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Goalkeeping Special
Training
The goalkeeper in soccer
is also called the
doorman, the keeper,
goalie, bouncer or
netminder. Eduardo
Galeano gave a humorous
description of a
goalkeeper: “But he
could just as well be
called martyr, pay-all,
penitent or punching
bag. They say where he
walks, the grass never
grows.”
The goalkeeper is one of
the most important
players on the field.
The last line of defense
and the first line of
attack, the goalkeeper
must possess special
skills and training.
Safety and effectiveness
is the name of the game
when it comes to
goaltending.
The goalkeeper’s main
objective is to prevent
the ball from entering
the goal. He does that
by either clearing it or
catching it. It is
important that the
keeper has the right
footwork and does not
have sloppy hands when
catching the ball. A
desperate diving attempt
is a final resort to
protecting the net from
difficult shots.
The following are ways
to handle the ball by
goalkeepers:
-
Rolling ball pickup
This is done by
getting down on one
knee and scooping the
ball with your hands.
You must make sure
that the ball does not
go though your legs.
You do this by
planting your other
foot near the grounded
knee. Cradle the ball
and lock it against
your chest.
-
Grounding the ball
Leap sideways. As you
handle the ball, form
the bottom part of the
W with your fingers
from the arm parallel
to the ground. The
other hand should be
used for guiding the
ball.
-
Diving for air shots
It is described as a
scissors-like
movement, similar to a
bicycle kick. You must
first raise the knee
of your foot which is
further away from the
ball. With the knee
up, take off from the
foot nearer to the
ball. Accelerate the
knee of your leaping
foot while extending
the other. Get your
hands on top of the
ball as you are
catching it. Use it as
a landing cushion. The
ball must land on the
ground first before
the rest of your body.
You should not land
the dive on your side.
-
Crosses
With this technique
you must take off from
one leg with the knee
of the other raised as
high as you can. After
you grip the ball,
bring it to your chest
and lean over it.
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