Goalkeeping

Goalkeeper Handling Station

Build clean, secure handling

Goalkeeping

Goalkeeper Handling Station is a 14-minute goalkeeping drill for 1-6 players, suitable for Under 8 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, full goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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Goalkeeping

Technical Practice

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Small Group

Foundation Phase

Youth Friendly

Adult Suitable

Goals Needed

Duration

14 min

Players

1-6

Pitch size

Penalty area

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Goalkeeper Handling Station — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · Penalty area

Step 1 of 4Server feeds low, mid and high balls in sequence.

1. Server feeds low, mid and high balls in sequence.
2. Keeper secures every ball into the chest.
3. Sets of ten with rest between.
4. Rotation: Rotate as servers.

Cones mark the area
Full goal
GK = goalkeeper
C = coach serving, S = second server
Ball
Cones mark the keeper's starting positions
Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
Keeper distributes back to the server
Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

-Build clean, secure handling
-Work low, mid and high catches
-Develop confidence with the hands

Setup

1Keeper in goal with cones marking the working line.
2Server eight yards away with a supply of balls.
3Spare keepers rotate as servers.

Coaching instructions

1Server feeds low, mid and high balls in sequence.
2Keeper secures every ball into the chest.
3Sets of ten with rest between.

Coaching points

-Hands behind the ball in a W shape
-Get the body behind the line of the ball
-Secure the ball before moving

Common mistakes

-Hands to the side of the ball
-Catching with straight arms
-Not getting the body behind it

Equipment needed

Balls

Cones

Full Goals

Age groups

Under 8

Under 9

Under 10

Under 11

Under 12

Under 13

Under 14

Under 15

Under 16

Adults

Progressions

+Set Position Check: serve early to shorten the set time
+Blind Serve: add a deflection off a mannequin
+Distribution Exit: coach calls the target after the save
+Add a competitive scoreline for the last round

Regressions

-Set Position Check: announce the serve so the keeper can prepare
-Blind Serve: serve slower and from further out
-Distribution Exit: one fixed target every time
-Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

-Set Position Check — The keeper must be fully set — feet split, hands ready — before every strike.
-Blind Serve — The keeper starts facing away or with a screen blocking sight of the strike.
-Distribution Exit — Every save or catch must be followed by a chosen distribution: throw, side-volley or pass to a full-back.
-Handling Volume — Ten unbroken repetitions per set with clean handling — a drop means the set restarts.
-1v1 Situation — A live attacker runs onto the ball, so the keeper must decide to close, hold or spread.
-Cross Claiming — Serves come as crosses from both sides with a passive attacker in the six yard box.
-Fatigue Finish — Finish each set with three saves in ten seconds to work handling under fatigue.
-Flip the practice to the opposite side of the pitch