A.S.A. Water Polo Conference. Holm Pierrepoint. Sat. & Sun. 29th./30th. June 2002.
‘Look After No. 1!’ Martyn Thomas. Senior Tutor
How to Coach Goalkeepers in Club Sessions.
- Applying basic coaching principles to the goalkeeper.
What are the needs?
Reflexes:Cardio-vascular fitness levels; diet; innate ability; experience; drugs; rest; health.
Anticipation: Innate ability; experience.
Attitude: Self-motivation; pride; understanding of role; personal responsibility; lack of fear.
Jumping Ability: Co-ordination; explosive leg strength; leg stamina; cardio-vascular fitness; explosive arm power; physique; technique.
Goal Coverage: Positioning; cardio-vascular fitness; leg stamina; physique; understanding of role.
Passing Ability: Technique, timing, awareness.
- Practical Work.
Swimming: Cardio-vascular fitness; leg power and stamina using
egg-beater/breaststroke combinations; explosive arm power-breaststroke arms sprint.
Bread & Butter Exercises.
Side jumps, one hand to the side.
Two handed upward jumps.
With Asst. Coach/2nd.Keeper, jump to touch pole.
Mirroring.
Jump with arms extended & maintain position.
With the Goal.
‘Preparatory’ position, work the arc, jump to post, high & low
‘Preparatory’ position on post, lift & kick for lob. Both sides.
Jump to right, centralise, jump to left.
Touching bar. One hand/both hands.
With the Ball.
2 keepers, Flick the ball.
Penalties.
2 lanes of swimmers - pass out, players going away & coming back.
4 pairs – pass, shoot on call. Control distance/time/order.
Arc passing. – No pressure, 3v2, 4v3, etc.
General Points.
Control distance & shooters according to ability.
Encourage pride – ‘Never accept goals.
’Keepers must accept that if other players don’t make mistakes, they have no place.
After every shot get back to ‘Preparatory’ position. Head always stays up.
‘Goalkeepers develop shooters.’
Use of weight belts and other resistance devices. Using enough weight to make a skill more effort but not enough to change the skill, can be good in training techniques. If trying to build power, use increased resistance but not in the actual skill situation.
Goalkeepers, like other players, need to be in full game situations as much as possible. It helps if they play at a level slightly above their own ability often but care must be taken that more senior shooters are responsible and do not put ‘bodyline’ shots at them.
Note. I have not covered weight training/land conditioning as this is dependant at all times to the age, physique and personal qualities of each keeper. Coaches must once again apply basic principles and evaluate the needs of each player and plan accordingly.
Martyn Thomas. 23/6/02