{"id":1609,"date":"2025-06-05T15:26:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T14:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/sywf\/?p=1609"},"modified":"2025-06-06T16:03:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T15:03:48","slug":"mindset-and-the-modern-game-the-role-of-goalkeeper-coaches-in-womens-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/sywf\/2025\/06\/05\/mindset-and-the-modern-game-the-role-of-goalkeeper-coaches-in-womens-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Mindset and the modern game: the role of goalkeeper coaches in women’s football"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Often dubbed the last line of defence, the role of goalkeepers is one of the most demanding and rapidly evolving areas on a football pitch. The responsibility of goalkeeper coaches from youth level through to the first team is an increasingly important role in the development of South Yorkshire’s future stars between the sticks, demonstrating a deep understanding of the modern game, as well as an ability to show leadership and resilience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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James Webber-Shaw, Doncaster Rovers Belles<\/a>\u2019 Head Goalkeeper coach, has been working at the club for two years, overseeing coaching and development from the club\u2019s under 9s, through to the First XI.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy ethos for coaching very much revolves around enjoyment and seeing my goalkeepers with smiles on their faces,\u201d said Webber-Shaw. \u201cAs a coach, if one of my goalkeepers makes a mistake, I put the blame on myself because I don’t want their enjoyment of the game to stop or diminish in any way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIf I can see them come off the pitch, even after a defeat, with a smile on their faces, that\u2019s, to me, what matters the most and the ultimate goal for me.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Goalkeeping is one of the toughest and most spotlighted positions on the pitch, and can be the area where blame falls when a goal is conceded. As a result, confidence can sometimes wear thin, especially when a side loses heavily or concedes regularly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cConfidence is tricky to instil into someone, but it\u2019s about how we as coaches communicate. Communication is tricky as a coach to a player, and so on the sidelines, if something hasn\u2019t gone right, I might stick an arm up and try to reset their mindset, because as a goalkeeper, if you make a mistake, everyone knows you have made a mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If a mistake happens or something goes wrong, I will wait until after the drill or session to talk about it and encourage my goalkeepers to tell me where they think they went wrong or what they could improve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe communication between me and my goalkeeper is always something I encourage, because, if I highlight an error too early, that\u2019s all my goalkeeper will think about for the next hour or for the rest a game.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n