GK 1 v 1’s The one pattern I have seen recently in watching a lot of young keepers come out on breakaways is that they dive based on how close the oncoming player is to the goal and to the keeper. Unfortunately, they don_t seem to take into consideration how close the ball is to the attacking player.   If a keeper dives at a ball when the ball is at the oncoming players feet, the attacking player will be able to slot the ball past the keeper, or chip over the keeper or cut the ball around the keeper. Whenever the ball is at the attacking player’s feet, the keeper needs to stay on their feet. It’s not till the attacking player plays the ball away from her feet that the keeper should go down to win the ball.   The way to work on the keeper getting into the habit of staying on their feet when the ball is at the attacking player’s feet and then going down once the ball is touched forward by the attacking player is to have a field player start 5 yards from the keeper who is in a ready position. The field player touches the ball back and forth from the left foot to the right foot and the keeper is ready to pounce BUT must remain patient. Randomly the field player should push the ball slightly in front and then the keeper quickly steps to the ball and dives on it using the proper technique for breakaways.   After doing this a few times, the field player goes back 5 more yards and they do the exact same thing.   Next the field player goes 20 yards from the keeper and takes a touch forward at which point the keeper starts forward to the ball. When the field player gets to the ball for a second touch, the keeper sets again and then when the field player touches the ball forward again, the keeper pounces forward onto the ball.   Next the attacking player goes back 30-40 yards and dribbles down at full speed on a real breakaway and the keeper works on footwork and knowing when to come forward and when to be patient.   The key here is for the keeper to be patient when the ball is at the keeper feet and then when the ball is pushed forward, the keeper can then attack the ball.   Don Williams USSF A License GK coach and Head Assistant Coach California State University East Bay Head Coach Ohlone College Men’s Soccer CYSA Instructional Staff