Teaching Goalkeepers the Art of Distribution

Once the goalkeeper has the soccer ball, he or she becomes an attacking player. Just like any attacking player, the keeper wants to move the ball towards the other goal in possession if possible. If a keeper wants to learn how to throw or punt or dropkick the ball better or more accurately, high repetition is required. If the keeper wants to understand who to distribute to and whether to punt or throw, then they have to be put into game situations. Anything from a 3 v. 3 to an 11 v. 11.

Here are some rules:

• If the ball comes in from one side, distribute to the other side.
• If your team is under heavy pressure, punt long to relieve pressure.
• If your team needs possession, then throw the ball out to the outside areas of your final third unless players are not open.
• If your teammate is close to you, bowl or roll the ball out underhand.
• If your teammate is farther from you, then sling throw overhand the ball to get it there quickly and to cover more distance.
• If your teammate if standing, then throw to their feet, don't lead them into space
• If your teammate is running, then lead them into the space they are moving to.

The following are a couple of games to teach distribution:

Hand Distribution

Play a short-sided game 4 v. 4 or 5 v. 5 with goalkeepers. Put a training goalkeeper in the middle of the game as a plus player. Allow the plus goalkeeper to use their hands. Now, they have to distribute with their hands. Coach when they are very good and you want to make a coaching point on how to do it and when they make mistakes that have to be corrected. The game is fun because; the goalkeepers should create a lot of possession and a lot of scoring opportunities. Remember also coach the distribution of the two keepers playing in the goals.

Foot Skills

Play a game in which there are six players against two players and on the outside, there are the four teammates of the two players. The four outside can play with their teammates inside, but they can not go into the playing field. (restrict their touches to one or two). The goalkeepers also play with the two in the middle.

The six try to win the ball from: the two field players in the game, the two goalkeepers at either end and the four outside the game. When they win the ball, they can score in either goal.

The only way for the two to survive is to use the goalkeepers, (who can't use their hands if the ball is passed to them by the two in the middle or the four on the outside) and the four outside to keep possession. If the goalkeepers have good foot skills, they can keep possession from the six. Otherwise, they are going to give up a lot of goals. Play six minutes rotating the two inside the game every two minutes. Then switch teams so that the six have to play as the other team did with two in the middle. Play another six minutes. The team scoring the most goals wins.

A variation is to have the goalkeepers always punt or dropkick the ball. Now their accuracy must be good or possession will be lost.