This is one of the most difficult questions that parents may have to ask themselves. When do you really want to get your kids into organized sports regardless of position? As someone who got started in goal and in organized sports really early in life I’m going to naturally gravitate towards that option. Just thought I’d provide that heads up, but this article is going to be about the reasons why you want to get started early. If it’s been a few years now, and you’ve got an 8-year-old on your hands it’s not too late. I’d say though get them on the field as soon as possible. Parents with kids that seem smaller than other their age may be more reluctant to get them started in sports.
If there’s a doctor order to maybe refrain from having them go into contact sports that’s something different. When that’s not the case I would certainly advocate for getting kids into some form of the game at 4 or 5 years old. For me that time frame was when I also got started in goal. A lot of times kids are going to gravitate towards the position that they want to play in. I’ve said in other articles on the site that goalkeeper is not a position that I would advise forcing kids to play. You really have to have a unique personality to play in goal. It’s not going to be something that’s appealing to all kids. The bottom line is any age that you can get your kids hooked on the game is great. Here are a couple of pros and cons with different ages.
Why You Want Your Kid Playing Goalkeeper At 4 or 5 Years Old
I know this is going to sound scary for a lot of parents. Especially when you think about some of the ways that kids games at this age go. With all of the kids running after the ball. You feel that your kid who’s going to play in goal is going to get trampled by the mob of other kids during a game. What I’ve seen though is that most kids are very much aware of the “limits” and they’ll leave a small space within the box for the goalkeeper. I don’t think it’s too common to see them just rush the goalkeeper with no regard for his or her safety. Speaking of safety, that’s the main reason why I would say you want to start your kids out young.
At 4 or 5 years old kids are naturally going to be closer to the ground. So when do you think the best time to start teaching them to fall right is? Exactly this moment in time when they won’t have the strength or the height to really do too much damage to themselves when diving on the ground. Now, I would certainly recommend that you get them either to professional training or you learn some diving techniques yourself. This is like a golf swing for goalkeepers. If you get them diving in a technically sound manner, at least at a basic level from a young age they’re going to have fewer things to adjust as they get older. That means they’ll be playing at a higher level sooner. The better you are, the more fun you have.
There Are Of Course Cons To This Decision
Not everything is sunshine and rainbows. With any decision that you make in life you’re potentially closing doors to walk through the one that you think suits you best. In this case I do think it makes sense to talk about some of the doors that you may be closing. One has to do with other potential positions that your kid wants to play. They could certainly shift back and forth at this point, but I would recommend that goalkeeper technique is not something you overlook or spend little time on. They may have to end up spending a lot more time on the field than the other kids. With the way that kids grow up these days having yours more time outside and less in front of a screen may not be so bad.
Another thing that you have to take into account is that you do begin your journey as a goalkeeper parent very early in the process. That means you’re going to be spending extra money on gear. Potentially even extra training like I said. That could be a blessing in disguise though. Even though major injuries are not necessarily common at this age your kid is the one that’s going to get hit with the ball more. That’s just a fact. At this age the scrapped knees and bumps and bruises can also be a concern, but it’s mostly the getting hit with the ball issue. I’m not about to sit here and advocate for head trauma at an early age. This process of getting “roughed up” a bit is a part of goalkeeping.
The Problem With Waiting Until 8 or 9 Years Old To Get Them Started
There are a couple of things that your kid would have to catch up on if they start later in life. As with anything in life as you get older there are things about the game that get harder. At 9 years old in particular there may be kids out there that can really put some power on the ball. That means that your kid’s going to have to come into a world where getting hit with the ball hurts a little more than it did before. Hitting the ground 100 times a practice is still not a major concern at this age. I don’t think it’s fair to say that kids who start younger are going to be at a major risk of injury.
At the same time if they have to go through a trial and error process to learn how to dive doing, so the wrong way could hurt a little more than it would at 5 or 6. Just because by 8 or 9 the amount of force that a kid can generate is greater. Also in some cases these kids are going to be much further away from the ground than they were at 5 or 6 years old. There is a learning curve that these kids are going to have to go through. The issue is that you’re learning with a harder game around you. Don’t even get me started with kids at 11, 12 or older. It can be done, but you’re going to be way behind the 8 ball. If you can start young, do so.
Each Kid Is Going To Be Different
In a lot of these articles I have to generalize to be able to provide tips that are going to work for most people. The fact of the matter is, some kids are not going to be ready to throw themselves on the ground 100 times per session when they are 4. For other kids that’s going to be a great way to get all of the energy they have out of them. So as a parent you’re going to be glad you followed my advice when you can sit back and relax with your significant other at night on the days when your kid goes to soccer goalie practice. As with most of these moments where I talk about kid goalkeepers it’s going to be up to you as a parent to make the decision on when the perfect time is for your kid to get started.
Some kids are going to develop a lot earlier than others. I do get the sense that this is a trend that’s growing. What I mean by that is, modern kids are a lot bigger at earlier ages than I remember my generation or kids a bit younger than myself being. With this in mind it only means that some of those kids who are slower developers may need to hold off a bit. At least when it comes to playing the actual game. You can train, and create safer spaces in training to teach the game without having to put kids into a free for all game. You could look into goalie training for kids at early ages just as a way to help them with coordination and development. Even if they are not going to be playing the game later on in life.
Should You Discourage Your Kid From Playing Goalkeeper?
I may do a whole article on this at some point. I do feel that it’s the position on the field that worries parents the most. Coming from the parents’ perspective I totally get it. While injuries to goalkeepers in the pro game aren’t necessarily all that common you do have to put your face in a spot where the rest of the players are coming in with their feet. Just that thought alone can be enough to discourage a parent from allowing their kid to play the position. It’s a position that like I talked about recently puts more strain financially on the parent. You’ll have to buy more gear and in certain cases even extra lessons to get your kids up to speed.
At the same time the very nature of the position is going to help your kid be more independent. They’ll learn to take responsibility for their actions and their own mistakes. That can help develop mental toughness and discipline that can help you navigate other things in life. At the same time the emotional strain can be a tough one for some kids to deal with. I’ve said before I wouldn’t force any kid to try the position if they don’t want to. If your kid gravitates towards the position I would encourage parents to embrace the situation. That usually means that you have a kid with a unique personality. Finding a home between the sticks can literally be a life altering decision. Yes, you may go through some scares as a parent, but the upside far out weighs the difficult moments.
