Gone Fishing

Objectives

To gain an understanding of the timing and movement out of goal, and the angles required when advancing off the goal line to deal with an impending shot.

Organization

• Place markers as shown in the illustration.
• Make sure the markers on the penalty box are no more than goal width apart.
• One goalkeeper in goal, the other(s) waiting their turn. Change the goalkeeper every four to five shots.
• Field players equally divided between the two far markers. Field players should alternate their starting position left/right).
• One player with a ball (does not matter from which side) plays into server, and ball is set up for shot either side.
• If played back outside the outside the penalty area, two touches on the ball only; if inside the penalty area, ball must be shot first time.
• The shooter must always move into penalty area outside of the marker. The non-shooting player can make any type of run inside the marker to look for rebound goal.

Coaching Points

• Goalkeeper must make quick decisions: to go all the way, or simply to narrow the angle.
• Encourage the goalkeeper to get set and stay on his or her feet just before the shot (if not diving at feet).
• Good body shape and not falling backwards are the two most important factors.
• Encourage shooter to shoot low across the goalkeeper and towards far post.
• Rebound player must time run to arrive as ball comes off the goalkeeper.

ABILITIES DEVELOPED	KC's EMPHASIZED
Judgment as to when to come off the line and how far, decision making of staying on feet, or spreading.	React, Stay on Feet, Don't Fall Back, Set, Recovery, AMOB III.

Additional Information

With the number of KC's highlighted by this particular practice, it becomes obvious that this is a very important situation for goalkeepers. It cannot be stressed strongly enough how beneficial this practice is. A great advantage from the coach's perspective is that the shooting practice for the field players is equally as beneficial.

Once the goalkeepers become accustomed to the practice, they come to terms with highly intimidating situations. Or, to put it another way, once the goalkeepers start keeping their nerve, the shooters will have to utilize high-quality skill to score. If the goalkeepers take up and hold good positions, their reactions, even their bodies, will prevent goals.

Field players must keep the ball low if the goalkeeper is performing skillfully. The low ball is the most difficult to save. As well, a ball kicked across the goalkeeper and inside the far post is the most difficult to react to: it requires diving back across the line of advancement.

If a goalkeeper is beaten by a shot at the near post side, the keeper is, to greater or lesser extent, at fault (but don't be too severe with young keepers). It is not as bad when beaten by a far post shot.

Also remember, even though the goalkeepers can make it extremely difficult for the shooters, the field players should be scoring 30%-50% of the time (but they probably won't if the keepers implement the KC's and judge the distance they should be advancing off the line).

Age Suitability

Age	Suitable	Comments
6-11	NO	Too advanced a practice for this age group.
12-15	YES	Good practice, though keepers at this age will find this practice quite difficult .
16+	YES	Very important practice for goalkeepers at this stage in their development. Should be used as often as possible .