These
sessions are based on actual one-and-a-half hour sessions I have run with
youth goalkeepers, boys and girls. They include warm-ups, teaching
progressions and exercises and games used. I've geared these sessions to
an "intermediate" level; U13 or so boys or girls with some
goalkeeping experience. For younger keepers, you would want to spend more
time on the basics, perhaps splitting what is in one session here into
two. For older keepers, you could use the majority of the session given
here as review or warm-up, and progress quickly to more advanced exercises
and game situations with the full team.
I assume here that for goalkeeper
training you have access to at least one full-size goal frame. If not, you
can improvise using cones, corner flags or coaching sticks, and it's
better to train with makeshift equipment than not train at all. But after
all... what good is a goalkeeper without a goal? Many of the exercises do
not require a goal, but try to provide an opportunity for your keepers to
practice with a real goal at least occasionally. One frame can provide a
decent amount of repetitions for 5-6 goalkeepers on a rotating basis.
Many exercises also require from two to
five or six players in addition to the goalkeeper. These players need not
always be other goalkeepers; you can use field players to serve balls.
The times given for each activity in a
session are just guidelines. You will want to adjust how much time you
spend on each based on the age, ability level and interest of the players,
your training focus, and how much fun they are having!