Shutout School

Back to Basics

Footwork….

A task or necessity?

Personally I believe it is not only a necessity but can be great fun if performed and coached in the most desirable way.

Footwork exercises range from very basic to very challenging. But let it be known that what ever standard of a goalkeeper, even the goalkeepers at the highest level are in need of concrete basics and still train these basic footwork exercises.

The main aims of these exercises are to improve the speed of the goalkeepers’ feet and in doing so increasing the speed of movement around the circle.

Along with this training footwork aids in minimising the width the feet are apart from each other in order to reduce any chance of the dreaded ‘Nutmeg’!

Footwork is like a string to a bow is it so important. As mundane as many goalkeepers see footwork as it is something that should be trained every time you walk onto that turf.

It can be even done when you are not on the hockey turf too. Find some free space in a gym, sports hall or even your back garden and that is perfectly adequate to perform many footwork exercises and drills

Use of ladders, hurdles, cones and even skipping ropes can add to improving the footwork of a goalkeeper.

Goalkeepers can perform these exercises fully kitted or not in pads, individually or with a feeder in the aim of a save as the end result of a footwork exercise.

There are 100s of exercises out there, find ones you like and think are a challenge.

Let us know what you think of Footwork and do you think it is important or not?