing sides.
The feeders must wait until the goalkeeper is in the correct position before delivering the relevant feed.
The goalkeepers must understand the drill and know what delivery is coming next.
By Wayne Henderson
