Goalkeeper Training Philosophy

Academy and 11U Pre-ODP Level

Goalkeepers are welcome and encouraged to participate in both the NYW Academy and the 11U Pre-ODP program. It is important to point out that all participants in these programs will still work primarily on their footwork/technical ability per player development “best practices” designed for players in these younger age groups (regardless of whether they are GK's or field players). Goalkeepers who attend will train as field players for the first half (approximately) of the training session. In the final stages of the training session when games are played to end-line goals, they will in turn be utilized as goalkeepers.

The philosophy of the Academy/11U Pre-ODP is that all players in these young age groups need to be better and more comfortable with the ball at their feet, including goalkeepers - if a player commits him/herself exclusively to the GK position at such a young age and subsequently receives the majority of their training exclusively in the form of GK training, when they get older, they often become GK's who are good with their hands but deficient with their feet.

Playing in the field in the early years is critical in developing foot skills (which the game dictates the modern GK needs more than ever before), decision making (a critical dimension that is commonly deficient in GK's that have minimal field playing experience) and cultivating a player’s overall tactical understanding of the game.

If you are looking for position specific goalkeeping training, this may not be exactly what you’re looking for (in that the GKs will not be off to the side with a position specific GK trainer engaging in specific goalkeeper training exercises).  We feel though that the training they receive and the manner in which we integrate them is age appropriate for 11U GKs (and younger). We begin position specific goalkeeper training in our ODP program with the 12U age group.  Please feel free to follow up with your Academy/11U Pre-ODP site director regarding more specific information as to how he/she integrates GKs into their training sessions.