Every keeper loves diving – but the downside is the recovery. On your feet you are more able to make the save, adapt position, feet, body shape, etc. On the ground, you’re typically in a tangle, possibly facing the wrong way, and unable to move swiftly to capture a loose ball.

In this drill we work on speedy recovery from the floor or ground.

Have the keepers line up, and one moves across in front of the coach, stops, and falls backward onto their behind.

Once on their back, the coach throws them a ball – they catch, and return it to coach, still on their back.

They then swiftly jump to their feet, re-seting their position.

Normally they then go back to the back of the line, and the next keeper moves in front of the coach.

An adaptation is where the coach kicks a firm shot at the keeper once they have re-set.

This drill strengthens the abb muscles, improves agility and helps swift recovery from a dive or fall.

keeper in a line, one at a time, move in front of coach
they then drop backwards onto their backside, and coach throws the ball to them on the ground.
keeper catches the ball and returns it to coach while on ground.
keeper jumps to their feet, to re-set
an adaptation is where the coach takes a shot once the keeper has recovered to their feet.

Tips for coaches – Confidence Cohesion Technique

Any coach can utilize these drills with their keeper. The objectives are the same – enhance footwork, follow the ball better with the eyes, and judge the flight of the ball.

A coach can use any one of the drills independently, and involve multiple players, especially attackers, to sharpen their skills too.

Try to encourage the keeper to use these skills – their footwork, their eyes and reflexes, and be brave to make the judgement calls and decisions that will come up regularly in games.