• The right goalkeeping drills can make a team nearly unbeatable.soccer goal keeper defending goal sketched image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
  
  Drills for goalkeepers in soccer are important for a number of reasons. First, the keeper protects the goal, making her the last line of defense. Secondly, she is the only player on the team allowed to use hands in a game commonly known as football. Thus, goalkeepers need to develop a very different skill set than every other player on the team.
  
  

Arc Drill

• The Arc Drill, proposed by online soccer resource Soccer Xpert, focuses on goalkeeping fundamentals like footwork, reflexes, body positioning and shot blocking.
  
  To set up the drill, scatter 10 to 12 balls within the penalty area around the goal. Instruct the keeper to remain within a 2- to 6-yard imaginary arc around the goal. A server, who can be a coach or player, then shoots all of the balls on goal in rapid succession, moving from left to right or right to left, as the keeper shuffles along the goal arc, blocking as many shots as she can.
  
  

Catching Drills

• Catching the ball is an essential skill for the goalkeeper. A caught ball is a controlled ball; it changes possession and prevents further attacks on goal. Online resource Soccer Training Guide suggests a set of four catching drills for goalkeepers.
  
  The one- and two-handed catching drills are simple. For the first, a player stands 3 to 4 yards from the keeper and throws the ball alternately to the left and right sides of the goalie, as the goalkeeper shuffles back and forth, feet firmly planted, catching the ball with one hand. For the two-handed catching drill, a player sets up 5 to 6 yards out from the goal and repeatedly kicks the ball directly at the keeper’s stomach, allowing the keeper to absorb the ball into the body and control it.
  
  To practice catching low and high shots, a player repeatedly shoots high and low shots at both the left and right posts while the keeper attempts to block the shots by catching them.
  
  

Parrying Drills

• Parrying the ball is an essential skill for advanced goalkeepers. Parrying (or deflecting), punching or slapping the ball away from the goal and attacking team is essential for keepers who are too far away from the ball to solidly catch and control it.
  
  Professional goalkeeper coach Jeff Benjamin proposes the following drill.To practice parrying around the posts with hands, a striker will kick the ball toward the far post and the keeper will need to dive and push the ball out and away from the goal so that it curves around the post.
  
  Drills for parrying the ball over the post exist for the both the hands and feet, and teach players to use both to clear the ball behind the goal.
  
  For a full break own of these drills and more practice ideas for parrying, check out Jeff Benjamin's website at jbgoalkeeping.com.