Goalkeeping deserves more attention

A letter from Bjarte Myrhol

The goalkeeper is one of the most important players on the court. Yet, it is perhaps the position most often deprioritized in training. Not because we don't want to do a good job, but because many of us have simply never received proper instruction in the art of goalkeeping.

This has also been one of the topics we have received the most questions about through Learn Handball. How can we help our goalkeepers? What should we focus on? How do we foster development without having a dedicated goalkeeper coach?

That is why it was extra exciting to spend an entire day filming with Mikael Appelgren.

The result is 17 highly informative videos where Mikael, or "Äpplet" as he likes to call himself, shares his experience and knowledge of the goalkeeper role. What impressed me most was the way he explained things, and how he makes a rather complex subject easy to understand.. He doesn't just explain what the goalkeeper should do, but also why. This gives you, as a coach, a completely different understanding of the goalkeeper's game.

One of the most fun things to watch during the filming was Oliver. He had actually never stood in goal before. Yet, we saw how he developed almost from exercise to exercise, simply because Mikael was so skilled at explaining, creating a sense of security, and building confidence. That really says a lot about how pedagogical he is.

I have been involved in handball for many years and feel that I have quite good competence in most areas. Still, I was left with many new thoughts after this day. I believe many of you coaches will feel the same.

This is not about advanced goalkeeper training. It is about understanding the goalkeeper role a little better, so that we can give our goalkeepers an even better foundation for success and the follow-up they truly deserve.

We are incredibly proud to have Mikael on the team. He is a fantastic ambassador for handball, and not least an incredibly skilled communicator of the goalkeeping craft. I truly hope these videos can inspire even more coaches to give their goalkeepers a little extra attention. I believe that will benefit the goalkeepers, the teams, and handball as a whole.

A big thank you to both Oliver and "Äpplet" for a fantastic day of filming. Now we look forward to sharing this with the entire handball family.

Best regards,

Bjarte Myrhol

Learn Handball

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