EXPERT SESSIONS AND ADVICE FOR GRASSROOTS SOCCER COACHES
Objective: to practice correct goalkeeper positioning.
Age group: U8 upwards.
Set up: Divide your squad into groups of four or five. Set up a goal on the end line of your playing area and mark a semi-circle around the goal. For seven-year-olds, I suggest it should be about ten yards from the goal. Put one player in goal and the rest standing next to different coloured cones (or bibs) positioned around the arc.
How to play: To begin with, have the cones fairly close together. You call out a colour and the player standing at that cone shoots. Make sure the ‘keeper moves to the right position (on a line between the ball and centre of the goal) before he has to make the save. If he or she is out of position, stop the game and show them where they should have been. Go through all the colours then change the ‘keeper.
Keep your players on their toes by calling out the colours quickly and randomly. For a bit of added fun, call out two colours!
Progression 1: Move the cones further apart and have at least one just off the end line.
Progression 2: Remove the cones. Now the players standing around the semi-circle pass a ball to each other. The goalkeeper has to move quickly to stay in the right position. The player with the ball shoots on your command. ‘Keepers save four or five shots before you rotate them out.
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