Getting Down To The Basics

   I wanted to create this blog in order to spread my knowledge of goalkeeping.. Yes, I know, I might not be a goalkeeping coach...YET...but unless that coach of yours is a goalkeeper, he/she won't truly know what it's like out there. I do plan on being a coach/goalkeeper coach soon...I'm currently looking up classes to take. So, I might not be a coach yet, but I do know what I'm talking about.

   Pretty much, the basics of goalkeeping are real easy...

   Firstly, a goalkeeper, of course, needs gloves--I recommend finger savers on account of they're made so your fingers stay firm, instead of bending back, letting the ball slip from your grip. What gloves do for a goalkeeper is they allow more surface area for your hand in order to save the ball, catch the ball, or bat the ball away. But as my saying goes, "Gloves do NOT make the goalkeeper!"
   When saving a shot there are multiple, and I MEAN multiple, things to take in account: angle, power, movement, speed, reflexes, etc...but to start saving the ball, you need to know how to catch the ball in order for it NOT to slip through your hands. To do this, you take both of your hands and form a W. This W form will shield the ball from going through when you catch it. Here, try and make a W with your hands; your thumbs should touch and your hands should form the sides of the W. Not hard at all right? It's cool how something real easy actually plays an important role.

   Secondly, a goalkeeper's stance should be ready and set in order to make that save! The stance I'm talking about is standing, keeping on your toes, with your legs about three inches apart. Make sure to be on your toes with your knees slightly bent--as in, you're sort of bouncing, eager to spring any which way that ball flies. Next, is your hands. Where you put your hands in your stance is as important as making that W because you need to place them where it's easy to move them UP or move them DOWN. This placement happens to be, while keeping that W shape, right by your lower stomach--this will keep your hands close together, ready to make a high save or a low save.
   Okay, now, when making a save, there are different ways to catch and hold that ball to keep it safe. The rule is to have BOTH hands on that ball and bring it into your body--that way it's safe and secure from any foot--also, if a player's foot does knock that ball out of your hands, the play will be stopped and your team will get a free kick because it's illegal to knock the ball out of the goalkeeper's hands, but only if you have what's called possession of the ball...meaning both hands on it and it's brought into your body.
   Anyways, when someone shoots on you, the way you bring that ball into your body actually depends on how low/high they kick at you.

When one kicks the ball from the ground, up to your lower stomach, for the basics, I'll tell you to keep both legs together, and bring the ball into your lower stomach, smothering it. Now, that's basic--later on, I'll tell you to form what's called the K stance and or a front smother.

When the ball is kicked from your chest to your head, this is where that W comes in handy. Once you get your reflexes down, you'll be able to snatch that ball out of the air like it's nothing. So, when the ball is coming toward your face, you quickly form the W and just let it fly into your hands, gripping it and bringing it into your chest to show you have possession.

   Anything over your head, like a floater and a pop fly, you're supposed to run out, read where it's going to fall, and then get right under it, jumping into the air and catching it above your head, putting your knee up to shield any player from running into you, and then bringing it down into your chest to keep it safe. I'll talk about diving later on.

   Thirdly, when the ball is kicked, but now directly to you, it's your job to shuffle, or side step, over and catch it. This movement is basic goalkeeper 101 information. In order to side step, just stay in your goalkeeper stance and shuffle from side to side by bringing one foot in and stepping with the other--one foot in, then stepping with the other. This movement will get you behind the ball in order to save it and keep it safe. ***remember to keep those legs closed though, because, and I would know, you never know when that ball is going to take a weird bounce and just hop through***

Distribution such as punting, throwing, rolling, and goal kicking, I will talk about later on, as well as proper stretching techniques!

Those are pretty much the goalkeeping basics...I'll of course talk about the more advance stuff later on. Just keep reading if you're interested!