DIVING (EARLY STAGES)
Teaching diving skills (to young goalkeepers especially)
is all about confidence -i.e.
Confidence to hit the floor while holding on to the ball.
Youngsters (8 years - 12 years) particularly are reluctant
to throw themselves around and to the ground, so it is up
to the coach to install some confidence, by routine practices.
Practice 1
Assemble the group of would-be goalkeepers in a line each
with a ball in hand then work in stages.
(1) The 1st instruction is
"hold on to the ball - don't let go"
(2) Secondly, the group starts
jogging (holding on to the ball) and when the coach shouts
"jump" they all leap in the air holding the football
above their head, and each goalkeeper shouts "keepers".
Coaches must insist they all shout "keepers" -
this is to develop an outgoing style, remove any shyness and
assist in working in a group together.
(3) To progress, the group
jog on the spot, each goalkeeper still holding the ball, about
5 metres apart from the next. On the call from the coach "down",
each keeper 'collapses' to the ground, retaining possession
of the ball. He does not dive sideways, forwards or backwards
- he just falls to the ground - keeping his chest forward
and he looks forward as well.
The purpose of this is to get each player used to the physical
sensation of falling to the ground and discovering it doesn't
hurt.
Practice 2
Continuing with all players in a line holding a ball each
- about 5 metres apart - jogging on the spot!
On the call from the coach "dive left" each player
diving to the left, chest forward, holding on the ball, that
completed, all jog again - diving left or right on instruction.
Practice 3
That completed, they are asked to dive twice to the left
or right.
So each one, on the call "dive left", dives once
to the left gets up then immediately dives left again.
Repetition assists confidence, so each keeper, particularly
if young should repeat diving while holding the ball.
Practice 4
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