Field Hockey Goalie Drills to Help You Save the Game

Do you want to be the best field hockey goalie out there? Then you need to know the drills that will help you save the game. Check out our list of the best drills for field hockey goalies.

Introduction

Field hockey is a sport that requires a great deal of coordination, speed, and agility. Goalies are a crucial part of the game, tasked with protecting the goal and ensuring that the opposing team does not score.

As a Field hockey goalie, it is important to have drills that you can practice in order to hone your skills and improve your chances of saving the game. These goaltender drills will help you develop the reflexes, hand-eye coordination and other necessary skills to keep the ball out of the net.

The Basics of Field Hockey Goalkeeping

As a Field Hockey goalie, your job is to prevent the other team from scoring. That sounds easy enough, but in order to be successful, you need to have quick reflexes, good hand-eye coordination and the ability to stay calm under pressure.

There are a few basic drills that all goalies should know how to do in order to improve their skills. The first drill is called “the save”. To do this drill, you will need a partner and a ball. Have your partner stand about 10 yards away from you and gently roll the ball towards you. As the ball is rolling, move towards it and use your stick to stop it from going into the goal. Once you’ve stopped the ball, pass it back to your partner and repeat the drill.

Another basic drill is called “the rebound”. For this drill, you will again need a partner and a ball. Have your partner stand in front of the goal and gently tap the ball towards you. As the ball is coming towards you, use your stick to deflect it away from the goal. Once you’ve deflected the ball, pass it back to your partner and repeat the drill.

These are just two of the many drills that field hockey goalies can use to improve their skills. By practicing these drills on a regular basis, you’ll be sure to make more saves during actual games.

Developing Quick reflexes

Field hockey is a sport that requires split-second decisions and reflexes. If you want to be a successful goalie, you need to be able to react quickly to the opposing team’s shots.

There are several drills you can do to improve your reflexes. One popular drill is called “quick feet.” To do this drill, set up four cones in a square pattern, with each cone about two feet apart. Start in the middle of the square and quickly shuffle your feet back and forth between the cones, making sure to keep your head up so you can see the ball.

Another drill that will help you develop quick reflexes is called “ball deflection.” For this drill, you will need a partner. Have your partner stand about 10 yards away from you and gently roll the ball towards you. As the ball comes towards you, use your stick to deflect it in any direction. The key is to not think about where you want to hit the ball but just react instinctively.

By doing these drills on a regular basis, you will develop the quick reflexes necessary to be a successful Field Hockey goalie.

Increasing your range

As a goalie, one of the most important skills you can have is a large range. This means being able to cover as much of the net as possible, so that the other team has fewer opportunities to score. There are a few drills you can do to help increase your range.

The first drill is called the figure-eight drill. To do this drill, you will need two cones or other markers that are about five feet apart. Start in the middle of the cones, and then move around them in a figure-eight pattern. As you move, be sure to keep your head up and your eyes on the ball. This will help you develop better hand-eye coordination and learn to track the ball as it moves around the field.

The second drill is called the box drill. This drill is designed to help you move quickly from side to side so that you can cover more of the net. To set up this drill, you will need four cones or other markers that are placed in a square formation. The square should be about 10 feet on each side. Start in one corner of the square, and then quickly move to the opposite corner. As you move, keep your head up and your eyes on the ball so that you can react quickly if it comes towards you. After you reach the opposite corner, turn and go to another corner until you have gone to all four corners.

The third drill is called the zig-zag drill. This drill is designed to help you change directions quickly so that you can stay in front of the ball no matter where it goes on the field. To set up this drill, you will need two cones or other markers that are placed about 10 feet apart. Start between the two cones, and then zig-zag back and forth between them as quickly as possible while keeping your head up and your eyes on the ball. As you get better at this drill, try moving closer to one cone so that you have less time to react when the ball changes direction.

By doing these drills on a regular basis, you will increase your range and become a better goalie overall.

Working on your footwork

Field Hockey is a game of speed, agility, and precision. As a goalie, you need to be able to think quickly and move even faster. One of the best ways to improve your footwork is to practice specific drills that help you move more efficiently in the goal.

Here are three field hockey goalie drills to help you save the game:

1. Saves in motion: This drill requires two players, one in the field and one in the goal. The player in the field passes the ball to the goalie, who then makes a save. The player in the field then tries to score on the rebound. The drill is repeated until the player in the field scores or the ball goes out of bounds.

2. One-on-one: This drill is similar to saves in motion, but only one player is needed. The player starts with the ball at their feet and tries to score on the goalie from different distances. The goalie should try to block as many shots as possible.

3. Breakaways: This drill simulates a breakaway situation in a game. One player starts with the ball at their own end of the field and tries to score on the other player, who is acting as the goalie. The further away the player is from the goal, the more difficult it will be to score.

Developing your diving technique

Goalies need to be able to dive quickly and with agility to make a save. Here are some drills you can do to help improve your diving technique.

1) Quick feetgoalie drill: This drill is designed to help improve your footwork and agility. Place five cones in a line, about five yards apart. Starting at one end, run quickly to the first cone, then side shuffle to the second cone. Touch the ground with your hand and then sprint to the third cone. Repeat this pattern until you reach the end of the line of cones.

2) Backpedal and dive: This drill will help you practice backpedaling while staying low to the ground, and then diving quickly when needed. Start by backpedaling slowly for 10 yards, keeping your body low to the ground. Then, when you reach the 10-yard mark, sprint forward for five yards and dive forwards. Try to land on both hands at the same time. Repeat this drill a few times.

3) Situational awareness: It’s important for goalies to be aware of what’s happening on the field around them at all times. This drill will help you practice being aware of your surroundings while also staying alert and ready to make a save. Have a coach or teammate stand about 20 yards away from you and randomly call out “left” or “right”. As soon as you hear which direction they called out, quickly dive in that direction. Try to catch the ball before it hits the ground (if using a ball). Repeat this drill several times, changing up which directions are called out each time.

Learning to read the game

As a hockey goalie you need to have lightning-fast reflexes to make a save. But even more important than reflexes is the ability to read the game and anticipate where the puck is going to be. That’s why proper training is essential for any aspiring goaltender.

Here are some drills that will help you learn to read the game and make those crucial saves:

1. The Variation Drill

This drill simulates game conditions by having three attackers move around the offensive zone trying to get a shot off on the goalie. The key here is to pay attention to the movements of the attackers and anticipate where they’re going to shoot.

2. The Screen Drill

This drill is designed to simulate a common game situation in which the goalie must make a save while an opposing player tries to block his view of the puck. To do this drill, set up two cones about 10 feet apart and have one player stand behind each cone. Then, have a third player stand in front of the cones with a hockey puck The player with the puck will attempt to shoot while the other two players try to screen the goalie’s view.

3. The Reaction Drill

This drill will help you develop quick reflexes by simulating game-like conditions. To set up this drill, you’ll need three cones and three different-colored pucks. Place one cone in front of the net, one behind it, and one off to the side. Then, have someone shoot pucks at you from different angles while you try to make a save. vary the speed and placement of each shot so that you have to react quickly each time.

Anticipating the play

As a goalie, you need to have strong anticipation skills to be successful. You need to be able to read the play and know where the ball is going before the player even takes a shot.

There are a few drills you can do to help improve your anticipation skills.

-The first drill is called the ‘ball Watching Drill’. For this drill, you will need two cones and a partner. Place the cones about 10 yards apart. Have your partner stand in between the cones and dribble the ball around. As they are dribbling, you must watch the ball and try to predict where it is going to go. After a few minutes, switch roles with your partner so they can have a turn at being the goalie.
-The second drill is called the ‘Reaction Drill’. For this drill, you will need three cones and a partner again. Place the three cones in a line, about five yards apart. Have your partner stand at one end of the line and you will stand at the other end. They will then roll the ball towards you and you must react quickly to save it. After a few minutes, switch roles with your partner so they can have a turn at being the goalie.
-The third drill is called the ‘Line Drill’. For this drill, you will need five cones, five balls, and a partner. Place all of the cones in a line, about five yards apart. Each cone should have a ball placed next to it. Have your partner stand at one end of the line and you will stand at the other end. They will then roll one of the balls towards you and you must save it. They will then roll another ball towards you from another cone and so on until all five balls have been rolled towards you. After a few minutes, switch roles with your partner so they can have a turn at being the goalie.’

Communicating with your defence

As a goalie, one of your most important responsibilities is to communicate with your defence. By talking to your defenders, you can let them know where the ball is and what they should do next.

Here are some field hockey goalie drills that will help you communicate effectively with your defence:

1. The first drill is called “defensive calling”. In this drill, you will call out the names of your defenders as they move around the field. As they move, they must keep their eyes on the ball and be ready to make a play. This drill will help you learn your defenders’ names and get them used to hearing your voice.

2. The second drill is called “ball tracking”. In this drill, you will track the ball as it moves around the field. As you track the ball, you must keep your eyes on it and be ready to make a play. This drill will help you learn to track the ball and make plays when necessary.

3. The third drill is called “defensive positioning”. In this drill, you will position yourself in between the ball and the goal. As the ball moves around, you must be ready to make a save. This drill will help you learn proper positioning and how to make saves when necessary.

Dealing with different types of shots

As a field hockey goalie, you’ll need to be able to save all types of shots. Whether it’s a hard hit from the top of the circle or a sneaky flick from close range, you’ll need quick reflexes and sharp skills to keep the ball out of the net.

To help you hone your technique, we’ve put together a list of drills that you can practice in training. By working on different types of saves, you’ll be prepared for anything that comes your way in a game.

-Dealing with different types of shots
-Saving low shots
-Saving high shots
-Saving shots to the corners
-Saving penalty strokes