Diving

The dive can be the most spectacular save in soccer, with the goalkeeper seemingly flying in out of nowhere to keep the ball from hitting the net. It's an important part of the keeper's arsenal, but a keeper must have sound fundamentals to perform a dive successfully.

Diving should only be done as a last resort - good footwork and positioning should eliminate the need to dive often. Beware the keeper who loves to dive too much and dives even on what should be easy saves. It looks impressive, but safety should come first.

Basic Principles of Diving

Many of the fundamentals of footwork and catching also apply to diving: stay square to the shooter, move forward towards the ball, use the hands to catch the ball. For diving, they are expanded a little.

• Use good footwork to get into position to dive. Small shuffle steps, or occasionally even a quick crossover, need to be used to get the body into the proper range to make the dive.
• Move forward at an angle into the dive. 

  The Right Angle: Just why do soccer goalkeepers dive backwards? The explanation, and a Java applet that lets you cover all the angles.

  The first step going into a dive should be sideways towards the ball and forward at roughly a 30-degree angle. This gives the keeper the proper angle to deflect balls away from goal. One of the biggest problems for keepers is diving backwards - they put their weight on their heels and stretch backwards, and often will deflect the ball back into the side netting. Don't let this happen! Make sure they start with their weight forward on their toes and step forwards into the dive.
• Get low and shoot out towards the ball. Drive with the near leg, starting low to generate power. This should come as a natural progression after the step forward at the angle.
• Stay square while diving and after landing on the ground. Even while in midair, the keeper's body should be square to the ball. Why? Because this gives them the best catching position, gets the largest part of their body behind the ball, and will have them land on their hip and side which is the safest landing position. Same thing goes after they are on the ground. Do not allow the keeper to turn face-down while making the catch and land on their stomach! Not only can the ball slip through, but landing on the ball can injure the keeper. Similarly, don't let them roll over on their back after the catch is made.
• Catch the ball with the hands first, then cushion the fall. Many young keepers are afraid of falling to the ground while diving and fail to make the catch in the first place. Always make the catch first, with the hands in good catching position, then worry about landing. If they have good technique and land on their side, it will hurt much less. In addition, if they make a good catch and have the ball in their hands, they can use the ball as a cushion to soften the landing.

The Collapsed Dive or "Cradling"

The collapsed dive or "cradling" is used on balls fairly close to the goalkeeper but far enough to the side that just reaching out to make the catch does not get any of the body behind the ball. The intent is to move the entire body behind the ball and get the hands in good catching position.

 The sequence of events on a collapsed dive goes like this:

• Use quick footwork to get into proper diving position
• Step to the side the ball is on, forward at an angle
• Use the near leg push to drive to the ball
• Get both hands to the ball to make the catch, using a good "W" catch
• Collapse softly to the ground, putting the ball down first to cushion the fall and landing on the side (hip and shoulder)

Extension and Aerial Dives

For balls further away, the keeper must extend and get into the air at the same level as the ball. Again, the whole idea is to get the body behind the ball and the hands in good catching position.

The technique is similar to a collapsed dive, except that now the keeper must generate extra power to drive the body both horizontally and vertically to get into catching position. In addition, the landing will be a bit more difficult since the keeper will be "falling" from higher up.

 The technique for aerial or extension dives is this:

• Use quick footwork to get into proper diving position
• Step to the side the ball is on, forward at an angle
• Drive outwards, and upwards if necessary, with the near foot, starting low and exploding for maximum height and distance - the goal is to get the body at the same height as the ball. For low balls, no height is needed so don't waste energy going up to make "rainbow", just drive horizontally.
• Bring the knee of the other leg across the body for additional boost
• Get both hands to the ball to make the catch, using a good "W" catch
• Bring the ball to the ground first to cushion the landing, then land as softly as possible on the side (hip and shoulder)

Again, the diving technique attempts to get the body and hands into position to make a good clean catch. In fact, when a dive is properly executed, the body should be in the same position as when making an easy head-high save standing up. The only difference is that you are horizontal three feet off the ground! Of course, it can be difficult for young keepers (especially girls) to achieve great height or distance, but if they develop proper technique early the height and distance will come with age and strength.

The combination of stepping and driving with the near foot and then getting extra boost from the other knee is often referred to as the "power step". Many young players, especially girls, will not have sufficient leg strength to get airborne very well. That's okay - just introduce them to the proper technique. A good power step and the ability to explode to the ball will come in time. But don't let them omit the power step, even if they can't generate much power now.

Also, many young or beginning goalkeepers will be afraid of the landing.  Tell them to stop thinking so much and just do it! Focus on getting to the ball and staying square and the landing will take care of itself. This can be tough to get past, so be patient.

However, be careful not to overtrain younger keepers when working on diving, particulary aerial and extension diving. Introduce the basics of proper technique, but don't push keepers who aren't ready for the physical aspects of diving.

Finally, if they don't come up with the ball, the keeper should be ready to spring back to their feet immediately to make another save if they can (the ball doesn't always end up in the goal when we miss!). If possible,  they should get back up without using their hands. Once the hands are put down on the ground to push off, they become useless. Quick recovery, with hands ready, can often keep the ball out of the net.

Catching

The only advantage a goalkeeper has over any other player on the soccer field is that they can use their hands. In this way, a goalkeeper can control the ball in a way no other player can, but to gain this control, they must catch the ball.

Catching technique is second only to footwork in making a safe, solid keeper. "Soft" goals that just slip into the net and rebound goals are tough for the keeper and the entire team to deal with. Proper training and practice can prevent these.

The Two Principles of Catching

The first thing to remember about catching a soccer ball is always get the hands to the ball first!. The occasional kick save may be necessary, but a goalkeeper's hands are their advantage and they should always try to exercise that advantage whenever possible. The "hands to the ball first" axiom applies to every single technique in goalkeeping.

The second thing is a keeper must have "soft hands". This means they must use their arms, back and legs to cushion the ball, absorbing its energy and allowing them to hang on to it. When reaching for a ball, the arms should be extended (but don't lock the elbows!), then the elbows bend as the catch is made, allowing the arms to absorb the speed of the ball. The keeper can also bend back a bit at the waist to help cushion the ball. A quiet catch is a good, soft catch. If the ball loudly slaps the hands, the keeper is not giving enough with the ball. Don't allow the keeper to take steps backwards to cushion the catch - remember, the keeper should always move forwards towards the ball.

There are several basic types of catches used by soccer goalkeepers.

• The "W" or Contour Catch

  Fig. 1a (L), 1b (R): The "W" or contour catch

  
  The "W" or contour catch is used for any ball from about waist height up. The hands cradle the contour of the ball, with the thumbs and index fingers forming a "W" behind the ball (Fig. 1a). It's critical that the handsespecially the thumbs, be behind the ball - if a keeper tends to catch the sides of the ball, without the strong thumbs behind, they will let balls get through their grip and let in easy goals.

  The hand position can be varied somewhat. For younger keepers or those with small hands, bring the wrists closer together, thumbs almost parallel, to get the most stopping power behind the ball (Fig. 1b). More experienced keeper with more hand strength should rotate the wrists outward, getting more of the contour of the ball and thus better control.

  For balls high in the air, the hand position is the same. However, the goalkeeper must also take additional steps to ensure they can catch the ball cleanly:

  • Jump to catch the ball at the highest point possible. Keepers must not wait on a high ball in the air and make a basket catch at the waist! They must get to the ball above their heads. If the ball is not caught high, attackers can rush in and head the ball away before it gets to the keeper's hands. Watch carefully for this and insist they use proper technique.
  • Raise one knee, the one nearest any opposing pressure, as they jump. This provides extra boost for the jump, and also can provide some protection against onrushing forwards. However, a goalkeeper should never raise their knee with intent to injure or "send a message" to another player. The knee is primarily used to generate additional height on the jump, secondarily as a fender against collisions. It should be kept close in to the keeper's body.

  If the keeper gets their hands to a high overhead ball, but the ball rolls off their hands and down, they may need to cock their wrist back more to get the hands in better catching position.

• Fig. 2: Inverted contour catch

  The Inverted Contour
  For balls below the waist, the inverted contour or basket catch is used. The hands are again behind the ball, this time downwards with the pinkies together (Fig. 2). Here again it is critical for the hands to be behind the ball.

  For very hard, low shots, the goalkeeper needs to ensure their momentum is forward and their weight is over the ball. Older, more advanced goalkeepers should use the front smoother technique for these shots (see the dvance diving page).

• Ground or Rolling Ball Pickup
  There are several techniques for picking up a rolling ball. For all of them, the keeper must get their hands all the way down, fingertips brushing the ground to ensure a clean catch.

  The straight-leg pickup seems to be falling out of favor lately, and most goalkeepers use the knee-bent pickup and its moving variation. in fact, since basic footwork principles tell us we should move forwards to the ball, the moving pickup is probably used the most of any of these techniques.

  • Straight-leg pickup (Fig. 3) - the keeper bends from the waist, slightly bent at the knees, with feet behind the ball. Catch with the hands, then bring up to the chest. Use this save when there is no pressure. Watch out for young or not very flexible keepers who bend from the waist but cannot get their hands all the way to the ground. This is a recipe for missed balls. These keepers should probably use the following bent-knee pickup instead.

    Also, a keeper should not use this type of save when under pressure from opposing forwards. It does not allow enough ability to move out of the way if necessary, and puts the head low and in a vulnerable position as well. Use a moving-ball pickup, below, to run through the ball or out of harm's way, or make a sliding save as for a breakaway.

  • Knee-bent pickup (Fig. 4) - keeper staggers their feet slightly, one just behind the other. Keeper bends at knees and waist, one foot beside the ball and the other behind the ball, catch with the hands and then bring up to the chest. Although the feet are staggered, they should be behind the ball and close enough together that a ball cannot slip between them.
  • Moving pickup - similar to a knee-bent pickup, but used when the keeper is on the move towards the rolling ball. The foot on the goal side of the ball is placed beside the ball, the other foot behind the ball. Keeper is low as they approach the ball, scoop with hands behind the ball and not on the sides of the ball, and continue to move through the ball in one continuous motion.
  • Knee-down pickup (Fig. 5) - contrary to what many young goalkeepers seem to be taught, this save is actually one of the least used because it restricts mobility. This technique is only used in special situations, on long, low, hard shots on uneven fields or wet grass. It gives the keeper the largest "backstop" for low balls that may be difficult to corral. Keeper bends one knee; the other goes down almost to the ground and very close to the other heel. The down knee should not touch the ground and should not bear any weight, so that the keeper can easily get up and move if need be. Also, the gap between heel and knee should be less than a ball width, for obvious reasons.

  Fig. 3: Straight-Leg Pickup	Fig. 4: Bent-Knee Pickup	Fig. 5: Knee down pickup

  For any low balls, the legs must be kept more or less together and behind the ball. Opening the legs invites the "ole" goal right through the wickets - quite embarrassing for the keeper!

Protecting the ball after a catch

The proper position for protecting a ball after a catch is made is shown in Fig. 6. Both forearms vertical, with hands curled over the top of the soccer ball. In this position it is almost impossible to dislodge the ball. The forearms should never be held horizontally like a running back receiving a handoff.

Fig. 6: Protecting the ball

Your keeper should not attempt to protect the ball too soon after a catch. Too often, keepers attempt to bring the ball to the protected position before they have made a clean catch, and end up bobbling the ball, or attempt to make a "catch" in the protected position and end up having the ball ricochet away from their chest or forearms. I cannot stress enough that catch must always be made with the hands first. In fact, if there is no pressure on the goalkeeper, it may not be necessary to protect the ball at all. If the catch is secure, the keeper should be able to simply hold the ball in the catching position. Catch/protect should be two distinct actions - in fact, they should be two distinct sounds as the goalkeeper makes the save - the first the sound of the ball hitting the hands, then the sound of the ball being protected against the chest.

Also, do not allow the goalkeeper to bat the ball in front of them and then catch it. They should be able to "stick" the catch in good catching position right away, using arms, back and legs to cushion the ball as mentioned above.

Positioning

Basic Positioning Principles

Fig 1. The Center Line Position

Fig. 2 Covering the Angle

First, to position themselves accurately, the goalkeeper must know where the goal is! It sounds obvious, but during the scramble of a game a keeper can lose track. When the play starts moving towards the goal, the first thing the keeper must do is check the posts to make sure they are starting off with good position. Then, whenever they can divert their attention for a split second, they should check the posts again to make sure they've maintained that good position in the face of a moving ball.

Second, the goalkeeper must always try to position themselves on an imaginary line that runs from the center of the goal to the ball (Fig. 1). This puts them in position to get to either post equally well. The center line determines the side-to-side positioning.

Third, the goalkeeper must position themselves far enough off the goal line to cover the angle created by the ball and both posts. They should be able to cover either post with a couple of quick steps (footwork!) and a dive if necessary (Fig. 2). The angle and the keeper's ability determine the forward/backward positioning. Many young or timid goalkeepers tend to stay very close to the goal line - sometimes right on it. They must be taught to come off the line if they are to cover any shots near the posts.

How far out a keeper must come depends on their size and ability - smaller goalkeepers or keepers with a poor range will need to come farther out to be able to cover the entire angle.

But don't forget the third dimension not represented in these pictures: height. A keeper who is far off their line is more likely to be beaten by a chip over their head, so that must also be put into the equation. The keeper must adjust the forward/backward position so that they're confident they won't be beaten easily over the top.

Positioning Around the Goal

The goalkeeper must constantly adjust his or her position as they move around the goal. Let's look at what happens as the ball changes spots.

Fig. 3: The Goalkeeper's Arc

Fig. 4 Adjusted Arc

At a tight angle, with the ball near the end line, the angle the keeper needs to cover is very small, so they can stay near their goal. However, the keeper must stay outside the near post. This will prevent them from deflecting a shot into their own net inside the near post. At sharp angles the goalkeeper should always position themselves so any ball they deflect at a right angle (they should already be square to the ball) will go outside the near post.

Here's a quick way for goalkeepers to tell if they are outside the near post: if the goalkeeper, while square to the ball, points their arms straight out sideways, the arm nearest the goal should be pointing outside the near post. If it is pointing into the net, the keeper needs to take another step or two out from goal.

As the ball moves further out onto the soccer field, the near post is not as much of a concern any more, but the keeper must move further out to cover the angle.

Figure 3 shows conceptually where a keeper should be positioned (red dots) as the ball (black dots) moves around the edge of the penalty area. The blue line shows the shape this makes. The actual size of the arc will differ depending on the size and skill of a particular keeper, but the general shape will remain the same. (The angle lines are only drawn on the left side of the illustration to avoid clutter.)

If we look at the top of the arc, though, we notice that the keeper is very far off the line (sometimes 10-12 yards out!) and likely to get chipped, especially if they're not very tall. So we need to adjust the top of the arc to account for high balls. The top of the arc gets flattened, bringing the keeper back to a position where they have a chance to get to any ball over their head (Fig. 4). Again, the exact position will depend on the size and skill of the player. Shorter, less skilled keepers will be more comfortable closer to the goal line, others may be comfortable closer to the six.

Tony DiCicco calls this concept the "Arc Angle". It can easily be demonstrated on the soccer field with three ropes about 50 feet long, one attached to each post and one to a stake at the middle of the goal line. Place the ball at varying spots around the penalty area and have the keeper find their position, then place a cone there. When the exercise is finished, the cones will show that keeper's arc as in Figure 3. Adjust for chip shots and you'll end up with the keeper's arc as in Figure 4.

A keeper should learn this arc and use it as a general guideline for how they position themselves as the ball moves. Notice that this arc roughly follows the goal box. Make sure the keeper notes how their own arc matches or differs from the goal box, so they can use the goal box as a reference during practices and games. However, do not let a keeper, especially a young one, think they must move along this arc at all times. If the ball quickly changes position, they must move as quickly as possible to cover the new position, cutting across the box if necessary.

Also, remember a given keeper's arc will change as they gain size, strength and ability. You may want to run the exercise with the ropes once a season to see if their arc has changed.

Positioning Within the Penalty Area

Discussion of where the goalkeeper should be in the penalty area when the ball is elsewhere on the soccer field is in the tactics section.

How To Stay Focused

However, it is crucial to stay focused during the whole game because you never know when the opponents could get a half chance and score on you. Always try to be on your toes and ready for action. Here are 4 tips that will help you stay focused during the whole game.

1. Never underestimate your opponents – You should never underestimate your opponents no matter how bad they are. On this way you will not only keep yourself focused, you will also gain more respect from your opponents. Treat every game like it was a world cup final. Only on this way you will be able to keep your focus during the whole game and prohibit your opponents from scoring.

2. Perform exercises – If the opponents can’t even pass the centerline you should consider to perform some exercises to keep yourself warm. These exercises should not involve any ball handling as the referee may find this arrogant and punish you with a yellow card. One type of exercise you may use for keeping yourself focused is stretching. You will not only increase the flexibility of your muscles; you will also feel more calm and ready for action. You should neither leave the goal as your opponents may spot you being too far from the goal and could try to take advantage of that.

3. Predict possible situations – When standing in the goal you should try to predict whether your opponents will attack from the wing or from middle of the field. For example; if you opponents have a good striker you can be pretty sure that they will try to pass the ball to him very often.

What you need to do then is to keep yourself focused and clear the ball if your fullbacks should miss it. You may have not realized this yet but while playing as goalkeeper you have many in common with your fullbacks. These are for example clearing the ball from dangerous areas or stopping your opponents to get around you in 1 vs 1 situations.

4. Talk with your defense line – By talking with your defenders you will not only help them covering their area better. You will also help yourself stay focused and avoid having your mind on some other place. However, you don’t need to talk every second or so. Instead try to say something at least every minute that will give your defenders advantage on your opponents.

Footwork

Good footwork is the foundation of solid goalkeeping. If a keeper has quick feet, they can easily get themselves into position to make the easy catch, rather than having to dive at balls just at the edge of their reach all the time. Good goalkeepers make every save look easy, and the key to that is good footwork.

Footwork Principles

• Keep moving and stay on the toes. The feet of a good goalkeeper are constantly in motion, and they dance on the balls of the feet. A sure way for a keeper to get beat is to have their weight back on their heels. Watch for this! Not only does this keep them from moving quickly to a ball, but it has bad effects on their diving and jumping. Your keeper should have "happy feet", always bouncing on the toes and with their weight forward.
• Stay square to the ball.

  Fig. 1: Stay square to the ball

  The goalkeepers hips and shoulders should always be square to the ball; that is, perpendicular to a line between the shooter/ball and the keeper. (Fig. 1). A common problem is for young keepers to turn sideways when collecting balls that aren't in front of them. Make sure they always square up - to do this, they must also...
• Get behind the ball. It is easiest to make the save when the ball is directly in front of them, so they should use their feet to get behind the ball every time, if possible. A goalkeeper uses two types of steps to do this:
  1. Shuffle step - this is used for short distances. The body stays square to the ball, the feet shuffle quickly but never cross over. Right foot stays on the right, left on the left.
  2. Crossover step - used to cover more ground. Turn the hips and run in the direction they want to go, but with their upper body facing the ball. Again, don't cross the feet up - right on the right, left on the left. This is not a carioca or "grapevine" step, where one foot passes in front of and then behind the other alternately.
  If there is a long way to go, use the crossover, then end with a few quick shuffles to adjust the final position for making the catch. A common problem, especially for young players, is to cross their feet and trip themselves up. Make sure right foot stays on the right, left on left.
• Move forwards to the ball. The save should always be made forwards, moving towards the ball. This accomplishes two important things: it allows the keeper to get to the ball faster, and it gives the keeper the proper angle to deflect any balls that aren't caught away from the goal. Do not let your keeper take a step back when they catch the ball. If anything, they should take a step forward.
• Recover quickly, and always keep your hands free. Just because the goalkeeper goes down with a dive or slide does not mean the play is over. A parry or deflection may keep the ball in play, and perhaps send it right to an attacker! The goalkeeper must regain their feet as quickly as possible. Preferrably, this is done without using the hands so the hands are ready to make a stop if necessary. There is no set method for doing this, but goalkeepers should practice getting back up quickly and without the use of their hands.

Again, footwork is the foundation of solid goalkeeping! Often the difference between a save and a goal is just half a step. Use the feet to get the body behind the ball.

The Ready Position

Fig. 2: The ready position

Introduction

The goalkeeper. They also call him doorman, keeper, goalie, bouncer or netminder, but he could just as well be called martyr, pay-all, penitent or punching bag. They say where he walks, the grass never grows.
-- Eduardo Galeano, Soccer in Sun and Shadow

The soccer goalkeeper is one of the most important players on the field - they are the last line of defense and the first line of attack. To play the position well requires special skills and training.

To many coaches, though, soccer goalkeeping techniques and tactics are a mystery. This is especially true at younger age levels, where often coaches have not played much soccer at all, much less played keeper. Even experienced field players and coaches may not have much experience with goalkeeping.

This site is designed to help soccer coaches coach their goalkeepers. It outlines and demonstrates basic soccer goalkeeping techniques and tactics, and also touches on the psychology of goalkeeping and provides a primer on goalkeeping equipment.

I hope this site will help soccer coaches be more effective in working with their goalkeepers and understanding the ins and outs of the position.