Soccer goalkeeping drill to prevent rebound shots
How often do you see young goalkeepers make a good save but push the ball away from their hands back to the attackers who score from the rebound. Use this soccer drill and coaching tips to work on your goalie's saves.
Soccer coaching drill tips to work on goalkeepers' hand positioning
- As the ball comes in on the ground tell your goalkeeper to put his hands down, with his little fingers almost touching to cup around the ball and take the ball away from any attacker waiting for a rebound.
- Get him to make sure his hands are down ready, fingers not quite touching, hands cupped.
- As the ball comes in, he must collect the ball, and turn his shoulder in, to protect against any oncoming pressure.
Coach protecting the ball
- Tell your keeper to be careful when turning to protect the ball after a catch. Too often, keepers attempt to bring the ball to the protected position before they have it cleanly, and end up bobbling the ball, or attempt to make a “catch” in the protected position and end up having the ball bouncing away from their chest or forearms.
- Tell your goalkeeper the catch must always be made with the hands first.
- Tell him if there is no pressure, it is not necessary to protect the ball at all.
- If the catch is secure, your goalkeeper should be able to simply hold the ball in the catching position.
- Catch and protect should be two distinct actions.
Make the catch clean
Make sure your goalkeeper knows that he shouldn’t parry the ball in front of him, then catch it. The goalkeeper should be able to hold the catch using good hand positions so it sticks in their hands, using arms, back and legs to cushion the ball.
Click here for a hands-on soccer drill for young goalkeepers.
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