Goalkeepers and Parents
Thank You for your patience and cooperation as we are kicking off a brand new Goalkeeper Program for Tennessee United Soccer Club. We have been working very hard trying to put together a program that is challenging, beneficial, and convenient for you. We quickly realized that most Goalkeepers never fully get the training they so desperately need. In most cases, Goalkeepers train as a field player during team sessions until the coach decides he/she wants to take the drill to goal. This is very unproductive from a GK standpoint. Not only are they playing as a field player 2/3 of the practice, they also don't receive a proper warm up or detailed training. This is not the coaches fault, as most coaches do not have the time or knowledge to properly train a Goalkeeper and 15-20 other teenage players. This however is where we come in. With the help of the DOC, Andy Poklad, we have scheduled six, one hour, Goalkeeper specific training sessions per week based upon age groups. This is exciting because now we are allowing ourselves time to dissect the position based upon what each age group needs rather than having anyone at any age show up for drills that may or may not be relevant to the player.
Some of you may notice your scheduled GK time is during your normal team training time. This was done deliberately. The theory behind this was for each Goalkeeper to show up to the GK session for an hour only then be released back to their practice for when their teams go to goal. Andy has reached out to every coach notifying them that GK Training take precedence over team training. Even though it is not mandatory, it is highly encouraged to attend as this will be the best way to develop as a player/goalkeeper.
The handbook you all have recieved consists of the schedule, mental aspects of the game, and player expectations. Please read it through, specifically what we expect from the players. In addition, the Goalkeepers will each receive a personal copy of the handbook next week when they attend their scheduled training.
We want the communication to go both ways. If you have any concerns, questions, or feedback please feel free to get in touch with us, we'd love to help! We will be out at some of the games though out the year. We encourage you to come say hi, talk to us as we evaluate the game and ask questions! We are very excited, hope you are too!
All the Best
Hayden and Richie
Directors of Goalkeeping
