Top 3 Things for Goalies to Master: Ages 8–10

Building the foundation: confidence, coordination, and fun.

At this age, it’s all about movement quality and building love for the position — not pressure.

1. Basic Handling & Body Shape

Teach them how to:

• Form a "W" with their hands

• Stay behind the ball

• Get low with a good stance
  The goal? Safe, repeatable catching technique.

2. Footwork + Agility

They don’t need to fly yet — but they do need to move their feet:

• Small quick steps

• Side-to-side movement

• Stay on toes, not heels

3. Make It Fun (While Building Focus)

If a kid loves the game at this age, they’ll stick with it long enough to get good.
Training should be:

• Play-based

• Full of praise

• Lightly competitive (1v1s, dive games)