Keeper Rivalries

[pewpew]

The ball gets past 10 other girls before the GK. Take it a step further and create a 3, 2, or 1v1 with a skilled striker and the odds are NOT in the keeper's favor. Totally agree with the above post that you have to score to win. All the parents get the "fog of war" mentality when it comes to remembering all the shots on goal their kid and others missed but are sometimes quick to point out the one goal my kid didn't stop...regardless if it was a great goal or one the keeper should've or could've maybe stopped.

 

[pewpew]

I usually follow their backhanded comment with one of my own about how the team missed the goal 6-7 times. I've come to find its rare in itself, but the few who do say something are the same parents of the kid who missed multiple chances to score. Defender parents are less likely to make any comments. Just my observation. Overall the majority are always supportive, as are the players. I guess we've been lucky for the most part to have had good players and parents. Coaches...not always the case.
My DD's old trainer used to say "goalkeepers can't win the game but they can sure save one." I can't remember how many times my DD saved a game or minimized the damage to a 0-1 or 0-2 loss when we couldn't find the back of the net if we used Google maps.

 

[jdiaz]

Was hoping parents with more experience or coaches might help me with some advice. Our team has 2 keepers and an alternate-- alternate is too good of a forward and probably won't play keeper unless absence or injury, and DS is one of the two primary keepers. It took a while for coach to pick 2nd keeper-- he kept shuffling between some of the kids that wanted to play but finally settled on 1. We are now 1 tournie in (for which DS got a medal for best keeper), 1 friendly, and 3 games (2 of which DS played almost the entire time in goal...one of which he only got scored on with 2 PKS, and the other one which was a bit of a disaster though he also did some things right). DS just found out he's not starting at goal this Saturday (game might get rained out anyways)...coach explained to me he's mindful of my reservations that DS get some field experience and not specialize too much and plus we'll be away for spring break and keeper 2 may have to play the entire game in goal so needs to get some more time....I understood and am fine with it but DS, being 8, is not.

It seems a rivalry has begun to develop between the 2, though they are very friendly and like each other off the field. Some of the team have begun to pick their favorite keepers-- some on team DS, and some on keeper 2. Some questioned DS's performance on that game that didn't go well, or his height, though he redeemed himself in their eyes with the last 2 games. Their styles of play are also very different. DS used to be among the tallest, but the age shift hit him hard, and now he's right in the middle while keeper 2 is among the tallest. DS is like a grasshopper, bouncing around and high diving to get the balls, and isn't afraid to close the angel and take the ball from a forward, and likes to punch the ball away or over the cross bar but will rarely try and catch it unless it goes right to him and struggles with the very high balls. Keeper 2 is a traditional tall goalie...has problems getting the low shots, likes to play away from the goal, but also has very good hands and will catch the ball, though if it has a top spin, he finds it harder to slap away or punt. Coach is happy with the combo because once the other team figures out how to beat one keeper (with DS kick it high, with Keeper 2 kick it low), he can switch it up. But that's got the team mates arguing over now who's the better keeper and who should be put in. What stung DS more wasn't that he wasn't starting, but that some of his teammates were saying to him "now we'll see what a real keeper can do". I'm sure that doesn't help keeper 2 either, who isn't crazy about being goal, and who doesn't need any more pressure either.

Any advice for managing DS? Any advice I should give him for managing his team mates and expectations? Bit of an eye opener as well...with the other kids noticing and judging the keepers so much, it's no wonder kids don't like to play the position (keeper 2 certainly isn't dying to, and DS is just weird in that he would prefer to be in goal the entire time). Coach has been great and has tried to remind the kids that the team is just coming together and they are all learning (the age shift hit them hard...it's only 2nd year but it's virtually an entirely new team with only 3 hanging on from the prior team)....coach has also pointed out to them that there's been a lot of errors on the field as well and that in the 10 point disaster we suffered it wasn't the keeper's fault there were a ton of one v. ones and PKs and has give DS a chance afterwards to show his teammates what he can do.

Alot of stupid coaches go for hight in the goal. My son is a keeper. Height doesn't mean better. What you need to do have your water watch keeper videos. Make your kid is over all a whole keeper. Knows how to handle the back move his players when out of position. And make sure he can play with his feet. That's a plus.

 

[Grace T.]

Alot of stupid coaches go for hight in the goal. My son is a keeper. Height doesn't mean better. What you need to do have your water watch keeper videos. Make your kid is over all a whole keeper. Knows how to handle the back move his players when out of position. And make sure he can play with his feet. That's a plus.

There's a school out there that says the keeper needs to be tall, and being big at least helps with the collisions. One of the reason coach likes him and others have tried to recruit him is that he is a (mostly) whole keeper. He's good with the ground shots, can high dive, closes the angle fearlessly, has a good low dive, also uses his feet, and can distribute with the possession style play they have in mind. His left is still a little weak but it's coming. He'd rather punch than catch but that's coming. His weak spot is the high balls (has had a few PKs and DKs sail over his head in otherwise scoreless games). The parents and coaches have been great too...as to the parents, they are mostly relieved their kids don't have to play keeper since most have striker dreams. He's sick so looks like he might have to sit out this weekend which will be interesting...to his credit he's a little nervous how he'll compare but he's cheering for the others (including our alternate) to be ready.

 

[jdiaz]

Your needs to feel comfortable with himself first. Remember he has the view of the game coming to him. Must be vocal to to his teammates that will listen to him. To play out of the back you must be good with your feet. Every ball to the keeper doesn't have to booted. Invest in a good goalkeeper training. Their so many guys that they think their a goalkeeper trainer. There's a lot of fakes.