Soccer Goalie Warm-up Drills

Ontario-based soccer coach Tom Sauder notes that too often, the soccer goalie is left on her own while the rest of the team warms up and stretches, with the goalie maybe getting a chance to stop a few practice shots as the forwards and midfielders shoot on goal. As an alternative, he recommends 40 minutes of focused work, including dynamic stretching and work on overhead throws and blocking crosses. Purposeful warm-up drills will have your keeper sharp when your opponents begin shooting in earnest.

Dynamic Saves

After your goalie jogs, stretches and performs some light catches, gather six or seven balls at one side of the penalty area. On your command, instruct the goalkeeper to sprint out to the soccer ball you are holding, then quickly backpedal toward the goal while keeping his eyes on the ball, SoccerXpert recommends. As he backpedals, throw a high lofted ball at the goal, which the keeper must punch over the crossbar or catch. After the ball is caught, throw a ball toward the near post, requiring the goalie to react and push the ball away or catch it. Continue with a ball tossed toward the far post, which also must be saved. Shoot the next ball on goal, requiring another save. Move to the other side of the goal and repeat the pattern.

Hurdles

Mark out an area 20 by 20 yards with cones in front of the goal, recommend American and German soccer coaches Thomas Dooley and Christian Titz in "Soccer Goalkeeper Training." Set up a row of small hurdles in front of the goal, perpendicular to the end line, the first one three yards from the goalmouth, the next five each a yard apart. Place the goalkeeper in the goal. Stand with the balls around you in front of the hurdles. Your goalkeeper skips over the hurdles, then makes a volley or dropkick clearance to you. You return a shot directly to her or to either side. Repeat this four or five times.

Hoops

Mark out an area 16 by 16 yards with cones or disks, Dooley and Titz advise. Arrange six hoops in two staggered rows of three at a distance two yards in front of the goal. The keeper hops with two feet together into the center of each hoop, making hip-swiveling jumps sideways and a bit forward like a slalom skier, from one to the next. As soon as the goalie jumps out of the last hoop, you take a shot. The goalie needs to be in a defensive position, arms spread out, knees slightly bent, up on the balls of his feet, upper body leaning forward and eyes fixed on the ball so as to stop the shot, diving from one side to the other if necessary.