Soccer drill to improve goalkeeper catching skills
Catching the ball is a basic goalkeeping skill. Use these soccer coaching tips and drills to help your goalie improve their catching.
Key soccer coaching tips
- Start by getting your goalkeeper to think about where they are in relation to the goal and the ball and get in line behind it.
- They need to form a W behind the ball with thumbs and forefingers. Spread their fingers and watch the ball in to their hands.
Run the soccer (football) drill
- Each player bounces the ball repeatedly from around chest high into the ground and catches it on the way back up in this soccer (football) drill.
- Keeping feet planted, players now twist their torsos to the left and bounce the ball, twist back to the centre for a second bounce, then twist to the right for a third bounce.
- Players continue rotating back and forth.
- Increase number of bounces in each position, then increase the speed in the drill.
Advance soccer drill skills- In pairs, players stand opposite each other about 3-5 yards apart and gently throw the ball to each other.
- Service should be varied, including using one hand or two, underarm, overarm and throw-in techniques, while the ball should be directed straight at the goalkeeper as well as slightly to the left and right of them.
- Balls should also be thrown at anywhere between chest height and above head-height so goalkeepers have to jump.
Put drill skills into a game situation- Play 1v1 in a 10x15 yard grid with goals at opposite ends, although distance is dependent on the age and ability of players. Players take it in turn to attempt to score by using any goalkeeper kicking or throwing technique and skills.
- If a goalkeeper saves the ball, they take their turn to score from the spot they collected it. Narrow the width of the goals using poles if each goalkeeper is spending more time practising deflecting skills rather than catching skills.
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For more soccer coaching tips to get goalies saving goals using their hands, click here.
Soccer coaching tips
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