Goalie
The goalie stands alone, gets noticed mostly when something goes wrong, and still has to hold focus through the whole match. The cards below unpack the role into steps you can prepare.
♀Goalie
An illustration of a person playing goalie in a soccer goal, with hands extended to catch a soccer ball.
About this visual support
Being a goalie is an odd position on the field. The rest of the team moves, swaps sides, shouts. The keeper stands still until the ball is suddenly close, and then everything hangs on a one-second reaction the whole bench can see. Add the team calling out instructions at the same moment, and it is clear the role asks as much of the mind as of the body.
The visual lets the child rehearse the sequence before the match: ready stance, eyes on the ball, hands up, step toward the ball, catch or push away, throw or kick out. Practical tip: go through the cards together in the car on the way and let the child pick one card as the focus of the day, so there is one thing to hold in mind instead of ten.
If you want to carry that frame between training and games, the steps fit into the Routined app, which you can try for 14 days at no cost.