Soccer goalkeeper drills for kids
Soccer goalkeeper drills for kids should build confidence first: quick feet, safe hands and good position, with gentle service from close range. These four drills cover the basics for U10 and U12.
In US youth soccer there are no goalkeepers in the 4v4 game for under-8s, so the position is new at U9 and U10. Every player should try it. A goalkeeper also needs good feet, so keepers join in every outfield drill too.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
The basics, in order
- Set position: balanced and still when the shot is taken.
- Footwork: side steps to get the body behind the ball.
- Hands: the W for high balls, the basket for low balls, the scoop for rolling balls.
- Position: on the line from the ball to the middle of the goal.
- Distribution: roll, throw or pass to a free teammate.
Keeping young goalkeepers safe
- Service is rolled or thrown underarm at first, from five or six yards.
- No hard shots from close range, and no shooting until the keeper is set.
- Teach attackers to pull away once the goalkeeper has a hand on the ball.
- Rotate. Nobody under 12 should be the only goalkeeper all season.
- Use the right ball: size 4 at U10 and U12.
Goalkeeper drills for U10 and U12
- Goalkeeper footwork and set positionShuffle, get set and gather a rolled ball. U10 to U12.
- Goalkeeper catching: W and basketThe W, the basket and the scoop, with underarm throws. U10 to U12.
- Goalkeeper anglesStand on the line between the ball and the middle of the goal. U10 to U12.
- Goalkeeper distributionRoll, throw or pass to the free teammate. U10 to U12.
- Build-out gameStart the attack from the goalkeeper, as in 7v7. U10 to U12.
- Follow the shotFor keepers too: hold the ball or push it wide. U8 to U12.
- Wall passingGood feet for the pass back. U6 to U12.
- Thigh and chest controlDealing with a dropping ball. U8 to U12.
Example: Goalkeeper catching: W and basket
This goalkeeper drill teaches the two basic catches with soft underarm throws from a partner: the W, with thumbs together behind a ball above the waist, and the basket, scooping a low ball into the chest. It trains safe hands, and getting the body behind the ball as a second barrier. See the full drill.
Rules a young goalkeeper should know
- The goalkeeper may use their hands only inside their own penalty area.
- A deliberate kick from a teammate may not be picked up. Play it with your feet.
- In 7v7 the goalkeeper may not punt the ball. Roll it, throw it or pass it.
- On a goal kick in 7v7, the other team waits behind the build-out line.
Questions about goalkeeper drills
At what age do kids start playing goalkeeper?
At U9 or U10 in US youth soccer, when the game becomes 7v7. The 4v4 game for under-8s has no goalkeepers.
What is the first thing to teach a young goalkeeper?
The set position and how to catch: the W for balls above the waist and the basket for low ones. Confidence in their hands comes before diving.
Should one child always play in goal?
No. Rotating gives every player a feel for the position, and keeps the regular goalkeeper’s outfield skills growing.
Can a goalkeeper pick up a back pass?
Not if a teammate kicked it to them on purpose. They must use their feet. Our back-pass rule page explains the details.
Lessons to go with these drills
- Your Keeper Can Help (7v7 lesson)Pass back to your keeper when the way is clear. The keeper must play it with their feet, not hands. If it's covered, pick another teammate.
- Keeper: Defend the Goal or the Space (Futsal lesson)Adjust the goalkeeper’s depth to the attacker’s threat and whether a defender still provides cover.
- Goal Kick & Build-Out Line (7v7 lesson)On our goal kick, the other team waits behind the build-out line. Once the ball is kicked and moves, they can come and press.
- Keeper Regain: Release Beyond the Press (Futsal lesson)After winning possession, distinguish a nearby marked outlet from a clear receiver beyond the first press.
Keep reading
- Soccer drills to do at homeSolo and parent-and-child drills for a yard, a driveway or a wall
- Soccer passing drills for kidsPassing drills in teaching order: pairs, triangles, give-and-go and rondos
- Soccer dribbling drills for kidsBall mastery, ball-each games, turns and 1v1 for every age
- Soccer shooting drills for kidsShooting and finishing drills without long lines, for U6 to U12
- First touch soccer drills for kidsReceiving drills: back foot, touch into space, turning and high balls
- Goalkeeper in soccerThe job, the skills and where to stand
- The back-pass ruleWhen the goalkeeper must use their feet
- The build-out line in 7v7Why the other team backs off on a goal kick
- The goal kick ruleHow play restarts from the goal area
- All soccer drills for kids46 soccer drills and practice games for U6 to U12, each with a setup diagram, coaching points and the lesson it trains
- Soccer practice plans for kids12 ready-to-use soccer practice plans for U6, U8, U10 and U12, each with a clock table, equipment list and linked drills
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.