How do you handle the position of Goal Keeper?
This week’s coaching corner is about goal keepers:
How do you handle the position of Goalie? Do you have a full time Keeper, or do a few players switch off?
Please let everyone know what you think via the comments button.
About The Author
SoccerDrillBook
Other posts bySoccerDrillBook
Author his web sitehttp://www.soccerdrillbook.com
I have 2 girls (u10-12) who enjoy playing ..so they switch off playing 25 min halves..alternate starting….Its difficult when no-one volunteers..and someone needs to be forced (but not too forcefull)…and you have to promise them the world to get them in the net…
I have coached Rec league teams from U6 to U16 and in all instances, I tell the girls as well as the parents that all of the girls will get in the goal at some point during the season. I then tell the parents that if they have a strict objection to it, then I will not put their girl in the goal (I do not want the players to hear that). I let them know that you never really know if you like a position unless you do it. I also give my keepers first choice on where they want to go in the field when coming out of the goal. I have found that a lot of players want to get in the goal this way and a lot of the girls find out that they like playing keeper. I wind up with more keepers than I can train most of the time.
In addition to my other note, the strategy is to place the best defenders and sweepers in front of the novice keeper. It builds the keeper’s confidence without compromising the teams success rate.