Goalkeeper Warm-up
You and your keeper, six or seven balls, one rhythm — sprint out, back-pedal, then a high ball, a near-post ball, a far-post ball, and a shot.
A pregame warm-up your goalkeeper will love — dynamic and fast-paced, with the whole range of saves packed into one sequence.
Starting at Core — your team is set to mixed.
10 min tonight · One goalkeeper, with the coach
- Ages 9+
- One goalkeeper, with the coach
- 10 min as the drill is written
- About 6 balls, full-size goal
Grab Six or seven balls and your full-size goal.
Build Nothing to build — gather the balls at the side of the goal, about 7 yards out, with one ball in your hand.
Place The keeper starts in the goal — after they've jogged, stretched, and done some light catching first.
- 1
Organize the players
Send the keeper through jogging, stretching, and light catching before you start. Then take your spot at the side of the goal, about 7 yards out, balls gathered and one in hand.
“Loose and warm first. Ready? Eyes on this ball the whole time.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk the sequence — on your command the keeper sprints out to touch the ball in your hand, then back-pedals toward the goal with their eyes on it. As they back-pedal, throw a high lofted ball at the goal to punch over the crossbar or catch. After the catch, throw at the near post — they push it past the post or catch it. Then quickly the far post — same job. Then shoot the next ball, and they save it.
“Touch my hand, back-pedal, eyes up. Then in order — high ball, near post, far post, shot. Catch it or put it out.”
- 3
Play
Run it dynamic and fast-paced — tell the keeper that's the point before you begin. Watch the footwork, the angles on the balls from the side, square shoulders, the judgment on the high balls, and quick recovery between saves.
“Quick feet! Square up — save it and get set for the next one!”
Look for The recovery — the keeper back up, shoulders square to the ball, and ready before the next ball leaves your hand.
- 4
Switch and repeat
Move to the other side of the goal and run the whole sequence again. There's a lot of movement in this for the keeper — and for another round, step back 3 or 4 yards and play every ball as a shot off the ground, or feed more high balls that push them back toward the goal.
“Other side — same order. Tell me when the legs are done; I'm warming you up, not wearing you out.”
If the keeper's legs start to go, cut the round short — this is a pregame warm-up, and a tired keeper is the one outcome it can't afford.
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Why it works
The sequence strings together the game's whole ask — coming off the line, recovering toward goal, a high ball, both posts, and a live shot — at the fast, dynamic pace the game will ask it, which is exactly why keepers love it.
What they learn
Quick footwork and movement, cutting off angles on shots from the sides, square shoulders to the ball, judging high balls, and quick recovery ready for rebounds.
What's next
Goalkeeper Shooting Angles — the same quick feet, now against shooters changing the angle on every rep.
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.