Can someone help me with some info on training goal keepers?

Hockey CoachCoach

One of the best things to help a goalie with agility, sensing the ball and making a game less intimidating is to buy a bucket of golf balls and stand there and throw them as hard and fast as you can at all corners of the goals. Im doing this with my U16 goalie. It makes a large hockey ball seem easier to see and stop. For extra incentice for every golf ball that goes in is a set of figure 8s in the goalie gear. The rest of the team will lve the job of throwing the golf balls but be sure to give this job to a more mature person. It could get dangerous otherwise!

Hockey CoachCoach

I think it is better to use hockey balls for all drills as golf balls do not rebound the same as hockey balls. So you want to make it as match specific as possible.

The main thing the goal keeper should be doing is 'moving' the ball away from the goal instead of stopping it. Glancing and deflected saves are a lot safer then stopping it or kicking the ball away. This is why when saving the ball to the sdies the glove or feet should be pointing to the baseline which ensures the ball goes off the pitch after completing a save.

(Also some goal keeper's helmets have holes that golf balls can fit through a girl in England lost an eye from this a couple of years ago)

Robert

Hockey CoachCoach

Oh my!! I cant believe that happened. That is terrible and will be revising this drill even though I know the ball does not fit through my goalies helmet I dont want to encourage a drill that could have potential repercussions further down the track with any other goalie. Thats awful.

Obviously this is just one very small drill used only for agility, speed and reflex, not for anything else and its something different and fun which is why I mentioned it. There are alot of other things that are definitely more important and yes moving the ball away is always the main focus but as there are already lots of really great drills on here in the goal keeping section that help with that I thought I would mention something different. I take it back!! Like I said I will absolutely revise this due to the potential danger as this is not what I coach or promote. Apologies. 

Hockey CoachCoach

tennis balls work wonders, you can hit as hard as you like and they will sting if hit any unprotected areas, but you wont bruise, and definately wont fit past eye holes in helmets. Also you can do most things to a tennis ball as you can a conventional ball, Chop, flat, undercut, flick or push etc. Reccommend you get some seconds balls from local tennis club or just purchase some cheap balls