Soccer Goalkeeper Drills For Breakaway Saves

How does a goalkeeper protect him/herself when the opposing team's strikers come in aggressively and kick the keeper - or slide tackle the keeper? If the ref allows this type of play to continue, how can the keeper defend him/herself?

Its a very hard thing at the youth level to have a keeper do their job, and be safe. If the keeper jumps in front of a shot, or shot in-progress and gets kicked the Ref will never call that. But, if the keeper comes out, slides in to a shot or shot in progress makes the save, then the attacking player decides to kick the keeper anyway, that is a card, and should be. Not all are called, but if NONE are, then as a coach it is your duty to call the Ref over and explain to them the safety issue. Not using language that is attacking the Ref, or by yelling, but rather by addressing that this is a game with children and safety is top billing. If the Ref does nothing, or will not come over to you you do have options. 1. Walking out on the field to address the Ref -- While this can result in a card for you, and other actions, it will drive home the point that you are trying to make. Not advised, and depending on the league and other factors can lead to off field discipline to you. But, if the issue is extreme your job is always player safety not winning. 2. During the Half Time break, talk to the Ref. Are they not listening? Are they teenagers that are Ref's? Do they not care? Ask them where the head Ref is at if they will not engage you and go talk to them right away. Almost all Rec and Select Teams play at a complex of fields, with more than one game going on at a time. The Ref's answer to the Head Ref. This person is the person to bring Ref complaints too and safety issues. 3. At the half talk to the coach of the other team, explain your position, and the safety issue. Coaches, um.. good coaches will help out, bad ones need to be addressed per the rules of the organization with the help of the parents. 3. Last resort for this and any safety issue is to pull your team off the field and get the head Ref during the play of the game. Again, extreme and a last resort. Remember, if you do this DO NOT let your players back on the field until the issue is addressed. I have had to do this with a Rec league of 9 yr old kids, teenage Refs and their friend was a coach of the other team. His players were throwing my kids on the ground, tripping them, and one was punched. Refs did nothing, and were overwhelmed by the yelling parents etc. I took them off the field, got the head Ref, explained the issue. He came over, stopped the game officially, removed the Refs and we replayed the game later with him as the lead Ref. So it does work. That said, Keepers protect themselves with their body and position. So if you watch some of the YouTube videos, the Coach talks about "looking through the window". Meaning looking through the keepers arms. When a keeper comes out to slide into a ball, they should after getting to the ground do the following: 1. Bring their hands to the ball, not their face. This ensures if the player kicks through all that will hit them in the face is their own hands and the ball. 2. Bringing the outside leg up. So if the keeper slides out to the right (making contact with the ground on their right side) the left leg should be bent and up in a shielding position. This does two things. First, it protects the keepers body and Second it makes them big, which forces the attacker to either jump out of the way, or hit the keeper. When a attacker hits a keeper at full speed they will flip and land on their head. Strikers learn this lesson one time, before they get out of the way. I hope this helps, and remember as a coach, its your duty to protect younger players, from the parents, players, Refs and teammates. Be proactive with the Refs, before games explain what happened last game, and ask for help. Most people yell at Refs, but if you work with them they will respond to it and help you also.

MY DAUGHTER IS GOALKEEPER AND WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE THE GAME