Should You Recommend Fingersave Goalkeeper Gloves To Your Goalkeeping Child?
In this quick blog I am going to discuss about fingersave goalkeeper gloves or non-finger save goalkeeper gloves. And should you recommend your goalkeeping child, or goalkeeper, to wear fingersave goalkeeping gloves?
I must get asked this question 20,000 times a year (ok slight exaggeration), "Hey, Ray, do you recommend fingersave goalkeeping gloves?" And the answer is, "Yes and no.”
Without sitting on the fence, you'll understand why I had to say yes and no below.
So the reason why I say “NO”, is because of the development of the goalkeeper's fingers, especially the young or junior goalkeepers. Reason being, If a young goalkeeper is wearing goalkeeper gloves with finger protection ALL the time, when the shots comes in, the finger spines are doing the job for the goalkeeper, if that makes sense.
So the mind gets lazy, and sub consciously does not realise that the goalkeeper gloves are saving the shot, not the goalkeepers hands and fingers, which can become very dangerous.
So your mind gets a false sense of protection because the gloves are now doing the job for your hands/fingers, but worryingly the mind does not realise this. So not only does your mind get lazy, but so do your fingers, and your fingers become weaker.
So when that shot comes in, because of the support of the finger spines, that is actually doing the job for the goalkeeper. So what happens there is the goalkeeper's fingers are not getting a chance to develop because the goalkeeping gloves with finger protection are doing a bit of the work for them, or sometimes ALOT of the work if this makes sense.
I can count many many times over the years where a student of mine came to me with a cast on their hand, because they had broke a bone in their hand and or especially the fingers and the goalkeeper, and or goalkeepers parents have for the most part blamed the finger save goalkeeping gloves.
This is happened by the way, when a student of mine wore finger save goalkeeper gloves for years and years, then one day they decided to try non finger saves, then they break a bone.
And the keeper/parents will say to me….
“Do you know what, Ray? I think it's because I never wore my finger save goalkeeper gloves. That's why my finger's broke." But they're blaming the fact because they never wore their finger save gloves, that's why the finger's broke.
But I say to my student or their parent, "Yeah, you're right and you're wrong.
‘The reason why you probably broke your finger is because you always wear your finger saves and your fingers have got weak because they have got use to your gloves doing all the work.’
‘So when you do not wear your finger saves, your mind does not realise you are not wearing finger savers, and when a shot comes in and you have undeveloped fingers because you have always wore finger save, AND you do not have the protection of wearing your finger savers, this is why you have probably broke your finger’
‘NOT because you should have wore your fingers, rather than you should have trained with non finger save goalkeeper gloves, so it gives your fingers time to develop and strengthen.
If you ask most goalkeeper coaches that know what they're talking about, they will all say that they're not a big fan of finger save goalkeeping gloves, for the same reason as this blog.
I personally think you should not be wearing finger save goalkeeping gloves, unless for a few other reasons. Coming back from a injury is just one reason when you might need that added protection.
But parents say a lot of the time, sadly because they have been brain washed by the so called big brands that they or their goalkeeping child needs to wear finger savers., they say..
‘Ray, I want that added protection for my child," which I do understand, and I get that. So this is what I recommend you do if you are adamant you want to wear finger savers.
Train with non-finger save goalkeeping gloves, and only wear your finger save goalkeeper gloves for match situations.
This way you are allowing your fingers the opportunity to actually develop and more importantly strengthen.
I understand if you do not wear your finger save gloves, you are from time to time going to jar your fingers, bend your fingers back maybe even break your fingers and yes it is going to hurt.
But I know it sounds crazy, sometimes, as goalkeepers, you need to jar your finger back etc because your mind then goes, "That hurts." And this make you as a goalkeeper to be even more focused on the shots coming in, because you do not want that pain again.
So again I know it sounds crazy, but you are better allowing your fingers develop and strengthen without wearing finger save goalkeeper gloves in training. Rather than wearing finger savers all the time, and not giving your fingers a chance to strengthen.
So again, if you are adamant you want to wear your finger savers, what I'd really recommend you do is make sure that you/your goalkeeper child trains in non-finger save goalkeeping gloves BUT when it comes to match situations, then wear your finger save goalkeeping gloves,
Because now you've got strong fingers with the support of the finger save goalkeeping gloves.
Also, the other time when I would recommend maybe using fingersave goalkeeper gloves, is when you've come back from an injury. I know a lot of goalkeepers, and I've done this myself, where you've jarred a finger, or dislocated a finger, or even broke a finger, and you put one or two finger spines in the glove for added protection re what finger was injured.
(For this you need to have finger save goalkeeper gloves with the ability to be finger saves or not finger saves)
So for example, if you are coming back from injury re breaking your little pinky. What you would do, is put the finger spine into the glove ONLY in the finger space where your little pinky is thus giving that extra support when coming back from injury.
For me personally, that's the only time when I would say you use finger save goalkeeping gloves is when you are coming back from an injury and you just want that added support.
But again if you are adamant you want to wear finger save goalkeeper gloves, at the very least make sure you (or your goalkeeping child) wears NON finger save keeper gloves in training, as this gives the fingers a chance to develop and more importantly strengthen!
What is your thoughts on finger save goalkeeper gloves?
Comments below please
J4K PROUD TO BE DIFFERENT!
