Contrary to what people believe, goalkeepers are not mad, we’re just a different breed.
Not enough clubs have specialized goalkeeping coaches and considering it is the most important position on the team, it’s an area that needs to be addressed.
People think that we’re mad because we put our own safety at risk in protecting our goal. This common way of thinking has created great camaraderie between goalkeepers and we become the keenest of rivals but the best of friends.
Goalkeeping is a very specific position that needs plenty of attention and constant polishing. I’m sure you’ve heard expressions like ‘a part of the team, not from the team’ ‘it’s a team game until the goalkeeper makes a mistake.’
It’s our jobs as coaches to ensure our goalkeepers receive the right training in the right environment with the right delivery. There is huge pressure on goalies and I believe no matter what age you are, as a goalkeeper you need to develop my ten Cs:
- Character
- Commitment
- Confidence
- Competence
- Commanding
- Consistency
- Concentration
- Composure
- Communication
- Courage
Character:
The character of a goalkeeper can sometimes distinguish the good from the great. They need to be strong, able to take criticism, take responsibility for mistakes, recover from mistakes and be a leader on the pitch.
Commitment:
Like any other athlete, it takes a lot of commitment to reach your potential. Sometimes it’s a little bit harder to be motivated in an individual sport. As goalkeepers might train on their own with the coach, it’s the same issues. The goalkeeper also needs to be committed to their decisions. If you decide to come and take a cross – then commit to it and follow through with the decision.
Confidence:
Confidence comes before competence in any form of sport. It’s our jobs as coaches to ensure that our goalkeepers build confidence through realistic training sessions. It’s a major psychological aspect of the game and can affect the most experienced of players. Confident goalkeepers tend to make more positive decisions and have more of an effect on the players around them.
Competence:
Through recreating realistic problems our goalkeepers might face in a game and fueling them with the knowledge on how to deal with them, they become capable. Building confidence and adopting a philosophical attitude to mistakes combined with positive feedback will increase self-belief.
Commanding:
One of the loudest players on the pitch should be the goalkeeper. They need to dominate their area and control and create a strong presence. Like the conductor of an orchestra they need to organise the players in front of them. They should have an understanding of other players roles and responsibilities so they are confident in giving the correct information.
Consistency:
Again like many other sports there must be a degree of consistency in training and match performance. Goalkeepers need good consistent service from coaches as poor feeding starves the practice. Consistent good practice combined with enthusiasm makes for a good learning environment
Concentration:
Lapse of concentration are often the reasons why mistakes are made. It only takes a split second to let in a goal so if a keeper switches off during a game, the result can be catastrophic. Generally it’s easier to perform effectively when constantly involved in the action rather than being called on once in a while. The enemy of concentration is complacency so to reach the top you must be even more alert when not so busy.
Composure:
It’s a state of mind. Keepers must always keep their head even when players around them are losing theirs. When the team is weathering pressure, the goalkeeper should remain cool, calm and collected.
Communication:
As previously stated, the keeper is usually the loudest on the pitch. The coach should encourage the keeper to use short commands so no time is wasted and players understand quickly. We can teach our keepers certain vocabulary to help them communicate effectively which will make their jobs a little easier.
Courage:
This is one of the reasons we have been labeled as mad. It’s one of the hardest attributes to teach and generally comes from within the player. Teaching the right techniques to dive at feet, soft landings, right hand shapes etcetera will help keepers perform their duties without injury (Hopefully!)
Professional Goalkeeping Sessions 