One of the most complicated topics in goalkeeper coaching is proper work on saves of the wing shots.

If you have ever worked with me, you will hear me very often speaking about “see/do” versus “see/decide/do”.

That is one of the main points in my work with goalkeepers: I want them to be able to SEE (get the visual input) / then to DECIDE what and how to do about what they saw / and then to DO the save reaction.

When practiced in proper way and with proper tools, this will help goalkeeper to develop great skills and to be able to create confident and successful performance idea.

What happens most of the time, if you pay close attention, is that many young goalkeepers will SEE the player taking off/jumping, and then right away they will DO something, without clear idea about why they did it or how they should do it.

We (goalkeeper coaches) need to help them in this!!! 🙂

When speaking about saves of the wing shots – it’s important to approach the topic in proper, very detailed way and to explain to your goalkeeper that there are different ways to position and to react on wing shots depending on the size of the angle from which the wing player will jump. This is something I am teaching goalkeepers since I have started to coach because I have discovered that this way brought me the biggest results in work with goalkeepers on this topic. You can check out what I mean with this by reading this post.

If you miss to explain this part to your goalkeeper – s/he will have very big challenge in understanding how, when and what to do while trying to save the wing shots.

That is usually one of the biggest problems many goalkeepers have: not having clear plan or idea on what to do when trying to save those shots from wing positions.

After fully understanding that there are different ways to position and to react on wing shots depending on the size of the angle from which the wing player will jump – it will be very important to observe the body position of the wing player during that jump (for example: if player’s shoulders are positioned towards the goal, or towards the 7m line).

Dummy in the video used to mark the wing defender is a FoamDude product and you can find out more about them here on their official website.

In this video you can see the example of player jumping from so called normal wing angle, using the take off and flight for additional opening of its shooting angle.

Meaning: in this specific case the goalkeeper made the first step forward towards the shooter, and then he was following the movement/flight of the shooter with side steps and he tried to position properly towards the hand with the ball, while maintaining good stance and balance, and while being PATIENT and CALM!

The more calm the goalkeeper is – the more wing player has to think about how to shoot and what to do in order to score.

Usual mistake that many young goalkeepers are making is that they are doing (most often too early) something before the player shoots, thus offering certain area of the goal and lowering chances for making a successful save!

In this video, the goalkeeper is making proper step forward towards the place from where the shooter is taking off. The goalkeeper is making that step forward with the leg closer to the post, after which the other leg comes in the same line, with the purpose of taking proper and balanced stance while all the time observing the player’s hand with the ball.

After being patient and following the path of player’s hand movement – goalkeeper can make proper save reaction. 🙂

Here is exactly the same thing that I have explained, applied by amazing goalkeeper Benjamin Buric during the Velux Champions League game of his team SG Flensburg-Handewitt against HBC Nantes:

https://www.facebook.com/HandballGoalkeeperCoaching/videos/2168424760047542/

Please note:  there is NO NEED to make step forward when the shot comes from small wing angle!

Important thing to consider: making a step forward towards the player IS NOT THE ONLY, EXCLUSIVE WAY to position or to react on wig shots!!!

There are many varieties and things that have to be considered and worked on when it comes to reacting on wing shots!

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Let’s help to as many goalkeepers as we can!