Introducing Goalie

soccer goalie

A good-for-all-ages soccer game to develop kicking and catching skills and ball tracking. Play as the goalie, or swap it out and try and score! Best for smaller groups.

introducing goalie set up image
Set up

Using available equipment, create soccer goals. Partner children up and nominate one to be the kicker, and one to be the goalie. Examples of ways to create goals include;

  • Pop-up soccer goals
  • Purpose-built soccer goals on a field
  • Two witches hats
  • Draw a goal on a wall with chalk
  • Two agility poles
How to play
Step 1:
  • The goalie stands just in front of the goal, empty-handed
  • The kicker starts a few meters back from the goalie and attempts to score a goal by kicking the ball along the ground
Step 2:
  • The goalie is allowed to use any part of their body to stop the ball from getting into the goal
Step 3:
  • Give each child 5 attempts at scoring, then swap roles
Variations
Make it easier
  • Start the kicking children further back so that goalies have more time to track the ball
  • Use cones or agility poles so you can easily make the goals larger or smaller
Make it harder
  • To encourage the goalie to be more active, set up multiple goals so kicking children can try and score in any of them
  • Kicking children can dribble around before trying to score
Activity information
Age: Kindergarten, Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Participants: 2 +
Equipment: Soccer balls, Witches Hats, Soccer goals (optional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Catching Kicking (soccer) Dribble (Soccer) Soccer Skills
Skill teaching

Playing as a goalie means children need to be prepared to catch and trap balls. Ready children for this by reminding them of the catching teaching cues;

  1. Eyes on the ball
  2. Soft fingers
  3. Butterfly hands: thumbs together and fingers pointing up for balls being caught above the waist
  4. Wriggly worms: fingers pointing down for balls being caught below the waist
  5. Move hands to the ball
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
  • Let children choose if they'd like to be a goalie or a kicker first
  • After each round of 5 attempts, the goalies stay by their own goal, but the kicking children move along to a new goal - swapping partners
  • By manipulating the size of the goals, you can set up either the kicker or the goalie for success!