Goalkeeper Secrets

Building good habits as you develop and reach higher levels is extremely important.  One way of building good habits is being aware of bad habits that you have now and working deliberately to stop them. As you get older bad habits will be more difficult to drop, so the earlier you target them, the better so that you can begin building the good habits.  Subscribe to my newsletter HERE! Email me to...

Former professional goalkeeper, Trey Mitchell, joins me on Goalkeeper Secrets to drop so many helpful tips and insights on what it takes to make it to the next level.  Trey Mitchell played division II soccer at Dominguez Hills after deciding to play soccer only a few years earlier.  Soon after he graduated he signed a professional contract by persevering and having a relentless work ethic.  You wi...

The concept of goalkeeping is simple, keep the ball out of the net!  However, it's just not easy to do that, especially as you develop and start playing against better competition. Remember that you need to put in your 10,000 hours to master the position of goalkeeping and to do that you need to put in the hours of training.  That's no easy task, but if you remain focused with relentless...

As a goalkeeper you primarily are reacting to what's happening in front of you.  The other team will take shots, crosses, through passes, corner kicks, free kicks, etc. and you will react to those actions.  But how can YOU impact the game? By your presence, communication, and composure during the game.  Your teammates will feed off of your confidence and the other team will be unsure of how t...

You can be professional even at 12 years old! All that it means to be respectful, on time, take care of yourself and others.  Behave like a professional and you are more likely to actually sign a professional contract! Coaches and managers love to work with players who respect themselves and everyone else around them.  Take care of your body in a professional manner and also be responsible for all...

When you make a mistake in a game, the first thing you should do is forget that you even made the mistake.  As fast as you can.  Once the game is over, then you can revisit the mistake and figure out what you can do better next time or how you can prevent the mistake from happening.  The worst thing you can do is dwell on the mistake during the game and let frustration take over.  You must have sh...

In this episode I talk about how to talk your way to shutout in a game by using proper communication.  Its so important for goalkeepers to coach up the field and become a leader to their teammates.  Also communicating with your coaches before and after games is just as important.  They have so much valuable information and it will benefit you greatly to always be seeking out their feedback. Email...

On this episode I talk about the goalkeeper secret of playing for yourself instead of playing for the approval of others.  Trying to live up to other's expectations and to try and win their approval will lead you to play with fear.  Playing with fear can be debilitating and scary. You can remove fear forever, but you can learn to control it and not let it take over your decision making.    Em...

Too often young athletes experience burn out and lose sight of why they fell in love with the game and position in the first place.  Burn out can happen from putting too much pressure on yourself, too much pressure from your parents or coaches, or you just too many bad experiences.  Its so important to remind yourself of why you chose to play soccer and be a goalkeeper in the first place.  Hold on...

So what if you don't get selected to be on the team you just tried out for? Its a snapshot of time in your long career as a goalkeeper.  There will be another opportunity for you to find a team and coaching staff that is right for you.  Never let another persons decision and perception of you, stop you from being relentless and accomplishing your goals.  Email me to receive your FREE copy of...

No matter what age or skill level you're at, you will get nervous or have pre-game butterflies before an important match or tryout.  How we talk to ourselves the day before and day of the "big" will set us up for how we perform.  If you're negative and fearful, that will carry into the game and influence your performance.  Or if you are positive and courageous with your thought...

Knowing when, how, and why to communicate to your teammates during a game is crucial to your success. Efficient communication with your back line and midfield will help make your job easier by providing information that will aid them in stopping the opposing team.  Communicating with a sense of urgency and constructive criticism is also important to being successful while coaching your defense.  _...

If you want to progress as a goalkeeper and soccer player, studying the game is an important component of growth. Fortunately, its never been easier to watch professional soccer from around the world! You can find games streaming almost 24/7 on the internet.  I challenge you to watch at least one professional soccer game a week and take notes on each goalkeeper for each half.  Take note of their d...

As goalkeepers we will face 2 types of shots: the could have saved shot and the should have saved shot. Understanding the difference between the two will help you mentally process how you were just scored on.  You can quickly realize that it was a could have saved goal where it was a great finish, but maybe you were out of position or you set just a bit late.  On the other hand we have the should...

As an athlete and goalkeeper, you must work on your craft constantly so that when it comes time to perform in high pressure situations (games, tryouts, trainings, etc.) your mind and body will react without hesitation.  The only way for all of the movements and skills to become 2nd nature is to practice them over and over and over.  Repetition will be one of your greatest tools to achieving greatn...

One of the most important aspects of improving as a goalkeeper is making the decision to leave your comfort zones.  Yes, it will be difficult at first, but the more often you put yourself in situations where you are inexperienced and more likely to make mistakes, the more you will learn and develop.  Utilize goalkeeper trainings and practices with your team to push yourself to leave your comfort z...

Becoming aware of your weaknesses will help you to start the process of eliminating them. The hard part is recognizing that you do have a weakness and many times they are mental.  What helps with discovering your weaknesses is self reflection and reviewing games afterwards.  Think about your emotions and what your mental thought process was when you made a mistake.  The sooner you spot these weakn...

Marcus Ziemer has been the Sonoma State Men's Soccer head coach for an astounding 31 seasons! Ziemer has had an incredible career in Division II soccer with a 344-183-65 coaching record over the past 30 years as well as winning the national championship in 2002.  Throughout his tenure as head coach, Ziemer has worked with many goalkeepers and has a keen sense on what he's looking for in...

Once you come to the realization that you are exactly where you should be, you will have more focus and drive to get where you want to be.  If you're a backup goalkeeper or striving to get to the next level, take a moment to accept where you're at and see that you have many opportunities right in front of you.  ____________________ MJR Keeper Academy YouTube MJR Keeper Academy Instagram...

As goalkeepers when we look up at the proverbial mountain we can become anxious, fearful and hesitant.  This mountain is your playing career in the moment, whether it be a tryout for college or a championship game, these moments can be daunting.  The GK Secret is to shift your mindset to being fearLESS, confident, and excited to ascent up the mountain and conquer your goals.  Focus on how you talk...

Being grateful every time you step onto the pitch will help you mindset to be more positive and open to experiences.  Every training session, tryout, and game is an opportunity to learn, improve, and develop your skills and talents.  Take advantage every time you lace up your boots to be thankful you get to prove to yourself how great you are. ____________________ MJR Keeper Academy YouTube MJR Ke...

As goalkeepers we all have experienced drills during team practices that aren't necessarily designed for us and we end up getting bombarded with close range shots at a rapid pace.  This leaves us mentally and physically exhausted.  This episode is about how to find purpose and meaning in every drill so that you can benefit and become a better goalkeeper. ____________________ MJR Keeper Academ...

Every time you step on the pitch is an opportunity to prove to yourself and everyone else why you belong there.  Every warm up, drill, game, etc. is an opportunity to show and prove your abilities as a goalkeeper.  However, just showing up to trainings and games to perform physically will not be enough.  You must prepare mentally days before so that when it does come time to perform physically you...

Have you ever dreaded going to a tryout or a game because you're filled with anxiety and afraid you're going to fail? Me too.  We've all been there and the shift starts with your mentality before competition.  You need to mentally prepare yourself so that when you're in the game you are present and not afraid to mess up.  In fact, you don't want the game to ever end! Prepa...

On this episode I take a deeper look at what it means to have "IT". We hear that all the time from coaches, commentators, parents, etc. and what do they actually mean when they say that player just has "IT".  What they're really trying to say is that the player performs exceptionally well and can handle adversity and struggle.  Does this mean that you must be born with the...