Up and Ready
The keeper starts sitting on the ground, pops up on your command, gets set, and catches the toss — again and again.
Keepers end up on the ground, and the next ball comes anyway — getting up fast, feet set and hands ready, is a skill this drill isolates and repeats.
10 min tonight · Goalkeeper plus a server
- Ages 9+
- Goalkeeper plus a server
- 10 min as the drill is written
- Balls, full-size goal
Grab A supply of balls and a full-size goal.
Build Nothing to build — the goal is the whole setup.
Place The keeper sits in the center of the goal, 3 to 5 yards off the goal line. You stand 8 to 10 yards away with the balls.
- 1
Organize the players
Sit the keeper in the center of the goal, 3 to 5 yards off the goal line, and take your spot 8 to 10 yards away with the ball supply.
“Have a seat — right in the middle. I'm here with the balls.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk one rep — on your command the keeper stands quickly, sets their feet, and gets into the ready position; you toss toward an area of the goal; they catch it, return it to you, and sit back down.
“When I say up — up fast, feet set, hands ready. Catch it, give it back, sit back down.”
- 3
Play
Run it on repeat for a minute to a minute and a half — command, up, toss, catch, return, down. Move the toss to different areas of the goal.
“Up! Catch — good. Back down, next one's coming.”
Look for The keeper set before the toss arrives — off the ground quickly, feet planted, hands ready.
- 4
Switch and repeat
Give the keeper a rest, then run the next round. Between rounds, check they know exactly where they are in front of the goal — position matters as much as speed.
“Breathe. Where are you standing — middle of your goal? Good. Again.”
If the toss keeps beating the keeper, take a step or two back before you serve — the longer flight buys them time to get set — then work back in.
Go deeper · 2 notes
Why it works
Starting on the ground makes the get-up the whole rep — stand fast, set the feet, hands ready — and the toss right behind it means the keeper is always getting set for a real ball, not just standing up.
What they learn
Getting off the ground quickly, setting the feet, the ready position, and knowing your position in front of the goal.
Where does this come from?
SoccerXpert — their published drill library.
A published drill library. Useful and widely used, but not a governing body — so it fills gaps rather than leading.