Goalkeeper Development
Here at Elite Goalkeeper Academy the goalkeepers always come 1st. We provide a fun, safe and challenging environment for our goalkeepers to thrive in. All of our coaches are highly experienced and have worked within grassroots, semi-professional or professional environments either currently or in the past. Those that haven’t have worked with head coach Steven Rodden for at least 1 year to get up to speed with training principles, technical detail and session structures.
We feel it is very important to create the right kind of environment for our goalkeepers based on their age and ability, therefore, we will never ask to much of a goalkeeper in terms of technical or physical demands of a session. All our goalkeepers are progressed at their own rate and we will never subject our younger goalkeepers to overly physical sessions that are fatigue inducing or encourages the use of incorrect or poor technique.
Below we have detailed our development phases and what is likely to be our key focus for each development phase:
Foundation Phase (u7 – u11)
This is a key area for goalkeeping development, an area where we can embed key technical detail. Goalkeepers will learn key basic goalkeeping techniques to begin with. These key techniques are then transferred into game realistic scenarios which will include the goalkeeper making their own decisions on correct use of save or technique. We will also touch on the tactical, psychological and social (communication) sides of the game.
All practices will be done unopposed or with interference and service will either be from players of similar ages or served at a safe and realistic pace. This is to protect the goalkeeper from serious injury as well as to have them working in an environment more relevant to those that they would face during a game. Sessions will also work on the goalkeepers understanding and use of techniques, we will ensure that goalkeepers are first using correct techniques, the main areas of importance from a coaching point of view is that the goalkeeper uses safe techniques e.g. not landing on elbows or falling backwards when diving, techniques on how to break a fall when diving etc. Our coaches are taught to observe a technique, coach a safe technique and positively reinforce good habits throughout a sessions.
Within this key phase we will also look to work on Agility, Balance, Coordination, Speed and Reaction Time. This will be done within a controlled environment and workload will be constantly monitored as not to have goalkeepers working whilst fatigued. As fatigue sets in, technique begins to suffer and bad habits can begin to set in.
Youth Development Phase (u12 – u16)
During the Youth Development Phase, we look to reinforce key technical points as developed through the Foundation Phase whilst focussing more on the tactical, psychological and social sides of the game. We will work through more advanced goalkeeping techniques, a wider range of distribution techniques and advanced support and communication techniques. We now also look at the physiological and physical sides of goalkeeping development taking goalkeepers through realistic and relevant exercises.
All practices are now done with interference or opposition to recreate a more realistic environment for the goalkeeper to challenge themselves in. The serve again will be at a realistic pace either from a player of a similar age or the coach to avoid serious injury.
Within this phase we look again at maintaining and improving Agility, Balance, Coordination, Speed, Reaction Time, Anaerobic and Aerobic Endurance, Flexibility and Explosive Power. With development of Anaerobic and Aerobic Endurance we still ensure our goalkeepers are able to perform basic techniques without bad habits or faults setting in. Our exercises are times and we use suitable work to rest ratios.
Professional / Adult Development (u17+)
The final phase of our Goalkeeper Development areas now looks at the maintenance of the goalkeeper. Goalkeepers will now work through more advanced techniques within a more challenging environment. The sessions will be geared around the goalkeepers wants and needs with areas for improvement being identified by the goalkeeper and coach collectively. The coach, if working within a team structure, will work with the goalkeeper within training games.
Practices now take place with opposition or within a high paced, realistic environment with focus on movement around the goal and penalty area to recreate in game scenarios. They will also take place within Functions, SSG’s or POP’s.
Finally, our focus at this phase is on Anaerobic and Aerobic Endurance, maintenance and improvement of Flexibility, improvement of Reaction Time, Explosive Power, Strength and maintenance or development of Speed. Agility, Balance, Coordination and Speed can all be incorporated directly into warm ups or throughout the session.
Our Aims
Elite Goalkeeper Academy has an overall aim of creating goalkeepers who have the ability execute safe and efficient techniques throughout training and games. We teach the goalkeeper how to reflect on saves/goals conceded where we believe they could have potentially done better, through positive Q&A we educate the goalkeeper, which in turn furthers their development on and off the field. We want to give the goalkeeper the confidence to believe that they can save every shot they face through discussion on what course of action to take during each scenario. It’s also important to reinforce the fact that not every save has to be, or will be perfect, and to let them know that their main job is to keep the ball out the back of the net.
For more information on what we do and the sessions we provide to the grassroots goalkeeping community please email: info@elitegkacademy.com