tips for training sessions with no goalkeepers

Julian MorrinCoach, New Zealand

Tyres or fence posts?

Have three tyres - two stacked flat and and one sitting in the stack upright facing the field - at each post. You can only score by getting the ball through the upright tyre. If your attackers can get the ball in this zone, the goalie`s job is outrageously hard. (From a goalie coach).

Or a fence post across the middle of the goal, if you hit the post, it is a save.

Gary ThompsonCoach, England

Thanks very much Julian.

Really good idea. I hope this is not ungracious but I`ve given your answer 3 ticks, just because car tyres aren`t necessarily easy to source.Thankfully I`ve been at a few pitches where there are tyres (clearly used by other coaches).

Obviously my session was some time ago. I did introduce crazy catch nets just for some pre-scoring 3d control i.e. drive into circle and as smoothly as you can use them for a wall pass, etc. Actually easier said than done, to get that controlled lift on the move and then receive well at the speed that balls come off crazy catches.

You can use them too as a rebound point for coaches/players to feed into, for a 2nd shot.

I personally really like them, as they freshen sessions, but you must have some level of control in the first place.

I`ve seen what I call net pockets. I think they`re for either strokes or dragflicks. If think they only really work on goal corners but they`re a fun top bins option (you can use a stick too, hanging across the corner).

Thanks again for the reply.



Cheers,

​Gary

Gary ThompsonCoach, England

PS i forgot to mention this but another idea i had (recently) was to dynamically specify scoring techniques during gameplay, just to mix up decision-making e.g. "deflection", "flick", "drag", "top bins", etc. It`s not great but might be useful just to keep things fresh one session.