As goalkeepers, we are under a lot of stress and expectation from our teammates and coaches. The smallest mistake can lead to a goal and easily ruin your entire game. We have to be able to handle the pressure that comes with our position and use our mind to perform at our best. Psychological training should be a vital part of your training routine to be able to deal with the pressures that come with goalkeeping. Meditation and yoga are becoming more prevelant in soccer, so you should consider adding them to your training routine.
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The best goalkeepers in the world make mistakes. Developing youth soccer goalies in order to have success and enjoy goalkeeping need to learn how to move past errors. Developing a mistake ritual to overcome and refocus is essential for goalkeepers of all ages to perform better, enjoy more, and grow as player.
Coach Gaspar is been a part of 4 World Cup qualification campaign with South Africa, Portugal and 2 with the Iranian National team. He was the assistant coach with Benfica, Porto, and Sporting. Dan is a featured clinician with United Soccer Coaches ( NSCAA) and has been a staff coach for the US youth national teams during tournaments and camps. We sit down with Dan to find out what it takes to become a Pro!
A personal conversation with World Cup Goalkeeper Coach Dan Gaspar and Founder of Star Goalkeeper Academy. Where are we with goalkeeping around the world? What do goalkeeper coaches need to focus on technically to produce the best goalkeeper? Coach Gaspar has some concerns with the lost of art of catching. We are producing soccer goalies that are blockers and deflectors; essentially WALLS. We need to refocus our efforts back to the basics.
Communication is important before the game to address and reinforce individual and team goals. Goalkeepers can address and contribute to team goals such as playing out of the back and defensive organization. Communication during the game should be positive and constructive! Build the goalkeepers confidence
How do you train and motivate the third and second goalkeepers while maintaining the first choice goalkeeper?
Dan Gaspar founder of Star Goalkeeper Academy and World Cup goalkeeper coach shares his passion for coaching and goalkeeping. Build, motivate, inspire, and mentally prepare young goalkeepers through your coaching philosphy.
As a goalkeeping coach/trainer dealing with goalkeepers across the experience spectrum, from 8 year-olds just learning to play the position to National Team goalkeepers of both genders who are at the very pinnacle of their game, it never ceases to amaze me at the lack of understanding between when it’s more important to develop a player and when it is more important to win
When your child is a goalkeeper, it often feels like there is something missing with conversations. What you deal with, as the parent of a goalkeeper, is markedly different compared to field-player parents.
You can have an average team with a good goalkeeper and that team is a competitive team. You can have an average goalkeeper on a good team and that team becomes very average. The role of the goalkeeper is key to the success or failure of the team.
The ultimate goal of any young goalkeeper and player is to play for his/her national team and represent their country. But, what gets us there? Of course a youth goalkeeper has to be technically gifted with handling, diving, crosses, distribution, and communication.
Fun. Everyone wants to have it. However, few can easily describe what “it” is. Such is no longer the case – at least for kids participating in organized athletics. The FUN MAPS are the result of new and exciting sport science research that engaged hundreds of youth sport players, parents, and coaches in the creation of innovative, three-dimensional maps that identify the exact determinants of what makes sports fun for kids.
It is very important that goalkeeper training be tailored toward the age and ability level of the goalkeepers in the group. Far too often, coaches plan out their sessions, without taking these factors into account. Here Peter Mellor discuses the focus areas for age appropriate goalkeeper training.
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