Dealing with high balls

• Learning to judge high balls takes lots of repetition. For younger keepers, focus on the basic technique and make sure they get the ball as high as possible -- don't introduce too much pressure right away. For older keepers, review the basics and move quickly into the higher pressure drills and serve driven, crossed balls rather than simple lofted ones.

• REACT don't anticipate!!

• The ability to deal with crosses coming into the box is one of the most highly rated skills a top goalkeeper can have. A goalkeeper who can deal calmly and effectively with every ball that is played into the box will give confidence to his teammates, while at the same time demoralizing the opponents.

• They must be able to deal with a high cross takes tremendous concentration.

• The goalkeeper must be able to shut-out all outside distractions and only focus on the ball, even when he must go into high traffic areas where collisions with opponents and teammates are likely.

• When dealing with crosses a goalkeeper must be decisive, and once he has made the decision to come for the  cross, he must do so with 100% conviction.

• Hesitation in these situations is often disastrous.