How Youth Soccer Coaches Can Motivate Players to Want to Play Goalie
Many youth soccer coaches have a problem finding enough players who want to play goalie.
This article contains suggestions for how youth soccer coaches can motivate players to want play goalie.
I frequently hear from youth soccer coaches who have only one or two players who want to play Goalkeeper.
It is obviously a problem if your only Goalie doesn't make the game, so it is wise to have 2 or 3 kids who want to play Goalie.
The approach I have found most effective is "Praise and Rewards".
I suggest youth soccer coaches make playing Goalie an honor, praise the Goalie(s) in front of the entire team and parents, and give them rewards.
One way to do this is to have the entire team thank everyone who played Goalie after each match in front of parents.
It is nice if you lead an applause for them and brag on their efforts in front of all the players and parents.
Never let players or parents criticize the Goalie.
Remind the players that if they were doing their jobs there would be very few shots for the Goalie to stop.
Also tell them that if they are going to be critical then they need to play Goalie.
Another idea that will encourage players to want to play Goalie is to buy a cool iron-on soccer patch that is only for the players who play Goalie.
Choose a color or use the Lightning Bolt, the Shamrock or a Star color.
Let the Goalies decide which patch they want to be the Goalie patch and let them earn it by playing Goalie 2 or 3 times.
The parents can iron the patch on the player's jersey or practice shirt.
I used this approach when I coached and it worked.
We now sell the iron-on soccer patches.
I try not to put anyone in goal unless they want to play there.
I ask who wants to play goal, or who has played it, and test their skills by having them punt the ball, seeing how far they can kick the ball, throwing it at them from about 5 and 10 steps away to see if they have "good hands", and being sure they know how to move to cut the shot angle, how to catch a ball and how to deflect a shot off to the side and over the crossbar.
Ideally, a goalie is quick, but there are more important things in rec soccer.
In rec soccer, height helps and the ability to clear a punt is very important, or the other team will bring pressure and get scoring opportunities.
A long goal kick isn't as critical; you can have another player take those.
I have had several goalies who were good but would have been average at best anywhere else on the field.
These were large boys who were slow with below average ball skills, but they were good in goal.
In rec soccer, a great goalie can make a huge difference and can be worth 2 or 3 goals.
This article contains suggestions for how youth soccer coaches can motivate players to want play goalie.
I frequently hear from youth soccer coaches who have only one or two players who want to play Goalkeeper.
It is obviously a problem if your only Goalie doesn't make the game, so it is wise to have 2 or 3 kids who want to play Goalie.
The approach I have found most effective is "Praise and Rewards".
I suggest youth soccer coaches make playing Goalie an honor, praise the Goalie(s) in front of the entire team and parents, and give them rewards.
One way to do this is to have the entire team thank everyone who played Goalie after each match in front of parents.
It is nice if you lead an applause for them and brag on their efforts in front of all the players and parents.
Never let players or parents criticize the Goalie.
Remind the players that if they were doing their jobs there would be very few shots for the Goalie to stop.
Also tell them that if they are going to be critical then they need to play Goalie.
Another idea that will encourage players to want to play Goalie is to buy a cool iron-on soccer patch that is only for the players who play Goalie.
Choose a color or use the Lightning Bolt, the Shamrock or a Star color.
Let the Goalies decide which patch they want to be the Goalie patch and let them earn it by playing Goalie 2 or 3 times.
The parents can iron the patch on the player's jersey or practice shirt.
I used this approach when I coached and it worked.
We now sell the iron-on soccer patches.
I try not to put anyone in goal unless they want to play there.
I ask who wants to play goal, or who has played it, and test their skills by having them punt the ball, seeing how far they can kick the ball, throwing it at them from about 5 and 10 steps away to see if they have "good hands", and being sure they know how to move to cut the shot angle, how to catch a ball and how to deflect a shot off to the side and over the crossbar.
Ideally, a goalie is quick, but there are more important things in rec soccer.
In rec soccer, height helps and the ability to clear a punt is very important, or the other team will bring pressure and get scoring opportunities.
A long goal kick isn't as critical; you can have another player take those.
I have had several goalies who were good but would have been average at best anywhere else on the field.
These were large boys who were slow with below average ball skills, but they were good in goal.
In rec soccer, a great goalie can make a huge difference and can be worth 2 or 3 goals.