with Maureen Ordnung,
Ithaca College Assistant Coach;
2015 Empire 8 Conference Coaching Staff of the Year;
2x All Conference Goalkeeper at East Stroudsburg University
As field hockey continues to evolve, the challenges keepers face keep getting harder and harder. The strikers are faster, more aggressive, and hit harder than ever before. All this means less time for keepers to react. In this video, Maureen Ordnung shows how to equip your keeper with the physical and mental skills needed to face those challenges bravely and react intelligently.
The Theory of Keeping
Many people think keeping is simple - see the ball, stop the ball. But any keeper will tell you that's not true. Keeping is a specialized role, and one that many coaches who come from the field just don't feel equipped to coach well. As a result, their teams 'leak' too many goals and their keepers feel left out of practices that don't meet their needs.
Coach Ordnung shows how to break this cycle and teach keepers:
- Footwork patterns for maximum efficiency in the circle.
- To position themselves properly to find the line of the shot and then apply pressure on the shooter.
- To identify space for safe clearances.
Using All the Tools
Ordnung shows you how to save and clear shots with kickers, pads, gloves, and sticks, and, as importantly, when to use each piece of equipment. No longer will your keeper be unsure if they should (or could) use their feet to make a save. No longer will your keeper lunge with their kicker when they should dive. Your keepers will have the confidence to pick off a flick into the corner with their stick instead of flailing with their glove.
The Importance of Aggression for a Keeper
Learn how to train your keepers to stay aggressive and communicate effectively. Ordnung presents a two-keeper, two-player drill designed to make strikers fear your keeper. This drill gets a keeper out of their cage to put pressure on ball carriers. In this beautifully simple drill, all the skills Ordnung emphasizes in the video are brought to life in a fun and challenging situation. Keepers and players will love it - and learn at the same time.
You'll also see Ordnung give practical advice on various coaching aids and how to use them. She demonstrates how to use paper plates, cones, and marker dots as visual cues to help your keepers learn proper positioning and shows how to use string to teach the concept of angles.
In clear and direct terms, Coach Ordnung gives you everything you need to increase the skill and confidence of your keepers and improve results immediately!
65 minutes. 2017.