Ok! So the first weekend of college games is 'in the book' now and as always there are some winners, some losers, some surprises (good surprises!) and some disappointments. With a game or two--or three--under our belts, how do we progress as GKs from this point?
Well, if your team won....Congratulations! You're the GK, you need to keep working hard and being sure to focus on what got you success in your first games. Did you do all of the right things? Catching, positioning, communicating with defenders, directing defenders (more on that one in a future blog), distribution, etc. Were you proficient in all of the above? If your team won, chances are you were. If your team lost, chances are you could have been better in those areas. NOTE: Remember, there are always games where the GK comes out and plays very well, and the team still loses. GKs can do more than any other player on the pitch to avoid losing, BUT the GK is helpless in scoring goals and winning games. 'If you can't score, you can't win' is an old soccer adage. If you don't score, you can TIE; but you can't win. So, if you're a good GK on a bad team, chances are you'll lose a lot of games--even when you as the GK perform brilliantly.
So, if your team won--keep working on the basics and aspects of GKing that brought you success. If your team lost, perhaps you need to increase the intensity on training at some of the aspects mentioned above. Your GK Coach will have a curriculum laid out for the week of areas that need improvement (at least the GK coach should have those plans in place) and should put you through your paces with concentration on improving those areas. Remember that in order to improve in Goal, you need to push the limits of your comfort level. You need to be able to be objective in your critique of yourself and accept the constructive criticism of your Coaches. Work hard, train well, and look to improve the basics of GKing for the games ahead on the schedule. The season is a 'marathon, not a sprint'. Play-offs are a 'sprint'! But you gotta' get there first, and you get to play-offs via the regular season. Via winning in the regular season...
So, if you're like most collegiate programs, you now have 2 days of hard training. Tuesday and Wednesday are days as a GK where you really work hard and 'fix' areas that need improving. Thursdays are usually "pre-game easy days" and Friday and Sunday are match days. Pay attention to your Coaches, work hard, concentrate, and measure your progress against the results of the upcoming games. And, as my old friend Coach Dave says, "Catch the Ball. Catch the Ball. Catch the effing Ball!" Good advice.
May the ground beneath your dive be soft; may the opponents shoot right at you; may your goalposts be 3 feet wide.
All the Best--EV
Well, if your team won....Congratulations! You're the GK, you need to keep working hard and being sure to focus on what got you success in your first games. Did you do all of the right things? Catching, positioning, communicating with defenders, directing defenders (more on that one in a future blog), distribution, etc. Were you proficient in all of the above? If your team won, chances are you were. If your team lost, chances are you could have been better in those areas. NOTE: Remember, there are always games where the GK comes out and plays very well, and the team still loses. GKs can do more than any other player on the pitch to avoid losing, BUT the GK is helpless in scoring goals and winning games. 'If you can't score, you can't win' is an old soccer adage. If you don't score, you can TIE; but you can't win. So, if you're a good GK on a bad team, chances are you'll lose a lot of games--even when you as the GK perform brilliantly.
So, if your team won--keep working on the basics and aspects of GKing that brought you success. If your team lost, perhaps you need to increase the intensity on training at some of the aspects mentioned above. Your GK Coach will have a curriculum laid out for the week of areas that need improvement (at least the GK coach should have those plans in place) and should put you through your paces with concentration on improving those areas. Remember that in order to improve in Goal, you need to push the limits of your comfort level. You need to be able to be objective in your critique of yourself and accept the constructive criticism of your Coaches. Work hard, train well, and look to improve the basics of GKing for the games ahead on the schedule. The season is a 'marathon, not a sprint'. Play-offs are a 'sprint'! But you gotta' get there first, and you get to play-offs via the regular season. Via winning in the regular season...
So, if you're like most collegiate programs, you now have 2 days of hard training. Tuesday and Wednesday are days as a GK where you really work hard and 'fix' areas that need improving. Thursdays are usually "pre-game easy days" and Friday and Sunday are match days. Pay attention to your Coaches, work hard, concentrate, and measure your progress against the results of the upcoming games. And, as my old friend Coach Dave says, "Catch the Ball. Catch the Ball. Catch the effing Ball!" Good advice.
May the ground beneath your dive be soft; may the opponents shoot right at you; may your goalposts be 3 feet wide.
All the Best--EV