How to Support a Youth Soccer Goalkeeper
A keeper making a save can be the hero of the game, but if he or she lets in a goal, it can be devastating. For this reason, a youth keeper needs special support.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Soccer Apparel
- Soccer Cleats
- Soccer Goalkeeper's Gloves
- Soccer Goalkeeper's Shirts
- Soccer Shin Guards
- Soccer Uniforms
- Soccer Videos
- soccer balls
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Be careful not to specialize too early. A young player should experiment by trying all positions in the game, at least until the age of 12.
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2
Stress physical fitness and conditioning. While there is a lot of standing around, a good keeper must be fit. Youth players often need to take special measures to acquire and maintain this fitness.
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3
Consider specialty training and camps. Goalkeeping can be hard to pick up in regular team practice.
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4
Do your homework. Read up on the position, and consider taking a goalkeeping coaching course to assist your player.
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5
Emphasize on-field communication. Young keepers need to develop the ability to talk to their teammates. Let them practice by shouting at you.
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Invest in good goalkeeping gear. Young players should wear padded clothes to give them confidence and protection when they dive or slide.
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Layer up. Young children have less body fat and need to stay warm during long stretches of inactivity. Particularly in cooler climates, wearing extra layers (like long underwear) is helpful.
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Tips & Warnings
Be extra supportive. Remind your keeper, and yourself, that when the opposition scores, the ball had to get through all the other teammates before it got to the keeper.
Videotape your keeper. This is a useful instructional tool.
Find a goalkeeper mentor. An older sibling, relative, or friend can provide inspiration and hand-me-down equipment.
Cross train. Encourage your keeper to participate in other sports or fitness activities.
Get ready for the bumps and bruises. You must accept the physical risks that a keeper faces.
Accept the cost. Goalkeeping equipment and specialty training can be expensive.
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Comments
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Aurora64blue
Aug 11, 2008
My 8 year old son just completed his first start as a goalkeeper during a weekend tournament here in the city of Toronto. It was a horrible site to watch! Our team who have had only 3 practices as a team, and had never played a game as a team ended up going up against some of the best Rep teams of the city. Over the 4 games we only scored once. The best game we had was 4 - 0. After that it was 15 - 0, 10 - 1, and then 13 - 0. We had absolutely no defense, no offense, and no backup goalie as that was my son's responsibility. Up to that day he had had no formal training other than what I had given him. Throughout the tournament he managed to keep his attitude very positive, and although the ball found the back of the net many times he always managed to make many incredible stops time and again (most of them were frantic as the play was almost always in their end throughout most of -
Aurora64blue
Aug 11, 2008
My 8 year old son just completed his first start as a goalkeeper during a weekend tournament here in the city of Toronto. It was a horrible site to watch! Our team who have had only 3 practices as a team, and had never played a game as a team ended up going up against some of the best Rep teams of the city. Over the 4 games we only scored once. The best game we had was 4 - 0. After that it was 15 - 0, 10 - 1, and then 13 - 0. We had absolutely no defense, no offense, and no backup goalie as that was my son's responsibility. Up to that day he had had no formal training other than what I had given him. Throughout the tournament he managed to keep his attitude very positive, and although the ball found the back of the net many times he always managed to make many incredible stops time and again (most of them were frantic as the play was almost always in their end throughout most of
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Aurora64blue
Aug 11, 2008
dfre
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Feb 07, 2006
Use your knowledge of the field positions to stay involved in the game. The more you talk to your defense and control the pace of the game, the easier your job becomes. A well-positioned defense stops more shots before they're taken; and fewer shots on goal means a higher rate of success at all levels.
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Feb 07, 2006
Use your knowledge of the field positions to stay involved in the game. The more you talk to your defense and control the pace of the game, the easier your job becomes. A well-positioned defense stops more shots before they're taken; and fewer shots on goal means a higher rate of success at all levels.
