Gloves Up
All drills

Crowded Box

Crosses, Handling. About 9 minutes.

Keepers tonight
KKeeper working SServer or team-mate AAttacker KWaiting
Catching a cross
  1. Open stance. Watch the ball leave the foot.
  2. Move late and fast, and shout "Keeper's!"
  3. Take off from one leg and drive the other knee up.
  4. Catch it at the top of your jump, arms straight.
  5. Bring it down into your chest.
How it is set up

Setup. Keeper in goal. A server wide. Three or four players in the six-yard box holding tackle shields, pads or just standing firm.

How it runs. The server crosses. The players in the box hold their ground and lean in, without jumping. The keeper calls, comes through the bodies and catches at the top. Any ball that is dropped is live and the nearest player shoots. Four crosses from one side, four from the other, then rotate.

Coaching points

  1. Take the straight line to the ball. Knee up, arms above everyone.
  2. Your call has to be louder here. Shout it twice.
  3. Expect a bump. Hold the ball with strong hands and bring it straight in to your chest.
  4. If you cannot get both hands on it cleanly, punch. A half catch in a crowd ends up at an attacker's feet.

Make it harder. The players in the box may move before the cross. Then one of them is allowed to jump with the keeper.

With 4 keepers. Keeper, server, two in the box.