The defensive lying down save is an important goalkeeping skill. The goalkeeper must first decide that it is the most appropriate skill to counteract an attacker’s or penalty corner specialist hit or low push shot that is aimed for the corner areas of the goal. It then requires from a goalkeeper both precision of technique and accurate timing. Too often you see young, inexperienced, untaught goalkeepers execute this skill and find them hurting themselves in the process as they fall and land awkwardly or they fail to cover enough area therefore leaving too much exposed areas for the ball to pass through.
Coaches need to spend time with young goalkeepers in developing the correct technique before ‘bad habits’ become entrenched as a skill set and become difficult to change as a consequence. In this article we outline with the assistance of an excellent Hockey Australia video the correct process for learning or teaching young goalkeepers the skill of lying down saves.
Technical Points – LYING DOWN SAVE
Execution
Keep your eyes on the ball
Lean to the right and crouch slightly
Push off on right leg
Stay low throughout the dive
Slide stick out and along the ground to control the dive
Slide on side of body and not on stomach
Avoid landing on elbow
Keep left glove in front of chest in case of lifted ball
Angle stick towards the back line
Follow Through
Keep eyes on ball
If ball is cleared and there is no danger relax and get up normally
If ball is not cleared decide if best to stay down or to get back up quickly
Return to ready position once on feet
Goalie lying down – Hockey Australia
Technical Points – GETTING BACK UP
The second part of doing a lying down save is the process of getting back up again into the ready position. It is again a process a coach should spend time with a young goalkeeper in developing. The first part of this skill is knowing when to do it. If the ball is still right in front of you and an attacker is right there, it is best to stay down rather than risk them putting the ball underneath you as you get up. While on the ground, stay mobile, raise yourself onto your right forearm, and have your left glove out and ready for a flick. It may be good to practice getting back up while someone is flicking balls at you.
Execution
From a lying position
Bring your left leg in front of your right leg, planting the left foot firmly on the ground
Raise yourself up onto your right glove, ready to push off
Left glove should be in front of chest
Keep your eyes on the ball
Push yourself up using your arms in one powerful motion
At the same time bring your right leg underneath your left one
Kneel on your right leg quickly then stand up (as you get better at this you may not need to kneel but get to your feet in one motion –as above diagram)
Keep your left glove out in case of a shot
Follow through
keep your eyes on the ball
return to the ready standing position
Practice learning this skill from a kneeling position then falling into the correct save position, then getting up into a kneel position. Progress the drill i.e., from a standing position to lying position and then back to standing position in one movement. Repeat process but with someone hitting a ball at the goalie. Then vary the shots at the keeper, e.g., hit followed flick.
Video: Hockey Australia
