Goalkeeping drills for U14–U18
Distribution and communication first. Shot-stopping second. — built for U14–U18.
Long distribution, pressure penalty saving, and full GK integration.
19 drills for U14–U18 · Goalkeeping drills · 11v11, 7v7, 9v9
U7–Adults
Everyone Keeps Goal
FA Future Fit at U7-U8 explicitly mandates rotating goalkeepers — no specialists, every player takes a turn. The problem...
U7–Adults
GK 1v1 Saves — Set and Hold
Most U11–U13 goalkeepers can stop straightforward shots but have poor hand technique — they parry when they should catch...
U7–Adults
GK Angles and 1v1s
A goalkeeper who stands on their goal line gives away 2–3 goals per season that a correctly positioned keeper saves with...
U7–Adults
GK Angles — Come Off the Line
The most common U11–U14 goalkeeper error is staying on the goal line when an attacker has a 1v1 opportunity. A GK on the...
U12–Adults
GK Command of the Box
A GK who commands their box vocally reduces aerial confusion, prevents defender errors, and organises the defensive shap...
U7–Adults
GK Crosses — Claim or Punch
Crosses are the most common scoring moments goalkeepers face after 1v1s, and the most poorly drilled at grassroots level...
U7–Adults
GK Crosses — Coming for the Ball
Coming for crosses is the goalkeeping skill that separates capable U13 keepers from confident ones. The decision (come o...
U7–Adults
GK Distribution — Play Out from the Back
Modern goalkeeping demands distribution that builds attacks. The lump-it-long instinct is a confidence problem dressed u...
U7–Adults
GK Footwork and Distribution — Feet Under Pressure
The modern goalkeeper at U14+ is expected to play with their feet as a ball-playing outfield player when the team builds...
U7–Adults
GK Fundamentals — Set and Save
Goalkeeping at grassroots is desperately under-coached. Most clubs have one keeper per team, and they often don't get sp...
U7–Adults
GK Handling and Distribution — First Skills
Goalkeepers at U9–U11 in 5v5 and 7v7 formats often have no specific GK training — they pick up the position when it's th...
U13–Adults
GK Long Distribution
Long GK distribution — the goal kick, the punt, the drop kick — is the set piece that occurs most often in grassroots fo...
U13–Adults
⚡ GK Penalty Technique
The GK's penalty technique is poorly coached at grassroots level. Most GKs simply dive to one side randomly. The researc...
U10–Adults
GK Positioning and Angle Play
GK angle play — reducing the shooting angle by coming off the line — is the most impactful positional concept available ...
U7–Adults
GK Quick Distribution — Roll, Throw, Punt
Most U11–U13 goalkeepers default to one distribution method — usually a punt — regardless of the situation. A rolled bal...
U11–Adults
⚡ GK Reaction Saves
Reaction saves — the save made from a deflection, a rebound, or a close-range shot with no setup time — are won or lost ...
U7–Adults
GK Reaction Saves — Close-Range Sequence
Match-realistic shot-stopping requires fast reset between saves — a goalkeeper who takes 3 seconds to recover after a di...
U12–Adults
High Ball Claiming
A GK who claims high balls confidently prevents corners, reduces aerial confusion, and dramatically lowers the number of...
U10–U14
Low Diving Saves
Low diving saves are the most frequently required advanced GK technique in 7v7 and 9v9. A GK who can only save central s...