Performance Goalkeeping Newsletter
July 2008, Issue 4: Pre-Game Warm Up, written by Paul Rogers

Welcome to the Performance Goalkeeping Newsletter, Issue 4. First of all I would like to apologize for the lateness of this issue. I have been away with the Canadian National Team preparing and competing at the Olympics and it was a unforgettable experience. In this issue, I'll be talking about the goalkeepers pre-game warm up.

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One of the most important jobs of the goalkeeping coach is the pre-game warm up preparing the goalkeeper to be physically and mentally ready for the game ahead. Video analysis of your opponent would have been completed and discussed with the GK's in the week leading up to the game so the tactical information they need will already have been covered. I will be focusing on the 45 minutes or so leading up to kick off during which time the GK's are prepared for 90 minutes or more of action.

A pre-game warm up is something that should be tailored for each specific goalkeeper and, as a result, no two warm ups are likely to be exactly the same. It is important for the warm up to be consistent from game to game to give the goalkeeper a routine that they are comfortable with. They should finish the warm up feeling prepared to deal with any situation in the first minute of the game. I have found that a lot of higher level goalkeepers in the professional and international game have a set warm up that they like to do, and no matter which team they are playing for they perform the same routine. If your goalkeeper already has a warm up that prepares him or her, and they are comfortable with it, then I suggest you stay with what works. I have also talked to, and worked with, all levels of goalkeepers that do not have a set warm up and, worse still, have not been included in deciding what the warm up routine will consist of. I believe it is important to include the goalkeeper in creating their warm up. If they really don't have any idea themselves, or are too young to know what they might need, then make sure you explain what you are doing and why. This way, as their career progresses, they can begin to customize their own warm up.

I am personally adamant about both GK's warming up at the start of the game. You never know what might happen to your starting GK: an injury in the warm up or a knock in the first 10 minutes, anything can happen. I also believe that having to run through a full warm up gets the back up GK mentally tuned in. Having said that, after the handling when we go on to crosses, I typically work only with the starting GK. This is just down to a timing issue, especially in the international game where the game commissioners are strict with the time you can have.

One thing I have seen in the college game that I don't believe to be necessary is the amount of finishing done on the GK's before the game. The pre-game warm up is not a training session for the GK. Psychologically having 10-20 players trying to finish on the GK will cause more harm than good. Having the starting GK face a few shots is good to prepare for the movement of the game. I would then have the back up GK step in for the rest of the finishing, and take the starter to do some kicking, and give them time to his/herself.

Below is a list of what I believe needs to be in a Pre-Game Warm Up:

6-8 minutes of dynamic movements

Passing

Handling: Volleys, Half volleys, Low balls, Dropping balls, High balls/Crosses, Diving

Kicking: Half Volleys, Volleys, Goal kicks, Moving balls

Paced balls/Shots form varied angles

Time to his/herself

Here is a warm up that covers the above. The diagram below shows the set up and the first part of the warm up.

	>Jog forward to 18 and back     x2 >Jog forward to 18 backwards back  x2 >Relaxed skip forward to 18 backwards skip back (with arm movement, circling, up and down etc) >Side step 3 and 3 to 18 and back (with arm movement >Hip internal rotation to 18 and hip external rotation back >Walking quad stretch to 18 and hip flexor flexion back >Hamstring extension walk to 18, 2 and 2 back step back >Groin stretch >Calf stretch >skip with twist to 18 and jog back >Dynamic hip flexion and extension to 18 and jog back
Above is the passing part of the warm up. Play two touch and then one touch to make sure GK feels comfortable with ball at their feet.	Above is the first of the handling. GK moves to cone and back central for a volley to hands and repeats to the opposite cone. Then repeat with service driven into feet and body.
Above is the diving part. Step into line with the server from the outside cone, server plays ball back to cone the GK has come from.	Repeat from opposite cone. 4-6 reps each way(2 at a time not to tire the GK) then work the other side of the goal.

After the handling in the goal give the GK a couple of minutes to get some fluid and stretch anything they need. From here I would go on to crosses from three points, goal line, level with the 18 yard box, and 25/30 yards out. Work both sides and vary the type of cross, floated, driven, and bent in.

Then the team might take some shots on the back up GK and the starter can do some kicking. I would do six strikes with each foot of a moving ball, four punts, four drop kicks, and four goal kicks. You might add a few paced balls into the GK where they have to take a touch and then strike.

That is one example of a pre-game warm up that might work for your keepers, as I said though all keepers are different and they should have a say in their pre-game routine.

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