Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): GK Clinic Week 1 - Handling

Ball Mastery Warmup

Organization:

All GK's moving around the 18 yard box.

All with a ball in hand

Instructions:

Players move around the area. skipping, bouncing a ball and catching it.

Coaching Points:

Progression 1:

Skipping around the area, not bumping into anyone Bounce the ball (every five steps or so, not every step like they are double-dribbiling in basketball). make a contour save, pause. Take inventory, make sure the picture looks right.

The contour save - Thumbs behind the ball, not quite touching. Hands bend or contour around the ball. Elbows bent (not locked) and in (not flared out wide like a chicken). Keep the ball off the body.

Progressiong 2:

Shuffling side to side (no heel clicks). sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left while moving aound the area. Bounce the ball hard let it go over your head, then make a basket catch.

The Basket Catch - Wrists together, palms facing toward the sky. catch the ball with arms and hug it to chest. Bend at the waist and keep head and chest over the ball.

Progression 3:

Four balls only now. Players move around the box dynamicly, shuffle, jog, back pedal, whatever. Players with the ball make eye contact with someone who does not have the ball, communcicate (Yea! or Find me! or Keeper!) then they roll the ball to a new keeper that keeper makes a scoop save.

Scoop save - wrists together, palms facing the sky, backs of hands touching the ground and player makes a ramp with his arms. As the ball comes up the ramp, he hugs it in to his chest being sure to keep his head and chest over the ball. Move forward to attack the ball if its slow, if its moving with speed, players wait and holds his ground and makes his ramp.

Bowling the ball - (just like a pass) player steps with the foot opposite of the one hes holding the ball with. plant foot faces his target. Players rolls the ball like he is bowling, being sure to release the ball when his hand is as low to the ground as possible. the object is to have as little bounce as possible when rolling.

Progressiong 4:

Same as last progression,but instead of bowling the ball, players look to deliver a sling throw across the box, Keepers use contour savesor basket catches to recive the ball.

Sling Throw - player steps with the foot opposite of the one he's holding the ball with. plant foot faces his target player holds the ball with the crux of his wrist, hand and forearm. cocks back and throws he ball, (not sideways) trying to keep it pointed straight towards 12 O'clock as is naturally comfortable. (some players might be 1 O'clock, some it might be 2 O'clock.

Progressions:

(See Above)

Shadow Goalkeeping!

Organization:

2 GKS in the goal at the same time!!

one cone even with the post, 3 yards up, the other cone on the 6 (both sides)

Instructions:

2 GKS start on their knees. In the center of the goal mouth, one on the goal line, the other half way between the goal line and the 6.

Coach yells Up! and then the players shoot one by one from the top of the 18 on both GKs at the same time.

The front GK makes the save, the back GK or the shadow is there to clean up any mess ups.

Once they are done, the two GKS switch position.

Each team of two goes through the game once.

Coaching Points:

look for proper handling technique, proper shuffle step.

always try to keep chest behind the ball, move your feet so you can get your chest behind the ball and scoop, smother, basket or contour.

on contour saves, look for players to their arms as shock absobers, absorb the ball with bent elbows, dont bat at the ball

Progressions: