It doesn’t matter what level you play or coach at, it’s never a bad call to add a new drill to your training session. Shutout Central encourages all visitors to comment about all drills posted (i.e. questions, modifications and variations, success, and failure to run these drills). Goalkeepers must stick together!
- 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 ball (or med ball)1. 25 optional overhead serves straight at goalkeeper.
2. 8 underhand tosses alternating right to left, goalkeeper dives from sitting down position.
3. 6 underhand tosses alternating right to left, goalkeeper dives from knees.
4. 4 underhand tosses alternating right to left, goalkeeper dives from feet.
Box Drill: Goalkeeper warm-up drill focusing on footwork, reflexes, and diving technique.
- 1 coach to call out numbers, 1-4 Goalkeepers, 4 – 10 cones (4 cones per keeper).
- Create a 4-cone box with each side 4-5 yards long.
- Assign each cone a number 1-4, in any order (you may change orders throughout the drill).
- Throughout the drill switch the numbers of each cone, add commands like left and right.
Ball Toss: Goalkeeper warm-up drill that challenges the goalkeepers reflexes,footwork, diving, and front smothering techniques.
- 1 coach, 1 – 4 keepers, 1 soccer ball per each keeper (30 seconds to 1 minute intervals).
- One by one, a goalkeeper will underhand toss the ball to the coach (above shoulder height), the coach deflects the ball in any direction.
- The goalkeeper tries to retreive the ball as quickly as possible, at the highest point, with the ball taking a minimum number of bounces. The goalkeeper will either collapse, dive, forward dive, or jump for the ball.
- After the keeper regains possesion, he/she will repeat the drill.
Across the Goal Repetitions: A complete goalkeeper warm up drill that consists offootwork and a wide range of shot stopping and handling.
- 1 – 2 Servers, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 – 2 balls (1 for each server)
- About 8 services from feet (unless otherwise noted) alternating right to left, progressing from pass backs, to scooping low balls, to basket catches, to diamond (or w catches), to high balls, to diving.
- Goalkeeper begins in middle of the goal and side shuffles or runs to one post to receive a pass back from a server then quickly move to the other post to receive another. Goalkeeper is only allowed one touch to play the ball back to the server. 8 total services.
- Same as step 1, but goalkeeper handles the ball on the ground with hands and rolls the ball back to the server.
- Same as above steps, but goalkeeper handles a shot in the air using the basket catch technique and rolls it back to the server.
- Same as above steps, but goalkeeper handles a shot in the air using the diamond or w catching technique and rolls it back to the server.
- Same as above steps, but now the server tosses the ball in the air for a high ball, the goalkeeper runs a couple of steps in front of each post and catches the ball at the highest point and then tosses it back to the server.
- Similar to the above steps, but the goalkeeper dives from side to side. The serve can either be by foot or hand.
Footwork + Handling: A demanding warm-up drill that focuses on the goalkeeper’sfootwork, agility, and handling when winded.
- 1 Server, 1 – 4 Goalkeepers, 1 – 3 balls, 8 – 10 disc cones
- Line up 8 – 10 cone discs about 2 yard apart in a vertical line with a server about 10 yards away from last disc cone
- Goalkeeper does various footwork through cones and sets for a shot (repeat as desired)
- Shots should start at goalkeeper’s hands and progress to collapse dives
- Forms of footwork include:
- One step high knees run(one foot goes in between each disc cone)
- Two step high knees run (both feet go in between each disc cone)
- Two footed bunny hop for speed (quick jumps to go in between disc cones)
- Single leg bunny hop for speed
- Knees to chest jumps for height
- Forward shuffle in and out through discs (shoulders always face forward)
- Backward shuffle in and out through disc cones
- Side shuffle in and out through disc cones
- Two footed sideway hops
- Facing to the side zig zag through disc cones
Goalkeeper Handling Drills – Handling Volleys on Knees
- 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 – 3 balls
- 20 sets = 1 rep
1. Goalkeeper sits on knees with back straight.
2. Server either drop kicks, volleys, or kicks ball from the ground to the goalkeepers hands
3. **It is important to make sure the goalkeeper uses the proper “diamond” or “w” catching technique, has his or her chest forward, and is attacking the ball.
4. **For a more challenging drill: continue until goalkeeper reaches a consecutive amount of catches or strike the ball from the ground.
Goalkeeper Handling Drills – One Handed Bridge Catches
- 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 or 2 balls (or med balls)
- 10 – 20 sets each hand = 1 rep
1. Goalkeeper gets into a bridge position (keep pelvis as high as possible).
2. Server tosses a ball to one side, goalkeeper catches it with one hand and tosses it back.
3. Alternate sides evenly.
4. **For a more challenging drill: pick up the pace using two balls or use a medicine ball.
Goalkeeper Handling Drills – One Handed Plank Catches
- 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 or 2 balls (or med balls)
- 10 – 20 sets each hand = 1 rep
1. Goalkeeper gets into a plank/push-up position (keep black as flat as possible).
2. Server tosses a ball to one side, goalkeeper catches it with one hand, brings the ball around the hand on the ground and tosses it back.
3. Alternate sides evenly.
4. **For a more challenging drill: pick up the pace using two balls or use a medicine ball.
Goalkeeper Handling Drills – Backwards Sit-up Catches
- 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 or 2 balls (or med balls)
- 10 – 20 catches = 1 set
1. Goalkeeper lays on stomach with arms off the ground (keep arms off the ground for the whole drill)
2. Server tosses ball right above goalkeepers head. Goalkeeper catches the ball and tosses it back without letting arms and chest fully touch the ground.
Goalkeeper Handling Drills – Sideways Sit-ups Catches
- 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 or 2 balls (or med balls)
- 10 – 20 reps each side = 1 set
1. Goalkeeper lays on side facing the server (in a diving position), server tosses ball slightly above goalkeepers mid section, goalkeeper catches ball by doing a sideways sit-up.
Bounce Off Foot Drill
• 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 – 3 balls
• 10 reps = 1 set
1. Goalkeeper is slightly off goal line in a ready position
2. Server is about 5 yards away and bounces ball of his/her foot
Back Facing Server Drills
• Toss off Keeper
• 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 ball
• 10 reps = 1 set
1. Goalkeeper is in ready position with back facing the server
2. Server tosses ball off the goalkeepers body
3. Goalkeeper quickly turns and picks up the ball as soon as possible
Turn and Save Drill
• 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 ball
• 10 reps = 1 set
1. Goalkeeper is in ready position with back facing the server
2. Server then calls out “turn” and volleys or shoots the ball
• Timing and quality of the shot can alter the difficulty of the drill
• Also, rather than the goalkeeper stay in a ready position, he or she can do crossbar
touches or light footwork until the command “turn” is called out
Numbers (another alteration of Turn and Save)
• 1 Server, 1 Goalkeeper, 1 ball, 2 cones
• 10 reps = 1 set
• Use the cones to divide the goal into thirds and then number each third 1 – 3
1. Goalkeeper is in ready position with back facing the server
2. Server then calls out a number (1 – 3) and shoots the ball to that number.