I'm a U-8 coach and none of my players want to play keeper. I've got 10 forwards and no one wants to play between the pipes. Any ideas????
Promise to teach them how to dive! Kids that age love to roll around on the ground. Build it up to them... you get to dive on the ground and be spectacular! You get to save the game! You get to use your hands and throw the ball! You get a special shirt and the magic gloves! Then spend a practice teaching them how to do it. Check out my Goalkeeper Coaching web site for the techniques, and see the section on training sessions for some games on how to teach it. And yes, I said a whole practice--where everyone on the team learns how to be a goalkeeper! You'll have them fighting for the magic gloves in no time. If you can find someone to come in and teach them, so much the better. A local high school goalkeeper is perfect--the kids will really look up to them, and all you need to pay them is a little pizza money.
I coach U-10 and don't use a full time keeper. I think at this age it is important to develop soccer players not keepers. I have six kids who are good enough athletes to play keeper and I rotate them, we change keepers every 15 mins during the 1 hour game.
We simply stressed "keeper is the boss of the defense". He's the only player with everything infront of him and he directs the defending line.
Make sure you also have the magic goalie jersey and goalie pants, too. Seriously, kids will be more willing to play if they are dressed for the part.
Use all your players as a keeper for some part of the next three games. Want to play in the field they must be a keeper for at least some part of the game first. That is the new rule.