Picking Ball Up From Ground
Many times during a game, there will be times where the ball is coming to the goalkeeper on the ground. Many young goalkeepers will think to drop down to their knees to prevent the ball from going through their legs. Although it is important to make sure that a goalkeeper's body is directly behind the ball, there is a specific technique that allows the goalkeeper to pick the ball from the ground effectively and start the play quickly again.
This first step is to get the athlete to get into their "set" position. It is important that the goalkeeper has their chest over their knees, on the balls of their feet, their feet not moving, completely balanced, and a bend in their knees. This makes it easier for the goalkeeper to move forward to the ball. It also allows the goalkeeper to move left and right as freely as they would like.
The next step in this technique is getting ready to pick up the ball. Whichever side the ball is coming from is the leg that the goalkeeper wants to step forward in. For example, in the picture below, the ball was coming to my left side therefore I stepped forward with my left leg. The next part is to prepare the goalkeeper's hands to catch the ball. The goalkeeper needs to have their hands placed together at the pinky fingers. The pinky fingers then need to be put as close to the ground as possible to ensure the ball does not slip underneath. The goalkeeper does not want to have their back knee touching the ground to allow them to get up quickly to distribute the ball.
The final step in picking the ball up from the ground is the follow through. The goalkeeper's elbows need to be shoulder width apart. The back foot then needs to be brought up in line with the front foot. The goalkeeper then wants to bring the ball to their chest and cover it up with their elbows. I like to add a little hop at the end of bringing my foot forward to allow me to get into a set position again. The goalkeeper is then able to distribute the ball quickly and get the ball back into play.
Using these steps, the goalkeeper will have the adequate knowledge of picking up a ball. With practice, this technique can become a very vital skill for the goalkeeper. They will become better at making simple saves look easier and contribute more to their team by being able to distribute the ball faster.