Hawaii Rush

Kansas Rush

July 20, 2021

Clueless about Goalkeeping? Help your team, NOW!

This is the first part of a series of articles that Sean Connors, Rush Soccer’s Global Goalkeeping Director, will share with us with the main goal of helping the field coach learn about GK.

Being a great Rush Coach means coaching every player on your team to be the best player they can be .  Unfortunately if you weren’t a goalkeeper during your playing days, or have had the chance to take a GK specific coaching course, it can be difficult to properly coach the goalkeeper on your team.  Learn some basics below that will make your goalkeeper, and your team, better right away!

Where should the goalkeeper stand in the goal

What does it mean to “Get Set?”

  • The goalkeeper “Gets Set” just prior to a shot being taken.
  • Feet should be just beyond shoulder width, with knees slightly bent.  The knees should not go beyond toes.
  • Hands should be facing each other as if holding an imaginary ball. Hands should be far enough away from their body that they can see them while looking at the ball. This will help get body weight forward onto toes.
  • Arms should be parallel to the ground.
  • Communicate to your goalkeeper to “see the ball, see your hands, catch the ball.”

The starting position of the hands allows the GK to react to shots high and low.  By starting with hands in a catching position, they should move together toward the ball thus giving the GK the best chance to catch the ball vs blocking.

The biggest key to a goalkeeper getting set is that their feet need to be on the ground in order to react and move to where the shot goes.  If they are in the air or bouncing, it will limit their ability to move and can result in allowing easy savable goals.

When the shooter gets closer, especially in a one v one situation, the GK’s hands will go lower and wider, but should still be past their knees to keep body weight forward.  It is ok to have the hands apart at this point because the priority is blocking the goal and getting big, versus focusing on catching the ball.

By helping your goalkeeper stand in the correct position, and get set before each shot, the success of your goalkeeper and team will only increase!

Learn more about Goalkeeping for Coaches  HERE !

Thank you volunteer parent coaches!

By Alexander Palacios • November 17, 2022
All recreational leagues depend on volunteer parent coaches! Without them we have no league. We provide a small reward to rec head coaches by giving them a 50% discount on the fee for the child they are coaching. However, sometimes there are volunteer parent coaches that go above and beyond! We would like to take this opportunity to recognize one of them. Thank you to our new sponsor, Planet Fitness, who is providing the means for us to give a deserving volunteer parent a nice extra reward. Stacy Velleca currently coaches three of her kids’ teams through the Rush recreational program: Ruby is in U8 (2 nd grade), Cooper is in U12 (6th grade), and Laney is in U13 (7 th grade). Stacy has been coaching them every Fall and Spring for years. And she takes it very seriously. When she started coaching, she went out of her way to learn more about soccer and coaching, so that she could help the kids develop their skills and have fun. While her teams may or may not be ready to play in the World Cup, the players, and their parents both appreciate her. Her teams are usually full with all returning players season after season. Thank you, Stacy! For the time and effort you put into coaching! Thanks to Planet Fitness we are giving Stacy an annual Black Card Membership. So, if she can find any time for herself, she can stay in shape to more easily make it through all the practices and games! Thank you to Stacy and all of our volunteer coaches!!! Kansas Rush 

A License To Learn

By duda • August 18, 2022
The post A License To Learn appeared first on Rush Soccer.

Inaugural International Rush Cup Set for December 2022

By duda • August 11, 2022
As Rush continues to expand its global footprint, one of the most exciting results of such growth is the inaugural International Rush Cup. The post Inaugural International Rush Cup Set for December 2022 appeared first on Rush Soccer.
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