GOALKEEPER SUMMIT 2023
The successful inaugural Goalkeeper Summit 2023 in Vienna took place with with 42 goalkeepers, experts, coaches, and players gathering for two days of talks. Speakers included Mats Olsson, World Championship gold medallist with Sweden, and renowned sports psychologist Prof. Dr. Sc. Renata Baric.
Mats Olsson’s fascinating explanation of goalkeeper’s physical preparation and Claes Hellgren’s — also a former Swedish goalkeeper — brilliantly detailed explanation on the development of goalkeeper techniques are two examples of the captivating lectures at that inaugural event, which was characterised by knowledge sharing and friendly chatter amongst the handball community.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
Pedro Vieira, assistant coach and goalkeeper coach, Kadetten Schaffhausen:
"The event is rich, innovative, something you cannot lose. You have the top speakers here. We go not only for talks on training itself, but also the psychology and physical conditioning, covering so many different areas for goalkeepers.
"We heard new things, new ideas, new tendencies, the game is changing and the people here are perfect for teaching us how it is changing and how to respond to this.”
Prof. Dr. Sc. Renata Baric, author of the EHF manual “Mentally Fit in Handball”:
"I think that everyone who is working with people has to be in line with new information – a successful coach is one who is continuing to learn something and has to be in touch with new knowledge – especially in a top sport.
"In a top sport everyone’s reached a certain level of technical preparation of equipment, everything is already high-level and if you want to be really successful then you should focus on the small details and everything that can help you to take advantage in something small step is important. You can find some new resource of knowledge or experience from your colleague."
Claes Hellgren, handball goalkeeper and fitness coach, former Sweden national team goalkeeper
"It’s important to share knowledge from old people like me, over to younger people, that’s how we develop. If you go back 100,000 years, we have always used experience to take it to the next level.
If we don’t talk and if we don’t get meetings, we don’t get development. It’s about innovating development – it’s called temporary monopolies, for the moment you might be the best at something, but it’s always only temporary because someone’s always going to find new things.
When I was young there was no mobile phone, but now everyone has it. What’s the next level? What’s AI going to do? How are we going to work if we don’t do the physical things? Can we train our brains to be a better goalie? That’s what’s going to come next."
