The Perfect Goalie - Lab
The Perfect Goalie - Lab provides detailed explanations of the logic behind The Perfect Goalie - Philosophy in regard to specific technical, strategical or mental questions and topics.
Ready-Position
Strategical Thoughts: A goalie has multiple motion tasks that need to be executed in defensive situations and can’t be securely predicted when they have to be executed, for example quick lateral movements to adjust the goal-position, explosive lunges for shots, or explosive jumps out of the goal for steals. Therefore, the goalkeeper needs to be aware of three focus points: 1. The eyes have to focus on the ball at all times. 2. The legs have to be in a position that guarantees perfect balance, stability, as well as to work in an intensity that provides maximum explosiveness without tiring them out too much. 3. The hands have to be available and flexible to react at any given time to any given position where the ball needs to get blocked or taken (steal).
Preparation: The legs have to tread water with the knees constantly spread slightly wider than shoulder with apart and in their upper position higher at least on hip level. For a perfect balance and effective support of the legs the upper body is slightly leaned forward so that the shoulders cover half of the thighs (when looking downwards the goalie should be able see the full triangle of the thighs). The elbows are spread diagonal outwards and slightly ahead of the shoulder-line with forearms and hands pointing forward and slightly under the surface (not more than a thumb length).
Execution: The ready-position is a combination of a fast and steady water-treading with the legs so that the elevation of the shoulders is with arm pits touching the surface, and a mirrored arm-support motion with the hands without creating strong waves or even white water. Important for the water-treading is, that the thighs start each kick with the knee kicking downwards from the highest point and the feet always pointing outwards with the inside of the foot creating a powerful push diagonal outside and downwards. The hand motion should be independent from the leg rhythm and a short mirrored inwards and outwards motion with angling the hand slightly upwards in the direction of the motion (like spreading butter on bread).
Practice Clips:
Lob (Arch Shot) Blocking
Strategical Thoughts: The challenge of a lob shot is, that it needs a completely different way to block the ball compared to a hard shot, and the shot itself is often very difficult to anticipate for a goalkeeper. The ball turns out to come in an high trajectory out of reach for the goalie and drops down diagonal or straight behind into the goal. Therefore, the spot to block the ball must be close to the goal - slightly ahead or even on the goal-line.
Preparation: Since players usually try to hide their intention of shooting a lob with extreme fakes or a powerful elevation, the goalie should start in a regular ready-position (see above) as if expecting a hard shot. Additional to that the mental awareness of the actual goal-position and the likelihood of a lob shot option is important.
Execution: “JUMP - TURN - KICK (- KICK - KICK)” - Although the blocking motion for a lob block eventually needs to be diagonal or straight backwards in direction where the ball drops down, reality in games proves that it is difficult to identify the lob in the moment of the shot. Therefore, a leg reaction to shoot the body out (JUMP) allows the goalie either to block a hard shot or to get into the specific lob motion (TURN). This TURN happens in the moment when the goalie realizes that the ball is coming in an arch, and gets started by swinging the ball sided hand as far backwards as possible in direction of the block spot, and at the same time reaching over with the opposite hand in the same direction to block the dropping ball. To make more distance backwards if the lob is longer then the goalie can reach, quick breast-kicks need to get added (KICK) in direction to the blocking spot.
Practice Clips: