Speed of response characteristics of goalkeepers: a descriptive and developmental report.

Photoelectric cells and accelerometers enabled the measurement of reaction, movement and total response times of the limbs of representative goalkeepers (N = 12) from five levels of organized hockey, under simple and choice test conditions. Speed of response characteristics fundamental to success at these levels of competition and the developmental improvement, which must occur annually to permit progress through the goalkeeping hierarchy, were suggested. The point at which the beginner's "reaction-type" pattern of goaltending must be augmented with "anticipation-type" behavior was explored. The concept that the ability to react and move is specific to the direction of the response was upheld at all levels of investigation. Standard deviation of the RT/MT/TRT's of each group reflected the degree of variability of performance that is tolerable at each level. This variability generally decreased with each ascending level within both testing conditions, with the exception of the CRT measures. Data collected over a two year period, for four subjects, revealed that the most evident longitudinal changes occurred in MT and that the youngest player experienced the greatest degree of overall improvement.