Goal Keeper Training Games

Christopher C. Ducar - National Director, SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School

Chris has his clinic session posted on his web site at

http://home.earthlink.net/~cducar/98clinic.html. This page is a mere copy of Chris's web
page. Thanks to Chris for this information right from the clinicians mouth. Please don't
settle for this copy, go over to Chris's web site at http://home.earthlink.net/~cducar/ to
see all the other cool stuff offered there. The only thing we've added is page numbers.
There are at least 9 papers offered at Chris's site. You can contact Chris at the
following addresses:
SoccerPlus Personal

1-800-KEEPER-1
E-mail: spgs4@aol.com E-mail: cducar@earthlink.net
Web: http://www.goalkeeper.com Web: http://home.earthlink.net/~cducar/
North Carolina: 919-918-7733

Chris writes:
Thanks to all who attended my clinic this year! I hope to see everyone in 1999.

The focus on this session was tactical. It was assumed that the keepers had a solid
foundation of breakaway related technique and positional skill.

Goalkeeper Training Games

Team Possession Warm Up With Goalkeepers

Emphasis: Include goalkeeper in routine warm up, field skills, distribution decisions,
handling

• One goalkeeper per team.

• X number of passes equals a goal.

• Restrictions: Must go through goalkeeper at least once.

• If ball is played to keeper in the air, it must be caught (a drop is a turnover)

• If ball is played on the ground, keeper must use feet only

• If other team is in possession, keeper can win ball breakaway style or intercept
passes with hands.

1
Breakaway Related Training
House of Pain

Emphasis: Patience versus aggression/decision making, field skills, fitness

• Duration: 1-2 minutes In a 12 x 12 yard space

• Play 2 v 1 or 2 v 2 + 1

• Goalkeeper not in possession must win the ball and switch to possession team.

• Team in possession at the end of time wins.

• Loser does a "special" exercise.

In Your Face

Emphasis: Smothering the shot, change of direction/balance, concentration, reaction

speed

• Set up: one goalkeeper in goal. one out near the penalty spot and one or two
strikers about 13 yards away

• Two balls, one placed one step in from the post equal with the 12

• Striker starts with back to goal and turns to shoot on goal.

• First keeper must save/smother the shot. If he/she cannot, second keeper must
keep the ball out of the back of the net.

• Replace kicked ball with one from ball pile.

• Three saves and the keeper is out

2
The Challenge

Emphasis: Decision making, smothering, point blank shape, transition to attack, field
skills, fitness

• Large goals 18 yards apart

• Balls in each net, 2 goalkeepers

• Initially one keeper acts as striker. Ball is in the center of the field and "striker"
places a hand on the ball. Keeper is positioned one "big" step away from the ball.

• Once the "striker" removes the hand from the ball, the game is live.

• Striker tries to score Keeper attempts to get possession If keeper gains

possession, he/she must place ball on ground (to show control) and then may
attack opposite goal if striker misses, keeper gets ball at midfield if keepers
saves and it goes out of bounds, keeper gets possession if goal is scored,
keeper becomes striker

• Game is played until one keeper scores 3 OR With more than two keepers, play
winner stays on.

3
"MLS" SHOOTOUT

Emphasis: Decision making, reading the speed and touch of the striker, getting
comfortable coming off the goal line
Great team competition game

• One team attacks, Goalkeepers rotate after each shot

• One on One, striker v. goalkeeper

• Striker starts 35 yards away from goal with ball.

• On coaches signal, player heads to goal. Ball must be shot within 5 seconds or it
does not count.

• Each striker gets one try.

Positional Considerations for balls inside the 18
Three Goal Situation (Three Priorities)

• First Goal is the actual goal the GK must be patient and remain at the near post
in case of a direct shot

• Second Goal is the "goal" defined by the near post to approximately the six yard
box the GK is looking to intercept the pass across the 6 to the oncoming striker

• Third Goal is the space behind the GK from the center of the goal to the far post
the GK must recover using footwork into this space