Photo credit goes to Giampaolo Squarcina.
To counter this, I have one Keeper play in goal one half, and another Keeper play in goal in the other half. This worked really well last season because all the boys are starting to grasp that every position is important in the game of soccer.
In the Fall, my group of boys will go from playing 6v6 to 8v8 so I have to take into consideration the Keepers that I have and what role they will play. Those of you who’ve taken licenses with the NSCAA and the USSF already know that the instructors tell you never to pigeon-hole a youth soccer player into any position. Your left defender at U10 could be your striker at U14, your striker at U10 could be your central-defender at U14. I know in my playing time through school and college I shifted from right-midfield, to right-back, to centre-midfield. I used to love to run up and down the wing as a teenager, but after ankle injuries and realising that I liked to tackle a lot, I was moved to suit my strongest playing points.
Even now at U10 level, I can notice player tendencies – some players like to take players on, some aren’t afraid to get stuck in, some have the ability already to strike a ball over a long distance to switch the point of attack, and some are showing really good natural keeper skills – knowing when to come out, diving on a loose ball, and shouting instructions at their defenders. Our club runs extra sessions during the season which include Goalkeeping sessions and Speed and Agility. I encourage all the boys who’ve played Goalkeeper for me, go to these extra training sessions to keep their eye-hand co-ordination up to speed. However, some of the boys who’ve played in goal don’t want to make that position their permanent position, but they’re quite happy to do the job if it means helping out the team (I place a big importance on ‘Team’).
From my own coaching point of view, I’m very happy with the way the Keeper situation is currently, and don’t see the need for adding a designated Goalkeeper until the boys move up to 11 v 11 (U13). So I ask the question to other soccer coaches – how have you handled the situation? Have you been fortunate enough to have a player who just loves to play goalie or are you rotating your Keepers like I am? I’d be interested to see what’s worked for you (as well as what hasn’t).
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our feed
{ 1 trackback }
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not a coach but will comment about my U12 son who is a part-time keeper. He likes the position, but doesn’t love it and doesn’t want to specialize in it; he loves to run! But he does love the effect he has on a game’s score. He did keeper training with ODP last winter and held his own out there, that’s how I know he has some talent.
His current coaches limit him to half a game at keeper and then move him to outfield where he is also a strong player. Previous coaches tried to specialize him at U8 and U9 and he hated it and burned out. You really have to look at the mindset of the player. He’ll do anything for the team, but only to a point. I know if he were specialized now he would burn out again.
My approach has been to keep him focusing on footskills as a field player, and 95+% of his backyard work is footskills and juggling. We occasionally do 10 mins or so of keeper footwork and technique, but usually just play catch for fun. We use everything from soccer balls, footballs, tennis balls, golf balls, and nerf footballs. Any ball that is difficult to catch and develops soft hands will work, especially nerf footballs.
He’s never attended a club keeper training session, but has had 11 private sessions over the last 4 years–not much training. And the training was because he got a big head and became uncoachable! So I’m coming from the parent of a good keeper who is trying to develop a soccer player and let my son have fun and love playing soccer. So far so good.
Our growing problem is that his team has no other good keepers, so we lose games because of cheap goals going in when he plays outfield. Yes, you’d like to have 3 or 4 good keepers, but what to do if you don’t? He doesn’t want to lose, but doesn’t want to play whole games at keeper.
We coach and manage an W16 soccer(football) in NSW, our problem is no-one wants to do goals, we have been roatating but this really confuses the girls with constantly changing positions. We have offered coaching and asked for volunteers for the team, 1 was quite keen to share but other not at all happy despite putting her hand up to do so. It is very hard as constantly get conflicting advise, use best players 5 or 6 and rotate and use one of the weaker players that does not run around too much. Trouble is want them to be happy to train and play……………