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The Penalty Save & The Joystick

God I love Google, you'd be surprised how much you can find if you just take the time to look. I just came across some riveting research done in 2002, that gave a very good analysis between expert and novice goalkeepers in their ability to analyze a penalty kick situation. The results were riveting, and gave some fantastic insight into how you too, can increase your penalty stopping abilities just like the pro's.

Savelsbergh, G.J.B. (et al.) in a study published in the Journal of Sports Science (Vol 20. March 2002) gave a great insight into the differences in visualization, anticipation and expertise between novice and expert goalkeepers. The test subjects (sounds so sterile, doesn't it?) were given a joystick and asked to respond to a penalty kick presented on film. Scientists measured the eye movements of goalkeepers to test their visual search throughout the presentation. Let me break the results down for you:

Expert Goalkeepers

  • More accurate in their prediction of the direction of a penalty kick.
  • Wait longer before initiating any response to the penalty kick.
  • Made fewer corrective movements before the penalty was taken.
  • Expert goalkeepers were more efficient in their visualization and did not fixate their vision to long on any specific place.
  • This is gold...Expert goalkeepers found the kicking leg, non kicking leg and ball area to be a more predictive measurement of where the ball would go, especially at the moment of foot contact with the ball.

Novice Goalkeepers

  • Didn't do most of the above, and fixated too long mostly on the penalty takers trunk, arms and hips.  

Interesting to see what the successful dynamics between the big boys and those who hope to be just like them. Take some of the expert goalkeeper points above and utilize them in your own training practice. Funny the results some lab rats and a joystick can give you!

Looking for a way to maximize your goalkeeping technique? Sign up for "10 Weeks To Goalkeeping Success" for free here.

Posted on 05.4.2007 by Registered CommenterJohn Stevanja | CommentsPost a Comment | References1 Reference

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