A goalkeeper’s performance is heavily influenced by psychological factors.

A goalkeeper’s mistake is typically serious and immediate.

Goalkeepers have to deal will heavy stress and a fear of failure which can negatively affect their performance.

Goalkeepers must learn to deal with negative influence and stress.

 

Psychological considerations

• Motivation

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Due to the amount of stress felt by children in goal during a game at the youngest age groups, exposing players to being a goalkeeper, might be better off done in practices, where there is very low stress. Limit game play to those players who are motivated to be in the goal.

Youth soccer players are encouraged to play all positions, this may include goalkeeper at the younger age groups. However, a coach must be aware and sensitive to the fact that at these ages young players may be willing to play anywhere on the field except in the goal. It serves no purpose to place a youngster in the goal who does not want to be there. It can be mine shattering for a youngster to be scored against and to feel they have let their team down. Coaches have said, “I am going to teach my players to play every position! However, some of these young players have walked off the field at the end of a quarter or half of a game crying because they did not want to play in the goal but were “forced to” and they had 5-6 goals scored passed them because they were afraid to pick up the ball or try and stop a large object that is heading straight for their body or head. Coaches must be sympathetic to the player that says, “I’m afraid.”

• Positive Attitude

COACHES: Remember, this player probably wants to play in goal. If you criticize the keeper after every goal, you will eliminate their desire to play in the goal. When they are no longer willing to play in the goal and no one else wants to either, you are in trouble!!

When looking at keepers, watch for the technique or tactical area that needs improvement. Training session focus should be on the skill that needs work to help avoid a repeat of the goal scored (if it involved technical or tactical breakdowns. It very often just basic footwork or handling that needs follow up.

Keepers cannot dwell on goals scored against their team. Coaches (especially youth coaches) must help the goalkeeper refocus after goals against them quickly. If necessary, coaches can make a fast coaching point and get back to the games once the kick off has been taken. Technical and Tactical issues should be covered in more depth at the next practice. By dealing with breakdowns in the next training session you, as the coach, will have more time to think about why the goal was scored and come up with a plan to teach the defenders and goalkeeper how to prevent the situation from happening again.

Goalkeepers must be able to forget about mistakes immediately, refocus and recover. Coaches must try to be positive about goals scored against their teams in games. Sometimes the opposing team has just made a great play or it was just a great shot. Give the opposition credit! It’s not always a mistake by the keeper that lets a goal in. Experience shows that the player who scored has often gone past at least one or two other players.

• Concentration

This is another wonderful reason to build your keeper into team training. They need to work on making these decisions in practice, where it does not hurt the keeper or team if a mistake is made.

Let your keeper have time to think about where to play the ball. Coaches who yell at their keepers as soon as the keeper picks up the ball are causing confusion. Keepers are hearing the COACH YELLING, the PARENTS YELLING and the TEAM YELLING. All basically saying to “kick it” up the field. A keeper must have time to relax after the save, and think about starting the attack. Maybe it will be kicking the ball up the field or maybe it will be a short throw to a defender. Whatever the case, let the keeper experience making a decision for themselves.

Concentration is a skill that is learned. Some adapt to it more quickly and easily than others. This applies to both coach and goalkeeper. After a save, the keeper should take time to internalize the save (build confidence), calm down, give field players time to recover up field, and look up field to restart the attack. Six seconds is plenty of time to do all this. When the coach stays calm, the coach is showing that he/she has confidence in the keeper’s ability to control the ball and the game.

• Courage and willingness to take risks

A goalkeeper must have courage, to dive at an oncoming players feet when they have to, and to leap in the middle of bodies to deal with crosses into his danger zone. A keeper must not be afraid to dive into the air knowing that they will be landing on a hard surface.

• Assertiveness

Every shot deserves an attempt at a save, even if it seems futile. Eventually, the shots that seemed impossible to stop before will start coming into range. If the effort is there, the results will start to come. Teach them good technique, and then hammer it home with repetition. Don’t allow any lazy or sloppy technique, even when they’re not officially doing drills or playing. Good habits will show themselves in games just like bad habits. Repetition is the key; doing it right every time (consistency) is what separates a good goalkeeper from a great one.

• Self-confidence

Some coaches will substitute a keeper out of a game if they are getting beaten consistently or receiving many, many shots from the opponent. Please be aware of the repercussions of this. Some keepers will take this as a sign you lack confidence in them, and they will only go downhill. Stay positive, and point out you’re not subbing them because they are a poor player or person, it’s just not their day.

• Relax

After making a save, the keeper must take time to think through the save. The keeper needs time to switch modes from a defender to an attacker. This is a crucial time due to the refocus the keeper needs to assess the field and decide the best way to start the attack with the goal of maintaining possession. This moment will also give the outfield players time to recover into an attacking shape. The goalkeeper has 6 seconds to assess the field and start the attack which will allow them plenty of time. As a coach, you must relax also. If you are relaxed, you demonstrate confidence in your keeper’s ability to control the ball and the game.