goalkeeper has saved a goal, he has the ball and should be about to start your next attack
but it doesn't always work that way.
often a young, inexperienced goalkeeper will make the wrong decision,
throw the ball to a team mate who is surrounded by the opposition
forwards or kick the ball straight up in the air.
even seen a 10-year-old goalkeeper kick the ball back into their own net!
of course, will happen and they are an essential part of the learning
process. But you can cut down on the number of avoidable mistakes your
goalkeeper makes by spending some time going through distribution methods
and decision making with him or her.
encourage your goalkeepers to hoof the ball down the field as far as
possible, in the vague hope that one of your players will get on the
end of it. That should be the last resort, not the first choice.
far better for your goalkeeper to roll, throw or simply pass the
ball to a team mate standing relatively close to the goal. But it is
important that the receiving player is not under pressure.
As soon as
your goalkeeper has the ball, your defenders should be moving into
space and be ready to receive a pass. Your midfielders should also be
in a position where they can support a defender who receives the ball.
to roll the ball out
- The leg opposite to rolling hand should be in front of the body.
- Roll the ball like a ten-pin bowl, releasing it at its lowest point.
Do not drop it.
- The goalkeeper's knees and waist have to be bent.
- The rolling motion should be fast and there should be a good follow
or passing the ball out is the most accurate method of distribution.
if there are no team mates standing close to the goal who are in a
position to receive a pass, more distance can be gained by throwing or
kicking the ball out.
are three types of throw your goalkeeper can use: javelin, overhand and
the javelin (or baseball) throw, the ball sits in the palm of the hand
and the throw starts with the hand level with the goalkeeper's cheek
and their fingers on the top of the ball. As the goalkeeper steps
forward, the ball is thrown out.
little more distance can be achieved with the sidearm throw. Again, the
ball sits in the palm of the hand but this time the throwing arm is
stretched back behind the body then brought forward with a slinging
overhand throw is the most difficult to master but it is worth working
on as many young goalkeepers can use this technique to throw the ball
as far, or further, as they can kick it.
time, the arm holding the ball is taken straight back with the elbow
locked. As the goalkeeper steps forwards, the arm is brought
forward (elbow still locked) and brought around in a circle over the
head. The ball is released when the arm is at its highest
if it's not possible to pass, throw or roll the ball out, your
goalkeeper needs to know how to kick it out of their hands.
is often a dangerous moment in youth soccer matches as very often a
young goalkeeper will only achieve a partial contact on the ball or miss it
altogether. Result? Heart attack for watching coach!
are two types of kick – the punt and the drop kick.
young players find the drop kick easier. This is where the
goalkeeper drops the ball and kicks it as it hits the ground. A half
volley, if you like. The low trajectory of the drop kick makes it a
good technique for kicking into the wind and a drop kick is usually
more accurate than a punt.
it's not a very accurate method of distribution, goalkeepers can usually
achieve more distance on their kicks with a punt. This is where the goalkeeper
holds the ball in both hands, takes a short run and drops the ball
directly on to the laces part of the foot. The kicking foot should be
pointing at the target and come straight up and through the ball.
method of distribution is chosen, practice makes perfect. Goalkeepers
should be encouraged to practise kicking and throwing as much as
possible and they should not get disheartened if, at the beginning,
they have little accuracy or distance. Both will come with practice and
you do, don't tell them to "just get rid of it!". Allow your goalkeeper to
decide how to distribute the ball in matches, be patient and accept
that mistakes – that often lead directly to the ball hitting the back
of your net – will be made in the beginning.