The Art of Goalkeeping

Five Goalkeeping Habits that Make Me Want to Scream!

Amy holds her NSCAA National Goalkeeping and Advanced National diplomas, and USSF C license. She was most recently the full-time Director of Goalkeeping for Littleton United Soccer Club in Colorado. In September, she returns home to Southern California and plans to continue coaching club soccer. (Hint Hint: She does enjoy visiting Las Vegas so if you would like to schedule a clinic please email her at soccerAKW@aol.com.) If you have a goalkeeping question or comment please write to Amy at SoccerAKW@aol.com , and include GOAL in the subject header. Your letter could be selected for a response in the next issue
habits below is that I am convinced they each contribute to a higher goals against average.

by Amy Walz

hile each goalkeeper has his or her own preferences, some choices go beyond style and either help or hinder a goalkeepers success. Im talking about my pet peeves. These pet peeves are the habits that make me want to approach a goalkeeper at half time and dole out advice. So should you ever catch me lurking behind your goal, feel free to say hello. If youve read each issue from the start of the year, you already know my two most bothersome pet peeves: goalkeepers who fail to Yes, Walzy Actually Does Play communicate and Goal -- For Those of You goalkeepers who never leave Who Doubted. their 6-yard box. The reason I photo by NSCAA/Perry McIntyre Jr. am so bothered by the five

1) Goalkeepers who allow the ball to bounce inside the 6-yard box. Each time a goalkeeper lets the ball bounce; there is further opportunity for the ball to end up in the back of the net instead of the keepers hands. How do you know your opponent might not stick their foot in, the ball wont hit a pebble and bounce crooked, or worse yet, deflect off one of your defenders for an own goal? You are asking for trouble! Do not allow the ball to bobble around so close to the goal. Stop being so lazy! Use your quick footwork to get to the ball before it bounces. I know we have all witnessed those slow motion goals as the ball bounces in front of the goalkeeper and then over his or head and into the goal. If the goalkeeper had only caught the ball before it bounced

30 August 2005

Goal Nevada

2 ) G o al k e e p e r s w h o a llow t oo m a ny c ros s es . How many is too many? Well, how many goals has your opponent scored? Why, oh why do you allow the ball to continue flying across the face of the goal? I am talking about corner kicks as well. The best way to defend crossed balls is not to allow them to begin with. If the opposing team is continually crossing the ball, odds are good they will soon have the opportunity to score. At this point, the problem is either with your defenders or with the team system as a whole. Open your mouth and encourage your defenders to work hard and treat crosses as if they are shots on goaldo what you can to get in front of them and allow as few as possible. If one defender is not enough to prevent the cross, then double, and send two defenders. 3) Goalkeepers who are silent. Weve chatted about this in almost every issue. It simply doesnt pay to keep your mouth shut when you have the best view of the field. If you are quiet, coaches tend to assume you are either unsure what to do or you lack confidence. Now these assumptions may be incorrect, but communicating with your teammates is one of the most crucial functions of a goalkeeper. A good goalkeeper will communicate well enough to cut down on the amount of saves he or she will need to make. Good communication creates less shots on goal. 4) Goalkeepers who dive when its unnecessary. We call these types dramatic goalkeepers. They make every shot into a dramatic looping save and are more concerned about putting on a show than actually saving the ball. These goalkeepers have often had extensive training and can perform all the diving drills to perfection, yet let some easy

shots slip through their hands. Remember Jorge Campos from the LA Galaxy? Okay, he was a professional, and quite the exception but a fine example. He executed one of his more memorable saves by doing a handstand on the goal line and flicking the head high ball out of the goal with the back of his heels. (This move is called the scorpion.) However, the ordinary youth goalkeeper should not have to dive for every shot. If this is the case, he or she needs to work on positioning in goal, reading the game, and quick footwork to reach the ball. 5) Goalkeepers who lack courage. While courage isnt exactly a habit, it is a prime character trait for a goalkeeper. If you are scared of the ball or contact with other players, then perhaps goalkeeper is not your ideal position. Goalkeepers are required to be fearless and decisive. You must be wiling to fight your way through a crowd of players to snag the ball on corner kicks or go 1v1 with the thickest striker on the opposing team. If you are afraid, just pretend you are not! Playing with courage intimidates the opponent. Review these five habits. How would you rate yourself on each one? Have you observed these habits in other goalkeepers? Pick one to work on and enlist your coaches help. Good-luck!