Goalkeeping

Keeper Footwork Across Goal

Move across goal and be set before every strike

Goalkeeping

Speed & Agility

Premium

Keeper Footwork Across Goal is a 14-minute goalkeeping drill for 1-4 players, suitable for Under 9 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, full goals, cones. 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

Speed & Agility

Technical Practice

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Small Group

Youth Friendly

Adult Suitable

Goals Needed

Footwork

1-to-1

Duration

14 min

Players

1-4

Pitch size

18 yard box

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Keeper Footwork Across Goal — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 18 yard box

Step 1 of 3Keeper shuffles to the called cone, sets, then saves the serve.

1. Keeper shuffles to the called cone, sets, then saves the serve.
2. Six saves per set, then swap or rest.
3. Alternate low, mid-height and high serves.

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

-Move across goal and be set before every strike
-Handle cleanly after moving
-Build keeper-specific footwork without a queue

Setup

1Full goal with cones marking near post, centre and far post positions.
2Server with a supply of balls twelve yards out.
3One keeper working, one recovering.

Coaching instructions

1Keeper shuffles to the called cone, sets, then saves the serve.
2Six saves per set, then swap or rest.
3Alternate low, mid-height and high serves.

Coaching points

-Feet never cross when moving across goal
-Set with a split stance before the strike
-Hands in front, W-shape behind the ball

Common mistakes

-Still moving when the ball is struck
-Crossing the feet and losing balance
-Hands late and behind the body

Equipment needed

Balls

Full Goals

Cones

Age groups

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