As we get ready for the upcoming 2018 soccer season, a lot of goalkeepers are preparing for tryouts, which means they need to make sure that their basic goalkeeping skills are on fire. Coaches need to know that players coming onto the team have the basic foundation to build into a keeper that has an incredible presence on the field.
So, get onto the field and make sure that you're running drills for these 7 things that coaches are watching for:
1) Field Presence
It is so important for a keeper to develop the foundation for their field presence early on in their career- it makes it so much easier for goalkeepers to integrate into the team later on. That being said, coaches will be looking to see if a keeper has the potential or skills to be a commanding presence on the field that their teammates can count on.
Here's a few tips on field presence and other techniques that you need to perfect during tryouts:
2) Reflexes
As a goalkeeper, one of the most important skills you have in your bag are your reflexes. Reactive, intelligent goalkeeping is coveted by coaches and if you can strike a balance between your decision making skills and your reflexes, you will be an asset to any team as keeper. That being said, it is a balance- too far one way or another, and you'll be left vulnerable on the field and unable to keep up with the ball.
Read more on the importance of reflexes here.
3) Attacking High Balls
This can prove fatal in games when keepers begin to let the ball bounce once or twice instead of attacking the ball at its highest point. This puts the ball at risk on the field. It's much better to use your field presence as a goalkeeper, call a ball as your and then go for the attack.
Alberto Ruiz has a lot of great tips to prepare for goalkeeper tryouts as well as how to attack high balls effectively in this video!
4) Shot Stopping
All the best keepers in the world have the innate talent and ability to react quickly to save shots that are taken from a close range. Learning how to react quickly on the field and make the right decisions is the difference between winning or losing a game.
Further your game by checking out these goalkeeping tactics and tips here.
5) Positioning
Goalkeepers need to make sure that they are not watching their opponents, they're watching the ball. Remember at all times: your primary mission as goalie is to save shots from your opponents.
Goalkeepers have to be multi-talented. Read up on how you can prepare yourself to be a champion-level keeper!
6) Hand/Eye Movement
As a keeper, it's crucial to get your hands and feet on the same page as your eyes. Keep your eyes fixed on the ball and move frequently in the 18. Let your opponent's movements with the ball dictate how you defend your box.
Read more on hand/eye movement and more goalkeeping tips here.
7.) Proper Diving Technique
New goalkeepers and veterans alike should always make time to acquaint (or re-acquaint) themselves with the basic diving fundamentals and perfect their technique.
By training ahead of time and making sure that your fundamentals are 100%, you will dominate your tryouts and impress your new coach. Welcome to the team, keeper- celebrate with a new pair of goalkeeper gloves.
