Saves of High Shots From 9 Meters

Saves of high shots from 9 meters is one of the most basic elements of goalkeeper technique and a very important developmental step in work with young goalkeepers. High shots from backcourt players test the goalkeeper’s explosiveness, timing, arm speed, and ability to cover the upper corners of the goal.

What makes high saves particularly challenging is the coordination required. The goalkeeper must simultaneously push off from the correct leg, rotate the reacting leg externally, extend the arm or arms toward the ball, and maintain awareness of body position, all within a fraction of a second. When any element breaks down, the save fails.

It’s good to distinguish right away at the start of our work with a new, young goalkeeper the difference between goalkeeper technique and goalkeeper style. This distinction will save you many headaches as a coach and will help your goalkeeper develop more effectively.

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Key Takeaways

• Goalkeeper technique and goalkeeper style are different things – Technique is the proper way to perform a movement. Style is unique to each goalkeeper and develops over time. Young goalkeepers must learn proper technique first before developing their personal style.
• The push off must come from the supporting leg, not the reacting leg – This is one of the most common mistakes young goalkeepers make. If reacting to the right side, the push off comes from the left leg while the right leg makes external rotation with knee lifting upward.
• One arm or two arms depends on shot direction – Shots closer to the body (front high corner) are typically saved with both arms for wider coverage. Shots further from the body (back high corner) are saved with one arm for faster reaction.
• External rotation of the reacting leg prevents improper foot positioning – Teaching goalkeepers to turn the reacting leg externally while lifting the knee creates proper foot position at the moment of save. Skipping this leads to awkward landings and reduced effectiveness.
• Arms should never drop down before reacting upward – This extra movement delays reaction time significantly. The arms should move directly from the basic stance position toward the incoming ball without any downward preparatory motion.

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The Difference Between Goalkeeper Technique and Goalkeeper Style

As always, in work with young goalkeepers, keep in mind a very important thing: proper goalkeeper technique is one thing and goalkeeper style is a different thing.

Simply said, goalkeeper technique is the proper way to perform a certain movement. Goalkeeper style is unique to each goalkeeper and represents their own way to execute that technique.

Every senior-level goalkeeper has developed their own style based on many different things: their physical dimensions, their speed, their game understanding, their positioning instincts, their experience in reading shots. But what happens very often is that young goalkeepers watch their idols, see senior goalkeepers performing their personal goalkeeping style, and then want to replicate it. The problem is that their bodies and their experience are on a totally different level. So that never ends up being a good idea.

We need to help young goalkeepers understand that they need to start with proper technique and save movements. Then later, over time, they will be able (together with you) to develop their own goalkeeper style based on their unique physical qualities and growing experience.

The role of a goalkeeper coach in this process is crucial. The better you understand the goalkeeper game and goalkeeper technique (and different ways to work on it), the easier it will be for you to help your young goalkeeper develop their own goalkeeping style.

Remember, there is not only one universal and best way to perform saves of high shots from 9 meters, but there is a proper way to perform that element of goalkeeper technique when starting to work with young goalkeepers. Master the fundamentals first. Style comes later.

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Why High Saves Are Foundational

Understanding why saves of high shots from 9 meters matter so much helps coaches prioritize this training appropriately. High corners represent significant scoring opportunities for backcourt players. A goalkeeper who struggles with high saves gives shooters confidence to attack those areas repeatedly.

The mechanics learned in high saves also transfer to other situations. The explosive push off from the supporting leg applies to saves at all heights. The coordination between arms and legs develops movement patterns useful throughout the goalkeeper’s development. The ability to react quickly without unnecessary preparatory movements creates habits that improve all aspects of goalkeeper performance.

From a physical development perspective, high saves build explosive power, coordination, and body awareness. Young goalkeepers who master these movements early develop athletic foundations that support everything else they’ll learn.

This is why I consider saves of high shots from 9 meters one of the first technical elements to address with young goalkeepers, right after establishing proper basic stance and movement in basic stance.

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How to React to High Shots From 9 Meters

From the basic stance, the goalkeeper should react in the fastest and shortest way to the high shot.

The way goalkeepers react to high shots also depends on their physical constitution and abilities. Smaller or shorter goalkeepers will have to do a side jump while reacting to high shots, while tall goalkeepers will need to make only a side step with the reacting leg.

Since I’m talking here about proper save reaction of high shots from 9 meters in work with young goalkeepers, we will take into consideration that we are working with goalkeepers that aren’t yet so tall.

High Save Reaction Broken Into Simple Elements

From the basic stance, the high save reaction on 9-meter shots starts with fast reaction with one or both arms toward the high direction of the incoming ball.

At the same time, the reacting leg makes external rotation while the knee goes upward. If the reaction is to a high shot on the goalkeeper’s right side, then the reacting leg is the right leg. The reason we teach goalkeepers to externally turn the reacting leg and lift up the knee is because one of the most common mistakes many young goalkeepers make while performing high save reactions is wrong position of the reacting foot.

At the same time, the push off step comes from the supporting leg. If the reaction is to the high shot on the goalkeeper’s right side, then the push off step will be from the left leg. This is a very important thing to teach your young goalkeepers, since one of the most common mistakes is actually pushing off from the wrong leg.

 

 

 

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One Arm or Two Arms: The Eternal Coaching Debate

One of the most common questions I get from coaches is this: should we teach young goalkeepers to react with one or with two arms on high and middle shots from 9 meters?

I love this question because it shows that coaches are thinking carefully about their methodology. And the short answer is: both techniques are very valuable, good, and important to be worked on when coaching young goalkeepers.

But there’s a longer answer that matters for your day-to-day coaching decisions.

When we start working with young goalkeepers, it’s easier and more efficient if we start teaching them to react with one arm on high and middle shots from 9 meters that come to the further corners of the goal.

Here’s why.

What happens most of the time with young goalkeepers when they react with two arms on high or middle shots from 9 meters is that they tend to rotate their body a little bit backwards, towards the side they are reacting to. Then they end up going a little bit backwards in their reaction too, and with that they are opening the saving angle of the goal they’re trying to protect. This is a common problem, and starting with one arm reactions helps avoid it.

Another important thing: young goalkeepers are a little bit slower when reacting with both hands on high or middle shots that come to the back corner of the goal. One arm is simply faster for those further reaches.

The Arm Span Rule

The general rule that the majority of good goalkeeper coaches worldwide agree on is this: any high or middle shot that comes from 9 meters in the range of the width of the arms wide spread can be saved with two arms.

What do I mean by “the width of the arms wide spread”? Put your both arms wide spread sideways and then start moving them up until above your head, and down until you get to your legs. That circled space that you went through with your arms is your two-arm reaction zone. Usually, the shots that come in this range around the upper body can be reacted on with two arms, because they are closer to the body and the reaction is relatively fast.

Front Post vs Back Post

Think about it this way: when high or middle shots from the left back position come to the front post corner (the closer corner), the reaction to these shots can be with two arms.

But when high or middle shots from the left back position come to the back post corner (the further corner), the reaction should be with one arm. It should be with one arm because it’s a much faster reaction.

Progression in My Coaching

In my coaching, I usually always start working on saves of high and middle shots from 9 meters with one arm with my young goalkeepers. Then later, when they are a bit older (and depending on their skill levels and physical abilities), I start including reactions with both arms as well.

In later stages of progression, and when they are a little bit older (this will be different for different goalkeepers, but if they had proper and timely goalkeeper skill progression, then probably when they are about 16 years old), I include combined reactions with one and with two arms.

What I mean by that is: I design and create specific exercises in which we combine and alternate reactions on high or middle shots from 9 meters to the back corner with one arm and then with two arms. I do this only after my goalkeeper is physically capable and skilled enough to perform properly the targeted save movement.

Whether you work on reactions with one or with two arms on high or middle shots from 9 meters, the most important thing is to make sure that your goalkeeper feels confident and efficient with the reaction after learning it.

But also, please keep in mind that your goalkeeper will always feel uncomfortable right away in the beginning with any new technique or save movement that you start working on. 🙂

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The Physics of High Saves

Understanding the physics behind saves of high shots from 9 meters helps coaches explain technique more effectively and helps goalkeepers understand why certain movements matter.

The push off from the supporting leg creates diagonal force – When a goalkeeper pushes off from their left leg to react to the right side, they’re generating force that propels their body both laterally and upward. This diagonal trajectory is more efficient than trying to move purely sideways and then reaching up.

External rotation of the reacting leg positions the body correctly – When the reacting leg rotates externally with the knee lifting, the goalkeeper’s hip opens toward the target. This allows the arm to extend more fully and creates a larger blocking surface.

The shortest path is not always a straight line – Young goalkeepers often try to reach directly toward the ball, but the most efficient path involves coordinated movement of the entire body. The push off, rotation, and arm extension work together to create speed and coverage that isolated arm movement can’t achieve.

Momentum must be controlled – The explosive movement toward the high corner needs to be controlled enough that the goalkeeper can land safely and recover for the next action. Uncontrolled saves that send the goalkeeper crashing to the ground create opportunities for attackers on rebounds or second chances.

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Some of The Most Common Mistakes in High Save Reaction Technique

Some of the most common mistakes that young goalkeepers make while reacting to high shots:

Dropping arms down before reacting upward – Just before the high save reaction to the incoming ball, many young goalkeepers put their arms first down and then lift them up. This creates an extra movement that delays the time of reaction to the ball. The arms should move directly from basic stance position toward the ball.

Positioning the reacting arm backwards – The arm that is reacting to the high shot ends up positioned behind the line of the shoulder, thus “opening” the high corner the goalkeeper is trying to protect. This also creates injury risk if a strong shot impacts the arm in this extended position.

The “swing” movement of the reacting arm – Some goalkeepers swing their arm in an arc rather than moving it directly toward the ball. Again, this slows down the reaction and creates unnecessary movement.

Wrong foot position of the reacting leg – The foot isn’t externally rotated, leading to awkward body positioning and reduced effectiveness. This often connects to not lifting the knee during the reaction.

Pushing off from the wrong leg – The push off movement comes from the reacting leg instead of the supporting leg. This is one of the most common and most damaging mistakes because it fundamentally changes the entire movement pattern.

Understanding these common mistakes helps coaches spot problems early and apply corrections before bad habits become ingrained.

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Correcting the Arm Drop Problem

One of the most frequent questions I receive from coaches concerns the arm drop mistake. A reader recently asked: “What can I do when one of my goalies has one of the problems mentioned above, she puts arms first down before the high save reaction?”

This kind of movement (pulling arms first down before reacting to a high shot) is very, very common for young goalkeepers. There are several approaches that work well for correcting it.

Resistance band drills work effectively. The goalkeeper holds a resistance band in both hands (or the band is attached to the crossbar) and then reacts with the reacting side arm to one of the two high sides. The resistance prevents the downward movement and trains the direct path.

Holding a wooden or plastic stick above the head and then reacting with the reacting side arm to one of the high sides creates awareness of arm position. The stick provides physical feedback about where the arms should be.

Holding a handball ball above the head with both hands and then reacting high keeps the arms elevated and trains the direct movement pattern.

Another very important aspect is to use video analysis and slow motion of the goalkeeper’s movement. This is usually very helpful when working on technique correction because goalkeepers often don’t realize what their arms are doing until they see it on video.

The key with saves of high shots from 9 meters is building correct patterns through repetition of exercises that make the wrong movement impossible or uncomfortable.

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Physical Prerequisites for High Saves

Before goalkeepers can execute saves of high shots from 9 meters effectively, certain physical foundations should be in place.

Shoulder mobility allows full arm extension without compensation from other body parts. Limited shoulder mobility leads to reaching patterns that reduce coverage and increase injury risk.

Hip mobility enables the external rotation of the reacting leg that creates proper body positioning. Tight hips restrict this rotation and force compensatory movements.

Explosive leg power generates the push off force needed for quick lateral and diagonal movement. Without adequate leg power, goalkeepers can’t generate enough speed to reach high corners on well-placed shots.

Core stability connects the power generated by the legs to the movement of the arms. A weak core means energy leaks during the save movement, reducing speed and control.

Coordination allows all these elements to work together smoothly. The simultaneous push off, rotation, and arm extension require practiced coordination that develops through repetition.

Assessing these physical qualities helps coaches understand what training their goalkeepers need alongside technique work.

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Building Your Training Progression

Developing competence in saves of high shots from 9 meters requires systematic progression through increasingly complex exercises. Here’s a framework for building your training plan:

Stage 1: Isolated Arm Movement Work on arm reactions without any leg movement. The goalkeeper stands still and practices moving arms directly toward targets without dropping them first. This builds awareness of arm position and direct movement patterns.

Stage 2: Isolated Leg Movement Work on the push off and external rotation without arms. The goalkeeper focuses entirely on pushing off from the correct leg while rotating the reacting leg externally with knee lifting. This isolates the lower body mechanics.

Stage 3: Coordinated Movement Without Ball Combine arm and leg movements together, but without any ball or shot. The goalkeeper practices the full movement pattern with a focus on timing and coordination. The coach can use hand signals to indicate direction.

Stage 4: Soft Passes Introduce the ball with soft, predictable passes to decided locations. The goalkeeper knows where the ball is going and focuses on executing proper technique. Speed comes later.

Stage 5: Stronger Passes Increase the speed and force of the passes while keeping locations decided. The goalkeeper must now react faster while maintaining technique.

Stage 6: Decided Shots Progress to actual shots at decided locations. The increased speed and power of shots challenges the goalkeeper’s technique under more realistic conditions.

Stage 7: Free Shots Remove all restrictions. The shooter chooses location and timing freely. The goalkeeper must read the shot and execute proper technique for saves of high shots from 9 meters in game-like conditions.

Stage 8: Combo Drills Add complexity with multiple saves, vestibular challenges, and cognitive tasks. These prepare the goalkeeper for the unpredictable demands of actual matches.

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Take Your Training Further with Level 1 Video Course

If you want to learn proper technique for saves of high, middle, and low shots from 9 meters, including detailed progressions and common mistake corrections, check out my Level 1 Video Course for Coaches.

Topics covered in Level 1 Video Course:

• Basic stance of handball goalkeeper
• Movement in basic stance and correct positioning
• Basic goalkeeper warm-up routine
• Saves of high shots from 9 meters
• Saves of middle shots from 9 meters
• Saves of low shots from 9 meters
• Progression steps and methodology for teaching each technique
• Common mistakes and how to correct them

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Conclusion

Mastering saves of high shots from 9 meters creates a foundation for overall goalkeeper development. The explosive movement, coordination, and technique learned in high saves transfer to all other aspects of goalkeeping.

Focus on proper technique from the very start. Teach the push off from the supporting leg. Train external rotation of the reacting leg. Eliminate the arm drop before upward reaction. Build these fundamentals through progressive training that moves from simple isolated movements to complex game-like scenarios.

Remember the distinction between technique and style. Young goalkeepers need proper technique first. Their personal style will develop naturally over time as they gain experience and understanding. Your job as a coach is to ensure the technical foundation is solid so that style can be built on something stable.

The video exercises in this article provide a range of options from basic arm reactions to advanced combo drills with vestibular stimulation. Choose the appropriate level for your goalkeeper and progress systematically. Proper technique learned well is always more valuable than impressive-looking drills performed incorrectly.

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Video – Exercise for Steps of Progression in Saves of High 9-Meter Shots

The movement for a high shot save that you can see in the video below looks fairly simple and smooth when done by a goalkeeper that is already skilled and able to make it properly. But when you are trying to teach a young goalkeeper that same movement, it can become complicated and overwhelming with trying to coordinate hand and leg movements at the same time.

There are certain things and proper steps of progression that can help you and that you need to consider while working on this (and any other save movement) with young goalkeepers.

If you know the structure of proper steps of progression, it becomes much easier for you as a coach to organize exercises and time with your goalkeepers to help them with improving their skills. Also, more importantly, it becomes easier for you to recognize where and when you should stop in progression, and if needed make a regression.

Breaking Down the High Save Progression

Let me walk through how I structure the steps of progression for this particular skill:

Step 1: Understanding the target position. Before any movement, the goalkeeper needs to understand where they’re trying to get to. What does the final position look like? Where should the hand or a leg be? Where should the body be? Visual understanding comes first.

Step 2: Reaching the position without the ball. Practice getting to the target position slowly, without any time pressure and without a ball. Just the movement. This allows the goalkeeper to feel what the correct position is in their body.

Step 3: Adding the arm movement in isolation. Practice just the arm action, without the leg movement. Master one component before combining them.

Step 4: Adding the leg movement in isolation. Practice just the leg action. Again, mastering one component at a time.

Step 5: Combining arm and leg at slow speed. Now put the two together, but slowly. No ball or shots yet. Just the coordinated movement.

Step 6: Adding speed gradually. Increase the speed of the movement while maintaining quality. Still no ball.

Step 7: Introducing the ball at slow speed. Now add a ball, but thrown slowly and predictably. The focus is still on the movement, not on the save.

Step 8: Increasing ball speed. Gradually increase the speed and challenge of the shots.

Step 9: Adding game-like variables. Introduce unpredictability, multiple shot types, game situations.

Each step builds on the previous ones. Each step is mastered before moving to the next. And at any point, if quality breaks down, you can step back to rebuild.

In the last 15 years I have seen thousands of young goalkeepers that I worked with all over the world improve and learn so fast with this methodology and all the exercises I have implemented. The steps of progression work. They require patience, but they produce results.

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Video – Reactions With Arms in Saves of High Shots From 9 Meters

The video below showing reactions with arms in saves of high shots is a beautiful reminder from Norway, from December 2019, when we had our Keeper-Kari’s målvaktskole with my amazing goalkeeping friend Kari Aalvik Grimsbø. Not only is she an incredible goalkeeper, but she is also an amazing human being!

The first exercise in this video is one of the first progression steps that I like to work on when working on saves of high shots.

Usually with young goalkeepers, the biggest challenge will be coordinating movement of arms and legs in any of the saves, so it’s important to work on separate elements of the movement before performing it fully.

The most common “mistake” young goalkeepers make is to react on high shots while positioning the hand backwards, behind the line of shoulder. This isn’t good because any stronger shot and impact of the ball on the hand could cause a potential elbow or shoulder injury. Besides that, positioning the hand behind the line of shoulder means we aren’t “cutting” the angle of the incoming ball. We aren’t closing as much space as we should.

Option 1 of the first exercise: Goalkeepers work in pairs. The one behind taps the left or right shoulder of the other goalkeeper. The goalkeeper in front responds to the tap by fully diagonally extending the arm to the same side as tapped (if the right shoulder is tapped, reaction is to the right side).

Option 2 of the first exercise: The same as previous, but now the goalkeeper reacts to the same side if the shoulder is tapped and to the opposite side if the hip is tapped (if the right hip is tapped, reaction is to the left side).

In the last exercise in the video, you can see a middle step plus high save reaction on the visual target (ball) with resistance band around the waist. This is how we can work on adding more resistance on the push off leg, for the purpose of strengthening that diagonal push off step in a high save reaction.

 

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Video – Speed of Hands in High Save Reactions

In the video below, you can see one of the fun and very efficient exercises to work on the speed of hand movements and explosive movement toward the ball in saves of high shots from 9 meters.

The goalkeeper touches the pole (or it can be a wall or another goalkeeper holding a ball) on one side with both hands, and then reacts to the other side with one hand. In later progression, this second reaction can be done with two hands. The goalkeeper alternates fast between these two movements while reacting on shots.

This exercise builds the quick hand speed needed for high saves while also working on the transition between movements.

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Video – Speed of Arms Reactions for Handball Goalkeepers

n this video, you can see a few very efficient exercises for speed of arms reactions for handball goalkeepers.

There are many different options of all the shown exercises that you can do with your goalkeepers. The focus is on developing the explosive arm speed that makes the difference between saves and goals in high corner situations.

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Video – High Save Reaction on the Step Board

In the video below, you can see one of the many progression exercises that you can use when working on saves of high shots from 9 meters.

The main focus of this exercise is working on footwork and on proper push off leg when reacting to high shots.

As shown, you can do this exercise without shots or with shots, which will be more challenging for young goalkeepers. Don’t progress to the version with shots before your goalkeepers are skilled enough to do properly the first version without shots.

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Video – Combo Drill For Saves of High Shots From 9 Meters

In this video, you can see one of the progression combo exercises in handball goalkeeper training for saves of high shots. You can use this exercise with or without players/shooters.

The first shot comes between the feet, and right away from there the goalkeeper needs to reach the high right corner without making any additional middle steps.

The main focus is on explosivity of the lateral push off step for the save of the first shot, which is followed with a middle step and save of the second shot in the other upper corner.

Don’t start doing this combo drill before you first go through all individual elements of the exercise with your young goalkeepers.

Suggested Steps of Progression for This Combo Drill

Individual elements and steps of progression for this combo exercise that you can work on first:

1. Save of the shot between feet
2. Save of the high shot in left or right side
3. Combo: save of the shot between feet plus save of the high shot in left or right side
4. Combo: save of the high shot to the right side plus middle step plus save of the high shot to the left side
5. In the end you could do the combo shown in the video

 

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Video – Anticipation and Reactions on Sudden 9 Meter Shots

In the video below, you can see an exercise for working on anticipation and reactions on 9-meter shots from running (running shots, standing shots, step shots) with limited visual input for goalkeepers, thus limited time for perception, decision making, and reaction.

Options for progression or regression of this exercise are to decrease or increase the distance of visual field disturbance from the goal and to add additional tasks for the goalkeeper.

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Video – 180 Degree Jump Turn and High Save Reaction

When you understand and know how proper technique for saves of high shots from 9 meters looks, what are the most common mistakes, and how to correct them, it will be easy for you to design and create your own ideas for exercises.

Proper goalkeeper technique should be the most important focus for every coach at the start of work with young goalkeepers, because it enables a good basis for all the work that has to come afterwards. Another reason why that’s so important is that it’s much easier to teach young goalkeepers proper technique than to work on correcting wrongly learned technique.

In the video below, you can see one of the versions of an exercise that I like to use in my work with youth, junior, and also senior level goalkeepers.

On an audio stimulus, the goalkeeper makes the 180-degree jump turn, lands in basic stance, makes a middle step, and reacts on the shot directed to the opposite high corner.

The 180-degree jump turn should be done alternately both to the dominant and to the non-dominant side (to the right and to the left), and it should be done explosively. Usually, younger goalkeepers tend to do the 180-degree turn in small steps, but the point in this exercise is to do the jump turn.

Right after the 180-degree jump turn, the goalkeeper lands in a stable and balanced basic stance. Right after that comes the middle step and reaction on a shot with the ball to the opposite high corner.

In earlier versions and progression, the same exercise can be done using a stronger pass instead of a shot. In later options, it can be done with adding another one or two additional shots and save reactions to different directions afterwards.

This exercise can be used in a warm-up or in the main part of work on proper technique, depending on where you are in progression and work with your goalkeepers.

Creating different exercise ideas is an easy part of the coaching job! More challenging is to learn how proper goalkeeper technique looks, to know what the most common mistakes are in any of the technique elements, and how to correct them. When you have the knowledge for all these aspects, you will feel much more empowered and encouraged as a coach to create your own ideas for goalkeeper exercises.

 

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Video – Both Legged Lateral Jump and High Save

In the video below, you can see one of the exercises that you can use in progression when working on saves of high shots from 9 meters.

The goalkeeper starts by holding the handball in hands in basic stance. On an audio stimulus, the goalkeeper makes a both-legged lateral (sideways) jump over the flat cone. Instead of the flat cone, there could be a normal cone or a low hurdle.

After the both-legged lateral jump, the goalkeeper lands on both feet and then makes right away after landing a lateral push off from the supporting leg to the side of a high reaction (without making any additional middle steps or smaller jumps before the push off).

While making the high save reaction movement, the goalkeeper takes the handball from both hands to the reacting hand and reacts high with it in the hand. Then the same thing is repeated on the other side.

 

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Video – Plyometric Combo Drill for Saves of High Shots From 9 Meters

In the video below, you can see one of the combo drills that I like to use with young goalkeepers while working on final details of save reactions for high shots from 9 meters.

This combo drill can be done with or without shots.

As always, first you want to make sure that your goalkeepers are performing properly all separated elements of this combo drill before you let them do it entirely.

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Video – Double High Save Combo Drill With 360 Turn

Before proceeding with this high save combo drill with 360 turn, please make sure that your goalkeeper is able to perform a proper high save reaction and also a 360 jump turn.

In the video below, you can see one of the combo drills for saves of high shots, which starts with vestibular system activation through 360-degree turn in small steps and then continues with including middle step prior to high save reactions.

Please note, the position of the landing foot after the first high save isn’t “proper,” like we would usually put high focus on, where the foot needs to be “open” laterally for proper landing after reaction in high save. Instead, in this combo drill, the landing foot after the first high save reaction is placed in a way that is most optimal and fastest for a senior goalkeeper to push off for an immediate quick reaction to the other side.

When working on this combo drill, you can combine low save reactions or alternate high and low save reactions. You can do the drill with or without shooting with handball balls. It all depends on what you are working on.

 

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Video – A Few Progression Steps for Saves of High Shots From 9 Meters

n this video, you can see a few great exercises that you can use in progression when working on saves of high shots from 9 meters. As always, please first make sure that your goalkeeper can perform properly all separated elements of this combo drill. These exercises are meant for you as inspiration so that you could use them and also create some of your own drills.

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Video – High Save Reaction From a Kneeling Squat Jump

This exercise is one of the advanced progressions when working on high save reactions from 9-meters, with extra emphasis on leg power, fast body organization, and correct timing.

The goalkeeper starts in a kneeling position. On an audio cue (whistle or clap), the goalkeeper makes a jump from a kneeling position into a half-squat, landing stable with chest up, arms in basic stance, and feet ready to move. From that position, the goalkeeper immediately makes a proper middle step to position properly, and align with the direction of the incoming high shot line. Right after the middle step, the goalkeeper executes a proper high save reaction with correct timing, arm path, and body balance.

Shot setup suggestion: The coach shoots a high shot to the goalkeeper’s left side (as in the video), but you should work on both sides, of course. The shot can be thrown from the distance of about 7 to 9 meters.

Key timing detail: The shot needs to be timed so the goalkeeper can react without waiting during the save reaction. You want the save reaction to flow directly from the movement chain. Kneeling jump into basic stance, middle step, then the lateral push off step into the high save. If the shot arrives too late, the goalkeeper pauses and the drill loses its purpose. If it arrives too early, the keeper can’t organize the feet and posture.

Coaching points:

• Keep the audio cue random so the goalkeeper doesn’t know when it will come (you can also have a second goalkeeper behind the goal, giving the audio cue; and you can also give a visual cue – clap, ball bounce, etc.)
• Goalkeeper jump into the basic stance needs to be explosive and controlled. No collapsing forward.
• Stable position on the feet first. Middle step, then lateral push off, then the high save.

Start with clean technique, then increase speed and shot pace, if and when needed, in later progressions.

Important: Please, make sure your goalkeeper can first do properly the jump from a kneeling position into a stable half-squat with good technique before adding the full sequence and the shot!

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