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Top 5 Goalkeeping Drills That Every Goalkeeper Needs To Know


best youth goalkeeping drills

Goalkeeping is one of the most demanding positions in soccer, requiring a unique combination of technical skill, athleticism, and mental focus. To excel as a goalkeeper, consistent and purposeful goalkeeper training is essential. In this post, we break down five of the best goalkeeping drills to help you master handling, diving, crossing, distribution, and reactions. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced goalkeeper, these drills will push your game to the next level.



Purpose: Improve hand-eye coordination and catching technique to build consistency.


How It Works:

  • Throw your goalie gloves on and grab a ball!

  • Simply bounce the ball on the ground and shooting your hands out to catch the ball as quickly as possibly as it travels back up to you.

  • Focus on catching the ball with a consistent hand shape every time.

    • Some goalkeepers prefer the "W" catching shape and some goalkeepers prefer more of a "Triangle".

  • Start out slow and as you get more consistent, start to bounce the ball harder and move the bounces around to the ball isn't coming up to the same place every time.


Why It’s Effective: This drill may seem simple but it is a great way to build consistency with your hand shape and catching the ball.



Purpose: Enhance diving technique by starting with the basics and building to more explosive movements.


How It Works:

  • Start out on your side to focus on learning the basics of shooting your hands, chest, and shoulders to the ball.

  • Advance to your knees. Work on taking a step with your knee and taking what you perfected on your side to the next level.

  • Move to a standing position. Take everything you worked on when you were on your side and on your knees and apply it to a standing position.

  • Focus on your set position, your arm swing (not too big), and your hand shape when catching the ball.


Why It’s Effective: This drill teaches goalkeepers the basics of successful diving. Focus on proper landing technique to avoid injury, and always secure the ball before recovering.



Purpose: Improve decision-making, timing, and confidence when dealing with crosses.


How It Works:

  • A coach or teammate stands 6-8 yards away and tosses balls to either side of a cone or hurdle as the working goalkeeper focuses on the basic technique of jumping and catching the ball.

  • Gradually advance to the goal. The server should move towards the end line and begin tossing from 14-16 yards away. This can help the serving goalkeeper to work on overhand distribution. This form of distribution also replicates a lower driven cross that goalkeepers will see during crossing situations.

  • The goalkeeper must utilize their footwork and work on reading the flight of the ball.

  • Focus on calling out commands like "Keeper!" or "Away!" to communicate with your defenders. If you're unsure about the proper way to communicate, check out this book that has an entire chapter on goalkeeper communication.


Why It’s Effective: This drill simulates match scenarios where the goalkeeper must claim high balls under pressure. It helps develop timing, confidence, and communication—critical skills for dominating the penalty area.



Purpose: Improve accuracy and control for passing over a variety of distances.


How It Works:

  • Set up small targets (typically mini-goals) at varying distances on the field. To make it game realistic, think about the different positions (center back, outside back, winger) that you consistently pass to and put your targets on the field where they would be.

  • Practice different types of distribution:

    • Goal kicks aimed at the targets.

    • Inside of the foot passes vs. laces passes.

    • Two touch vs. one touch passes.

  • Start out closer and set yourself realistic goals for how many passing you want to put in each net. For example, if you are doing 8 balls over a distance of 18 yards, your goal could be to get 6 out of 8 in the net.


Why It’s Effective: Distribution is key to starting attacks and relieving defensive pressure. This drill sharpens your ability to deliver accurate passes under various conditions, making you an asset to your team’s buildup play.



Purpose: Sharpen reflexes, enhance ball tracking, and improve ball.


How It Works:

  • Grab a 24-pack of water bottles and spread them out in front of the goal. Choose a further distance at first to give yourself more reaction time and to get used to the drill. Once you get the hang of it, move the water bottles closer to the goal.

  • Have a shooter at the top of the 18 who is striking balls on target. Their goal is to try to hit the water bottles with their strike so it causes a good deflection and changes the trajectory of the ball.

  • The goalkeeper in goal should focus on their set position and their distance from the goal line. Being too deep will make it difficult to keep balls out of the back of the net and being too high won't give you enough reaction time.


Why It’s Effective: Quick reactions can mean the difference between a save and a goal. This drill focuses on reflexes and replicates deflections that goalkeepers may see in a game.


 

Mastering the art of goalkeeping requires dedication, repetition, and a focus on the fundamentals. These five goalkeeping drills are designed to develop the skills that every top-level keeper needs: secure handling, explosive dives, confident aerial control, precise distribution, and razor-sharp reactions. By incorporating these exercises into your regular goalkeeper training, you’ll be well on your way to dominating the goal and achieving clean sheets.


What are your favorite goalkeeping drills? Share them in the comments below, and let’s help each other level up!


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