To Fly and Land Safely
Perhaps the only play in soccer that produces more cheers than a goal scored is a diving save. Goalkeepers perform other crucial tasks, such as pulling down a threatening cross amid a crowd of jostling players, but
flying through the air to stop a shot is one of the most spectacular feats in all of sports. In addition to the strength and power required to pull off a diving save, it is the grace and agility displayed by the keeper that make the maneuver a wonderful thing to watch. And it’s often a game saver!
Goalkeepers dream about making diving saves. Flying through the air to make a save on a ball ticketed for the upper corner is what keepers live for. Hearing the roar of the crowd as the keeper robs the opponent of a certain goal makes all the hard training worthwhile.
Although keepers love the diving save, it is a very difficult technical task. It is also used sparingly in the practical world of goalkeeping. And training this technical skill is unique.
The more diving they do in training, the more likely goalkeepers are to suffer injuries. And coaches must be careful not to turn their keepers into flyers—my own term for keepers who dive for every ball whether it’s necessary or not. Young keepers often do this because they believe that diving is the essence of goal-keeping. The result is that many “soft” goals are given up because the keeper is embellishing the appropriate actions and not using proper and practical goalkeeping procedures.
Thus, coaches should introduce diving with progression training. They must teach proper technique and must be prudent about how much training time is dedicated to diving practice.
Goalkeepers should strive to use their game-reading skills and positioning acumen to reach balls without having to dive whenever possible.
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