Soccer Goalkeeping Principles III

Principle # 3: Hands

If at all possible, get two hands on the ball. Don't cheat with one hand or making foot saves when you could dive.

This may require you to be more courageous, but that's what goalies must be.

The number 1 priority is to secure the ball. Getting your body behind it is key. The hands are the part of your body that allows you most secure handling of the ball, and two hands are better than one.

Only lazy goalies or those who are afraid to dive will cheat!

soccer goalkeeping practices

Soccer Goalkeeping Principles II

Principle #2: Cushioning The Ball

First, make sure you get your body behind the ball as fast as possible. Not any part of the body, but soft muscle tissue. This will prevent rebounds. For instance, getting your quads (upper thigh) behind the ball while picking up or saving a low shot is safer than getting your shin or knee behind it. That's why a quick drop is important. Second, while you need to attack the ball, at the time of contact you need to relax your hands and body just a bit, to the point of slightly retracting. A good practice exercise is to have a couple of soccer goalies play catch with raw eggs. Throw the egg a little short of the body forcing the goalie to step into the throw, i.e. attacking the egg. At the last second, the goalie will relax the body to avoid braking the egg. Same is true for shots. The coach may choose to bring hard boiled eggs and tell the goalies they are raw eggs, just to avoid a mess the first time around.

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