Working on Through Balls

When the ball is at the other end of the field, many keepers tend to stay in the comfort of the shadow of their goal posts. Then when a long ball is played through the defense, the keeper finds herself going 1 v 1 against a fast striker. If the goal keeper learns to play well off her line, she can often get to the ball before the striker and clear it out of trouble. Because this often means that the keeper must get to the ball while it is outside the 18, the keeper must develop confidence in her ability to clear the ball. This set of drills is designed to help develop that confidence.

For all the drills place a cone about 50 yards away from the goal about 10 yards in from the sideline. The cone serves as a target for the keeper. The keeper wants to clear the ball to the cone. Never let the keeper work on clearing the ball without a target.

Start with easy ball that the keeper can control with little trouble.

1. Start with the keeper at the top of the 18 in the middle of the field. Slowly roll balls toward the keeper from about 30 yards out. The keeper should sprint out and clear the ball to the target. Make sure that the ball is rolled slowly to the keeper. You want to start the training with success. Stress getting to the ball quickly, clearing the ball so that it gets up in the air, and clearing the ball to the target. It is important that the ball gets up in the air (the importance of getting the ball up in the air is demonstrated by the US Mexico game when Keller cleared the ball into the Mexico attacker and into the goal).

2. Once the keeper is able to handle easy balls with no pace, add pace. But not too much. You want to make sure the keeper is successful. Start placing more emphasis on hitting the target. This is an example of the keeper being the first line of offense.

3. Move to mid-field and start kicking the ball to the keeper. Kicked balls tend to bounce and do funny things and are harder to deal with than rolled balls. Again add emphasis on hitting the target. If the keeper has trouble dealing with kicked balls, go back to step 2. Build confidence by making sure that the keeper succeeds.

4. When the keeper can deal with kicked balls, add passive pressure either with another player or a cone. The keeper should learn to one touch the ball away from the pressure and then clear it. Again you want to make sure that the keeper hits the target.

5. Add active pressure by having a striker follow the kicked ball. Start with the striker going at about 50% remember you want the keeper to build confidence. As the keeper's ability improves, the striker can go 100%. The striker should start about 10-15 yards behind mid-field at first. If the striker is having trouble putting pressure on the keeper, let her start at mid-field.

6. Move to the drills on decision making on coming out.

Note: Although the emphasis on dealing with through balls should be on starting the attack, the keeper should also be taught the idea of safety first. If the pressure is high, then instruct the keeper to kick the ball out of play in any direction necessary. Usually this means kicking the ball over the sideline.

Copyright 1996-2002 ©Les Sparks

Les Sparks had the Goalkeeper's Corner website for the Carolina United Soccer Club from 1996 - 2002. 

Created: 12/20/99
Last Updated: 06/04/03

Since February 24, 1999
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  Web Administrator    Ken Gamble