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Guide
to Waterpolo goalkeeping
Written
by Craig Wilson
Goalkeeper, 1972-1992
 Craig
Wilson's Guide to Goalkeeping - A Handbook for Player and Coach
- Why
I chose to become a Water Polo Goalie and beyond.
- How
did Water Polo Goalies Originate?
- Rule
Differences Between the Goalie and the Field Player.
- A
little Chat About the Goalies.
- The
"Right Stuff" - Goalie Selection: What Makes a Goalie?
- Psychological
Profile:
- Leadership.
- Guts.
- Risk
taker.
- Quarterback.
- Positive
attitude.
- Student
of the Game.
- Experience.
- Physical
Profile:
- Mobility
and Quickness.
- Flexibility.
- Reaction
Speed.
- Swimming
Ability.
- Physical
Fitness.
- The
intangibles - goalie/field player interaction and individual
patience.
- Fundamentals
- How do you do it right?
- Positioning:
Eggbeater and other kicks.
- Body
position: The "Ready" position.
- Hand
and eye reaction.
- Coordinating
defense - Verbal commands.
- Leading
the Counterattack - Passing - wet, dry, purpose of.
- Swimming
- training and tactical.
- Blocking
the darn ball!!!
- Angles.
- Drive-in
(off the water) shots.
- Overhand
shots (low, high, center cage).
- Lobs.
- Four
meters.
- After
the Save.
- Game
situations - You gotta know what the heck is going on out there.
- Out
of the water - Getting the body and noodle ready for the "Big
Ones."
- Keeping
notebooks, observing opposition.
- Mental
rehearsal.
- Weight
training.
- Strength
and flexibility.
- Field
players role in goalie improvement.
- Epilogue.
- Bibliography.
1.
INTRODUCTION
The
first time I ever saw a water polo game was when I was in 1970 when
I was 6th grade. Having grown up in Davis, California, I was exposed
to College Water Polo at a young age. My initial observation was,
"Man, you couldn't pay me to be a goalie in this game."
My
keenest memory of those days was watching the University of California,
Davis goalie who at the time was Peter Hogans. The reason I remember
him so well was his technique for psyching himself up and psyching
his opponent out before a penalty shot. The goal at the Davis pool
was the non-floating type that attaches to the pool's wall. When
a penalty shot was called, Pete would face the back of the goal
with his hands on the bars of the goal, shake the goal and let out
a primal scream that could be heard half way across the campus.
This guy was "different." I never label a goalie crazy.
I
remember clearly the tension as Pete would turn away from the back
of the goal and face the shooter. The pool would become quiet, awaiting
the referee's whistle to shoot the penalty shot. This guy would
block many of these shots to the home town's delight. I remember
a few occasions when he blocked them with his face! I honestly believe
that there were players that were throwing the ball in his face
from six feet away at 50 miles an hour. He was way too cool and
tough.
When
you see something that leaves you in awe, you leave with a long
lasting memory and appreciation. So , then I joined Davis recreation
water polo club, although as a field player. I liked the field,
and I was pretty good. I threw the ball hard, I swam pretty fast.
How
did I end up in the goal? Reluctantly, at first. I found the goalkeeper
position to be the most exciting position in water polo or any game
for that matter. The position of water polo goalie is really unique
in sports because it has so much variety.
First
of all, a goalie is like a second coach in the water - the leader,
a director telling the players what to do and where to go. That
appealed to me. Second, there is an incredible amount of strategy
and risk-taking involved in the position and I'm a risk taker so
I like that, too. Third, after making a steal or a save, the goalkeeper
becomes a quarterback - and, I've always liked Joe Montana. Fourth,
every coach I ever knew said the goalie is the most important player
on the team and I like being important.
Finally,
and most appealing, the goalkeeper can literally make or break the
outcome of the game. If I played well, as Pete Hagen had done over
and over again, my team had a good chance to win. If I played poorly
we would lose. I really liked the responsibility of having a DIRECT
impact on the outcome of the game.
But
even if you think I'm crazy, and prefer the glamour of scoring goals
and the fun of wrestling with your opponents you should still take
time to learn what it takes to be a successful goalie: "The
most important position in the pool." This knowledge will not
only help you understand team defense concepts, but it will also
help you offensively.
There
have been so many exciting moments in my career - to name a few:
- Winning
the 1979 N.C.A.A. Championships with the University of California,
Santa Barbara.
- Walking
into the Opening Ceremonies at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic
Games.
- Receiving
an Olympic medal on the victory stand.
There
have also been some embarrassing moments over the years. Two of
these happened in the same game! Before I recount these embarrassment,
let me introduce Tamás Faragó of Hungary.
Faragó
was the greatest player I have ever seen and arguably the greatest
Water Polo player ever to have worn a "Speedo". How good
was he? Well, in the 1976 Olympics, Hungary scored 30 goals on its
way to winning the Gold Medal. Of those 30 goals, Faragó
scored a remarkable 22, including four goals in the deciding game
against Italy.
The
thing that most amazed me about Faragó was that he always
seemed to know what the goalie was thinking. I'll never forget my
first Professional game in the Italian leagues in 1988. I joined
my team three days before and we were playing in the semi-finals
of one of their two championships called "The Cup of the Cup."
I had just finished the '92 Seoul Olympics and was in pretty good
condition at the time. This was a game I cannot forget. Number one,
because it was my first game in Italy as a professional. Number
two because of Faragó. I was the new kid on the block and
he was the aging superstar.
The
game was in Genoa, Italy. I was playing for Ortigia of Siracusa,
Sicily and Faragó was playing for Aranzano of Genoa. Aranzano
(the opposite team) won the opening sprint after which Faragó
received the ball at mid tank. I took my off him for a split second
and a backhand shot I never saw zipped over my head and into the
net. Needless to say, there was laughter in the stands. Maybe I
was a little rattled but I was also shocked that someone would try
a backhand from half-court. I had forgotten it was Faragó
LESSON
#1:
Always expect the unexpected.
The
lesson with Tamás was that when Faragó had the ball,
he never took his eye off the goalie. He was always probing for
what the goalie was thinking, searching for a weakness. Where was
the goalie positioned? Where were his hands? Was he protecting a
weakness? "If you don't watch the goalkeeper, understand what
he's thinking, what he's expecting how can you expect to outsmart
him?" he once told me.
Faragó
reminded me never to assume anything. Don't ever become so comfortable
that you expect events to occur the way you have seen them unfold
in the past. Although the ball was on the other side of half-way,
he saw a weakness and exploited it with the crisp backhand. He was
probing and searching for a weakness. After that game I, of course,
never took my off Faragó when he had the ball.
As
the quarters went by, each team traded goals, the game was close.
I had been playing in the goal for fifteen years. My second embarrassing
moment came in the 4th quarter as I was taking a chance to try and
intercept a pass from the goalie to a player streaking towards my
goal by himself. As the goalie wound up to throw the long outlet
pass to the open man I also left the goal expecting to intercept
the pass as it landed on the water. I had done this many times before
and it had worked beautifully.
As
I made my first move away from the goal toward the expected arrival
site of the ball I realized that the opposing goalie was not trying
to throw the ball to the open player but towards the goal! Once
I realized the opposite goalie was shooting, I back-peddled and
thrust my arm up as high as possible missing the ball by inches.
As my head came up above the water I knew......... The laughter
was even louder this time. The ball was in the goal. The goalie
had made a perfect pass(shot) to the goal.
It
was the first time in my career, spanning back to Junior High School,
that I had been scored upon from the other end of the pool. I was
not a happy camper. We ended up losing the game by a goal. My two
blunders cost the team the game and a trip to the finals. I thought
back to my reasons for wanting to play in the goal. I wanted to
be responsible for the outcome of the game. In this case, I cost
the team the game.
LESSON
#2: Do not alter your playing style because of an embarrassing
incident. Every game, regardless of your experience level, will
always provide a lesson learned. It is your responsibility to find
the lesson and learn from it (them). The second that you think that
you know it all is the instant you will cease to improve as a player.
The
goal that was scored against me from the opposing Aranzano goalie
will always be memorable. Although, that one mistake may have cost
my team the game, there had been and were many other occasions,
when my having stolen a pass from the goalie had taken away a scoring
opportunity. I know that in making risky steals I had saved my team
and helped it win numerous games. I leaned that I would still use
my best judgment and would not alter my playing style because of
this one embarrassing incident. With risk taking will come occasional
failures.
There
is another thing I remember about my first encounter with Faragó.
In International Water Polo, there's a great fellowship among players,
but the fraternization is always characterized by psychological
warfare.
After
the game, Faragó put his arm around me. "Wheelsone,"
he said in his broken English with a haughty laugh. "In Hungarian
we have...how say..ahh...an old proverb. A Goalie can never more
clever than the shooter." I faked a smile and gave a half-hearted
laugh as he repeated is clever aphorism again and praised his wit.
"That's a good one, huh Wheelsone?"
But
I also vowed that a goalie, or at least this goalie could indeed
be more clever than a shooter, or at least as clever. I knew it
wouldn't be easy because shooters have at least three inherent advantages
over the goalkeeper: the element of surprise, quicker movement,
and the size of the goal.
The
three keys to equalizing the above equation are great fundamentals,
positioning and knowing the capabilities of the shooter and your
opponents. Once the equation is equal, its a chess game, psychological
warfare of who can outsmart who. That's what I loved about this
game. Matching wits with my opponents every time the ball came down
the pool towards my goal.
The
reason I'm writing this book is because I truly love the sport of
water polo. By sharing with you how I played the game, I hope to
generate in you some of the excitement and pleasure that water polo
gave me.
2.
WHERE DID WATERPOLO GOALIES COME FROM? A Little History Lesson.
Originally,
water polo was a form of aquatic rugby characterized by fierce underwater
wrestling and tackling. The object of the game was to score by touching
the ball to the wall at your opponents end of the pool.
From
the very beginning, goal keepers were special. They had to be big,
strong and fearless. They needed to be able to hold their breath
underwater for long periods. But, they did not need to be a great
swimmer. For the majority of the game, goalies could hang on the
wall and watch their teammates slug it out with the opponents. On
the rare occasions the ball came near, they had the pleasure of
trying to drown the ball carrier.
In
the early 1880's the Scots put up rugby goal posts about 10 feet
wide at the end of the pool to minimize the scoring area. With this
innovation came a rule that permitted the goalkeeper to defend the
goal from the pool deck. Goalies prevented goals simply by jumping
on the victims. They would wait for the opponent to arrive with
the ball and then jump onto the players head when they got in scoring
range. Apparently, after a few broken necks the rules brought goalies
back into the water again.
By
the late 1880's, the Scottish rules modified to reflect soccer.
In fact, for a brief period of time, the game was actually called
"water soccer." Under the new, more civilized rules, goals
were scored by throwing the ball into a 3' X 10' feet netted cage.
Although field players could only use one hand, goalies retained
the special privilege of using both hands. This particular rule
has remained essentially the same for the past 100 years, but the
speed of the game has changed dramatically.
The
goalie position as we know it today has remained basically the same
for over 50 years. The first major breakthrough for the goalkeeper
was the innovation of the eggbeater kick by the Hungarians in the
1940's (see page ). This kick allowed Water Polo Players to maintain
a stable, head above water, body position. Still, the goalkeeper
was passive, remaining locked in front of the goal.
Today,
many goalies play as the seventh field player darting out from the
goal to steal or breakup a cross pass before the shot can even be
taken.
Additionally,
in changing the rule that kept goalies from passing the ball past
half-court, modern goalies now make 20 meter passes to get the fast
break or counterattack started. It's a whole new ball game, requiring
a great variety of skills and techniques.
Unlike
the other six players, the goalie position still does have its own
set of rules, such as:
- Privilege
to use two hands on the ball within the 4-meter area.
- Privilege
to use a clenched fist to block the ball.
- Privilege
to stand, walk, and jump from the bottom of the pool within
the 4-meter area.
- Restricted
to the defensive half of the pool.
I believe
that the rules should be further modified to allow the goalie to
act more like a field player. Currently (s)he cannot touch the ball
past half court. Like the sport of ice hockey, I believe the goalie
should be the seventh scoring threat if necessary.
3.
THE GOALIE MAKES A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
The
goalie position differs in many areas from his teammates yet requires
complete synchronization within the team. When a goalie is playing
to the peak of their abilities, (s)he/ will directly contribute
to the success of their team: In addition, a strong goalie can give
the other six players more freedom to take chances on the defensive
end of the pool in order to gain offensive advantages for a fast-break.
By
virtue of the number of different jobs a goalie must do, many of
the famous names in the sport of Water Polo have this to say about
goalies:
- "(He/She)
Changes the outcome of a game single-handedly." (Steve
Heaston, Olympic Coach, 1993 Coaches Clinic)
- "Is
the most important player on the team." (Pete Cutino, National
Coach , 1976)
- "Can
help field players take more liberties defensively." (Art
Lambert, Olympic Coach, 1972)
- "Starts
the offensive charge." (Monte Nitzkowski, Olympic Coach,
1989)
- "Strong
goalkeepers win games." (Robert Horn, U.C.L.A.,1988 Y.E.S.
Clinic)
A goalie’s
impact on the game can be easily expressed with simple arithmetic.
In an average Water Polo game there are usually 20 or so shots taken
on goal. An average goalie will block 40% and a strong goalie will
block 60% of the shots. With the numbers as a benchmark, a strong
goalie performance will create a 4-5 goal difference per game.
How
often do you have a field player that averages four goals per game?
An extremely strong field player will average 2-4 goals every game.
If there is a player that can average over four goals per game,
by all means keep him or her in the field. The point is, you should
always consider one of the stronger players for the goalie position.
In
the goal, there is no place to hide. If a goalie makes a mistake,
the result is a goal. There are few players who would want to shoulder
the responsibility for what happens in this position. I believe
one of my strongest characteristics was my ability to always look
on the positive side of a seemingly negative situation. You have
all heard that some look at a glass half-empty while others look
at a glass half-full. Never, did I look at a glass half-empty.
This
attitude is critical to a goalies mentality. During a game, it is
a detriment to be worrying about certain players shooting the ball
in the corners or how the past three times you have played this
particular team, the star player has dominated play. Personally,
I have never had that type of nightmare. My view of this scenario
would be to look forward to playing this team and relish the opportunity
to block those shots that I had previously missed. Additionally,
I would also anticipate the time when I could stop their star player.
Having
given a basic philosophic description of the goalkeepers position,
let us now turn to the specifics of selection and training for the
spot.
4.
THE RIGHT STUFF - Selection: What Makes a Goalie?
I
was recently visiting an old Water Polo buddy and fellow 1988 Olympian,
Greg Boyer, in Southern California. We were eating breakfast when
I came upon an article in the sports page written by a high school
water polo goalie, Greg Stoll. I was impressed with his message,
so I saved the article. The article appealed to me because it discussed
some of the essence of what it is to be a water polo goalie. In
speaking with him later on, Greg told me that he wrote the article
in response to a request from the Los Angeles Times for stories
about the toughest job in sports. Here is the article in it’s entirety:
The
1993 Division I water polo CIF final game was entering it’s third
overtime period, “sudden victory” as my team calls it, tied at
9 to 9. And there I was, the El Toro High School sophomore goalkeeper,
amidst thirteen seniors on the squad. Thirteen seniors who would
end their high school career in anguish following but one little
screw up by me, the scrawny kid, in the goal. The pressure was
so immense that I no longer noticed the sea of people outlining
the tiny 25 meter pool, the college scouts, the T.V. cameras,
or my wailing coach a few yards away. You can imagine how ecstatic
and relieved I was when my brother threw in the winning goal to
win the game.
What
is the toughest job in sports? I’ve participated in water polo,
basketball, volleyball, and swimming while at El Toro, have entered
organized leagues in soccer, baseball and tennis prior to entering
high school. I’ve stood at the free throw line at the end of a
tied game, got that long set at match point, and awaited that
pitch with bases loaded down by two runs. All this that I’ve gone
through can’t hold a candle to the pressure I’ve endured as a
water polo goalie.
What
about skill and training? Every boy and girl is born capable of
running, jumping and throwing, but all water polo players, especially
goalies must learn the basic skill that only 5% of the world today
know how to do - tread water. Not treading water to merely stay
afloat, but rather work out holding a 25 lb. weight over his head
while treading water. Such pressure on the leg joints and ligaments
is often the source of knee injuries (I enter surgery this month).
Still, that’s what needs to be done in order to raise one’s body
out of the water exposing the swim suit about 300 times a practice.
During games, once a goalie masters the art of squinting through
the four-o'clock sun reflecting off of the surface of the water,
he is often expected to stop 35-40 mph shots from point blank
range. Yet he mustn’t just get in the way, but block the ball
and control it immediately, ready to pass the ball to a teammate
on the fast break as the opposing team rushes to scavenge a “garbage”
goal.
To
me being a goalkeeper in the sport of Water Polo is the toughest
job in prep athletics. I’m sure you might have a perfectly rational
reason for believing otherwise. However, if just for a second
you could put aside that erroneous stereotype of water polo being
a bunch of boys paddling around in Speedos, I’d be perfectly happy
to trade places for awhile. I’m always eager to challenge myself,
and would love to have a go at a job tougher than the one I’m
already doing. Yet, you may be surprised to see which job is easier
to pick up, and yet which one is easier to give up.
The
decision of who should play goalie is one that is made in the formative
years of competition. It is very rare that a water polo player entering
college will change from field player to goalie, but the opposite
certainly does occur.
Field
players and coaches agree that goalies are a different breed of
individual from the rest of the team. In order to keep this manual
publishable (G rated) I had to omit some of the descriptions that
my past teammates and coaches have used to describe goalies.
Needless
to say, there are certain people who are born for the position and
those who can sharpen their talents to become an accomplished goalie.
Identifying the key ingredients that make up a world class goalie
is the first step. Let’s start by checking the components that make
up a goalies psychological profile:
The
goalie must show leadership. By virtue of his vantage point
at either end of the pool, he has a total view of the playing
field. For this reason, he must continually communicate to his teammates
information about what is going on in the game. He is the voice
of the team, primarily for the defense, but also he can relay critical
information to the offense (e.g. time on the shot clock). He must
have the ability to make quick decisions, speak up and feel comfortable
guiding the field players with concise, timely and relevant information.
The
goalie must have guts. The most essential yet elusive quality
requires the courage to WANT to be hit by the ball. When starting
out, this is the toughest fear to conquer. We are all born with
the human survival instinct. It is natural to want to dodge large
projectiles hurled at your body. Seasoned goalies will admit that
the survival instinct was probably one of their toughest hurdles
to overcome, at least it was for me. One day it finally dawned on
me that being hit by the ball, including the face, rarely hurt for
more than a couple of seconds. In addition, I was always happy to
be hit by the ball because that meant that I blocked it. Of course,
there is the rare and embarrassing occasions when you are hit by
the ball and it still goes in the goal. Shake it off and look forward
to the next shot.
I
don’t have any specific tricks or drills that can help you through
this transition other than to say that we all go through it. The
quicker you can forget about being hit, the quicker you can move
on to more serious training and playing.
[CLIP
#3] FACE SHOT??
The
goalie must be a risk taker. Springing from the goal to
make a steal, “baiting” a shooter to take a shot to a side of the
goal that was purposely left open, changing defensive alignments
during the game to confuse the opposing team are common examples
of risk taking that I would employ. As you remember from the opening
chapter, I took risks and occasionally paid a price. In the long
run, my desire to take risks and to explore the limits of what I
was capable of doing allowed me to create new moves, strategies
and a few tricks into my repertoire.
The
goalie must be a quarterback. After a save or a steal the
goalie must quickly survey his team as they counter-attack
down the pool, evaluate the predicament then make a pin-point pass
to the correct player. Failing to identify the right “outlet” player
can cost your team a fast-break goal. Goalies should be able to
make passes up to 25 meters down the pool with the ball landing
in an area no larger than 1 square meter.
The
goalie must maintain a positive attitude. He is the last
line of defense and the last hope. Greg Stoll articulated this in
his article. The position lends itself to being placed in a pressure
cooker. A positive attitude is infectious. If you stay positive
your teammates will believe in you and will share in your outlook.
You probably have heard that some people look at a glass half-empty
while others look at a glass half-full. I never I saw a half-empty
glass.
There
is no place for getting "down in the dumps" during a game.
When the “chips are down” it is imperative that you maintain your
composure. In the goal, like being on a stage, there is no place
to hide. If a moment arrives when the pressure becomes too much,
don’t let your teammates and especially your opponent
know that you are temporarily scared or worried.
When
you have a goal scored against you always make a mental note to
yourself detailing the specific circumstances that resulted in the
goal and most importantly maintain your composure. If the goal was
scored as a because of a an outstanding play then you can tip your
hat to your opponent. If you missed a shot that you should have
blocked search your thoughts for a reason why you may have missed
the ball. If no clear reason is readily apparent then chalk it up
as a bad play on your part. We have all missed shots in games that
we were able to block with our eyes closed in during practice. During
a quarter break or after the game, ask yourself, your teammates
and coach what could have done if anything, to prevent the same
goal from happening again.
A
goalie must be a student of the game. The goalie position
differs greatly from the field positions in Water Polo. In order
to reach your potential as goalie you must understand every aspect
of the game in order to play in synchronization with the field players.
A defense (goalie & field players) will consistently play at
a high level when they understand the fundamentals of individual
and team defense, execute the team’s defensive strategy together,
know the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates and keep open
lines of communication during the game. When a goalie and his defense
are “in synch” the opposing team will look as if they are playing
with lethargy and without a clear offensive strategy.
Being
a student of the game is easy: therefore make it a part of your
training regimen. You can never learn enough about Water Polo. I
was still learning as I played my last games with the U.S. team
at the Barcelona Olympics. Study your opponents by watching their
games, listen to your coach(s), break out the Water Polo video collection
and study your written as well as mental notes. By becoming a student
of the game you will develop more common sense and analytical skills
which will give you the ability to figure out the best percentages
for defensive alignments, shooting angles, etc.
The
last psychological ingredient is experience. Experience
is an entity that cannot be trained and is the lifeblood that makes
a good goalie great. It helps a goalie to better anticipate the
shot, make the outlet pass to the right player, lead the team through
communication and leadership, stay cool under pressure to name few.
The bottom line is that experienced goalies make less mistakes,
hence they give up less goals. If you were to ask a group of coaches,
what is their top consideration when selection a goalie to play
in a big game, my guess is that you would see that experience would
top the list. This is why you find most starting goalies in the
international arena above the age of 30. Even though the younger
second and third string goalies may display more physical talent,
my hunch is that the coaches keep the younger goalies on the bench
giving them the experience of watching the older veteran play.
Now
that we have discussed the goalies psychological attributes lets
discuss physical makeup:
The
goalie should have good mobility and quickness. Leg strength
and overall flexibility are necessary attributes that allow a goalie
to cover the inside dimensions of the cage. Ideally, you want a
player who is proficient in the egg-beater kick.
Flexibility
helps a goalie to stretch for a ball while the body is contorted
having just moved from one portion of the cage to another. This
may be the difference between a deflection and a goal. Goalies must
be able to move sideways, forwards, backwards, and straight up.
Goalies must work on this flexibility and range of motion through
daily stretching.
Reaction
speed is a prerequisite for goalies. Much like a sprinter
in swimming, you must have a quick first movement to get to the
ball before it goes past you. Reflexes must be sharpened through
practice.
The
goalie should be able to swim. For short distances,
goalies need swimming speed to be able to out-swim field players
and make steals. Don’t assume that because you are a goalie, you
will not have to swim. Try to learn how to swim the front crawl
as well as you can, because it will become one of your best threats
to steal the ball. I swam competitively as a youth through my Junior
year in high school and was one of the faster players (50 yards)
on the Olympic team.
The
goalie must be physically fit. Strength will increase
stamina, speed and longevity. The goalies desired body type should
be lean so as to enhance flexibility and range of motion. I was
fortunate to be 6’5” with long arms. I was never bulky regardless
of my weight lifting program. For this, I was fortunate. You don’t
have to be as tall as I am. I have seen goalies under 6 feet tall
who play excellent Water Polo.
Traditionally,
goalies have longer careers than field players. This is due largely
to the lack of swimming required of the position. The type of conditioning
required of a goalie does not demand that he or she must swim the
distances as field players. If a goalie has a physical ailment,
is it usually a broken or dislocated finger or a hyper extended
elbow. These ailments are really nothing more than a nuisance and
do not force one into retirement from the game. Field players on
the other hand tend to wear out their shoulders as they enter their
“golden” years.
It
is important to remember that a goalie is only as good as the defense
in front of him. Great defensive performances will make a weaker
goalie look strong while a poor defensive performances will make
a superior goalie appear weak. If you have had the opportunity to
watch a game from directly behind the goal, then you have seen the
individual skills of the goalie and the coordination of the defense.
Although a goalies individual performance can be evaluated in a
vacuum, it is more appropriate to view the goalies performance as
it related to the team defense. When my teammates played outstanding
team defense, I rarely had a bad game.
A
great performance by a team makes the goalie look strong while a
weak team performance makes the goalie appear weak. If you have
watched a game from directly behind the goal, you have seen the
critical importance of the team concept in overall coordination
of the defense. A goalie can only be a strong as the team defense
in from of him/her. Although, individual performance does play an
important role, the team concept will add greatly to a goalies performance.
When my teammates played outstanding team defense, I rarely had
a bad game. Most of the time I received the compliments for a good
performance, when in fact the entire team should have also received
the same praise.
The
goalie has much to learn and develop. Some improvements will come
naturally while some will take time to develop with the assistance
of coaching and practice. A goalie doesn't have to be tops in all
areas. It is important that the individual selected develop his
own style suited to his strengths. Regardless of one’s skill level
when they start, their strengths will get stronger and their weaknesses
will diminish.
5.
FUNDAMENTALS - How do you do it right?
A.
Eggbeater kick.
This skill is the most basic of every goalie. You should be able
to execute all of the following:
As
part of an identification process for selecting goalies, it is usually
the case that those who are best at alternating frog kick are potentially
the best goalies. Taken a step further, those swimmers who are good
breaststrokes are prime candidates for goalie.
The
eggbeater kick is most critical. Many manuals have been written
on the fundamentals of the eggbeater kick so I will not attempt
to explain in detail how it is done. As seen by the diagrams, the
breaststroke kick is alternated so that each leg operates independently
and continuously. While one leg is recovering the other is flexing,
and so on. The kick is done with the body in a vertical, or sitting
position.
My
philosophy is that you can never spend enough time training with
the eggbeater. If your knees or hips begin to hurt, STOP immediately
and let your body rest. It is telling you that there is a problem.
If you don't have any pain, just soreness, then spend more time
working on your leg strength and quickness.
As
a lead up, I have found that beginning goalies should learn eggbeater
while holding a kick board. This frees the hands and allows you
to fully concentrate on the legs. In the beginning of each season,
I would take a kick board, hold it in the water as if it were a
plow and eggbeater laps. My coach in Italy made me do this in the
beginning of the season for the first week before we started with
strenuous eggbeater and I never had a problem with extreme soreness
and injury as I had in the previous years. The rule of thumb is
to work your way up to extreme training.
In
addition to the eggbeater, goalies should be proficient and practice
at the flutter kick. This crawl kick will be useful for the short
sprints necessary and for general flexibility of the legs.
Sculling
is another technique that can help your eggbeater. You should be
able to move your hands back and forth lightly on the surface of
the water to assist in propelling you across the width of the cage.
I practiced sculling while in the sitting position. My coaches called
this the “Chair Drill”. Sculling helps with lateral movement and
gives the goalie a good feel for the water.
B.
Body position - ready position.
There
is a definite difference between the resting eggbeater kick and
the alert, ready position. Goalies must begin to rise higher in
the water in order to prepare for a shot and see all that transpires
in the field or water in front. (S)he needs to have a minimum height
of the chest above the surface of the water for this alert position.
The hip position should be slightly behind the torso, that is, not
vertical. {see photos}
In
conjunction with this body position, the goalie must also be concerned
with the next fundamental - hands position.
C.
Hand position.
The
hands are an important stabilizing and mobility force through the
sculling motion. But: A goalie's hands should NEVER be too far below
the surface of the water when a shooter has the ball.
Another
way to interpret the amount of hand motion a goalie should use is
given by three-time Hungarian Olympian András Molnár:
"I use my hands when the ball is being passed from one player
to another. When a player has the ball and is ready to shoot I ease
up on the arms and hands; the legs take over."
The
ready position listed above will change according to the closeness
of the ball to the cage. As a general guideline, I have found that
your hands should be in front of your body, elbows bent comfortably
and the following distances kept in mind. When the ball is:
- Outside
of 6 meters the hands are just below the surface of the water.
{Wilson photo}
- Between
4-6 meters the hands should be ON the surface of the water and
not below it. {photo-h.s.}
- Closer
than 4 meters the hands need to be all the way out of the water.
{illustrations A,B,E and photo Bercutt}
The
length of time between when the ball leaves the shooter's hand and
when it reaches the goal line (cage) determines these hand positions.
In general, the shorter the distance between the goalie and the
shooter, the less time there is to react to the shot.
NOTE:
It is far better for a goalie to ride lower in the water if need
be, with the hands freer to move after the ball!
The
question of how whether to use one or two hands when moving to the
ball is dependent on how fast the shot is approaching and where
it is directed. If possible, use two hands to block the ball when
there is: {Photo Wilson, two hands}.
- A
softer shot close to the body.
- A
longer, weaker shot to the outer portions of the cage.
[In
these instances, the palms should be facing each other to form
a ladle-shape, fingers together, thumbs close together. The
wrists need to be firm so that the ball doesn't "squirt"
through the hands.]
NOTE:
In all other instances, one hand or any portion of the body should
be used to reach and block the ball. One-hand lunges from the goalie
can reach farther and faster than two-hand lunges.
D.
Verbal commands - I would like to emphasize that shot-blocking
should be the goalie's first priority, and the goalie should never
break his(her) concentration in order to call a command.
The
words you use play a big part in the teams' defensive execution.
It is safe to say keep it brief. If you can develop short phrases
to instruct a teammates, use them. For example, MOVE LEFT may mean
move your body/arm to the left whereas BALL LEFT means that the
ball is moving down the left side of the pool. In team meeting and
practices find words that best suit your teams’ needs.
Additionally,
just as the field players should be supportive of the goalie, you
should try to be positive in directions, emphasizing what to do
instead of what not to do. Sometimes, if there are defensive breakdown(s),
I believe it is best to save any constructive criticism for the
quarter break, or after the game.
Remember
that your communication should add to your shot blocking, not take
the place of it.
Over
time, you will develop confidence in your shot blocking and then
you can help your blocking by calling out commands. These commands
will also help remedy mistakes by the defensive field players. Goalie
commands that should be made loudly to the field players are:
- Where
the ball is - left of goal, right, center of goal.
- The
time on the your offensive must shoot clock - certain times
15 seconds, 10 seconds ("Red"), 5 seconds - countdown.
- What
field players should be pressed, and what players might be left
uncovered.
- Where
a "free" or open, unguarded opposing player is.
- In
specific situations, where your defensive players should position
themselves [e.g.5 on 6]. The directions to the field players
should be left, right, forward or back; referring to where the
defensive player should move relative to the offensive player.
- When
a ball changes hands. You should call "WHITE BALL";
or "BLUE BALL."
- Special
plays, key signal words that only your teammates know.
- Non-verbally,
you can also point to where the ball when your team is on offense
or defense allowing your teammates to know where the ball is
if the crowd noise makes hearing difficult.
NOTE:
Whenever possible, you should clarify your instructions by using
the field player's names.
E.
Passing.
Part
of the quarterback responsibilities of a goalie are to start the
offense with the first pass down field. This pass starts the counterattack
and is called the outlet pass. I recommend practice passing during
warm-up every day! Because your passes are usually longer and unguarded,
these types of pass should be practiced more frequently rather than
shorter passes. Your skills for passing include:
- Dribbling:
After you gain possession of the ball, swim with it with your
head high, out to about the 5-7 meters. This move shortens the
distance of the outlet pass. Sometimes this move is not practical
(a teammate is wide open) or possible (there are opposing players
nearby). And, if the pool you play in is 25 yards or meters
in length, you probably don’t need to do this dribble.
- Once
in control of the ball, out of the cage and ready to pass, you
should lift the ball up high and extend the body up high out
of the water to make a long pass.{see photo Wilson, Duplanty,
Tinseth, Barnes}.
- For
good passing technique, the ball should leave the your middle
and index fingers with little spin. Also, there should be an
arc on the flight of the ball (that is, not a flat pass). I
have found this method assures accuracy and reduces the pass
that skips when it lands.
- Be
sure to have eye-to-eye contact with the receiver before passing.
When possible, I like to call out the players name who is about
to receive the ball. I also "read" the receiver much
like throwing a lead pass in football. As 1996 Olympic Coach
Corso says "place the ball to where the free man will be,
not where he is." This is important so that your receiver
does not have to "break stride" when swimming towards
the opposition's goal. {see diagram}.
- Your
outlet pass also needs to placed to a "safe" spot
where the offensive player can screen off any opposing players.
The deeper your pass goes into the opposition's territory, the
better. I recommend that this pass ought to lead the counterattack
or fast break.
- Because
most of your teammates will be right-handed, the outlet pass
will be better placed on the right side of the pool. This gives
the receiver of the outlet pass the ability to throw a ball-side
pass to a right-handed player who may be open on a fast break.
If you know that a player is open on a counter-attack and that
the player is left-handed, look for a release to your left-side
of the pool.
One
additional hint: when your teammates are close to or have their
set offense arranged. If your team has the set offense prepared,
you should place the release pass to the side where the two
meter player will be setting. {see diagram}
- Whenever
possible a dry pass is best. Make sure that you can put it in
the receivers hand and that there are no defensive players nearby
who may be able to cut in front of your player and steal the
ball.
G.
Swimming - As was said, good swimming ability will help
you at specific times of the game.
One
of the rare known facts about the U.S. goalies of the 80's was that
we were fast swimmers. In fact, a couple of months before the 1984
and 1988 Olympics the goalies challenged the field players to a
4 X 100 Medley Relay. We had four goalies in the camp and we let
the field players choose their best team from the entire field squad.
Needless to say, we won both times.
If
you ask any of the field players from either team of course they
will say that they don't recall such an event. Rest assured, it
happened. Our witness was the German National and Olympic coach
Niki (Faru?). We held the 1984 relay at Stanford while we were training
with Germany. Niki thought that we were crazy to propose such a
challenge. Once he saw our decisive superiority he priestly walked
over to his goalies and said something in German that translated
to "you will now start working on your swimming."
Before
the 1984 Olympics, Rich Corso, the Olympic goalie coach at the time,
timed us in various swims. A I remember my times were:
- 50
free: 21 seconds +.
- 100
free: 46 seconds +.
- 100
fly: 50 seconds +.
- In
1992, a few weeks before we left for Barcelona, I swam (with
a dive) the 100 IM in 54 seconds. (Not too bad for a 35 year
old goalie if I do say so myself.)
The
type of swimming you will do most often in games is a sprint. So,
in addition to general warm-up and cardiovascular middle or longer
distance swimming, you should work on your sprint speed. You will
almost never have to swim farther than 6 meters at any one burst.
Your
sprinting can be in the form of:
- stop-and-go
drills - work on snapping your hips up and down, going from
flutter kick to vertical eggbeater.
- short
distance all-out swims with much rest.
- timed
swims of 25 meters. I like to do these portions of the field
players’ conditioning sets.
Although,
your swimming ability is not the top priority for your training,
it is essential for overall conditioning for the position. Any goalie
that does not put in good swimming sets will not reach his or hers’
full potential.
6.
Block the Darn Ball!! (BLOCKING TECHNIQUES)
A.
Angles and Positioning. Much of what you do in preparation
for the actual shot block is based on geometry.
- The
cage is a rectangle, and the shooter is a certain distance away.
Given these two variables, you must look to find the best centered
position. Geometrically, as 1988 Olympic Coach Heaston says,
a triangle can be formed by an imaginary line from both posts
of the cage to the ball. {Corso diagram p.53 Clinic} Your head
needs to be at the mid point of the base of the triangle. I
try to have my head intersect a straight line drawn between
the ball and the center of the goal. {Wilson, illustration F}.
This centering process takes place when you moves laterally,
from side to side.
- Another
type of centering takes place when the shooter moves closer
or farther away from the goal, or passes to a teammate who is
closer or farther away.
- In
general, as the shooter gets closer to the cage, you can diminish
the amount of net available by coming out. You can see this
in the diagram and illustration; the closer the goalie comes
to the shooter at short range, the less cage area available.
In the above situation, a goalie should be at position "B"
to block a shot from a shooter at "C".{Lambert, p.190}
Conversely, when the shooter moves farther away, the goalie
should move back closer to the cage so as to avoid the lob shot
or cross-pass.
- A
third factor important for positioning considers percentages
for the shooter. It is easier on angled (i.e. from outside the
middle of the pool) shots for the shooter to pinpoint the corner
nearest them. This corner is the shortest distance for the shooter
and the easiest for accuracy. It is called the "strong
side" of the goal -- the side closest to the ball.
Most
shooters prefer to shoot to the near side of the goal. Therefore,
the odds are better to block the ball by staying closer to the
strong side; be ready to stop any near side shot or over your
head.(Bunnies) {Wilson illustration A}
B.
Overhand, Outside shots or "R.B.'s" These shots
are from six meters away or more.
- For
all shot blocks, the first position is being "ready"
in the keyboard pose, as I stated earlier. This ready position
includes hands and body.
- Next:
watch the ball; KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL, not the shooter.
The explosive reaction to block is up and towards the ball when
it is in the air, not before. Do not go for a fake(s) by the
shooter, wait for the ball to come to you.
- The
head position keys the rest of the body, so move it towards
the ball. If going to the right, give a quick push on the surface
of the water with the right hand; the left hand pushes away
from the ball. Try to see the ball hit your hand.{Illustration
C, Clevenger, Wade, Hackett photo}
- After
making contact with the ball, you should try to be sure that
it stays in front of you. Be sure to keep your legs working,
snap your hips down and regain your hand position so that you
are ready for another quick block. When at all possible, the
ball should be controlled by bringing it in closer to your body
after the block.
C.
Drive-in, off-the-water shots. These come from inside 5
meters.
- 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. Coming up
high and staying there intimidates shooters as they cannot see
a lot of the cage.
- Wait
for the shot to come to you if the player is dribbling. Remember
that the shooter will not know where the holes are to shoot
if you don’t react upwards or sideways.
- When
raising your hands out of the water, try to keep a 90-degree
bend at your elbows and take away the holes beside your ears.
About the best one can expect on this block is to deflect it, without
necessarily being able to control the ball after blocking it. D.
Two meter shots. These are shots that leave the goalie
very little time to react to and are often blind, that is, the goalie
cannot see the shot originate. Keep in mind, the shooter is not
facing the goalie.
- The
best anticipation for the goalkeeper is to assume that when
the ball is passed to the 2-meter player there will be a shot.
Therefore, when the ball reaches the 2-meter area, you need
to have your hands out of the water much like the drive-in shot.
- Centering
is also CRUCIAL; as you must be out of the cage and positioned
directly between the ball and the middle of the goal. The
block for one of these shots is more of a deflection than
anything else, and any part of the body that can touch the
ball and keep it out of the cage will be a successful result.
{see Bercutt photo}
- Positioning
for the hole shot depends upon how the hole defender plays the
offensive player. If the 2-meter guard overplays the sweep shot,
you need to be positioned for the backhand, and vice versa.
In the event of a backhand shot, you should try to block it
with two hands, if possible. I like to wait until the hole player
makes his complete move before reacting. Two helpful hints:
- Watch
the 2-meter player’s shoulders- he cannot shoot unless he
dips or turns them.
- Work
with the 2 meter guard to move away from the offensive players
tendencies and strengths.
- If
you are fortunate enough to get your hands or arms on this block,
you should try to force the ball straight down to finish the
save. The rebound is very important, and, your 2-meter guard
should screen him/herself between the ball and you so as to
allow time for the pick up.
Just
as the 2-meter offensive players should constantly practice their
shots, so too should you occasionally practice these type of shots.
I hope there will not be too many facials!
E.
Lobs.
Anticipating
when this variety of shot will be taken is the first key to blocking
the lob shot. 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. The field player who is a good lob shooter will often observe
one or both of the following two faulty features in a goalie before
attempting a lob:
- You
are out of the cage too far (forward/backward).
- You
are off-balance because you have reacted to the shooter’s fakes.
Maintaining
a good centering position (forward/backward) and staying on balance
will deter most shooters from attempting the lob shot. There is
one other situation where the likelihood of a lob is very high -
when the shooter is at an angle where the power shot does not stand
a good chance of scoring. Corner lob shots have a larger area margin
for entry into the cage than do straight-on lob shots.
The
technique for blocking the lob shot is different than all other
shots because the goalie is moving back into the goal to intersect
the arc of the lob. This movement is the opposite of the power shot
where the goalie moves forward to “cut off the angle.”
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 1-1/2-meter 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!
After
reaching this spot and while the ball is in flight, you must extend
the arm and fingers that are closest to the ball straight up. For
example, if the lob comes from the your right, you should extend
your right arm up; if the lob comes from the left, you should extend
your left arm up. The opposite (non-extended) arm should continue
to skull to provide you continued body support.
If
at all possible, the lob is one shot that you should try to, in
the following order:
- Catch
the ball and gain control of it.
- Tip
it out to a place in the water away from any immediate field
players. This is a shot that, if rebounded, is an easy ”garbage”
rebound for a player to put in the goal.
- Tip
the ball out of bounds (over the cross-bar) if there are opposing
players who are in near pursuit of the ball.
F.
5 on 6 (down a player).
This
is a situation where the goalie needs to direct the defense. You
should do this by:
- Positioning
the field players so that they "funnel” the shots to a
blockable rectangle 2 1/2 by 1-meter in the middle of the cage.
It is the your responsibility to communicate to the defensive
players their respective positions and to lure the shooter into
shooting at you. {see illustration B}
- Having
the field players properly positioned makes my job much easier
because I don't have to rely on my hands to move from goal post
to goal post, and I am therefore always in a ready position
with my arms out of the water.
- Throughout
the passing sequence, it is important to know the opponents
“money man.” These shooters are those that will take shots in
the clutch. Therefore, you need to be ready to block their shots
anytime they have the ball or are about to catch it.
- Direct
the players towards aggressively swimming at the shooters, "knocking
them down" immediately after they receive the ball.
G.
Four Meters.
(Penalty Throws)
Psychologically,
this shot should be looked at as a very positive chance for the
goalie. In all instances the field player is EXPECTED to make the
shot therefore, a block is an embarrassment to the shooter and his/her
team. Chris Dorst (1980 & 1984 Olympian) was the master at penalty
shot blocking. I believe that during his tenure at Stanford, he
held an unbelievable 30% penalty throw blocking percentage. His
strategy was to verbally and physically interrupt the field players
concentration from the moment the penalty was called by the referee
until the moment of the shot Believe me, he is good at the art of
distraction.
The
two styles of penalty shot blocking are:
- Moving
towards one side of the cage as the best guess or
- Moving
out towards the shooter with arms spread so as to eliminate
the lower or upper portion of the goal.
More
than 3/4 of all penalty shots go to the low corners. Therefore,
you will want to try to cover as much of the surface of the water
as possible after the whistle.
Once
you have determined the area of the goal that you want to defend
then timing is the next factor to consider. You can improve your
chances by exaggerating the layout position with arms extended out
wide, sculling, and anticipating the referee’s whistle. (see Grubbs
photo).
This
anticipation of the whistle is similar to what the sprinter does
at the start of the period. It involves slight movements towards
the penalty throw shooter. The worst that can happen, short of being
removed, is for the referee to assess you a major foul - one of
three possible during the game. Be aware, that some shooters will
take a longer windup than others before finally releasing the ball.
Look at where the players arm position is and how they are holding
the ball. This will give you some indication as to how quickly the
ball will be released.
It
is of equal importance to have scouted the penalty shooters from
the opposing team. Few players will deviate from their favorite
corner each penalty shot. Before the game begins, you should know
which style of blocking you will use and the timing required for
each player. Most good shooters have different targets, but the
same release point, so you can work to time the block.
Try
to get the shooters thinking about their shot because thinking makes
them anxious, which is a basic cause of most "bad" shots.
The
4-meter throw is a way for you to shine and, perhaps more importantly,
give your team a lift by preventing what is expected to be a sure
goal, while at the same time deflating the other team. Practice
your routine daily.
H.
After the Save.
- Gain
complete control of the ball while at the same time listening
to the bench for information that a free player may be open.
Between 1985-88 I was so fortunate to have Steve Heaston as
a coach. Because his voice had so much resonance, I really never
needed to look. I could always hear his voice above all else,
telling me where our best fast break release existed. Relying
on the coach and bench can be dangerous so at the same time
you should work with your teammates to know where and when to
deliver the ball and know tendencies of their counterattack.
- Hold
the ball high so you players will know that you have the ball
while at the same time looking down the pool for possible passing
opportunities. Always look down the deep right side of the pool
first, the center of the pool second, the deep left side third,
short right fourth and short left last. This order ensures that
the ball will get the correct player fastest. You don’t want
to throw the ball to the short left when you may have a player
open deep right. This order will become second nature. Visualize
yourself looking down the pool to these locations and making
perfect passes to each one.
- If
you have time, swim the ball out to the 3 or 4 meter line and
then hold the ball high looking for an open man. This will make
the pass shorter and more accurate. Be sure to keep your head
up high because you may have to make an immediate "quick
strike" throw.
- It
is sometimes a good idea to send a lesser important defensive
player to offense at the end of the 35 must shoot clock. If
you do this before the transition from defense to offense, it
might really disrupt the other team's offense.
7.
GAME SITUATIONS
Time
left in the quarter, game
- Guarding
the player with the ball when there are one or more free players.
Players with the worst angle - right hander on goalies left
side.
- Stealing
the ball - acting as another field player. Work with the defenders,
especially those guarding 2 meters 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. If you can catch
the field player in the nose with an elbow, do so. Any player
that chases a goalie should pay a price. Whatever you do, get
the ball away from the front of the goal.
- Pre-game
warmup shooting as preparation for match and for entering game
at any time. Watching the other team's shooters warming up for
their fakes, release, location, and preferences.
- 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.
8.
OUT OF THE WATER
- GETTING
THE BODY AND NOODLE READY FOR THE "BIG ONES"
A. Notebooks, Observing opposition.
Gaining
experience includes keeping notes on the opposition, knowing who
the best shooters are, where the opposition usually shoots, which
players are left-handed, and game situations that usually result
in certain type of shots. I like to play against opponents a number
of times so that I can learn these tendencies. For 15 years I kept
both written and mental notes of all of the teams that I had played
through the years. I found that some of the veteran "stud”
player’s shots were easier to anticipate and block than the rookie
shot simply because I knew the tendencies of the more veteran players
through years of experience in playing against them.
B.
Mental Rehearsal.
Mental
preparation and sharp concentration are required.
- Pre-game.
In the hours leading up to the game try to put yourself in a
quiet environment with outside distractions. In other words,
boyfriends and girlfriends and parents have to wait until after
the game to discuss matter of business. Right then you are absorbed
in thought of your opponent, their tendencies and the strategy
that your team will use to beat them. I like to listen to my
Walkman because it blocks out distractions and gets me psyched-up.
- Visualization.
You have probably noticed that I have already touched on the
subject of visualization throughout this manual. Through visualization,
if you have seen yourself block balls, make perfect passes,
win games, you probably will do it in the real life game situation.
Not being a doctor of Psychology, I believe that there is little
difference between imagination and reality when it comes to
sport. In the game, there is a sense of imagination. In your
imagination there is a sense of reality. Dream states are real
for your body - it will go through the same process it does
when you are completely conscious.
- Concentration.
If you are able to concentrate well for entire game you have
one of the most important characteristics for the position.
Especially for younger, goalies it is easy to loose concentration
in the middle of a game. I find that talking helps keep me focused.
For more experienced, goalies, you can help direct the defense,
try to steal some passes, while keeping your eye on the ball.
For all goalies, I suggest that while the ball is inside the
8 yard line, all concentration should be on the ball. Most goalies
tend to loose their concentration while the ball is at the other
end and are unable to refocus when the ball returns. Calling
out the time on the shot clock will keep your mind in the game.
If you
have difficulty concentrating for the entire practice try to remain
focused for five minute stretches. Once you have mastered 5 minutes
increase it to 7 and so on. There are many concentration drills
that you can do while at home. Again, find what works best for you.
D.
Field players role in assisting goalie improvement.
Have
the players take shots from different spots - dry and wet. It is
always beneficial to find a field player (preferably a good shooter)
that is willing to get in the water with you - one on one - and
try to "work you over". As this player shoots his or hers
best shots, you are forced to improve in those areas. Hopefully
this shooter has a lot of good shots so you are learning to block
a wider variety of attempts.
E.
Stretching. Note: Corso's stretching.
Always
stretch. The groin and hip muscles and the shoulder muscles are
an absolute must. All it takes is 15 minutes to stretch you entire
body. Work stretching into your routine before practice starts while
you are discussing the upcoming practice with your coach and teammates.
The purpose of stretching is to increase flexibility, range of motion,
decrease the amount of muscle soreness and prevent injury.
It
is very important that, prior to stretching, the body be warm and
the stretches be done statically, slowly, for ten to thirty seconds
counts on each stretch. [NO BOUNCING!]
Muscles
that need stretching on a daily basis (and what motion they are
used for):
- Calf
muscles (gastrocnemius) - These are located on the back part
of your lower leg. They can be stretched by pushing against
a wall with one of your legs stretched behind and the other
in front of you. (Used in eggbeater kick)
- Lower
back - In sitting position, bend from the waist and try to touch
your fingers to your toes or your forehead to your knees. (Used
in all blocking movements)
- Groin
(Abductor, Adductor) - Standing position - split legs apart,
lean one direction with your torso, and then back the other
way. Sitting position, bend knees and bring soles of feet together.
With your elbows on the inside of your knees, put pressure outward
trying to touch knees to the floor. (Used in all blocking movements)
- Upper
leg - front (Quadriceps) - Standing position - bring one leg
back to your buttocks with your hand by grabbing at your ankle
and lifting. Sitting position - bend knees with one or both
beet under buttocks. If you use one foot, you need to be in
the hurdler’s position. Once in this position, lean your torso
back as far as you can to a lying down posture.
- Arm
and shoulder girdle - Bend arm behind head and pull this hand
down with the opposite hand. Also, bend the straight arm across
in front of the body by grabbing it at the elbow and pulling.
F.
Weight Training.
I
have not found one particular weight training exercise that drastically
improves a goalie’s ability to block the ball. If you weight train
do it for overall body strength. In other words, do not spend 1
hour increasing your leg strength and 10 minutes on your upper body.
Consult with a specialist and have a workout created for you that
will cover all of the muscle groups equally.
Do
not bulk-up for this position. Sure the women may love it, but putting
on any extra mass in your upper body will lessen your ability to
get high out of the water and slow down your lateral movement. Focus
your weight lifting to building up strength and quickness without
adding bulk. In this case, you are probably dealing with high repetition
and lower weight. Quickness can be practiced by higher repetition
weight training with less resistance (weight).
9.
EPILOGUE
"Do
all of the preparation, suggestions and work mentioned in this book
in order to avoid a goalies most embarrassing moment!! - - reaching
back in the cage to retrieve the water polo ball."
Keep
in mind also that although a goal scored on you may be embarrassing,
if you try to learn from every goal and every loss, you will develop
into a better goalie over time.
10.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Antilla,
W.K.
Barr, David & Andrew Gordon. Water Polo.
East Yorkshire, England: E.P. Publishing, Ltd., 1980.
Cutino,
Peter J. and Dennis Bledsoe. Polo: The Complete Manual
for Player and Coach. Los Angeles, CA.: Swimming World
Publications, 1976.
Gallov,
Rezsõ and Ivan Somlai. Coaching Water Polo.
Ottawa, Canada: The Canadian Water Polo Association, Inc., 1977
Hale,
Ralph (ed.). The Complete Book of Water Polo.
New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1986.
Hart,
David. Level II Coaching. Ottawa, Canada:
Canadian Water Polo Association, Inc., 1978.
Hines,
Chuck.
Lambert,
Arthur F. and Robert Gaughran. The Technique of Water
Polo. North Hollywood, CA.: Swimming World Publications,
1969.
Nitzkowski,
Monte. United States Tactical Water Polo.
Pittsburgh, PA.: Sports Support Syndicate, Inc., 1994.
Rajki,
Béla.
Wiltens,
James S. Individual Tactics in Water Polo.
New York, NY: A.S. Barnes and Company, 1978.
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