The Stretching Part--Dynamically Speaking

I know it has been a while since I wrote on this blog, I've been weighed down with soccer lately.

By the way, I actually had a game today in Lagrangeville, which is two hrs away and we won 4-0. I did really well. I saved a break away shot also, which always excites me. Sadly, though, upon making a jumping save, in the first half, the opposing player knocked me in the head, causing me to collapse and pass out for a moment. During half time my Coach told me that I couldn't play second half due to blurred vision from the impact; I have a slight concussion, and I'm so upset.. Now I can't practice this week until I feel better..

But, anyways! I just got back from the game and I'm ready to write and then go lay down!

Stretching

Without stretching--you're useless and stiff.

Don't be useless and stiff--stretch because it keeps your body flexible, limp, and less prone to injury.

As a goalkeeper, the way one stretches is different than the way the players on the field stretch

So when your team is in a circle, stretching together, don't follow what they do--you, as a goalkeeper, have important stretches to take care of in order to be in shape to save balls.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching is the type of stretching one should do before playing the game or the practice.

Reason being--you move more, which warms your muscles up which helps to stretch muscles better.

You cannot stretch a cold muscle

You will pull a muscle if you try to stretch it while it's cold.

That's why stationary stretching is not good before playing.

How to Stretch Dynamically:

This means being in constant motion to keep your muscles warmed up.

Jogging Always Comes First
Jog back and forth from one point to another (shorter distances call for more reps) Keep in mind that you're not supposed to tire yourself out. Once your legs feel well warmed up, now comes the stretching.

                                                                                                             High-Knees

High-Knees is like jogging, only you bring your legs up high in order to stretch your leg joints and your hamstrings (the back of your thighs) fast). In order to do this stretch efficiently, put your hands at waist level and push your knees up to smack your palms. Do these once forward.

Butt-Kicks

Do these on the way back from doing High-Knees. To do this, you're moving forward, fast paced, but you're swinging your feet in back of you in order to hit your heels to your butt, stretching your joints, and your quads (the front of your thighs)

                                         

 Front Kicks

Do this by extending your arm and kicking your opposite foot up making contact. This helps you stretch in order to follow through on your kicks. Do this once forward, and jog back.

Quad Stretch

This stretch is, of course, for your quads, and is done by reaching your calf to your back, and holding it there, but at the same time, to make this stretch more efficient, put an opposite force on your hand by pushing your foot against your palm. Do this once forward and jog on the way back.

              

              

Groin-Outs

This stretch is for your groin, and is done simply by bending your knee and pushing it out in an arc motion. When transitioning legs, it helps to do a little skip following the motion of pushing your knee out. Do this stretch once forward.

Groin-Ins

This is done by reversing the motion of the Groin-Outs, and just bringing your knee in. While transitioning legs, do the little skip in between, following the pull in motion. Do this stretch on the way back from the Groin-Outs.

After all of this dynamic stretching, to finish it off, sprint forward as fast as you can and then just lightly jog back, or walk back, shaking your legs out to get them loose.

Okay, so that was all about Dynamic Stretching, and I'll stress this again::

Dynamic Stretching is used before you begin playing any game or any practice! Stationary Stretching is for after playing any game or any practice!

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!

Dream it.

   I've been playing soccer as a goalkeeper for five years, and for those five years I've been on countless teams playing year round. Why, you may ask? Well...

   The first time I had ever played goalkeeper was almost six years ago when I was in seventh grade. I had always wanted to be a goalkeeper thanks to my beloved sister, Nina, who was also a goalkeeper. Watching her inspired me and got me all excited to play, myself. I practiced in my backyard with my brother and sisters and mother and father all the way up until it was try outs day, and, go figure, I made the team as the full time goalkeeper. Ever since then, I've trained myself, pushed myself to the limit, broke my limit breaks, and strove to get better--stronger--all because I have this outrageous dream to become a professional goalkeeper...

   To many, this dream may seem impossible--but the only thing that is impossible to me is giving up this dream...that, and slamming a revolving door...now that is really impossible. But anyways, having this dream is what kept me going--kept me striving and pushing to get better. Playing soccer year round, countless goalkeeper coaches, constant training and practice--all of that is needed to succeed at my dream, yes...but the most important thing to have...is the heart, the soul, and the determination. Sure, one can practice day and night to get better, but why do people do that? Not because they necessarily have to, no. It's because they want to--they feel like they need to do it because of how much they want it.

A dream will always be a dream, but it's up to you to make it a reality.