A question for Junior coaches

[paul merson]

Do you give your keepers specific training or do they just get shooting sessions to work on their keeping skills?
And at what age are junior keepers getting technique training?
Just interested.

[Željko Jurin]

Last year, Robert Matosevic had sessions, I think once every 2 weeks or so (purger, please correct me) for any of the Raiders junior keepers to come out to

[Nova]

Do you give your keepers specific training or do they just get shooting sessions to work on their keeping skills?
And at what age are junior keepers getting technique training?
Just interested.

Last season all junior keepers had special training with Charlie once a week and I would say it will continue this season also PM.
The craziness, dress sense and taste in music comes naturally to them by standing between the sticks all alone for prolonged periods and is normally well established around the age of 18

[paul merson]

Well so far its what I expected as both Nova and Zeljko coming from big clubs with many capable keepers and good to hear theyre being utilised.
The question was more aimed at grass roots I suppose, I personally remember having a keeper coach when I was 5 at Eliz Grove, then when I went back in goals when I was about 12/13 I was at Azzurri so I had Charlie Horvath. But I was just wondering how much focus is being given to the keepers?

[Nova]

I dont think you'll find any keeper training for 5,6 or seven year olds with the SSG being used in most clubs!
I wonder if this is going to choke already low stocks of quality keepers :?

[Željko Jurin]

I dont think you'll find any keeper training for 5,6 or seven year olds with the SSG being used in most clubs!
I wonder if this is going to choke already low stocks of quality keepers :?

Schwarzer started gking at 10 or 11yo, Covic was 17 !!!!

[paul merson]

I dont think you'll find any keeper training for 5,6 or seven year olds with the SSG being used in most clubs!
I wonder if this is going to choke already low stocks of quality keepers :?

Schwarzer started gking at 10 or 11yo, Covic was 17 !!!!

Isnt your peak learning period between the age of 7 & 11??

I didnt start keeping until 13 i think, I did have 2 years when I was 5 & 6 then my dad made me play on the field, I signed at Azzurri as a full back but we didnt have a keeper so I put my hand up and it was all down hill from there.

17 is amazing though to be able to get a good technique at that age, must have been drummed into him or is just a natural.

[swannsong]

Maybe it isn't all about technique, maybe it's about hand eye coordination, reflex and you can learn about angles and positioning later.
Plenty of other sports will help, cricket, basketball, AFL, volleyball.....etc....and instinct.
Modern goalkeepers need all the skills of a field player and more, don't push them aside too much.

[paul merson]

Maybe it isn't all about technique, maybe it's about hand eye coordination, reflex and you can learn about angles and positioning later.
Plenty of other sports will help, cricket, basketball, AFL, volleyball.....etc....and instinct.
Modern goalkeepers need all the skills of a field player and more, don't push them aside too much.

Yeh it isnt all about technique, Peter Schmichael proved that, but he did have to umbringing through European Handball.
But it is very rare that you see anyone make an elite level with avergae technique.
Then on the other hand Ive seen plenty of keepers that are only interested in technique but dont have any balls or they crazy aspect we get labelled with, and you definetly cant teach that!
As far as other sports I did play baseball for a while, and playing catcher your reflexes and anticipation certainly do improve.

[swannsong]

Maybe it isn't all about technique, maybe it's about hand eye coordination, reflex and you can learn about angles and positioning later.
Plenty of other sports will help, cricket, basketball, AFL, volleyball.....etc....and instinct.
Modern goalkeepers need all the skills of a field player and more, don't push them aside too much.

Yeh it isnt all about technique, Peter Schmichael proved that, but he did have to umbringing through European Handball.
But it is very rare that you see anyone make an elite level with avergae technique.
Then on the other hand Ive seen plenty of keepers that are only interested in technique but dont have any balls or they crazy aspect we get labelled with, and you definetly cant teach that!
As far as other sports I did play baseball for a while, and playing catcher your reflexes and anticipation certainly do improve.

What about Mervyn Day.....terrible technique but he hung around Division One for a few years and went on to play ~630 games for various clubs.

[Squizzy]

I'd always suggest a player to go to a GK Coach - but mostly because I'm not wise in the ways of coaching GK's. I know what I want out of them but coaching them to do it is for a specialist, imho. I've Coached as low as U11's (once) but now it's mainly the older Junior age groups.

Plus, it's difficult to work on just the GK when you've got 15 other youngsters running about (sometimes, amock). While this could be seen as a cop out; it's also a reality. That doesn't mean you ignore them (I've always had a good repoire with my GK's) but they need targeted, specific training.

Charlie Horvath seemed really good from what I've seen.

[back of the net]

We at the Raiders are very blessed to have a number of licenced Goal Keeping Coaches around our Club all keen to lend a hand this season including Technical Director John Walker, as well as Cody Larkin who has had a session with some of the boys... some passionate Glovemen around even in U8's.

[prefly]

Who are the licenced GK coaches? are they part of JW's academy?

[Raich Carter]

Who are the licenced GK coaches? are they part of JW's academy?

Did JW two foot you in a game or something? It seems that the mere mention of his name or reference to his academy seems to have you questioning his motives.

[back of the net]

Actually Walker has his licence for goal keeping, dont poke your head in the sand we as in the Raiders have a number of more than apt people around the club to pass on the craft of keeping..... our coaches are more than capable and John Walker Raiders TD is an asset....if you dont like the guy so be it....at least he is giving something to the sport...are you? I am not getting a tit for tat over this...contact me with your issue i am readily available via email.

[prefly]

Christ you blokes down at Raiders are friggin Paranoid, just listen to yourselves. I asked a simple question which you peanuts couldn’t seem to answer. You were the ones that said you had a number of "licensed" GK coaches down there and I was asking who they were, that’s all. Quick to make grand statements again, and always trying to get the comments off the forums and into phone calls or PM's. But this is a serious topic about junior GK coaches (something I’m very interested in) so I will leave it at that. I’m sure you guys will be on another thread so see you then

[Nova]

Gone slightly off topic :?

[John Walker AFPP]

AFPP have 2 qualified GK coaches Mark Saliba and John Walker. We also get technical assistance from Roy Hunter from Melbourne.
Roy may come to SA in 2009 and we hope to be involved with Eric Steele from the UK.

Hope this asssits you with your enquiries.

We will also utilise Cody Larkins when he is freed from his committments with Adeliade United and his gaffer approves his attendance at our future sessions and camps.

We will run a specialist goalkeeping camp in 2009 but need to arrange all details first.

If you need further info call me on 0428816505.
As for the responses from the Raiders don't worry they are just protective and love me however the feelings are mutual ha ha.

Take care and have a great day.

JW AFPP

[Purger]

Do you give your keepers specific training or do they just get shooting sessions to work on their keeping skills?
And at what age are junior keepers getting technique training?
Just interested.

IMO, 13y.o+ should start to get technique training. kids are still growing into their bodies and even at that young age, co-ordination is an issue. young gks should play as much out on the field as they do in goals. (IMO)
what sort of technique training they get???....well dont get me started on that!! i just know that i have met very few gks who know what they are talking about when in comes to technique.

[PinchWeasel]

The trouble with the forum is you cant convey emotion in text.

The reader of the post interprets their own emotion to a sentence, whether it is implied or not.

Half the arguments started around here are from people misunderstanding the nature of a post.

The key is not to get too defensive or aggressive.

[paul merson]

Do you give your keepers specific training or do they just get shooting sessions to work on their keeping skills?
And at what age are junior keepers getting technique training?
Just interested.

IMO, 13y.o+ should start to get technique training. kids are still growing into their bodies and even at that young age, co-ordination is an issue. young gks should play as much out on the field as they do in goals. (IMO)
what sort of technique training they get???....well dont get me started on that!! i just know that i have met very few gks who know what they are talking about when in comes to technique.

Well thats a whole nother topic in its self.

Which technique is right, Bufon, Shilton, Schmichael? None of them played with a similar technique yet all are great keepers.

This wasnt the aim of the topic but I think you've fired up a point for great discussion Mr Purger.

Just out of intrest Purg, have you ever had to change technique for a coach?

I saw a very good interview on this with Peter Cech.

[Purger]

Do you give your keepers specific training or do they just get shooting sessions to work on their keeping skills?
And at what age are junior keepers getting technique training?
Just interested.

IMO, 13y.o+ should start to get technique training. kids are still growing into their bodies and even at that young age, co-ordination is an issue. young gks should play as much out on the field as they do in goals. (IMO)
what sort of technique training they get???....well dont get me started on that!! i just know that i have met very few gks who know what they are talking about when in comes to technique.

Well thats a whole nother topic in its self.

Which technique is right, Bufon, Shilton, Schmichael? None of them played with a similar technique yet all are great keepers.

This wasnt the aim of the topic but I think you've fired up a point for great discussion Mr Purger.

Just out of intrest Purg, have you ever had to change technique for a coach?

I saw a very good interview on this with Peter Cech.

im guessing that if you broke down each individual component of gking, these guys would be very similar in what they do (eg handling, diving, set pos etc) but how they actually implement those in a game is completely different.

and yes i have had to change my "technique" and do things that i would consider so techinically wrong just so i could do the exercise that was asked of me. but i have had very few coaches actually point out flaws, those that did, i listened to and changed/adapted accordingly. M. Crook, Chris Terpcou (newcastle utd EPL) and blazincic are the only ones that have tought me anything. the rest just kicked a ball at me. (sometimes threw)

theres a lot of trainers around, but very few coaches.!!

[back of the net]

i want to convey so many truths about this forum saw personally some so called experts....bag the Raiders.. we are shit....offer nothing to our kids just scoop up the cash....laugh as we skip away .....my number is 0430295333 ring me... i am likely to answer your call....go toe toe with me ....but if you go to message bank sorry probably talking to someone who cares about junior football..

[Squizzy]

i want to convey so many truths about this forum saw personally some so called experts....bag the Raiders.. we are cabernet....offer nothing to our kids just scoop up the cash....laugh as we skip away .....my number is 0430295333 ring me... i am likely to answer your call....go toe toe with me ....but if you go to message bank sorry probably talking to someone who cares about junior football..

What??

[paul merson]

IMO, 13y.o+ should start to get technique training. kids are still growing into their bodies and even at that young age, co-ordination is an issue. young gks should play as much out on the field as they do in goals. (IMO)
what sort of technique training they get???....well dont get me started on that!! i just know that i have met very few gks who know what they are talking about when in comes to technique.[/quote]

Well thats a whole nother topic in its self.

Which technique is right, Bufon, Shilton, Schmichael? None of them played with a similar technique yet all are great keepers.

This wasnt the aim of the topic but I think you've fired up a point for great discussion Mr Purger.

Just out of intrest Purg, have you ever had to change technique for a coach?

I saw a very good interview on this with Peter Cech.[/quote]

im guessing that if you broke down each individual component of gking, these guys would be very similar in what they do (eg handling, diving, set pos etc) but how they actually implement those in a game is completely different.

and yes i have had to change my "technique" and do things that i would consider so techinically wrong just so i could do the exercise that was asked of me. but i have had very few coaches actually point out flaws, those that did, i listened to and changed/adapted accordingly. M. Crook, Chris Terpcou (newcastle utd EPL) and blazincic are the only ones that have tought me anything. the rest just kicked a ball at me. (sometimes threw)

theres a lot of trainers around, but very few coaches.!![/quote]

That is a great quote.

Surprisingly one person that changed/corrected me alot was John Gregory who has never even played in goals! He picked it all up from coaching Mark Bosnich at Villa before he moved to Wycombe. Also Wycombes first keeper Martin Taylor who spent 5 or 6 years as #2 to Peter Shilton at Derby did a lot for me. When I got their they both commented on the only reason I got to there was natural ability not a good technique or understanding of the job and they were right. I find now at 32 I pick more faults in what I do than Mike B and although I dont play with good technique Im quite good at picking holes in others and correcting, this is pretty much why I started the topic, I believe I started too late and had way too many bad habits that Ive just never got rid of. I had to go from a tall left full back/ centre half to a keeper in one month.
As for changing styles, try working with JG and getting a lot of things sorted to Zoran Matic and having to turn everything upside down and start again to then return to Leyton Orient and go back again to where I was 4 years before.
The interview I saw with Peter Cech he said his national coach wanted him to play a diferent game to his Chelsea coach and he'd play a game for each within a few days and have to be 2 totally diferent people, thats tallent!
But yeh I think we might have to start a topic for this on its own Purger, i think there are many more good points to come out.

[John Walker AFPP]

May I suggest you ask keepers we coach how they are developing as well as their parents.

I have a simple saying : If the players left training not learning something it was not a good session.

We teach very simple things that can assist players reach higher levels that all there is too it with the young ones. Later you have to really get technical but that with any bussiness ??????????????????
JW
AFPP

[Nova]

[paul merson]

May I suggest you ask keepers we coach how they are developing as well as their parents.

I have a simple saying : If the players left training not learning something it was not a good session.

We teach very simple things that can assist players reach higher levels that all there is too it with the young ones. Later you have to really get technical but that with any bussiness ??????????????????
JW
AFPP

As for asking the players if we are talking kids there is no way they can give you a decent opinion on how they are developing they'll just tell you what someone else has told them and all parents are bias and if they themselves dont understand goalkeeping am I going to get the sort of answers that I'd be looking for?
I understand and agree with the rest, kind of why I started this topic which spiralled a bit but was just interested in whats happening around the traps because I can see a real shortage happening in the future if plans arent put in place now, which isn't a bad thing its upping our value!

[John Walker AFPP]

Sorry mate cannot agree that a child cannot return comments. One of the things I spend a lot of time with is getting the players ( including goalkeepers ) to be their own coaches and provide feedback via diaries etc

I love Australia but think we ( all of us ) rap them up in cotton wool.

Like I said before if I coach a kid for 2 hours and theyt cannot take any pointers away I have wasted their time, parents money and not done a service to coaching.

I have 8 year old players who can take a 20 minute warm up with a squad with very little supervision.


Parents also comment on diets and hydration info that has been passed on which is very important right now.

Cheers'

JW
AFPP

[numptydoo]

Hi everyone.
Some very interesting reading and thoughts on here as well as some very strange ones.
Im all for guys doing licences etc... but why would you get coaching from someone who hasnt played the position ? I cant blame people for having a big heart but a freind of mine done the same youth GK course and said that there were a few outfield coaches doing the course as well as other keepers and for some of them to now be qualified to impart knowledge to a junior keeper was a scary thought!
Ok for basics I would think to a certain age but would then be like a GK coaching a foward when and how to make a run etc...My point is it just wouldnt come naturally as they havent done it for years as part of there own game.Im no expert but I would think training is up to the kids ability, co ordination etc...
At Blue Eagles last year we had Chris Higgins and he was fantastic with different abilities and age groups.
I heard his son is now at Raiders and he wanted to coach there, have they utulised him ?
Is he coaching at any other clubs now ?