How to Position Yourself on a Center Entry
The clip below is a great example as to why you need to bring your hands out of the water and get heavy on your legs on a center entry.
I’ll excuse SDprepinsider for the hyperbole because it is a social post and its high school sports but that is not an insane backhand goal.
The ball goes right over the goalie’s head.
It should’ve been an easy block for the goalie if they had their hands up in a neutral but ready blocking position and they were heavy on their legs.
Something like this.
Even with a slight elevation out of the water and the ball would’ve hit the goalie in the face.
You don’t have a lot of time to react to a shot coming from the center forward. But the center is so close to the goal that you can play the angles and use your body to take up a good portion of the goal.
More times than not, you’re going to jump to the side your center defender is not on. That is the opening for the center forward to make their move towards.
Then after getting into position your hands come up, you get heavy on your legs like Genai does in the image above, and then you walk forward to cut the angle down further.
And if they get off a quick shot that you weren't ready for at least your body and arms are in the way to potentially block the ball.