Keeper Training
Discussion
A bit of an odd one this, but PH solves most things and I guess this is the right section to stick it in (that's what she said).
I'll keep this brief. I've playing in goal since I was 5 (I'm now 23). I got to a relatively high standard and got trials at various clubs but by 16 it was decided I wasn't going to be tall enough and as I stopped at 5"11 I guess they were right.
Anyway, last year I started playing in goal for a 5-a-side team after years of not playing and did extremely well. This year, I've joined another team after an inner ear infection and severe food poisoning and I am absolute s
t. I've been going running and playing football at every opportunity and my fitness is nearly back to where it should be, but I'm still sluggish, slow to react and I'm at a loss as to how to overcome this.
I'm hoping some PHers have some good suggestions.
I'll keep this brief. I've playing in goal since I was 5 (I'm now 23). I got to a relatively high standard and got trials at various clubs but by 16 it was decided I wasn't going to be tall enough and as I stopped at 5"11 I guess they were right.
Anyway, last year I started playing in goal for a 5-a-side team after years of not playing and did extremely well. This year, I've joined another team after an inner ear infection and severe food poisoning and I am absolute s
t. I've been going running and playing football at every opportunity and my fitness is nearly back to where it should be, but I'm still sluggish, slow to react and I'm at a loss as to how to overcome this.I'm hoping some PHers have some good suggestions.
Dunno if it's better posting this in the health section. A lot of people won't have Football in their topics list.
A couple of things spring to mind:
-Do you still feel the effects of the ear infection?
-You need to train the right muscles to react faster; repeated lunges, jumping in different directions and short sprints might help.
-At a guess, I would also think flexibility comes into it so work on stretching exercises. Perhaps join a yoga class?
A couple of things spring to mind:
-Do you still feel the effects of the ear infection?
-You need to train the right muscles to react faster; repeated lunges, jumping in different directions and short sprints might help.
-At a guess, I would also think flexibility comes into it so work on stretching exercises. Perhaps join a yoga class?
RemainAllHoof said:
Dunno if it's better posting this in the health section. A lot of people won't have Football in their topics list.
A couple of things spring to mind:
-Do you still feel the effects of the ear infection?
-You need to train the right muscles to react faster; repeated lunges, jumping in different directions and short sprints might help.
-At a guess, I would also think flexibility comes into it so work on stretching exercises. Perhaps join a yoga class?
I thought about that, but I'm a bit of a hypochondriac; I'll go in to the health forum and I'll come out Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis A couple of things spring to mind:
-Do you still feel the effects of the ear infection?
-You need to train the right muscles to react faster; repeated lunges, jumping in different directions and short sprints might help.
-At a guess, I would also think flexibility comes into it so work on stretching exercises. Perhaps join a yoga class?
I'm slightly off balance if I throw myself around so I wonder if I'm being subconciously careful. I've been doing short sprints. I feel like I need to increase my agility. Yoga and stretching excercises are a good idea actually, thanks.
Robbie B said:
I thought about that, but I'm a bit of a hypochondriac; I'll go in to the health forum and I'll come out Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
I'm slightly off balance if I throw myself around so I wonder if I'm being subconciously careful. I've been doing short sprints. I feel like I need to increase my agility. Yoga and stretching excercises are a good idea actually, thanks.
I'm slightly off balance if I throw myself around so I wonder if I'm being subconciously careful. I've been doing short sprints. I feel like I need to increase my agility. Yoga and stretching excercises are a good idea actually, thanks.
I've come over all Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosist just reading that.Ah, I get that feeling, too, if I tip my head too much to one side suddenly (had Labyrinthitis). I suspect it might be that you're not throwing yourself around with reckless abandon with the soul aim of catching the ball... do you have any betahistine or similar available that you may have taken when you had the infection? Perhaps get the GP to prescribe a dose of that which you can take just before a game?
The main thing is obviously keeping active even during lulls (not as important during five-a-side).
Like you I recently started playing again last year, played a few five-a-side matches and word soon got round Uni I was pretty good and I ended up playing 4 or 5 games a week.
Not surprisingly I ended up doing my knee in and had to have a week off (playing on astroturf doesnt help this).
We played a 90 minute game at the end of the year which was fun, but our team was garbage so was constantly busy.
As an aside, how do you find bossing your players around. It's the one thing I have always been weak on is shouting and its pretty important.
Like you I recently started playing again last year, played a few five-a-side matches and word soon got round Uni I was pretty good and I ended up playing 4 or 5 games a week.
Not surprisingly I ended up doing my knee in and had to have a week off (playing on astroturf doesnt help this).
We played a 90 minute game at the end of the year which was fun, but our team was garbage so was constantly busy.
As an aside, how do you find bossing your players around. It's the one thing I have always been weak on is shouting and its pretty important.
Yeah I'm not bad at commanding, not brilliant but I do alright. Also, we play on a 3G pitch, so it's not quite as bad for injuries.
It's just shocking how much of a change has undergone. It's a little like you said. Last year I was pulling off saves that had all spectators clapping, I ended up getting asked to play for the team top of the top league with players who were very close to "making it", people shaking my hand after the game and this group of 12 year olds used to chant some Joe Hart thing. I'm not boasting, because whatever I had, I don't now. I'm letting goals in under me, I can't dive to my left properly anymore (fixable) and my reflexes are embarassing.
I feel like I need to take a large bag of illegal substances before I step on the pitch.
It's just shocking how much of a change has undergone. It's a little like you said. Last year I was pulling off saves that had all spectators clapping, I ended up getting asked to play for the team top of the top league with players who were very close to "making it", people shaking my hand after the game and this group of 12 year olds used to chant some Joe Hart thing
. I'm not boasting, because whatever I had, I don't now. I'm letting goals in under me, I can't dive to my left properly anymore (fixable) and my reflexes are embarassing.I feel like I need to take a large bag of illegal substances before I step on the pitch.
Robbie B said:
Yeah I'm not bad at commanding, not brilliant but I do alright. Also, we play on a 3G pitch, so it's not quite as bad for injuries.
It's just shocking how much of a change has undergone. It's a little like you said. Last year I was pulling off saves that had all spectators clapping, I ended up getting asked to play for the team top of the top league with players who were very close to "making it", people shaking my hand after the game and this group of 12 year olds used to chant some Joe Hart thing. I'm not boasting, because whatever I had, I don't now. I'm letting goals in under me, I can't dive to my left properly anymore (fixable) and my reflexes are embarassing.
I feel like I need to take a large bag of illegal substances before I step on the pitch.
Just sounds like a confidence issue to me. I've played in goal since school level and give up 2 years ago because of my height. I'm 5 8" / 5 9" so I'm even shorter. Surprisingly only lobbed a few times. I remember a few years back i went through a couple of games where nothing was going right at all. Handling bad. Kicking, rushing out / poor timing etc. I was dropped for two games and then after that everything was fine. Keepers are all about confidence. I reckon stick in there and it will come back to you mate.It's just shocking how much of a change has undergone. It's a little like you said. Last year I was pulling off saves that had all spectators clapping, I ended up getting asked to play for the team top of the top league with players who were very close to "making it", people shaking my hand after the game and this group of 12 year olds used to chant some Joe Hart thing
. I'm not boasting, because whatever I had, I don't now. I'm letting goals in under me, I can't dive to my left properly anymore (fixable) and my reflexes are embarassing.I feel like I need to take a large bag of illegal substances before I step on the pitch.
Also try not to compare yourself to your youngerself. Just enjoy your football and believe that your good enough to be playing.
I played in goal for a very long time, over 20 years. I managed to get up to semi-pro level.
I used to carry a tennis ball around and when I got the chance would play catch by bouncing it off a wall.
It's amazing how you start to read the ball movement. Apart from that just play as much as possible.
I used to carry a tennis ball around and when I got the chance would play catch by bouncing it off a wall.
It's amazing how you start to read the ball movement. Apart from that just play as much as possible.
I used to play in goal during primary school, had quite a talent for it (modest). But my nickname at the time was 'Titch' as I was always the smallest in class.
For that reason, the manager of my local team, as well as my school team, wouldn't let me play in goal, so I gave up.
Annoyingly in secondary school I then shot up, and I'm now about 6 foot 1.
I still to this day blame those 2 men for denying me the opportunity to show the local scouts my skills, and if it wasn't for them, I'd be playing at Wembley for England instead of the local JJB Powerleague 5-a-side.
For that reason, the manager of my local team, as well as my school team, wouldn't let me play in goal, so I gave up.
Annoyingly in secondary school I then shot up, and I'm now about 6 foot 1.
I still to this day blame those 2 men for denying me the opportunity to show the local scouts my skills, and if it wasn't for them, I'd be playing at Wembley for England instead of the local JJB Powerleague 5-a-side.
fatpasty said:
I blame the parents. If they were both taller then I would be taller and I wouldn't be sitting behind a desk all day working (sitting on ph 
) I'd be keeping in the team that's trying to get eto'o to play for them, on about 200k a week! cold but rich! 
Good thing about being a keeper is you can get away with wearing almost anything. So you wouldn't be that cold ) I'd be keeping in the team that's trying to get eto'o to play for them, on about 200k a week! cold but rich! 
I think that someone was right when they said confidence.
I suggest trying to get it to be second nature so you dont have to think about it. This can be practiced with a mate throwing balls at you all evening or if you are by yourself use the tennis ball method. Try pegging it at the bottom of the wall where it meets the floor. That way it will be a little bit more unpredictable.
I suggest trying to get it to be second nature so you dont have to think about it. This can be practiced with a mate throwing balls at you all evening or if you are by yourself use the tennis ball method. Try pegging it at the bottom of the wall where it meets the floor. That way it will be a little bit more unpredictable.
Sounds like you really need a training partner - someone to run through drills with together - the more you do the better. Sadly you are nowhere near me (and I'm currently out of action) but I've often thought that keeper training would be a good way to keep fit!
I've used this book before for teaching kids and although I wouldn't profess to being much of a keeper myself it certainly has lots of decent drills.
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&...
The Inside Soccer website used to have some great videos of the Valencia keepers running through practice but these are now only available to subscribers.
I've used this book before for teaching kids and although I wouldn't profess to being much of a keeper myself it certainly has lots of decent drills.
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&...
The Inside Soccer website used to have some great videos of the Valencia keepers running through practice but these are now only available to subscribers.
Should have added - being indecisive is the worst thing which might be why you are struggling as maybe some confidence has eroded. Best advice is to commit to whatever you do (whether its holding position or charging out of goal) ... once you've decided stick to it!
I've used a reacta ball before - funny shaped thing that bounces erractically - which is good for reactions...
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=reactaball&am...
I've used a reacta ball before - funny shaped thing that bounces erractically - which is good for reactions...
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=reactaball&am...
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