Now that you, or your parents, have spent a good deal of money on your gloves it is up to you to take care of them. Removing the dirt by washing your gloves will make the surface more “grippy” and will help prolong the life of the foam. Every few weeks, more often if you are playing on natural grass, they should be washed or rinsed thoroughly by hand. You can use a mild soap or glove wash if they are particularly dirty. After washing, use a towel to absorb the excess water and then hang them to dry (do NOT wring them out as that can tear the surface). Fastening the wrist closure around a hanger works well. They will take at least a day to dry so be prepared to wear another pair until then.

The change of the pass-back rule in the early ‘90s has had a significant impact on the game and made a goalkeepers ability to play with his or her feet essential. Being able to drop-kick or punt the ball is no longer enough. Today’s goalkeeper must be comfortable clearing an overplayed through ball with one touch, receiving a passed ball and successfully playing it to a teammate, and is expected to take the goal kicks. 

 

When you are training with your team take advantage of the time spent on individual ball skills and passing and receiving exercises. Working on these skills outside of the goal will help improve your ability and comfort on the ball. While you may not need to do the “Maradona” during a game, training and becoming comfortable receiving and playing a ball gives your team a passing option and outlet particularly when under pressure in the defensive third. 

Ever wonder why top-level keepers make so many saves that look easy? The answer is that they use their feet. The first thing they do, before the ball is ever shot, is make sure that they are always in position by making constant small adjustments to their positioning based on the movement of the ball and the game. This ensures that the keeper is always in position and limits the area that an opponent sees as open for a shot. The second thing the keeper does is use their feet to get themselves behind any ball that is shot within their range. Covering as much ground as possible while remaining on your feet increases the area that you can cover when you do have to dive.