While at least at a basic level all other positions can be coached and drilled similarly, most general drills are not helpful to one of your most important positions, your goalkeepers. Just as the kit they wear differs slightly their key skills are also different. If you are looking for Cheap Football Kits such as the ones you can find at https://www.kitking.co.uk/, it is worth making sure that you stock up on all of the equipment that your goalkeeper needs at the same time.
It is always exciting to see a top goalkeeper make a one handed save, or maintain a lead through a daring dive, but these techniques are much more advanced than they seem, and can even be dangerous to young and inexperienced players. This is why it is incredibly important that you plan specific coaching drills for those playing in this position.
Goalkeepers effectively play by a different set of rules, use a different set of techniques, and almost play a different game to the rest of the players on your team.
So how can you effectively coach goalkeepers at a youth level?
Focus on the Basics
Instead of training one-handed saves, focus on where a player can hold their hands, and how to make catches safely and regularly. This will not only help to develop their skills and technique but also help to prevent injuries occurring from incorrectly handling a ball that is flying towards them at great speed.
Ensure Everyone is Clear on the Rules for Keepers
Obviously all of the players you are coaching need to know the rules of the game, but at a youth level, keepers often play by a different set of rules, even when compared to those just a year or two older or even those in a different league.
Many youth leagues place restrictions on how keepers can use their hands, and especially how they can get rid of the ball, so ensure that both you as a coach and your players are familiar with the set of rules that they are going to be playing under, not just the general rules of the game. It is worth reinforcing these during each training session so you can be sure that your players are fully aware of what they can and can’t do.
Keep Calm and Positive
Any player can be demotivated by negativity, but there is a lot of added pressure on goalkeepers, so it is very easy for a coach or teammate to inadvertently demoralise a young goalkeeper.
Make sure your warmups for goalkeepers emphasise skills the player has with only a few really difficult shots, instead of putting them in a position where they will fail more than they succeed before the game even begins.
More than that, make sure you, and the rest of the team, don’t fall into the habit of blaming the goalkeeper for goals scored against them. Nothing will destroy a player’s ambition faster than being blamed for every loss.