| 1. Power shots |
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL, not the shooter.
Reach towards the ball when it is in the air, not before. Don’t get faked out. Move
the head towards the ball. Try to see the ball hit your hand. After making contact with
the ball, try to be sure that it stays in front of you. Keep your legs working, snap your
hips down and regain your hand position so that you are ready for another quick block.
Know the percentages. It is important to be in position to stop the most likely shot,
especially if you are a junior, or not a physically imposing goalkeeper. |
| 2. Drive-in, off-the-water shots. |
These come from inside 5 meter's. They
require both hands and arms out of the water as part of the ready position. You must have
your hands out of the water because the ball will be coming fast, and you will have time
only for a quick movement of arms to one side or the other. Get up high and staying there
intimidates shooters as they cannot see a lot of the cage. Wait for the shot to come to
you. |
| 3. Two
meter shots. |
These shots leave the goalie very little
time to react to and are often blind. Anticipate the shot. When the ball reaches the 2m
area, have your hands out of the water much like the drive-in shot. Get the right angle.
Make sure the guard is doing the right thing. Watch to see in change in momentum. |
| 4. Lobs. |
Anticipate. The lob shot itself moves at a
much slower rate of speed and therefore gives you more time to get to it than the power
shot. Maintain good position and balance. Watch where lobs are high percentages. When the
lob shot leaves the shooter’s hand, you must pivot your torso to point one shoulder
at the ball and the other toward the extreme opposite post of the cage. Your eyes need to
always be on the ball as you turn 1/4 to move towards a spot 1-1/2meter away and close to
the opposite post. Then, you can either scull rapidly or take a quick stroke or two toward
that spot. You should try to make these movements directly across the goal mouth. Above
all else, WAIT FOR THE BALL TO COME TO YOU! |
| 5. Powerplays. |
Get the field players so that they
"funnel" the shots to a blockable rectangle 2 1/2 by 1meter in the middle of the
cage. Know the likely shooters. |
| 6. Penalty
Throws |
– Either move towards one side of the
cage as the best guess or move out towards the shooter with arms spread so as to eliminate
the lower or upper portion of the goal. Both with good timing and anticipation. Know each
shooter’s style |
| After
the Save. |
Gain control of the ball and look for an
open, safe pass. |
| GAME SITUATIONS |
|
| Stealing
the ball |
Acting as another field player. Work with
the defenders, especially those guarding 2m so they don't foul. There also must be
pressure on the outside so as to prevent a shot or cross pass. |
| Being
rushed |
at by a field player while controlling a
block or rebound. If you are attacked after a block. Swim the ball to the side of the goal
with short strokes and elbows high. Whatever you do, get the ball away from the front of
the goal. |
| Baiting |
the opponent’s shot. This means
creating a spot in the cage that looks open for the shooter to go to. The effect might be
to force the shooters to think while shooting. Thinking = anxiety = misses. When you win
one mental confrontation, you have a good chance at an edge for the next one. |
