Month: August 2011

Looking for goalkeepers in Hong Kong

Hi everyone, I’m a GK myself and I run a large club in Hong Kong called Valley that runs 5 mens and 5 ladies teams.

We’ve got a bit of a goalkeeping crisis a present with only about 3-4 experienced goalkeepers to cover 10 teams, myself included.  We’re keen to hear from anyone in the area who’s interested in joining us this year, especially at the top end of the club.

Please take a look around our website www.valleyrfc.com/hockey (Yes, we’re the Hockey section of a rugby club, but we’re by far the biggest section!).

If you’re interested please contact us on menshockey@valleyrfc.com or womenshockey@valleyrfc.com

Learning to dive

We have been over a few of the basics but now its time for the fun stuff and this time its Diving. This is not a difficult skill to learn but does require some guts and determination to practice as if you get it wrong, it can hurt a little!

The key learning points are:

Start by practicing in your goal keeping gear on your knees. Sit up / kneel up straight and tall, then have a friend throw a ball to within you reach.

Go for it with both gloved hands; save the ball, then use your gloves to brace yourself as you land.

Practice this extensively, until you are quite familiar with all the points of impact – and the sensations – as well as the various ways you can lessen the force when your body meets with the ground.

Once you are comfortable doing this you can move on to do the same from a fully upright position.

Stand in your normal stance. As the ball comes towards you, push off with your outside leg to transfer your weight laterally. Then the main drive will come from your inside leg. Reach for the ball with one or both gloves; make the save then land with your hands bracing your fall.

The most important thing to remember is to make sure you are fully warmed up and stretched before trying this skill. It can be dangerous and hard on your body so please be careful.

Learning to Dive | Rachael Lynch

Hi rebound right hand (second generation)

hey awesome people!

I wrote a previous article, regarding the Hi Rebound Right hand, and I wanted to share further developments with you guys! =)

Almost a year ago, I managed to get hold of the new mercian right hand glove… and I have to be honest! I really really liked it!

I liked it so much, it gave me some ideas on what I needed to do… to my already modified right hand!

I personally believe that a gk’ers stick is an extension of the arm and the technique/ philosophy, “should be used as if your catching a tennis ball with a straight arm”.

So I removed the whole back of the glove… so that the stick could be inline with my forearm.

put the inner foam back in its original spot and cut the same line!

Secure it with tape

Also I removed the wrist strap entirely and put in a thumb strap… similar to the Hi control glove… & tape through the stick gap to make the finger strap!

In the original models I put the thumb strap close to the front foam… and something that I have noticed when struck around the thumb area it bloody hurts!

so I added a slice of a left handed protector on top which gave better rebound and protection, but moving on from that, I simply relocated the thumb strap further back into the glove… preventing the thumb being compressed by the ball on the foam!

I personally think it has all the benefits of the hi control movement and keeping the stick at the same angle as the glove (especially on the deck) with the high rebound foam and surface-size! =)

The only 2 areas I’d like to improve on the glove is the bottom part – where the glove rounds off… If that could become flat so when diving bottom right or logging the glove doesn’t rotate making the save with the front foam and the flat side of the stick! second! thicker foam (similar to the LH) as its very thin in comparison!

Warning!!! there is very little protection on the back of the glove on mine! I have seen keepers with unusual movements been hit there so just be careful if you do these mods as protection will be less and keep the moments correct!

happy goalkeeping

xoxo

www.rachaellynch.com.au

Hi guys, I wanted to share with you all my new website that I’ve made. Similar to the OBO resources website, this site is for any goalkeeper who want tips and ideas that might help them to become a better goalkeeper. Check it out and tell me what you think. I have added 4 different skills sessions so far covering topics from stick and glove saves to warm up even juggling. I will also be blogging on there so you can all keep up with what the Hockeyroos are doing in the lead up to London 2012.

www.rachaellynch.com.au

Big thanks to OBO for the ongoing support