Goalkeeping Training and Coaching – What’s the Difference?

By Ray J Newland
for SoccerMyLife.com

Published: August 5, 2010

Most young goalkeepers or their parents think goalkeeper training is the same as goalkeeper coaching but it is not, there is a slight difference..

Also sadly, A LOT of goalkeeper coaches do not know the difference either. These GK coaches are normally the guys who have not played a high level of goalkeeping and have just took a short 6 months course on how to be a goalkeeper coach for example.

So please let me explain the difference.

GOALKEEPING TRAINING

This is when a goalkeeper coach sets out a drill, exercise or circuit and just lets his goalkeeper students get on with it. This GK coach DOES NOT stop the session to point out the mistakes his students are making. Or he might just shout out pointers and advice to his students as they work.

Is this bad?

No, this is actually brilliant to do this type of goalkeeping training as long as the goalkeeper coach knows what he is doing.

FOR EXAMPLE

PROFESSIONAL GOALKEEPER COACHES: You might see a professional goalkeeper coach do these drills if he is training professional goalkeepers at a Pro soccer club. This is cool because the coach knows what he is doing and so do his students as they are experienced keepers.

EXPERIENCED GOALKEEPER COACHES: You might take your child to an independent goalkeeper coaching school or maybe a soccer club academy. So an experienced goalkeeper coach will have a set plan with his inexperienced students and is doing a mixture of goalkeeping training and goalkeeper coaching over a set period. (THIS IS CORRECT)

INEXPERIENCED GOALKEEPER COACHES: These are the guys that unintentionally do more harm than good. You will notice these goalie coaches a mile off. These GKs coaches will set out goalkeeper drill and or exercises and when his students are training he will just shout encouragement, like, ‘Well Done!’, ‘Great Save’ etc.

The reason why these guys are just shouting encouragement is because they have not got the knowledge to see their goalkeeper students making their mistakes and thus cannot correct them!

The downside to this type of goalkeeping training is it looks ‘GREAT’ if you do not know what to look out for.

So an inexperienced goalkeeper or their parent will think ‘WOW’ what an intense great GK training session. However what these guys do not realise is the goalkeeper students ARE NOT developing!” (THIS IS BAD!)

GOALKEEPER COACHING

This is where the goalkeeper coach will set out a goalkeeping drill or exercise and ‘STOP’ the goalkeepers when he sees them make a mistake and COACH them to do the correct technique.

Again you will see this experienced goalkeeper coach a mile off. He will stop the session and get down on his hands and knees if need be and show his student what they should be doing!

This goalie coach can do this because he ‘KNOWS’ what to look out for!

SO WHAT IS BEST: GOALKEEPING TRAINING OR GOALKEEPER COACHING?

It is actually both!

And this is where the goalkeeper coach you pick is ‘WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD’ because a GK coach needs to have the correct training/coaching balance for his individual students. Some students obviously need more coaching (or training) than others and only a goalkeeper coach with experience will know this difference.

Why?

Because they have done it year in, year out, first as a student themselves then as a goalkeeper coach.

Remember doing too much goalkeeper training or too much goalkeeper coaching can be the wrong thing to do, it’s all about getting the correct goalkeeping balance for your individual goalkeeping needs. Only then will you develop as a goalkeeper.

About the author:

Ray Newland, was a professional goalkeeper for 10 years and was taught by 5 top international goalkeepers over this period.

Now out of football, Ray runs just4keepers ( http://www.just4keepers.co.uk ) which is the biggest goalkeeper coaching schools worldwide. Ray is the brainchild behind putting together a goalkeeping concept that is unrivalled anywhere in the world.

Ray is thought to be one of the best and unique goalkeeping coaches in Europe and his coaching is that much in demand in the USA, there is a 2 year wait for his services. He is also well respected for what he has achieved for young goalkeepers worldwide, helping over 200 achieve their dream by helping them to professional soccer clubs.

Author: Ray J Newland
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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