At its core – soccer has one fundamental rule: you cannot use your hands. It is a sport based on your ability to control the ball with your feet.

Unless you choose to become a goalkeeper.

As a goalkeeper, you are the individual player who breaks the core rule of the game. You step into a role that plays as the disrupter – the piece added in to create chaos in an otherwise simple game.

Through our different training group levels here at Sogility – we have the ability to train goalkeepers from the very beginning of their careers all the way to the highest levels of college & pros.

Intermediate Group – The Foundations Phase

In our intermediate groups, goalkeepers are still relatively new to the position & emphasis is put upon our fundamental technique. This is the foundation phase, where goalkeepers learn the essentials necessary throughout their goalkeeping career.

• Learning our Basic Technique Set Position, Catching, Diving
• Exposure to Game Realistic Situations & Guided Understanding of how to Deal with them

Junior Advanced – The Progression Phase

Once a goalkeeper has mastered the “basics” and understands the foundations, our Junior Advanced Class is the next step in their development. In this phase, high emphasis is put on goalkeepers thinking for themselves & becoming comfortable in understanding game situations.

• Guided Discovery of the position – allowing goalkeepers to think & problem solve how they should handle certain game situations
• Introduction to more advanced topics & situational play to better develop their ability to read the game

Advanced – The Realism Phase

In our advanced classes, goalkeepers are both physically & mentally mature enough to be introduced to higher levels of training. Within these sessions, goalkeepers are given more responsibility in regards to serving the ball & creating training environment standards. At this point in their career, goalkeepers understand their strengths & weaknesses and, through our advanced group training, are taught how to create their goalkeeping identity.

• Emphasis on the ability to recognize specific game situations & how to effectively deal with them
• Introduction to professional training habits & mindsets
• Understanding their personal style of goalkeeping & how to improve their weak points to become a well-rounded goalkeeper

Article Info Credit:

Bobby Edwards: Sogility Director of Goalkeeping – Westfield

Bobby Edwards has spent his entire life dedicated to learning the position & the trials and tribulations that come along with it. Edwards played four years of professional soccer and now holds the positions of  IFA MLS NEXT Academy Director of Goalkeeping and Assistant Goalkeeper Coach Indy Eleven. Stepping into the coaching world after his experiences has allowed him to share his knowledge with the next generation of great goalkeepers.