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5v5•U9•Parents

My daughter hates taking her turn in goal

Asked by LH61
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U9 5v5. They rotate the goalkeeper and she gets really upset when it's her week. She isn't scared of the ball, she just says she 'isn't a goalie'. Would you keep encouraging the rotation or let children opt out if they really don't enjoy it?

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@CoachRyanC

UEFA C Coach

Coaching & sessions • 5v5/7v7 formats • restarts • simple practices

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I would stop the mandatory rotation for now. At U9, if a player is really unhappy, forcing them into goal just turns them off the game entirely. You want them excited to be at training, not dreading their turn between the sticks. Let her play out for a while, and just ask if anyone wants to volunteer for a half or a full game instead. You’ll usually find another kid who actually likes the challenge or just wants to wear the gloves. I’d keep the game sessions focused on 4v4 or 5v5 without a fixed goalie, or use 'flying keepers' where whoever is deepest just drops back. If you make it less of a chore, she might even choose to go in there herself one day when the pressure is off.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

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K

KitchenTable82

Coach

I’d ask what she actually dislikes before assuming it’s being in goal itself. One of ours said he hated goal, but really he hated goal kicks because he felt everyone was waiting for him. Once we changed how we restarted, he was much less bothered about going in. Might be something equally specific for her.
T

TeaAndToastUK

Assistant Coach

Could she do ten minutes instead of a whole match? Knowing she’s coming back out soon might make it feel completely different.

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