A Guide to Being a Great Soccer Goal Keeper

Keeper in soccer is a distinctive and important position. Only you can use your hands, so make the most of them. Your team can't win if you can't stop shots, so learn to stop shots now and spare the agony of defeat.

REACTION DRILLS
Grab a ball and a partner and stand in front of a wall or a goal. Face the wall while your partner stands 8-12 yards away and also faces the wall. Roll the ball between your legs and turn around. When the ball reaches him he should shoot it. You must stop it after turning around.

At first, shots should be at you and at slow speeds. They should be high and low. Then after 5 reps add more power to the shot and place them farther out to the sides, still placing them high and low. After 5 more reps, let shot become a game speed shot placed in all over the goal as if in game.

Grab a ball and a partner and stand in front of a wall or a goal. Have your partner toss you the ball. Focus on catching it at first. Then as your partner gradually adds speed and places the ball more randomly to the corners, worry about keeping the ball from getting past you. The tosser should keep the ball going to as random places as possible to keep the keeper guessing.

Both of these drills force you to rely on your eyes and register the movement of the ball and react to where it is going to make a save, which will dramatically increase your in-game reaction time.

CATCHING DRILLS
Grab a ball and stand 5 yards back from a wall. Throw the ball against the wall at various speeds. Put different kinds of spin on the ball. Focus on catching the ball as it rebounds back. Remember that spin can greatly alter how the ball will travel and how it will hit your hands making it harder to catch.

Have your hands always ready in either a "triangle" position with palms out, thumbs touching and index fingers touching or in a "W" with thumbs touching and fingers spread to resemble a "W" for high and medium balls. A "V" position works well for low balls. Place your hands with palms out so that your pinkies touch and extend your arms down.

Have a partner kick some balls directly at you at various heights. These balls should be kicked with 80% power. Focus on catching the balls again, except now you must make sure to cushion the ball because of the increased power. As the ball is getting to your hands slightly bend your elbows so the ball is cushioned and does not bounce off your hands.

These drills work on form for catching a ball. The best way to get better at catching balls is to practice extensively at catching balls. This will improve your timing as to when to cushion and make catching a ball feel natural.

1 on 1's
The best 1 on 1 drill is essentially that, a 1 on 1. Have a partner dribble in from 25 yards out. You must decide when to come out. Typically if the are taking fairly long dribbles you want to come out on the dribble that will cross the 18-yard mark.

If they are taking shorter dribbles, start coming out as they cross the 18 and "break them down" by staying squared to them with bent knees slowly moving forward. Be ready for a shot anytime. As you near the ball slide in on it so that your feet generally come across the ball first but do not touch it. Grab the ball with your hands and cover it.

You can work on your sliding technique easily by having someone roll you balls as you slide in on them. Sliding technique is key a successful stop. Learn to quickly down to the ground, while still ensuring that no shot can be taking on your way down.

stopping 1 on 1's not only keeps the other team from scoring but you will have the ball and most likely your players are already downfield and you can set up a quick counter attack and change the momentum of the game.

STRENGTH
Keepers need to be strong everywhere, but the most key areas of the body for a keeper are his legs and his core. Strong legs allow you to jump higher and faster to get balls that are away from you. Having a strong core will give you better balance and make breaking down opponents easier.

For legs, the best workouts would be to have a combination of Olympic and dynamic lifting, as well as plyometrics if it suits you. Squats, lunges, and deadlifts should be down to the maximum twice a week, but make sure you rest atleast two days inbetween. Plyometrics can be down twice a week also (inbetween squat days).

One day should be a complete rest, typically after the second squat day. The two remaining days can be dynamic. Use low weights with squats and do jump squats. You should also do calf raises on these days and usually weightless lunges are down along with these

Your core should be worked everyday. Twice a day you should be doing sit-ups until you can't do anymore in the morning and crunches until you can't do anymore at night.

Sometime in between these you should also do v-ups (hold a weight and bring your arms and legs straight up until they meet) twice a week and bridges (on arm on ground the rest of body except feet in straight line off of ground) twice a week.

With these you will soon be able to stop any 90's shot, catch any speed shot, break down any hotshot ball handler, and react to save any shot that comes your way.