YOUTH

GOALKEEPER
CURRICULUM

By: David Kramer

August 2012
 Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 2
AREAS OF CONCENTRATION ................................................................................................................... 2
Technical ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Tactical ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Physical ............................................................................................................................................... 9
Psychological ..................................................................................................................................... 10
GOALKEEPER TRAINING ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................... 11
Goalkeeper Equipment ...................................................................................................................... 11
Coaching Equipment .......................................................................................................................... 12
Purpose of Daily Training ................................................................................................................... 12
Organization of Training .................................................................................................................... 12
How Do Goalkeepers Learn? .............................................................................................................. 13
Age Specific Goals ................................................................................................................................. 14
Under 11 – Under 12 ......................................................................................................................... 14
Under 13 – Under 14 ......................................................................................................................... 15
Under 15 – Under 16 ......................................................................................................................... 16
Under 17 – Under 18 ......................................................................................................................... 18

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 INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this curriculum is to establish a foundation

for goalkeepers as they progress from Under-11 to Under-18.
All goalkeepers will develop at different rates, but the
following curriculum will provide the optimum platform to
reach his maximum potential.

The goalkeeper plays a highly specialized position and

requires a unique skill-set different from the outfield players.
There are four (4) areas of concentration for goalkeepers to
master in order to excel in the position. They must be
proficient technically, tactically, physically, and
psychologically. In order to work on these areas, a specific
goalkeeper training environment needs to be established. In
addition to specific goalkeeper training, the goalkeeper must
be integrated in the daily team training (match related
scenarios) which will assist in the development of the
goalkeeper’s skill-set. Tendencies, habits, cohesiveness, etc
are also established with the outfield players through daily
team training.

Lastly, the curriculum outlines what the expected goals are

for specific age groups. These are targets that should be
reached as the goalkeeper continues from year to year in his
“playing career”.

AREAS of CONCENTRATION

TECHNICAL

The Goalkeeper must master the technical skills required for

the position through quality training, repetition, and effective
coaching. Like outfield players, the goalkeeper needs these
variables in a controlled environment (goalkeeper training) to
master his technical skills. Technical areas of concentration
are:

• Footwork

• Set Position

• Catching

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 • Diving

• Crosses

• Distribution

FOOTWORK– The goalkeeper’s ability to cover the goal area

(lateral and off his line) is vital to saving the ball. Footwork
gives the goalkeeper the ability to get in line with the shot,
get set for the shot, deal with a crossed ball, cut off the angle
of the shot, etc. This should enable the goalkeeper to make
saves easier and retain the ball at a higher consistency.

SET POSITION - The relationship between the goalkeeper’s

body parts (feet, legs, arms, hands, shoulders, and head) is
fundamental to a successful catch. The moment the ball is
struck by the attacking player, the goalkeeper needs to be
stationary, well balanced, and have proper body shape. This
is referred to as the “set position”. Your feet, knees, hips and
shoulders should be in alignment. Too far apart of the feet
or too narrow of the feet will affect the goalkeeper’s balance
and ability to save the ball. The body should be in a slightly
curved or concave shape with the shoulders facing the ball.
The arms and hands work together, bent and relaxed to
absorb the shot. Accomplishing the proper set position
allows the goalkeeper to catch the ball.

CATCHING - When catching the ball, the goalkeeper needs

to incorporate proper footwork and get in the “set position”
prior to catching. He must also have good concentration and
hand-eye coordination while dealing with the ball. The four
(4) types of balls the goalkeeper can face are:

• Ground Balls / ‘Scoop”

• Mid-section / “Cup”

• Head Height / ‘W”

• Above the Head

Ground balls are caught by using the “Scoop” technique.

The goalkeeper will collapse at the knees (knees DO NOT
touch the ground but get low enough to prevent the ball

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from going under your legs) and attack the ball with hands
and arms which will bring the body forward. The palms are
open and facing the ball with the fingers facing down
towards the ground. Once the ball makes contact with the
palms and arms, the goalkeeper will scoop the ball into his
chest.

Mid-section balls (knees to waist) are caught using the

‘Cup” technique. The goalkeeper will use the similar
technique as the ground balls, but does not require the legs
to collapse low to the ground as the ball is off the ground.
Proper footwork is still necessary to get the body in front of
the ball.

Head Height balls are caught by using the “W’ technique.

The shape of the hands is commonly referred as a “W” as the
fingers and palms look like the letter “W”. The hands need to
be approximately the width of the ball apart with elbows
slightly bent to absorb the pace of the ball.

Above the Head balls require the fingers to be angled

slightly down towards the ground in front of the goalkeeper
to rebound the ball down in front of the goalkeeper in case
of a catching error. The previous types of balls can be
secured by getting the body behind the ball in case of an
error, but not so when the ball is above your head.

Lastly, once the ball has been caught, the ball should be
brought into the goalkeeper’s chest and securely held to
prevent balls being dropped or put back into play.

DIVING – When the ball is to the side of the goalkeeper’s

body and he is not able to incorporate any of the four (4)
types of catching techniques, a dive is necessary to make the
save. The four (4) types of dives are:

• Collapse Dive

• Low Dive

• High Dive

• 1v1 Dive

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 The collapse dive is used when the goalkeeper cannot get
his entire body behind the ball, but is never in the air. The
ball is at the goalkeeper’s side and close to his legs. The legs
simply collapse to the side and the hands are positioned
behind the ball to make the catch/save.

The low dive is used when the ball is away from the body
and the goalkeeper must use footwork to attack the ball.
The goalkeeper must use proper footwork, leg push, and
attack the ball at roughly a 45 degree angle. Upon catching
the ball, the body weight of the goalkeeper is absorbed into
the ground at the side of the body and shoulders.

The high dive uses the same technique as the low dive
but the ball is at or above the goalkeeper’s chest.

The 1v1 dive is used when the goalkeeper encounters an

attacking player who is dribbling free in on goal at him. The
goalkeeper must decide when and how far to come out and
encounter the player. The goalkeeper needs to cut down the
angle of the shot to make the goal as small as possible, delay
the attacker from shooting and ultimately save or deflect the
shot. The goalkeeper needs to dive at the attacker’s feet
with his chest facing the ball and making his body into the
biggest “barrier” as possible to block the ball. Timing,
technique and bravery are keys to making the 1v1 save.

CROSSES – Crossed balls are delivered from different angles

on the field into the penalty area. The goalkeeper must
make a split second decision and come off of his line to
“intercept” the ball by taking the quickest route to the ball.
Proper and quick footwork (drop step, crossover step, and
stutter step) enables the goalkeeper to produce the fastest
route. The goalkeeper should jump off of his inside leg (leg
closest to the goal) for protection and reach the ball at the
highest point possible. The technique used for balls above
the head will come into play when catching a crossed ball.
Decision making on whether to catch or punch the ball is
dictated based on securing the ball, crowded area, too far to
catch with 2 hands, etc. The goalkeeper’s aerial control of his
penalty area is very important.

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DISTRIBUTION – The goalkeeper is the first line of attack once
in possession of the ball. An accurate throw or kick can
penetrate the opposing team and initiate his team’s attack.

Throwing of the ball is generally used for quick and

accurate passing to his teammates. Three (3) different
techniques are:

• Bowl – used for short distances and the ball is rolled

along the ground to feet using an underhand motion

• Sidearm – used for medium distances and the ball is

thrown in the air in front of a teammate to progress
forward up the field

• Overhand – used for longer distances to bypass

players (over their heads) and get the ball into the
opponent’s half and safely to a teammate

Kicking of the ball is generally used to distribute the ball

over a greater distance than throwing, but accuracy of the
kick needs to be heavily emphasized. Five (5) different
techniques are:

• Dead ball / Goal Kick / Free kick – Ball is stationary on

the ground and no opposing player may contest the
ball. The goalkeeper has ample time to place the ball
and prepare for a proper kick.

• Punt – Ball is released from the goalkeeper’s hands

and struck before it hits the ground.

• Half Volley – Ball is released from the hands and

struck as it hits the ground. The flight of the ball is
lower than a punt and is beneficial when the wind is
quite strong.

• ‘Sidewinder” – Flight of the ball is more horizontal

than a punt or half volley and is easier to control by
your teammate.

• Back Pass - Due to the rules of the game, when a ball

is kicked to the goalkeeper from his own team, the
goalkeeper may not use his hands. The goalkeeper

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 needs to be comfortable and proficient in using both
feet. This enables his team to be an added outfield
player and keep possession of the ball.

TACTICAL

Two main areas that encompass “tactics” in regards to

goalkeeping are:

• Decision Making

• Command of the Penalty Area

Decision Making – Decisions need to be made in a split

second without hesitation. Making a wrong decision more
often than not results in goals being scored as the goalkeeper
is the last line of defense.

• Distance off of line – The goalkeeper needs to have a

good relationship and balance between the back line
and him in order to intercept balls, either with his
feet or hands, when balls are played in behind his
defense. The starting position of the goalkeeper is
determined by the location of the ball on the field
and who is in possession of the ball (your team or the
other team).

• Angle Play – The goalkeeper needs to position

himself between the ball and the middle of his goal.
This will allow the goalkeeper to cover as much of
the goal on either side (left or right) of him. Next,
the goalkeeper needs to position himself off of his
goal line in order to cover both sides within a few
steps and using a dive if necessary. The further away
from the goal line will cut the angle down and make
the goal look smaller, but allows for shots over the
goalkeeper’s head. Too close to the goal line enables
the goalkeeper to cover more space above his head,
but will leave too much of the goal open for shots.
There needs to be a balance of how far out to go
without compromising shots over the goalkeeper’s

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 head. This is determined by the goalkeeper’s size,
capability, and experience.

• Reading the flight of the ball – Once positioned

correctly, the goalkeeper needs to determine the
flight or trajectory of the ball. Questions the
goalkeeper must ask and decipher in a split second -
Is the ball too far away to reach? Is the ball
travelling too slowly to reach? Can I reach the
crossed ball before the attacker does? Is the ball
going to bounce over a player’s head?

• Shot Stopping – As the ball is shot on goal, the

goalkeeper must make a decision on which
technique to use to save the ball (i.e. “Scoop”, “Cup”,
collapse dive, etc). The next decision needs to be
catch or punch/deflect. Is the ball travelling too fast
to catch it safely? Is it only possible to get 1 hand on
the ball thus punching/deflecting it? Can the ball be
caught safely with no rebounds? Securing the ball
either with a catch or by putting the ball in an area
on the field that will cause the least amount of
danger are decisions that need to be made
instantaneously.

• Game Management – Many situations come about

throughout a game and season that will dictate what
is necessary for the goalkeeper to do when he is in
possession of the ball. Is your team behind a goal
and needs the goalkeeper to speed up goal kicks or
play quickly out of the back? Is your team ahead
with 5 minutes to play and playing out of the back
would be too dangerous? Is your team playing away
from home and needs a draw to advance to the next
round of a competition? These are a sampling of
questions and situations that need to be evaluated
by the goalkeeper to facilitate the flow of a game.

Command of Penalty Area - The goalkeeper is the “leader”

and “eyes” of the team as the entire field (your team,
opposing team, and ball) are all in front of the goalkeeper.
He can evaluate and “control” situations with proper

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communication that will eliminate many potential dangerous
situations. Two (2) key factors of communication are:

• Tone/Voice – Strong, loud, concise and decisive

instructions given to teammates.

• Types of Commands – Examples include: “away”,

“keeper”, “push-up”, and “close the ball”. Situations
that arise, such as, crosses, setup for restarts,
tracking of runners, etc will make it necessary for the
goalkeeper to use the correct command that his
teammates are familiar with and understand the
purpose of the command.

Enhancing your decision making and command of the penalty

area can be achieved through small sided games (5v5), larger
scale games (8v8), and full size games (11v11).

PHYSICAL

The goalkeeper clearly is a different type of athlete

compared to the outfield players. He runs far less distances
and covers a much shorter area of the field compared to the
outfield players. The goalkeeper must possess quick reflexes,
be very agile and rely on explosive movements to do his job
effectively. In addition to these attributes, he must train his
body to endure the “beating” from shot stopping, diving,
collisions, and crosses. Lastly, the height of the goalkeeper is
a factor due to the dimensions of the goal. When evaluating
youth goalkeepers, you must consider the “growth potential”
of a player and think about the following:

• Current attributes - height, weight, coordination,

athleticism, etc.

• Parent’s attributes – Are the parents tall, good size,

athletic, short, etc?

• Birth date – What month is the goalkeeper born? Is

the goalkeeper one of the youngest on the team for
his age group? Does he need more time to mature?

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 • Teenage years – Has the goalkeeper hit puberty yet?
Is he still growing into his body? Is his coordination
poor due to “growing pains”?

Smaller but technical goalkeepers need to be evaluated

based on the above information. Taller/bigger but not as
technical goalkeepers need to continue to concentrate on
techniques. This approach will ensure both types of
goalkeepers are progressing at the appropriate timeframe for
when he reaches his maximum physical attributes.

Beyond the evaluation of the “growth potential”, the

goalkeeper must possess the following:

• Athleticism

• Explosiveness

• Strength

• Power

• Speed

• Quickness

• Endurance

• Mobility

• Coordination

• Flexibility

• Stretching

PSYCHOLOGICAL

The goalkeeper position is a very isolated and lonely spot on

the field. The majority of the game is spent by himself
observing what is going on and not being involved very much
with the run of play. The time the goalkeeper is involved
usually is the difference between a goal being scored or not.
If mistakes are made by the goalkeeper, they are magnified

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as his errors usually result in goals. The goalkeeper needs to
deal with these stressful situations with composure and
confidence. Characteristics of a successful goalkeeper
consist of:

• Motivation – Desire to play the position

• Confidence – Self-belief and faith in your ability to

excel

• Leadership – Manage and guide the team

• Concentration – Eliminate distractions and focus on

task. Staying focused during long periods of no
physical action

• Positive Outlook – Forget mistakes, recover quickly,

and move on within the game and the next games

• Courage/Bravery – Disregard for bodily harm to save

ball (dive at feet, collisions, etc)

• Competitive – Striving each day to win every activity

(training exercise, small sided game, 11v11 game,
league game, tournament, etc)

GOALKEEPER TRAINING ENVIRONMENT

In order to maximize the most out of each goalkeeper and

achieve the four (4) areas of concentration, the goalkeeper
training environment needs specific attention. The training
environment consists of:

Goalkeeper Equipment –

• Gloves

• Long sleeve shirt or padded shirt

• Long pants

• Compression shorts

• Molded cleats/studded cleats

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Coaching Equipment –

• Soccer balls (inflated and proper size)

• Cones

• Foot ladders

• Hurdles

• Poles

• Mannequins

• Weighted balls

• Rebounder

Purpose of Daily Training –

• What are you trying to specifically accomplish today?

• Can you incorporate technical, tactical, physical, and

psychological demands?

• Can you reproduce “match-like” situations?

• Can you incorporate whatever the team is working

on into your goalkeeper training (i.e. crossing and
finishing for team so goalkeeper will work on crosses
in specific goalkeeper training prior to joining team
training)?

Organization of Training –

• Promptness to start time

• Specific topic

• Proper warm-up

• Specific exercises - easy (successful) to hard

(challenging and expected failure)

• Integration with outfield players/team training

• Cool down

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How do Goalkeepers Learn?

• Regular, specific, structured training

• Playing with and against better players

• Playing small sided and full-size games

• Listening and acting upon constructive feedback

from coaches

• Watching games on television or in person

• Watching other goalkeepers train

• Ask questions

• Challenge yourself – technically, tactically, physically,

psychologically

• Emulate top level goalkeepers

• Learn from mistakes

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 AGE SPECIFIC GOALS

Under 11 - Under 12

• Basic understanding of all goalkeeper techniques

• Footwork exercises

• Set position

• Catching balls within arms reach

TECHNICAL • Basic diving – collapse, low, 1v1

• Crosses – lofted or thrown balls for footwork pattern and timing of jump
(unopposed)

• Distribution – bowl, overhand to targets

• Distribution – dead ball/goal kick, punt, back pass with both feet to
teammates

• Role of the goalkeeper

• Play off of goal line to support defenders and stay connected with team

• Basic angle play

TACTICAL
• Shot stopping – try to catch as much as possible

• Introduction to game management

• Basic verbal commands and introduction of how to organize defense

• Parents’ attributes and goalkeeper’s month of birth date

PHYSICAL • Introduction of flexibility, mobility, and stretching

• Athleticism and coordination

• Experimenting with the position (not full-time position) but shows signs of
courage, bravery, and competitiveness
PSYCHOLOGICAL
• Detail specific with training, preparation, games

• Introduction of training habits, game day preparation, diet, off-field activity

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 Under 13 - Under 14

• Continue to master goalkeeper techniques

• Footwork exercises incorporating all directions

• Set position – constant readjustment for shot

• Catching – all techniques including balls above the head

TECHNICAL
• All diving techniques with power/explosion in step

• Crosses – from the foot / unopposed and with pressure from attackers

• Distribution – All throwing techniques

• Distribution – Dead ball, punts, back passes with pressure from attackers /
Introduction of half volley and “sidewinder”

• Stay connected with team / proper distance off of goal line / provide support

• Strong awareness of angle play and location in goal

• Reading flight of ball / depth perception improving

TACTICAL • Shot stopping – introduction of deflecting or punching of ball if catch is not

possible

• Understand situations in game and how to act accordingly

• Communication / organization of defenders, tracking runners, anticipation of

breakdowns, set pieces

• Current attributes, parents’ attributes, and goalkeeper’s month of birth date

• Flexibility, mobility, and coordination

PHYSICAL
• Introduction of high intensity, explosive exercises with short repetitions

• Athleticism and coordination

• Primary position and emulating top flight goalkeepers

• Detailed routine of training habits, game day preparation, diet/nutrition, off-

PSYCHOLOGICAL
field activity

• Handling pressure of position, mistakes, and ability to respond positively

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 Under 15 – Under 16

• Refine goalkeeper techniques

• Footwork exercises incorporating all directions and goalkeeper specific

• Set position – constant readjustment for shot

• Catching – all techniques

• All diving techniques with power/explosion in step and multiple steps leading
TECHNICAL to explosive dive

• Reaction training to make “unconventional” save

• Crosses – from the foot / Pressure from attackers and collisions

• Distribution – All throwing techniques

• Distribution – Dead balls, punts, back passes with pressure from attackers /
half volley and “sidewinder” with accuracy and proper weight of pass

• Stay connected with team / proper distance off of goal line / provide support

• Understanding of pressure on and off of ball and how it relates to starting

position

• Playing further off of line to narrow angle of shot

• Reading flight of ball / depth perception

TACTICAL • Shot stopping –Catch if possible / deflecting or punching of ball to safe areas
on field if not able to catch

• Grasp of game management and different situations in game(s)

• Understanding of attackers’ movements and how teammates can deal with

runs on and off of ball

• Communication / organization of defenders, tracking runners, anticipation of

breakdowns, set pieces

• Current attributes, parents’ attributes, and goalkeeper’s month of birth date

PHYSICAL • Has puberty occurred yet?

• Flexibility, mobility, and coordination

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 • High intensity, explosive exercises with short repetitions and short recovery

• Introduction of strength training

• Athleticism and coordination

• Full immersion into position

• Detailed routine of training habits, game day preparation, diet/nutrition, off-

field activity

• Increased pressure of position, mistakes, and ability to respond positively

PSYCHOLOGICAL • Exudes confidence, controls penalty area, team leader

• Dialogue with coach/goalkeeper coach on performances (positive and

criticism)

• Consistent match performances

• Track record of being a winner

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 Under 17 – Under 18

• Master all goalkeeper techniques

• Footwork exercises incorporating all directions and goalkeeper specific

• Set position – constant readjustment for shot

• Catching – all techniques

• All diving techniques with power/explosion in step and multiple steps leading
TECHNICAL
to explosive dive

• Reaction training to make “unconventional” save

• Crosses – from the foot / Pressure from attackers and collisions

• Distribution – All throwing techniques

• Distribution –All kicks with accuracy, proper weight of pass, and distance

• Stay connected with team / proper distance off of goal line / provide support

• Full understanding of pressure on and off of ball and how it relates to

starting position

• Playing further off of line to narrow angle of shot

• Shot stopping –catch if possible / deflecting or punching of ball to safe areas

TACTICAL on field if not able to catch

• Full understanding of game management and different situations in game(s)

• Understanding of opposing team’s movements and how teammates can

deal with runs on and off of ball / anticipation of play

• Communication / organization of defenders, tracking runners, anticipation of

breakdowns, set pieces

• Current attributes – height, weight, arm wing span

• Has puberty finished yet?

PHYSICAL
• Flexibility, mobility, and coordination

• High intensity, explosive exercises with short repetitions and short recovery

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 • Strength training

• Athleticism and coordination

• Future sights on playing collegiately or professionally

• Detailed routine of training habits, game day preparation, diet/nutrition, off-

field activity

• Pressure of position, mistakes, and ability to respond positively

PSYCHOLOGICAL • Exudes confidence, controls penalty area, team leader

• 2-way dialogue with coach/goalkeeper coach on performances (positive and

criticism)

• Consistent match performances over course of full season

• Track record of being a winner

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