09/08/2026
Hey new coaches! One thing worth about five minutes at practice this week: identify a goalkeeper and teach them what to do once they have the ball.
For our younger teams, keep it simple. The goalkeeper collects the ball, runs to either corner of the goal box, and throws it up the line. Run it a few times so it's familiar by Saturday.
This is an often overlooked area and creates a difficult first game when a new team plays a more experienced team.
With everything else a new coach is sorting out before the first game, this one tends to get skipped. But the goalkeeper is part of your defense, and a ball played wide instead of back through the middle will save you a goal or two. In addition, nervous goalkeepers can get overwhelmed by the spotlight with fans, players and coaches trying to instruct them from on and off the field.
Get ahead and use 5-10 minutes of practice time to identify a goalkeeper and instruct them what to do when they make those epic saves!
playMSA
