1 Goal Keeper School

Natural Ability
For myself this is a must. A goalkeeper is born and not made.
However; no matter how good you are, your skills still need to be combined with hard work, good coaching and a challenging match experience.

Being Competitive
Good players do not become great players without committing themselves totally into what they are trying to achieve. In training they must be fully focused on trying to improve on their abilities which will ultimately reflect in their match performances. Inner drive, or self motivation is easily noted in a goalkeeper. Does he/she want to be beaten by a shot at goal or, will he/she make every attempt to save it. The emphasis placed on this quality will determine the length they will go to, to maximise their strengths, while reducing their weaknesses.
At all times a goalkeeper must self evaluate a training session, or game performance, and be totally honest with themselves, coach or team manager. An honest self evaluation will also allow a goalkeeper and coach to work on any deficiencies that are to be found.
To be a success on any chosen career path, one should be critical of their prowess, and then work, work and then work some more to improve on their talent.
Being honest will also help a goalkeeper to overcome any errors and to cope better with the pressure that comes with making a mistake. Everyone in life makes mistakes, this we know; what a goalkeeper needs to find is a mind game mentality that doesn’t allow one mistake to lead to another. They must have a mental stronghold that will allow them to shrug off any errors, and get on with making the next save to the best of their ability.

Intelligence
Since the goalkeeper is expected to play virtually as an additional outfield player, either to patrol the area behind the defence, or to initiate attacks, it is essential that he is able to read the game. They should be able to support this understanding with sound decision making. The ability to consistantly make good decisions usually distinguishes the confident, positive player from the nervous unreliable one.

Presence
The truly great goalkeepers appear to have an ability to fill up the goal. They play with such an authority and confidence that they inspire those around them. It is important that a young goalkeeper learn to develope this on-field personality. A determination to be in control of, rather than be controlled by the situation.

Collin MacDonald- 1gks