Norris brings experience to soccer net

Prince George - SPORTS - Free Press
www.pgfreepress.com
Friday, August 2, 2013
B13
Norris brings experience to soccer net
Alistair McInnis
[email protected]
SLIDING SAVE
Soccer players in the region have been learning about
goalkeeping from an individual with international experience.
Mike Norris, who began his Prince George sessions on
Monday and wraps them up today, also comes from a soccer
hotbed. Norris is a 33-year-old from Newcastle, England
who didn’t move to Canada until
2006. A Burnaby resident, he
settled in the Lower Mainland
seven years ago.
The Mike Norris Goalkeeping
Clinic for players has been taking
place at the Rotary Fields. Each
player has been put into one of
two groups for the clinic. The
sessions have been running from
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (U9 to U12) and
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (U13 to
SOCCER COACH
U18), and offer participants a total
MIKENORRIS of 10 hours worth of drills.
Prince George Youth Soccer Association technical director Stephen Hood has been assisting
Norris this week.
On top of guiding players, Norris offered goalkeeping
sessions for coaches on Monday and Wednesday. This week
marks his first visit to the northern B.C. city.
Norris talked about his clinic during a session for U13 to
U18 players on Tuesday. He said players in Prince George
have a good foundation of skills, and they were receptive to
what he told them. The younger players have shorter attention spans, so they require regular reminders.
The older players tend to seek more feedback, Norris
noted.
“They want to know why they’re doing things and what
they can be doing better, how they can improve.”
For the younger age group, the clinics focused more on
the basics, increasing confidence and providing an enjoyable
Alistair McINNIS/Free Press
Garrett Shervey, 15, slides to make a save during a session at the Mike Norris Goalkeeping Clinic.
environment. The later sessions with older players looked
more into increasing their tactical understanding of the
position.
“The principles of goalkeeping always stay the same so,
particularly with the young ones, it’s just really getting them
in the habit of getting in a good starting position, or set position, as we call it,” Norris said, “and then really just getting
the hands and body behind the ball, and just really working
on the feet and the hands. That’s the foundation when you
can get that with a young age.”
Norris said the the principles don’t change as players age
and develop.
Train with an English
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“The balls come at them quicker and harder. That’s really
the only thing that changes in the game, in general,” he said.
Norris represented the England Boys Club at the U16
level and became a youth professional player for York City
FC. During his time at York City, he gained his English FA
coaching certificates. Since settling in the Lower Mainland,
he’s worked with goalkeepers of all levels. He coaches the
Burnaby-based Mountain United FC development teams, as
well as the UBC Thunderbirds’ squads.
Norris arrived in Prince George on Sunday and leaves the
city today. For more information, visit his website at www.
michaelnorrisprogoalkeeping.com.
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