Goalkeeper School

A critical skill, Diving (known as the rocking motion) helps a keeper dive properly, land safely, get up properly, and helps eliminate a weak side. Arguably the most important technique that a keeper needs to learn as it affects so many aspects of a keeper’s game.

Avoid landing on your knee, hip or elbow – use the ball to break your fall.
Rocking Motion With Ball Along The Ground

 Ensure you dive slightly forward

 Keep thumbs together for the catch

 Check you are landing on your side, and using the lower leg as leverage to come back up (to kneeling position initially)

 When landing, don’t let both legs come off the ground, if you roll backwards you’ll be too slow to get back up

 Lock your lower leg on the ground to lever yourself up faster


Rocking Motion With Ball At Shoulder Height

 From a kneeling position, catch the ball at shoulder height. Guide the ball down so that it breaks the impact for you. (Don’t slam the ball down)

 By guiding the ball down, there is less chance of dropping it when landing

 Keep thumbs together for the catch

 Check you are landing on your side, and using the lower leg as leverage to come back up (to kneeling position initially)

Rocking Motion On Haunches (working up to a dive)

 From a slightly crouching position, dive down to catch the ball along the ground. Use the ball to cushion your impact.

 Keep thumbs together for the catch

 Check you are landing on your side, and using the lower leg as leverage to come back up to slightly crouching position



Rocking Motion On Haunches Part 2

 From the normal starting position, dive down to catch the ball along the ground. Use the ball to cushion your impact.

 Keep thumbs together for the catch

 Check you are landing on your side, and using the lower leg as leverage to come back up to the start position

 Allow your keeper to get fully back up before feeding additional balls

 Important – do not catch the ball and bring it into the body before landing, as you will not have anything to cushion your fall

Goalkeeper School and Goalkeeper Training Surrey