Under 11 Goalkeeper Required

Castle Combe Colts U11s need a goalkeeper. They are rotating players between the sticks and are looking for a named keeper who is keen, and wants to play every week. 

They play in the second level of the Mid Wilts league - on Saturday mornings this season.

Any goalkeeper interested please contact Trevor Newman on 07970 196796

Decision Making Blog

There was recently a debate on Twitter amongst some coaches about whether goalkeeping coaches should be at games standing behind the goal coaching the goalkeeper through the game.

My own personal opinion on this matter is that the goalkeeping coach should be there to watch and observe the goalkeeper and maybe offer feedback during the half time break or if the game is broken into periods at the end of each period “If” there is a need to.

However during the actual match itself I personally feel apart from the occasional comment as a coach you should just let the goalkeeper play the game.

A huge part of the goalkeeper’s game is about making decisions and they have lots to make, here are just a few:

Shot-Stopping

Do I need to dive?

Can I move my feet quickly to get to the ball?

Should I catch or parry or tip over?

Where should I try and parry to?

Do I get up and attack the ball if I don’t hold it or do I stay and protect the goal?

Do I come off my line and if so how far?

Do I dive at feet or do I try and stay big and block?

Do I wait for the kick to be taken and react or do I guess which way it will go (Penalty kick)?

Which way do I dive (Penalty kick)?

How many players do I want in my wall (Free Kick)?

Crosses

Do I stay on my line or come for the cross?

Do I catch or do I punch/deflect?

Where do I punch to?

How high do I hold the line of my defence (Particularly free kicks from wide deep positions)?

When do I come (Ball swinging in or ball swinging away, driven or lofted)?

Distribution

Should I throw it or kick it?

Should I volley/side volley or drop-kick?

Should I over-arm/javelin throw or roll out?

Who/where should I throw or kick to?

Do I pass it with the inside of my foot or do I drive this pass with my instep?

Do I loft this pass?

How much weight (power) do I put on this pass?

Should I take a touch or should I clear first time?

Should I side foot clear it or strike through it?

Have I got time to take a touch and pass out to keep possession?

Should I just clear the danger?

Where should I try and clear the danger to? (Attacker coming straight towards the goalkeeper)

Should I pass it short or should I look to play longer?

Which side of the body does my team-mate want to receive the ball on?

Does my team-mate want the pass to feet or into space in front of him?

As I said those are just a few of the decisions a goalkeeper has to make in the game so you can see they have a lot of crucial decsions to make.

If a goalkeeper makes a lot of bad decisions, the chances are it can result in a goal, far more so than the decisions made by the outfield players. Therefore the pressure is on the goalkeeper to make not only split second decisions but very good decisions!

If you as a coach / goalkeeping coach / parent stand behind their goal constantly telling him / her what to do how will that goalkeeper learn to make their own decisions and develop their decision making skills?

You have to be prepared to let them try for themselves and you also have to be patient and accept they will make mistakes when making those decisions. However, making mistakes is actually a very good learning tool as ultimately it is the chance for them to learn what to do or what not to do next time in that or a similar situation. You have to show the goalkeeper lots of support and try and concentrate on the positives and not the negatives as much to allow them to feel comfortable and not under constant pressure.

Dealing with crosses is one of the hardest aspects of goalkeeping in my opinion because there are so many variables (lofted, driven, curled in, curled away, pace of the ball, weather aspects i.e.: sun in eyes, rain, wind, pitch conditions i.e.: muddy, hard ground, icy ground, how many players in and around goalkeeper etc etc) meaning the goalkeeper has to take these things into consideration in a  split second and decide if he/she is going to come for the cross and how they are going to deal with it.

I had a recent situation in a game with a young Academy goalkeeper when it came to dealing with crosses. I encourage young goalkeepers to be positive when it comes to dealing with crosses, not just stay on their line all the time and shy away from them. On this day the opposition goalkeeper was a very tall lad for his age so many would assume he would be dominant on crosses but he was in fact the opposite and one of the goals we scored he was rooted to the line when the ball was in a simple area for him to come and catch.

At the other end of the pitch our goalkeeper who was smaller made a really positive decision to come for a cross well outside his six yard box. Not only did he come he tried to catch rather than punch, another positive in my eyes. He got there but the ball unfortunately slipped from his grasp and a striker followed up to score. Far from being disappointed or upset with him as he trudged off at half time looking slightly despondent I expressed how pleased I was with him that he made that positive decision to try and deal with the cross and he would learn and benefit from it. Within ten minutes of the second half starting a free kick was lofted into the box and again he came out just on the edge of his six yard box, called confidently and amongst bodies rose well to catch the free kick and take the pressure off his back four. The smile on his face as he then cleared told its own story........

Where is the best place to watch your goalkeeper?

From a number of different angles, behind the goal, from the opposite end of the pitch, from the halfway line, from the side of the pitch level with his 18 yard box, I would suggest you mix it up to get different views of what they do. Standing behind the goal all the time will probably make the young goalkeeper feel like your eyes are on the back of his/her head constantly and make them feel under even more pressure. They need to feel more relaxed and to be able to make their decisions; you cannot play the game for them. Let them learn and let them flourish then be there to support and help them when they need it.

December & January Sessions

Sessions in December will take place on Wednesday 4th, 11th and 18th

There will be NO sessions on 25th December or 1st January

We will start back again on Wednesday 8th January  

Bedwell To Appear

Swindon Town professional goalkeeper Leigh Bedwell will be a guest coach on Wednesday 27th October.

Leigh has attended previously as a guest coach at both a regular Wednesday session and he also helped coach on the Summer two day camp in June.

All the young goalkeepers will enjoy working with Leigh!

You Will Make Mistakes Blog

Looking to play in goal?

Well let me make this perfectly clear to you now so there are no grey areas.......

YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES THAT COST YOUR TEAM GOALS AND POSSIBLY POINTS........

A strange thing for a goalkeeping coach to say you may think but it’s just a hard fact about the life of a goalkeeper quite simply. When you stand between those posts everything you do will be scrutinised and with everything you do there is a risk involved which may result in a goal if you get it wrong. An outfield player does not have such high stakes with what they do as there is always somebody behind them to “get them out of jail” whereas the only thing behind you as a goalkeeper is the net!

I would like to also dispel two theories that:

“Any cross inside the 6 yard box should be the goalkeepers”

and also

“you should NEVER get beaten at your near post”

These maybe statements you have heard and often they will have probably been said by an outfield coach. Most goalkeepers and goalkeeping coaches will understand through experience that there are a number of factors that have an effect on both instances.

Dealing with crosses in my opinion is the hardest part of goalkeeping. So many factors can be taken into consideration:

Weather:- Wind, Rain, Sun

Pitch conditions:- Muddy, wet,  hard ground (frosty conditions), slope on the pitch

Opposition:- Quality of crosser, size and speed of attackers in the box

Type of cross:- Inswing, outswing, lofted, driven, whipped in, pace of ball

All these factors yet as a goalkeeper you have to make a split second decision of whether you are going to stay on your line or come and try and deal with that cross, be it catch, punch or deflect  which is the other decision you have to make.

Therefore add in the bodies in your area and you can see why it’s quite easy to make an incorrect decision or make a slight error technically when dealing with that cross. The type of cross in terms of pace in particular and where that cross is delivered from has a big say in whether you can actually get to that cross inside the 6 yard box, hence why I say it’s unfair to say anything in the 6 yard box is the goalkeepers ball.

Talking of pace of the ball, this can play a major part in not always being able to stop shots at your near post. Obviously it’s important to get your positioning and angles right to give yourself the best chance possible. You need to be in a position where you cover off the near post but also give yourself a chance with shots across you to the far post. However skill and trickery from the attacker who may be able to disguise which side they are going to shoot plays a part but the pace of the ball and distance away with which they strike the shot also plays a big part.

All goalkeepers will make mistakes, the more experience you gain the less mistakes will be made but mistakes will still happen. You only have to look at the abuse that England goalkeeper Joe Hart is currently getting and he has won the premiership and has nearly 40 international caps to his name.

Hart is a top class goalkeeper, that for me is not in question, he is just having a season where things are not going for him at times and of course with the media the way it is now these mistakes get highlighted even if only slight. He is still young in goalkeeping terms and he will go on to have a top career in the game. What he needs is the support of his manager, his goalkeeping coach, his team-mates and the fans.

If I see a young goalkeeper make a mistake, the first thing I look at is how they react to that mistake rather than being so concerned about the mistake itself. Do they let it affect what they do next or are they able to put that mistake behind them and do the next thing in a positive manner.

Often you can actually learn so much when making a mistake it can benefit the goalkeeper in the long term so it’s not the end of the world, even though it may feel like it at the time. In the game the goalkeeper must forget about that mistake straight away and concentrate on what they do next. Then after the game, replay it in their mind and think about what they could have done better and maybe even practice that situation but not dwell on it for too long, forget about it again and focus on the next game.

It is so important that we as coaches, parents, guardians, friends show support to goalkeepers because it is such a difficult position to play in considering the pressure that is upon them and how much they are scrutinised and questioned when they do things. Therefore let us help them and their development and not hinder it and put them off goalkeeping by being too critical.

This blog isn’t to put anyone off who is thinking about being a goalkeeper because there is nothing better than when you make that save when the striker thought they had scored! It is to make people aware and be supportive of what it is actually like playing in goal and show understanding which will help in the development of that goalkeeper.

Next Session

Just a quick reminder to all goalkeepers that there is no session this Wednesday 30th October due to half term.

The next session will be Wednesday 6th November.

Under 14 Goalkeeper Required

Wootton Bassett Town Under 14 White team are looking for a goalkeeper for the upcoming season. If you are interested in joining please contact Paul Nicholls by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or calling 07913 675963.

County Honours For Arie

Congratulations go to former Steve Hale Goalkeeping School member,  Arie Peursum, who has come through a recent trial procedure to be selected for the Wiltshire County Under 16 Squad for the coming season.

Arie will take his place in the squad for the trip to Devon on Sunday 17th November and everybody at Steve Hale Goalkeeping School would like to wish Arie the best of luck.

It's great to see his hard work and dedication has paid off to achieve the honour of representing his County.

Advanced Goalkeeping Training?

The following article I must make perfectly clear is not mine, I did not write it, I came across it recently on a website. It is written by a goalkeeping coach in America.........However I enjoyed reading it because I agreed with many points in it so wanted to share it with you.

The Myth of Advanced Goalkeeper Training

"Through the years I have been constantly asked by parents, players, etc. that they are searching for “advanced goalkeeper training.”  Their previous training has taught them the basics and now they are ready for something else.  They have learned how to catch the ball, move their feet, dive, deal with crosses, etc.  Now their question is what is the next progression of my training?? 

The truly unfortunate thing, advanced training does not exist!  There is no such thing as “advanced goalkeeper training” where you will progress to these big, grand training exercises that are extremely complex in nature.  In fact, the higher level that you play at, the training gets even more simplified.

Goalkeeping is a very simple position.  To be successful at this position though you need to be very technically sound. 

Meaning, you are comfortable with your body and you have the ability to move and catch balls cleanly…all the time!  All it takes is ONE mistake, and we lose in our position.  Field players do not have this pressure on them at all, if they make a mistake, they just lose possession.  Big deal!  This is not a punishment as they still have the opportunity to win the ball back before conceding a goal.  But, when the goalkeeper makes a mistake, it almost always leads to a certain goal.

So, what does this mean?  Goalkeepers, whether you are a U12 player or the full professional, you will always train the same sort of things.  The difference?  The professional will deal with more pace on the ball, will be forced to be quicker, stronger, etc. in their movements.  This is what “advanced training” is all about.  But, the core training exercises will not change and that is where people get confused or led in the wrong direction.  You will not reach a point where all of a sudden you say, WOW, these exercises are so complex, look at how advanced this training session is today.  If you are proficient and clean with your training, to make it more “advanced” all you need to do is increase the speed/pace of the incoming service or shot, force yourself to get set quicker, etc.  But the exercises do not need to change…just the elements within the exercise like service, angles, etc.

As a former professional goalkeeper I can honestly say that goalkeeper training is extremely boring!  Why?  It is boring because of the nature of our training being SO repetitious.  We see repetition after repetition in training.  But we need to have this boredom from repetitions because of the things I mentioned above about making mistakes.  All it takes is one mistake and we lose.  So our training must work on our technique on a daily basis to limit these mistakes and stay sharp and confident.  Training will revolve around repetition after repetition of simple things.  It is about conditioning our body and our muscle memory so we do things efficiently and clean…thus no mistakes and less goals conceded.  But like anything in life, the more you do things over and over, the more it can become boring.  I always ask the question though, how boring is it on a Saturday when you just kept a clean sheet against the top team in the league?  Now that repetition after repetition in training all week long does not seem so bad because you were sharp and confident going into the match.

A few years ago at one of our residential goalkeeper schools we had a great dose of reality to a lot of our players.  We are constantly discussing muscle memory in our sessions and the purpose behind all of our very simple exercises.  Our motto is “Train Like a Professional” and we emphasize that professionals train the exact sessions and exercises that we are doing on a daily basis.  Most new players to our sessions think we are crazy and that the pros train much more difficult exercises, it is not just move your feet and catch over and over again…

Well, as luck would have it that week, the Chicago Fire were training on the same fields we were holding our sessions.  After our session we allowed our goalkeepers to sit and watch the Fire goalkeepers train for about forty-five minutes.  About 10 minutes into the training session our staff began noticing all of our players whispering to each other and pointing at the Fire goalkeepers.  We called them all in to ask them what was going on…They quickly said, they are doing “exactly” the same exercises that we just did this morning.  All the exercises consisted of were moving your feet and catch…quickly move to get your feet set and deal with a simple shot.   It was at that moment they all truly saw for the first time that what we were saying was correct.  The pros do train the simple things!

The position of a goalkeeper is not a rocket science!  You will get out what you put into it and if you are consistently working to fine tune your technique so when you react you are reacting perfectly, you are on the right path to be a big-time goalkeeper"

Re-Opening!

Steve Hale Goalkeeping School will be re-opening for the 7th successive season on Wednesday 4th September.

Please see the courses page for details and to download an application form.