Tag: Q and A

Question:

A have a few questions regarding goalkeeping. 1. Do you have any tips regarding what a goalkeeper should eat and drink before a hockey-game? (e.g. no sugar – lots of sugar.) 2. When I am playing an indoor game I have this little problem: When I have just made a save and standing still my heart is beating like hell and I get a bit dizzy. Are there any things to prevent this?

Answer:

I think each person is different in terms of pre-game meals. A lot depends on what your body is used to and what time you’re playing. For myself, I don’t like to eat less than two hours before a match. I try to avoid eating fried or fatty foods as they are hard to digest quickly. I think the biggest guideline for eating anything before a game or training session is moderation. If you want sugar before a game, fruit is a good source and is easy to digest.

More important than what you eat, is what you drink. I think more keepers suffer from what they do or don’t drink before games. Beverages like coffee, soda and alcohol are all diuretics. They dehydrate your body. If you have any of these before a match, make sure you also take in plenty of water.

If you are dizzy and light headed during a match, what you are or are not drinking or eating can have a big effect. Try adjusting what you do as a pre-game meal. If you continue to have problems, I’d recommend seeing a doctor.

Question:

I’m using white OBO pads. This is the second year of use. Both kickers are coming apart at the seems near the top. It’s hard to explain, but do you have any suggestions on how to repair the foam. This is affecting how secure the boot stays on.

Answer:

There is something called SPORT GOO, put out by the same people who make SHOE GOO. I’ve had good success using it to repair foam equipment. If the kickers have split, put it between the layers of foam and then bead it along the seam. Give them a good day to set before you try to use them again.

Question:

As a young keeper (15), even at county level the training for keepers consists of lining up players who then fire off a volley of shots from the top-D and little else. I have not got the means to pay for a professional coach and while yours and other websites offer a great deal of help in terms of exercises there are few players (or coaches) who will put aside the time to go through dedicated goalie sessions. Living in Heartfordshire (England) are there any course training sessions etc. that I could attend to help me advance my keeping? Are there people in my area that I should contact? I have been pointed towards John Hurst as the local man in the know.

Answer:

John Hurst is definitely the man in your area to speak to about keeping courses. It’s good that you check the net and other resources for keeping ideas. On the OBO website look back at old tips, especially Rachel’s. There are some good ideas there. The big thing I would encourage you to do, is to make a skills inventory of your strengths and weaknesses and try to work drills around them. If you think about drills field players do, many of them can be converted to keeper drills.

Question:

Which kind of tape can be best used to protect your kickers and hand protectors from wearing to fast?

Answer:

You shouldn’t have to use tape on your kickers if you’re using OBO kickers. They are very durable. Having said that, if you are very hard on your pads and are playing on a surface like a sand-filled pitch duct tape is very good. Duct tape is plastic coated cloth adhesive tape and is available in most hardware stores.

Question:

I am a college goalkeeper and I did read your tips concerning 2 v 1 situations but I had a further question. When the situation is 2 v 1 (the 1 being the goalkeeper, no other defenders) in the circle, how then do you suggest to play the ball? I know that a lot of goalkeeping is situational and experimenting is necessary but again I am looking for some guidelines as to what you would suggest. I have grown up with one method and a new one is being introduced and I am trying to decide which is more sound and effective.

Answer:

I have a pretty extensive tip on slide tackling on the site so hopefully that might provide some insights. However, in a 2v1 situation where you are the 1 I think it is important to be aggressive. However, it is very much controlled aggression. Too many keepers just stand on the goal line and let the shooter walk right in. I like to step up, but at a time where I am defending the goal and making the forward pull wide at the same time. I also need to be aware of where the support player is in the 2v1. I want to stay in the play as long as possible and make the forwards make the perfect pass if they are going to beat. In a well executed 2v1 you should get beat, but if you can buy time and force forwards to make passes they don’t want to make that buys you time and gives you a chance.

Question:

I was just wondering if you can run out of the circle and kick the ball – as I got penalised for it last time and a penalty corner was awarded. Another thing, can a keeper be penalised for using the wrong side of his stick??? Lastly, can you give me any tips on penalty flicks please.

Answer:

You do have to be careful about playing the ball out of the circle with anything but your stick. The penalty for kicking the ball out of the circle is a corner and could also be a card, either green or yellow depending on the umpire and the effect of the foul.

If you play the ball with the wrong side of your stick it is a foul. If the foul prevents a goal, the call is usually a stroke.

As far as strokes go, The biggest thing I would tell you is to give yourself a chance to save the ball. Too many keepers get freaked out on strokes and forget that it’s basically a flick from 7 yards. Make the shooter beat you. Unless you’ve seen the stroker before, know that he’s got a great stroke and know where he goes, react. A good stroke should go in. The biggest thing for a keeper to avoid is allowing bad strokes to go in. Bad strokes usually go in when you guess.

Question:

I am in my first year of goalkeeping – playing for my club and English County (Under 14s)

I played on Sunday and had a great deal of trouble from a low afternoon sun – and lost sight of the ball on one or two occasions. I wear glasses normally – but contact lenses for sport. How can I deal with the dazzle?

I did let in one or two (or three/perhaps four) goals too many – it wasn’t my best performance – how do you cope with the bad days? I’ve had plenty of good days – feeling good about my performance and my teams’, this is the first time the game went from bad to worse.

Answer:

Depending on the kind of helmet and cage you wear, there are a couple of things to try. First off, sunglasses if you can fit them under your helmet. Second, there is something called eye black that American footballers apply under their eyes that cuts glare. When the low sun is really bad, you might try white adhesive tape applied to the top part of your cage. Not so that it covers your eyes, but so it shields them. You should also get used to using your stick or glove to shield from the glare when you can.

As far as bad days, know that they can happen. The biggest thing I try to do is go back out and work with a plan to make sure they don’t happen. That starts with a journal. Keep track of goals, saves and different game situations. Assess what happened, what you did and what you might do differently. In the course of a game, I try not to think about what happened, particularly if it was a mistake. The last thing my team-mates need to see is me reacting to something I can’t do anything about. I need to keep playing and I need to keep my team-mates playing with me. Get back on the horse!

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.