Agile soccer goalies can accelerate rapidly, stop short and perform quick direction changes, all without losing their balance. These are vital skills when defending the goal, which requires rapid reaction times and lightning-fast movements to block speedy shots. Develop agility by having goalies perform drills that build their abilities.
Footwork
Even the largest goalies can't defend the goal effectively without the ability to shift quickly from one side of the goal to the other. During a game, a goalie's footwork must be unconscious, but you can develop fast footwork through drills that incorporate speedy foot movements and hopping. For example, darting between cones as fast as possible teaches goalies to make quick direction changes without losing their balance. Running through a series of tires develops lower-body coordination and speed. Finally, sprinting develops an ability to accelerate rapidly.
Hand Drills
Upper-body agility is also vital for goalies. Goalies must have fast reaction times, or they won't be able to block fast shots. Upper-body agility drills should focus on hand-eye coordination. For example, direct the goalie to guard the net while you rapidly throw a series of soccer balls. Don't forecast which direction you will be throwing the balls -- the point of the drill is to teach the goalie to make quick decisions. At first, have the goalie knock the balls away. Eventually, the goalie should incorporate catching the ball to gain control of it.
Stopping Short
Often, goalies must stop short and change direction to stop an attack on goal. For example, a goalies might shift to one side of the goal to block an attacker who has the ball. If that attacker makes a quick pass to someone on the opposite side of the goal, the goalie must pivot to face the new danger. A simple drill to develop goalies' ability to stop short and pivot is to direct goalies to sprint in one direction and then reverse direction every time you blow your whistle. Blow the whistle at random intervals to keep the goalies guessing.
Considerations
Conditioning drills help develop goalkeeping abilities, but an effective training program relies most heavily on actual goalkeeping. Goalies must gain experience defending the net against players to develop agility in practical situations. For example, have two players attack the goal together. Chances are, the two players will pass the ball back and forth rapidly. This forces the goalie to be agile and quick. If goalies can defend against multiple attackers, they will be agile enough to handle single attackers.
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