The Goal-Keeper in Youth Soccer Football. 
11th October 2011

Goal-keepers are the one specialist player in a team, not only do they have a very different function in the team they are also looked upon as a special position within the football regulators. 

Sadly for goal-keepers, although they hold a special position in the team they are most often looked upon as any other player in a youth football team. The training needs and fitness of a goal-keeper are normally over-looked or forgotten.  

The only special attention a goalie gets is having a few balls kicked at them and getting them to catch a few crosses before the start of a match.

Is this enough for a goal-keeper at any age or level? No, of course not.

Goal-keepers should follow a special and formal training routine; geared to their needs, which encompasses drills, fitness and diet. Following a specialist training regime will help to turn an average, occasional goal-keeper, into a very good one.  

Keeper training is and should be much different to that of an outfield player, with speed and agility being very important factors for keepers to work on.  

You need a strong character to play in goal because the position carries more pressure than any other position.  

Failures in defence or midfield can lead to the loss of many goals, though it's often seen as the keepers fault if a goal is conceded.  

The goal-keeper needs to be competent technically, confident in his/her own ability and mentally tough enough to have a high level of concentration, and be ready to spring into action at any moment.  

All young players should be given the opportunity to play in goal, allowing them to have experience in that position and have fun doing it. Children love being in goal, stopping shots by diving around after the ball, and all players should be given the chance to have fun in goal.  

If you are struggling to find the right keeper in your team, give all your players a go, often the player you least expect is the one who will excel and enjoy the position the most.  

Catching
This might seen obvious though young players often struggle to catch the ball at first, often dropping the ball at their feet. Catching the ball correctly takes a lot of practice, with the keeper presenting both palms to the ball in the shape of a W, with the fingers pointing up and the thumbs touching.  

Throwing
Once the ball has been caught, the keeper must be able to throw it. For young children this is not as easy as you might think, with being less strong and having small hands some very young kids find it difficult to throw the ball far.  

It's important to use the right size ball for the right age group, and very young children should use a size 3 ball, with which they are more likely to throw it far and accurately.  

Throw the ball from over shoulder to get distance and pace, though for closer to feet throws, use the underarm technique to keep the ball on the ground.  

Diving
When they get used to it children love to dive about trying to save the ball, though it does take a lot of confidence to get started. To build up a players confidence and improve their coordination it's important to build up diving training slowly, doing a few minutes each session. You will find before too long the young keeper will really enjoy diving and you wont be able to stop them.  

Kicking
Kicking can be another problem area for a young footballer, because often they are not strong enough or have developed the best technique for kicking the ball far. Not only do they find kicking the ball off the ground difficult they also struggle with coordinating drop-kicks out of their hands.  

If your keeper struggles to kick the ball far, give him/her a different option, by showing for the ball in wider areas, or get a defender to receive the ball short.  

Communication
Much like every other player it is essential for a goal-keeper to communicate well. From the vantage point in goal, the keeper has the best view to watch the play develop and is the ideal person to organize the defensive players.  

Goal-keepers should be encouraging their team-mates throughout the game, not only being positive but also advising what you expect from them.  

When a goal-keeper attempts to take the ball make sure your shout reaches everyone on the pitch, so that all the players in the game know who is about to get the ball. 

Further Reading:

• The FA's Youth Masterplan

• FA Small Sided Football Guide

• FA Coaching Badges