"Outstanding keeper instruction. This is a must for goalkeepers and coaches."
— Ottawa Internationals S.C. web site, Ottawa, Canada
Goalkeeping Blog
Introduction
Techniques:
Footwork
Positioning
Catching
Diving
The Right Angle
Advanced Diving
Punch/Parry
Breakaways
Distribution
Tactics
Advanced Tactics
Penalty Kicks
Psychology
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Index of Blog Entries by Subject
as of 1/26/2009
(may not include most recent entries)
Footwork and Positioning
May 01 '03:
What is really the proper positioning to stop that near post shot?
May 05 '03:
Caught with "my feet stuck in the ground"
Aug 18 '04:
Footwork and positioning are keys to successful goalkeeping
Nov 03 '04:
The goalkeeper must always know the position of the goal
May 07 '04:
The goalkeeper's stance is absolutely critical
May 31 '04:
Take up a position that bisects the angle that needs to be covered
Mar 14 '05:
Going to your knees often is a sign of poor stance
Mar 24 '05:
Develop good stance and good habits that will serve you in any situation
July 28 '07:
Goalkeeping footwork in a nutshell
July 13 '08:
The most common mistakes
Diving
Apr 30 '08:
The easiest save
June 27 '08:
Forward in all directions!
Catching
Apr 08 '03:
When going to catch or punch a ball, the goalkeeper's focus must be on the ball
Apr 09 '03:
Secure the ball in your ands and
keep
it there
Mar 09 '04:
Be able to catch the ball
Sep 02 '03:
Hands to the ball first!
Oct 27 '04:
You'd think that one of the primary measures of a goalkeeper would be the ability to hang on to the ball
Mar 3 '06:
My visual system isn't equipped to process the trajectory of fast-spinning balls.
Nov 3 '06:
The critical moment of focus prior to action
Breakaways
Mar 09 '03:
Common goalkeeping mistakes during breakaways
Sep 09 '03:
Credit the goalkeeper for forcing the miss
Feb 23 '04:
Clues to help time when to charge off the line
Apr 09 '04:
Getting megged is tragic for a goalkeeper
Distribution
Jul 25 '03:
Keepers taking goal kicks
Jul 15 '07:
How do I make my goal kick better?
Tactics
Jun 27 '03:
Ways to keep smooth communications between goalkeeper and defense
Oct 25 '03:
Dealing with strong, gusty winds
Apr 26 '06:
Technique vs tactics
Jul 31 '06:
What are you communicating?
Oct 26 '06:
Always show outside the posts to receive a backpass
Nov 29 '06:
Think you communicate well in goal? Try this exercise
Feb 3 '08:
Always be aware of what's happening on the field
Feb 6 '08:
A great point about communication
Apr 19 '08:
Common keeper communication
Penalty Kicks
Jul 11 '03:
Reading the shooter on penalty kicks
Nov 08 '04:
USA Today ranks saving a penalty kick as number 9 in their list of the 10 Hardest Things to do in Sports
Dec 14 '04:
Chalk one up for the keepers
Apr 19 '05:
It's not often a keeper gets to be the hero for scoring as well as making saves
May 15 '07:
Psychological Stress in Penalty Kicks
Mar 7 '08:
Save the easy PKs
Psychology
Mar 29 '03:
Sometimes, the hardest situation to be in as a goalkeeper is when your team is dominating
Feb 15 '04:
Focusing on the positives and on process goals, not outcome goals
April 30 '04:
Let go of things you can't control and focus on things you can
June 09, '04:
Never underestimate the value of hard work if you want to advance
Sep 17 '04:
The importance of a goalkeeper staying focused on one thing at a time
Nov 05 '04:
Using a
Mistake Ritual
can help a player refocus after a difficult error
Jan 27 '05:
A good goalkeeper is as important to a great team as a good striker
Feb 11 '05:
The goalkeeper has the entire soccer game in front of them, and often the chain of events leading to a goal is painfully obvious
Mar 09 '05:
Goalkeepers need to be advised by someone who's been there and done that
Mar 12 '05:
The psychological side of the game is as important, if not more so, than the physical one
Mar 15 '05:
I find myself behaving differently when in goal than when playing the field"
Apr 28 '05:
Even vertically challenged keepers can be successful.
May 08 '05:
The fact that we're just out there for fun doesn't make the gaffs any easier to take
June 26 '05:
Warm-up is about focus and technical perfection
Oct 5 '05:
Play every shot in training like it's your last
Oct 19 '05:
Focus on the saves rather than the misses
Mar 10 '06:
Words of advice
Aug 25 '06:
The ability to deal with mistakes is crucial
Feb 4 '07:
Don't confuse wishful thinking with positive thinking
June 9 '07:
Are you coachable?
July 5 '07:
Newest saying
Apr 23 '08:
Better?
June 26 '08:
The next level
Equipment
Mar 16 '03:
Why latex foam goalkeeper gloves work better when damp
Mar 24 '04:
Last-ditch way to make those old gloves last a little longer
Apr 15 '04:
The importance of keeping your gloves clean
Oct 11 '04:
What to use to wash goalkeeping gloves
Nov 13 '04:
A cheap pair of gloves
Nov 29 '04:
A little protection is invaluable under the right circumstances
Feb 14 '05:
What's the most important criteria for choosing goalkeeping gloves?
April 18 '05:
Description of different glove cuts and how they fit
Oct 12 '05:
Is there anyway I can clean my gloves during the game
Feb 6 '06:
The latest innovation in goalkeeper gloves
Dec 7 '06:
An interview with Adam Sells of Sells Goalkeeper Products
Jul 3 '07:
Glove washing day
Feb 24 '08:
Glove cuts
Mar 24 '08:
Glove storage and care
Dec 14 '08:
What's important in a glove?
Laws
Mar 10 '03:
When the goalkeeper has control of the ball
May 10 '04:
Whining about calls or trying to "game" the ref seldom gets you anywhere
Aug 29 '04:
Goalkeepers mark their area by scuffing the ground with their boots. I don't recommend this practice
Nov 18 '05:
There are a few laws which prohibit interference with the goalkeeper
Jan 3 '08:
Remember, kickoffs are direct
Training
Mar 06 '03:
Quality of service when training
Mar 19 '03:
Snow, snow, snow
Mar 01 '04:
How to warm up a goalkeeper
Mar 24 '04:
Work through the difficult part of learning a skill is to isolate one component
Mar 30 '04:
Integrating the goalkeeper into a team practice
Sep 29 '04:
Every goalkeeper's warmup needs are different
Sep 21 '05:
Goalkeepers mature later; Diamond vs W?
Jan 27 '06:
Proper training is one of the best ways to help keep a goalkeeper from injury
Apr 23 '06:
Can you spot the flaws that are preventing the athlete from succeeding?
May 21 '06:
Major weaknesses of most youth goalkeepers
Jul 13 '06:
Goalkeepers simply aren't put into enough game-like situations
Nov 1 '06:
Vidclips of Jens Lehman and Timo Hildebrand training
Dec 20 '06:
A couple of generally available and reasonably priced indoor options
May 15 '07:
The G-Code: an e-book that specifically addresses the fitness needs of goalkeepers
July 13 '07:
It's all about consistency
Aug 7 '07:
Risk vs
reward
development
Jan 25 '08:
Four ways to get more and better keeper training in your team practice
Feb 15 '08:
Great coaches are great communicators
Jan 12 '09:
The basics
Jan 26 '09:
Goalkeeper fitness
Matchday Observations
Mar 19 '03:
Goalkeeping highlights you usually get to see on TV and on the web
May 14 '03:
Even the best in the world sometimes make basic mistakes
Jan 9 '05:
That's what it looked like to Roy Carroll
June 9 '05:
Kasey Keller made the third save
Mar 9 '06:
Make the simplest save possible
May 25 '06:
Adding insult to injury
Jun 23 '06:
You need to get out more
Jul 29 '06:
Keep those field skills sharp
Aug 16 '06:
Horrible goalkeeping blunders
Sep 9 '06:
Three penalties saved in one match
Oct 18 '06:
Two goalkeepers, Cech and Cudicini, were taken out by the opposition
Mar 10 '07:
JB Goalkeeping Game Highlights
Mar 17 '07:
Paul Robinson makes up for this bit of bad luck
Apr 7 '07:
Senegalese newcomer Bouna Condoul
May 20 '07:
Unluckiest goal ever
Feb 7 '08:
Last night's USA-Mexico game
Mar 4 '08:
Goalkeeper own goal
Mar 29 '08:
Which end are we attacking again?
May 23 '08:
Orange highlighter
Aug 23 '08:
How to win a silver medal
Goalkeeping News and Analysis
Jul 08 '03:
Why there are so many good American goalkeepers
Aug 28 '03:
Tim Howard, Brad Friedel, T-shirt slogan
Jan 31 '05:
When it comes to goalkeepers it is even more difficult to find meaningful statistics
Feb 15 '05:
You could always have it a lot worse
Feb 21 '05:
The abundances of goalkeeping talent in Spain
June 6 '05:
'Pig-Ball' Soccer Match Staged in Russia
July 1 '05:
"If defenders had even half the brainpower that we have, they would be playing in the midfield."
Aug 22 '05:
Goalie attends concert; team loses 50-1
Dec 10 '05:
Three of the top ten or so keepers in the world will be minding the Group E nets
Feb 1 '06:
MLS Goalkeeper quality has thinned out
Feb 1 '06:
Hahnemann leading the push to the Premiership for Reading
Feb 20 '06:
Julio Iglesias... Real Madrid goalkeeper?
Mar 1 '06:
The curse of the Brazilian goalkeeper
Mar 18 '06:
Small talk with Chelsea's Petr Cech
Jun 9, '06:
My, your balls are slimy
Jul 15 '06:
Why top goalkeepers tend to be fatty folk
Jul 23 '06:
Hope Solo on the mental game of goalkeeping
Aug 22 '06:
Who was the last [English] league goalkeeper to play without gloves?
Aug 26 '06:
Small Talk
chats with US international Marcus Hahnemann
Sep 17 '06:
12 Yards Out: Q & A with Brad Friedel
Sep 30 '06:
A chat with US and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard
Nov 7 '06:
Why all Russians want to be goalkeepers
Dec 17 '06:
Festive football is not all booze and parrot costumes
Jan 14 '07:
The usual bashers of our sport
Feb 6 '07:
A changing of the English goalkeeping guard
Feb 18 '07:
Interviews with US Women's keeper Hope Solo
Sep 22 '07:
Women's soccer is given little notice in much of the world
Oct 6 '07:
Comments by Hope Solo and David James
May 1 '08:
Goalkeepers are no fun any more
May 6 '08:
Show or substance?
July 16 '08:
More than football
Oct 4 '08:
Howard for prez! Well, MVP, anyway
Miscellaneous
Mar 04 '03:
When a goalkeeper should specialize in the position
Apr 13 '03:
Keep the ball out of the net any way you can
Jun 02 '03:
How to evaluate goalkeepers with limited time and space
Jun 23 '03:
Academics come first when applying for college
Jul 15 '03:
Playing basketball or other ball/hand sports helps develop a better goalkeeper
Sep 14 '03:
One of my favorite sayings for goalkeepers
Oct 08 '03:
Size does matter
Oct 10 '03:
Improving your coaching skills takes time and effort
Nov 09 '03:
Etiquette of soccer
Dec 14 '03:
You do
not
want to know where I ended up with bruises from this collision
Jan 13 '04:
A few pointers on being successful in the indoor game
Mar 12 '04:
Soccer humor
Apr 11 '04:
What game are you watching?
May 13 '04:
If you're not having any fun, why even be out on the pitch?
May 14 '04:
Old school
July 27 '04:
Goalkeepers should try playing striker
Sep 30 '04:
How do you make playing keeper cool??
Oct 02 '04:
Welcome to coaching
Dec 08 '04:
Goalkeeping is one area where the women's game still lags
Jan 04 '05:
Favorite sayings
Jan 07 '05:
Analogies to other sports
Jan 19 '05:
I submitted a Carroll spoof that I thought was quite brilliant. And the Guardian agreed!
Jan 21 '05:
If your team lacks a goalkeeper, recruit a point guard or shortstop
Jan 23 '05:
More analogies
Feb 23 '05:
Make up a front page with your favorite Premiership team
Feb 28 '05:
Upcoming soccer-related movies
Mar 13 '05:
Good footskills are crucial for today's goalkeeper
May 27 '05:
Rehab is probably more difficult than any training session
May 31 '05:
How do you evaluate or treat an injury?
June 27 '05:
What satisfaction is there in being a coach, or even a referee?
July 17 '05:
There are some physical limitations that might make it difficult to play in goal
Dec 22 '05:
Gotta have some championships on your resume
Dec 30 '06:
How do you measure the effectiveness of a goalkeeper?
Jan 3 '06:
Watch as many games as you can
Jan 17 '06:
My top five most thumbed-through coaching books
Jan 19 '06:
Top five tips for passing your practical coaching session
Aug 10 '06:
How well do most coaches evaluate goalkeeping talent?
Oct 31 '06:
Series of goalkeeping blunders
Feb 14 '07:
The hardest recorded shot in football
Mar 16 '07:
Dealing with cheapshots
Jun 10 '07:
How to keep yourself safe
Oct 14 '07:
Playing goalkeeper is tough enough without your own team shooting at you!
Nov 7 '07:
Success in coaching
Feb 2 '08:
Goalkeepers vs shot-stoppers
Feb 8 '08:
Brazilian
Feb 9 '08:
Evaluating goalkeeping talent
(update)
Mar 8 '08:
The howling wind
Aug 13 '08:
Well, it's a soccer ball, anyway...
Oct 5 '08:
The best?
© 2004, 2005 Jeff Benjamin, all rights reserved