Linda Andrade

Since the position requires plenty of ball handling, you require good hand-eye coordination. This means you should be able to quickly and efficiently react with your hands to perceived threats from the opposing team. For instance, high balls usually require soft hands when collecting the ball while strong shots may require you to punch the ball away. Quick reflexes are vital for any good goalkeeper. While in this position you need to be able to think quickly and react to situations in the shortest time possible. Your ability to react fast to goal threats from the opposition could make a big difference and possibly save your team from defeat. A good goalie should also be agile because the position often requires you to be active and nimble, especially when facing off with opposing players. In situations such as corners the goalkeeper often has to jump high and reach for the ball or punch it out which requires plenty of physical exertion. Quick decision making is a must when playing in the goalkeeper position since it is the last line of defense for any team. Split second decisions are required in many situations and as a goalie you should be able to think quickly and act in the shortest time possible. In addition to this, the last person in defense should always have game awareness. Basically this means that you should be able to read the game and make prudent decisions during games. This skill can be mastered by regularly combining perception with decisions and actions. This can be simplified in this way; SEE THINK DO. All actions on the pitch are triggered by a visual stimulus. For a goalie this is usually in form of a counter attack. Once an impending threat is detected, an effective goalkeeper should be able to process this and come up with a plan to halt the attack. The ability to build game awareness can be enhanced by actively practicing, playing actual games and learning from more experienced players.