Hurdle jump, quick feet through cones and catch at the middle cone
Line of cones parallel to the goal with a hurdle at each end: the keeper jumps the hurdle side-on, performs quick feet through the cones and, on reaching the different-coloured middle cone, receives the serve and catches.
Step 1Salto de valla
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El portero salta la valla de lado y vuelve hacia la portería cayendo en posición base.
Objective
Keep the hands ready and the head still during fast lateral footwork so the keeper arrives at the point of the save already in the set position.
Organisation
Full-size goal. A line of five cones 3 m apart, parallel to the goal line and about 4 m out; the middle cone is a different colour (a disc). A hurdle at each end of the line. Server with balls 10-12 m out, facing the keeper.
Development
- 1The keeper starts beside the hurdle at one end, side-on to the goal.
- 2They jump the hurdle sideways and jump back over it towards the goal, landing in the set position.
- 3They perform quick feet through the cones (short lateral steps) while keeping their eyes on the server.
- 4As soon as they reach the middle cone, the server plays a ball; initially straight into the hands for a W or M catch.
- 5They catch, return the ball to the server and continue to the far end of the line.
- 6Repeat from the opposite end. 6-8 runs per side; the service gets harder as the technique holds.
Coaching points4
- Elbows bent and away from the body, palms facing each other, arms still while the feet move.
- Head still and up, looking at the server throughout the run.
- Short, quick steps through the cones; never cross the feet.
- Arrive at the middle cone already set: stop first, then receive.
Common mistakes3
- Arms swinging with the footwork and arriving late to the ball.
- Looking at the cones or the hurdle instead of the server.
- Long strides that unbalance the keeper at the middle cone.
Variations3
- Two-footed jumps between the cones instead of quick feet.
- Single-leg hops between the cones.
- In-and-out slalom through the cones.
Progressions2
- Serve at chest height and then ground balls that require a scoop or a collapse dive.
- Server chooses to play the ball at any cone, not only the middle one.
Regressions2
- Remove the hurdle and do only the footwork with a serve into the hands.
- Shorten the line to three cones.
Tips
- Use a different-coloured disc in the middle so the keeper identifies the save point without looking down.
- Server has the ball in hand before the keeper reaches the middle.