OBO

Question:

I have reached the stage in goalkeeping where I want to learn how to do the Splits. I don’t have a clue how to do them and I don’t want to try without some advice because I could injure myself. Can you give me some advice?

Answer:

I don’t know that there are a right and wrong way to make split saves. I don’t look at split saves as anything more than a reaction save. Definitely dramatic reactions, but reaction none the less. The biggest thing to keep in mind physically, is that you need the flexibility to make the save. That means you need to be well stretched. Split saves look great, but if you’re smart with your positioning you shouldn’t be in the situation where you have to make them.

As far as learning to do the splits, I’d recommend anything that stresses stretching. Yoga or any of the martial arts are great exercises for developing flexibility.

Question:

I saw your tips page on the Obo web page and would like your views on slide tackles.

I play for Winchester H.C. in the UK. I have been playing as a club goalkeeper since 1982.

This weekend I conceded 3 penalty flicks of which I saved 2. The Umpire awarded them every time I did a slide tackle on the centre forward. As most centre forwards do near goalies, he fell over. The umpires comment was that because I was making contact with the player before the ball, I was committing an offence.

I would be interested in your comments and tips as I have not had this "problem" before. Is my timing the problem or the umpire?

Answer:

As far as your “stroke” dilemna I’m a bit hesitant to pass judgement. If you do something and it’s only a problem for one umpire, my temptation is to say that it’s the umpire. On the technical front, apart from the umpire, it could be a timing problem. If you’re too close to the forward when you make the tackle, the umpire tends to only see the contact.

Question:

I read your tips on slide tackling, but what do you do if the ball is pushed under you. I can never get my timing quite right and the forward pushes the ball under me as I am going down making me look a right prat. Can you help me, I would be very grateful.

Answer:

You are right, that ball being pushed under you as you go down is the shot that you do feel like a complete idiot letting in. I think two things help, first is not just dropping, but sliding forward at the same time you go to make your tackle. Second, is the element of vision the forward has when you make the tackle. If a forward can see you coming, there are a lot of gaps for them to see. Look to line the ball up more on your body and get down from your feet to your hip quickly dropping sideways. Your aim is to smother coming out at the forward before they have the chance to release. Speed and timing are critical. Stick with it.

Question:

I have difficulty getting power into my kicks unless they are cross kicks. I was wondering if you have any tips of how to increase the power. I think it is a technique thing not a big lack of strength in the legs.

Answer:

Take a look at the kicking tip I have on the site if you haven’t already. If you have, a couple of points to reinforce, first kick through the line of the ball, rather than kicking to the ball. Weight transfer through the ball gives power. You get more weight transfer by pushing off from your non-kicking leg when you go to kick also.

You’re right, it is a technical thing and it cones with being aware of your mechanics. Make sure that your head is forward and that your kicking foot isn’t out in front of your kicking leg knee when you make contact with the ball. Practice makes perfect.

Question:

I really enjoyed your sliding tackles tips this month. As an ageing goalie who plays at a very low level of game, I have great difficulty in putting myself on the floor. I just cannot get the technique right. What would you suggest would be a good exercise to do? Apart from having too much beer before the game, whereby naturally falling over!

Answer:

Slide tackling is one of the hardest skills to practice because rarely do you get anyone who wants to practice for the sake of helping the keeper. Forwards want to score, which doesn’t necessarily mean that they want to do things repetitively or at slower speeds. Things that help a keeper master a skill.

As far as getting used to sliding, it is something that takes getting used to. I think the biggest thing is repetition. When I first work with keepers, I focus only on the technique. We slide to a target and focus on footwork and body positioning. Once the keepers start to get confidence we’ll start to work with field players and a ball at half speed. Like any new skill, you work on things in practice before you try them in a game, and probably overdo them in training so you get the reps you need.

Question:

Can you please give us some advice on ball machines that are suitable for hockey goal keepers.

Answer:

The ball machine I’m most familiar with is available from:

The JUGS Company
P.O. Drawer 365
Tualatin
Oregon 97062
USA Phone – 503 340-9997

They have a machine that is designed for field hockey, called the Jugs Jr. Pitching Machine. You can also find them on the net at:

http://www.thejugscompany.com

Question:

One of our goal keepers dives to the left as an instinctive reaction, rather than the right. Even when logging at a short corner he will dive left.

Is this something which I should attempt to coach him out of and, if so , how.

On the positive side, he has a much higher success rate at reverse side tackling and regularly surprises centre forwards.

Answer:

Next month’s tip is on slide tackling so stay tuned. Your keeper is going to have to learn to slide tackle to his strong stick side. Usually when a keeper has the problem you described, it’s because he has a dominant foot, left or right, and is way too comfortable going to a side. Work on your keeper’s footwork leading up to his slide. If he’s slide tackling to his strong stick side, his last step will be with his left foot and he’ll throw his right foot/leg down, getting his right hip down. This forces him to slide tackle on his strong stick side. As for laying down on corners, he really has to be on his stick side. He puts his post player at risk laying out the other way. Like any new skill, be patient. Don’t expect instant results, but know that there will be payoff.

Question:

I was wondering if you had any drills or simply advice on how to train my keepers. They are young, freshman (college) and they have some basics. They are definitely improving but they are not very aggressive or quick…mostly not aggressive. I was a keeper myself and was a natural. They are not. How can I teach aggressiveness? Can I? Do you have any suggestions? I have tried to talk with them about the mental aspect but talk doesn’t seem to be doing it. Help!

Answer:

Aggressiveness is a problem, especially if it’s not natural. I think the best way to develop it is to put keepers in situations where they see a reward to being aggressive. We use a lot of man down situations, 2v1, 3v2, etc where we encourage the keeper to try defend passes as well as shots. There are a couple of things that encourage keepers to be aggressive, one is making sure that they’re adequately protected. A keeper isn’t going to be very aggressive if she’s afraid of getting hurt. In addition, make sure your keepers are athletic enough to play an aggressive style. The biggest thing that will draw a keeper to a more aggressive style is having success playing that way.

Question:

I have to compete in the nation club champs for premier league this weekend. I have just been informed that I can’t play in white pads. At IPT I had to paint my pads and they looked terrible and just about all the paint flaked off before the first game, so I had to repaint after every game. I was wondering if OBO had come up with any effective way of painting the Robo pads and kickers, if so could you share with me the details?

Answer:

Keepers that I know that have had to paint their pads have had most success with a spray paint designed for plastic. Check with your paint or hardware store and see if they have suggestions. OBO’s are the easiest to paint because of the material the foam is made of. If you do get a nice paint job that you want to keep, spray the pads with a clear lacquer. I know the Trinidad national keeper used automotive paint to do his pads and he had them painted like their national flag. That might be more than you want to do, but he’s also had his paint stay on for a full season.

Question:

Could you please advise as to the "recommended" way to deal with a two on one situation, i.e. two attackers versus the goalie. 1) two attackers approaching outside the circle 2) two attackers inside the circle. This situation is nearly always difficult to defend.

Answer:

I’m not clear whether you’re talking about two attackers against a defender and a keeper, or two attackers straight up against a keeper. With a defender helping, you’re basically trying to encourage the attackers to take a shot from a bad angle. You best do that by positioning your defender just below the player with the ball and in a lane between the ball carrier and his team-mate. As long as you don’t allow the ball to cross from one player to the other, you can usually slow down the attack and reduce the shooting angle.

Two attackers straight up against a keeper is a different matter. My next tip will be on slide tackling and a lot of that pertains to this situation. You need to keep a couple of things in mind when you make a decision on how to play these situations. How much time and space the two have, where your help is coming from and where the attack is coming from all impact how you can be successful in the situation. I won’t say there is a “recommended” way. You can play these situations eighty different ways and be successful with all of them, but I have a couple of things I try to do.

If the ball is outside the circle, I’ll play about ten yards off my line. I’ll try to force the ball carrier to make a decision to take the ball to a side. If I can do that, I’m going to try keeping myself in a position where I’m near the line between the ball carrier and his team-mate, while still being near the goal. If they’ve got time and space, my focus is defending the circle and trying to pick a spot where I’ve got my best chance to play the ball. For me, that’s when the ball carrier has his head down and is moving at speed with the ball off his stick, preferably, just as he enters the circle. Another good time is when his focus is on his team-mate. The biggest thing I want to avoid, is taking him on when he’s got the ball on his stick and can see me coming. I don’t want to be all the way at the top of the circle when the attack is coming in, as I won’t have any momentum if I do want to slide tackle. I’ll let them get in so I can use my whole body, and then take them within a yard of entering.

As I said, there’s no right or wrong way to play these situations as long as you keep the ball out of the net. Keep track of what you do and the result. That should give you your best “recommended” way of playing these situations.