Understanding Soccer

Most, if not all goalkeepers, believe that goals are never their fault.  While they understand that this is not the reality of goalkeeping, it is an essential attitude to have.

This is about self-confidence, not perfection.

During my ten year goalkeeping career, I believed that, “unless a slow roller went through my legs, all goals were the result of someone else’s mistake”.  If all field players in front of the goalkeeper did their job properly, the ball would never reach the goalkeeper.

Good goalkeepers must possess athleticism and a passion for the position, but “strength of character” is necessary for them realize their maximum potential.  This is the ability to believe in yourself and accept responsibility for your actions.

Although it is tempting to want others to know that a goal was not your fault, a goalkeeper must NEVER publicly assign blame to a teammate.  This never brings the goal back and could undermine a team’s confidence in the goalkeeper.

After a goal is scored, the goalkeeper should quickly retrieve the ball from the goal and quickly return it to mid-field, while also shouting encouragement to his teammates.  Later, possibly after the game or at a subsequent practice, the goalkeeper should explain to teammates how their errors could have been avoided while also praising them for good plays.

Showing “strength of character” is not easy, but it is something every young goalkeeper should develop.  With time, they will develop a sense of pride and inner satisfaction.

I have been asked this question in many different ways by people new to soccer, and some not so new. 

Actually, this is an interesting question that allows me to explain the demands of being a goalkeeper.

Tony DiCicco, coach of the United States 1999 Women's World Cup champions and director of NSCAA's Goalkeeping Academy has commented that goalkeeping is 80% off the ball, which is when goalkeepers are not making saves.

Fans, parents and coaches can relate to great saves and goals given up, but that is only about 20% of a goalkeeper’s responsibilities.

Understanding what a goalkeeper does during a game when not making saves may be interesting and educational for most soccer fans, but it is essential knowledge for young goalkeepers.

The goalkeeper is the only player on a team who has a view of the entire field. They see both offensive and defensive plays develop more clearly than any of their teammates can.

As readily seen in soccer games on TV, goalkeepers are continually shouting instructions to their teammates. Field players are alerted to attacking opportunities and defenders are instructed to cover open attackers. The leadership of top goalkeepers elevates the play of their team by adding to their confidence.

In addition to being the last line of defense, goalkeepers routinely initiate attacks after making a save by passing to a teammate and directing the play. Tim Howard initiated the winning stoppage time goal against Algeria in the 2010 Men’s World Cup. Anyone with an understanding of goalkeeping understood that an attack had started off of a save.

It is essential that goalkeepers understand the importance of their leadership to a team. 

In addition to teaching the physical skills of goalkeeping, Just4Keepers’ training insures that their students become complete goalkeepers.

 

 

 

If goalkeeping is so easy, why is Just4Keepers training so important?

As with most complicated things, the skills necessary in becoming an excellent goalkeeper are an accumulation of many simple basics, such as footwork, the basic receiving position, proper catching technique, breakaways, cutting the angles, etc.

However, these skills must be honed over time and a discipline is required.

Just4Jeepers provides a year-round weekly structure that teaches and reinforces these skills over time.  Each session is devoted to a specific skill, or a set of related skills, which increase in complexity over time.

It is not by accident that I’ve mentioned “over time” twice. There are no short cuts to becoming an excellent goalkeeper.

J4K is committed to providing an excellent extended professional learning environment.  Each young keeper‘s needs are addressed within the group.  They are asked to extend themselves and to realize that learning from their mistakes is part of the process.  Too many coaches criticize errors rather than praising improvements. 

I can relate to young goalkeepers since I was self-taught.  Dedicated goalkeeper coaches were not available when I began my goalkeeping career in eighth grade at age fourteen.  Things had not improved when I arrived at Lehigh University, so I convinced my coach that I could devise my own training program.  It was based the premise that giving up goals in practice was not important, but testing my limits was. This approach was honed during my four years as a starter.

I quickly realized that a positive mental attitude was an essential component to goalkeeping.  I went for shots that my initial reaction was, “It’s going in.” Gradually, my hand got closer and closer to the ball, and eventually I was making saves.  Through this practice of extending myself in all aspects of goalkeeping, and by continual repetition, I became a goalkeeper with excellent reflexes.

My goalkeepers understand that improvement is not usually linear, but that it always comes.  It is very satisfying when I hear a young goalkeeper, after a period of trying a new technique, happily proclaim—“you are right, I got it”.

In addition to developing physical skills, Just4Keepers puts equal emphasis on building confidence, which is important throughout life.