How Working With Multiple GK Coaches Helps Development

One of the amazing things in Anna's development as a GK is that she has had an opportunity to work with a number of different goalkeeper coaches. Some of these are professionally trained and developed coaches, whereas others are players who have passion for the game and are excited to share their knowledge.

As you start to study goalkeeping it's quick to notice some things that are pretty common. An example is the set position, or the goalkeepers stance. We almost always see a similar bent knees, shoulders pulled back, equal balanced feet with heels slightly raised.

But, now let's look closer. One goalkeeper will have a lean more forward than another. One prefers hands up with palms facing outward, while the other might have thumbs upright but hands in a blade type shape, as if they were preparing to shake someones hands.

What's super is that goalkeepers can take each of these approaches in and determine what works best for them. There are a few things that I hold dear as I coach goalkeepers, one example being having a diamond contour hand for catches versus using a W.

One goalkeeper camp that we're both big fans of is Stan Anderson's Camp Shutout. Dozens of goalkeeper coaches, promotion and relegation, and over three hundred goalkeepers. It's a chance to see a variety of approaches, different teaching and coaching styles, and be inspired around a general celebration of goalkeeping.

I encourage your goalkeeper to work with different coaches, study different keepers, find what works for their style and gives them the confidence to be successful in goal.

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