Learning Hockey:
Everything you’ll ever need to know about goalkeeping 

This post covers exercises and techniques on goalkeeping. These are meant to be practised first without hockey gear. Once the player gets comfortable with the exercises, he can repeat the same with gear. But first, one needs to be aware of the correct position for a goalkeeper on the pitch when playing field hockey.

Goalkeeper Position

The keeper needs to step forward 3-4 yards from the goal line, and side shuffle in a semi-circular arc depending on where the ball is. The ‘X’ marked spots represent the three angles that the keeper comes in relation to the position of the ball.

Warm Up Exercises

To begin with, the goalkeeper needs to become comfortable with all the movements without the goalkeeping gear. This includes basic warm up as well as hockey specific warm up exercises.

• Forward run for 10 yards, backward run for 10 yards, and side shuffle to the right and left.
• Closing down the centre, closing down on the right, and closing down on the left.
• Moving from post to post in an arc, looking at the ball.
• Single-step save to the right and left, with the chin, knee and toe in the same line.
• Double-step save to the right and left.
• Save on the left hand with the glove, save on the right hand with the stick/glove.
• Split to the right and split to the left, maintaining balance.
• Close in and sliding tackle, saving and clearing the ball at the same time.

Once these are completed, the goalkeeper can don the gear and proceed with the goalkeeping practice.

Practice Exercises

Lunge and save: Lunge to the right or left and save. While lunging, ensure your knee is in line with your chin. Also practise a double shuffle to the right or left with small steps, and then lunge and save. This is useful when you’re out of reach for a standard lunge and save.

Left/Right hand save: Practise the left and right hand save by deflecting the ball to the sides and not the front. Use the glove save on the left-hand side and stick/glove save on the right-hand side.

Side tackle: This is a slightly more aggressive goalkeeping tactic. Run five steps forward and then tackle to the right or left. This should only be performed by those who are above 13 years of age.

Quick reflex save: The keeper faces the net, and on a call turns around and tries to save the ball. It improves his preparedness on the field.

3 Saves exercise: The coach/assistants hit a ball at 3 different angles with 3 different techniques, one after another in quick succession, to make the keeper save all three attempts. It’s by far the most challenging but also the most effective in terms of practice.

There’s only one final step left in your hockey training, and that’s the scoop. Continue reading for the last post in this hockey tutorial series.