Many times young goalies will try to 'trap' the ball between their hands as it passes by rather than getting their hands out first, usually resulting in the ball bouncing round the goalie box.

There are two proper techniques to teach proper hand positioning. The 'W' and the 'Heart'. The W is accomplished by having the goalie put his hands out with the tips of the the thumbs touching and the fingers pointed skyward. This works best for the younger players since it makes a larger area for catching the ball.

The Heart is accomplished by having the goalie touch the tips of his thumbs together as well as his forefingers, forming a heart shape between his hands. This technique also makes the hands round in shape.