Southern California School of Goalkeeping (S.C.S.G.) began in 1996 in Southern California with a vision to provide opportunities for young goalkeepers to train, learn, and enjoy the position of goalkeeper.  At the time, SCSG saw it necessary to give the GK a place to train on a weekly basis.  It was important for them to receive specialized training at least once a week, along with their team training.  Although camps and clinics are a great place to display their skills and learn in an intense environment, it would not benefit the GK for the rest of the year.  The GK would spend a week at a camp learning great aspects of goalkeeping and then would have to go back for the rest of the year and rely only on their team training, only.  Thus, Southern California School of Goalkeeping was born.  It was set up to not only give great weekly training but to also install a tactical approach to the position.  We created a curriculum that not only instructs technical training but, technical training with Tactical aspects.

We then saw the importance of Speed, agility and quickness in the position and how if defers from that of a field player.  We adopted a motto from the legendary Franz Hoek and Joe Machnik that state, “Your feet get your hands to the ball” which took away the myth that goalkeepers are not good on their feet.  The GK must be coordinated and agile to get to the ball.  Whether it is off a cross, a breakaway or a shot to the far post, the goalkeeper must use the proper footwork to save the ball with their hands. We also understood that technical training and agility training was only half the process to complete a goalkeeper’s training.  The goalkeeper needs tactical training that only comes from the game.  They need to know where to position their selves off a cross, during a breakaway, or on a set play.  They need to know how to set up a wall, a defensive corner kick and where to stand.  They need to know how to communicate to their defense and how to organize them accordingly to each situation.  These tactical aspects can be discussed in training however, the game itself can only show the real lesson and if nobody knowledgeable of the position is at the game to correct them, they will never learn how to correct it.  SCSG developed a Game Assessment model were a staff coach will attend a game and evaluate the goalkeepers progress, take notes, grade their awareness and speak to them during the game, at half-time, and after the game on key tactical points they need to improve upon.  The staff will then write a summary of the game and make it into an assessment with goals and objectives for the GK to work on.  The Assessment will then be given to the GK and to the team coach to communicate the needs and next step needed to become a complete goalkeeper.  And this completed the Four Pillars of Goalkeeping that SCSG adopted as their philosophy.

Today, SCSG’s programs reach out to some 200 goalkeepers each year. From seven-year olds just learning the game, to 14-year-olds dreaming of playing for the U.S. National Team, to 18-year olds preparing for a college or professional career, goalkeepers of all abilities can benefit from our training model.

Jeff Tackett

Director, Southern California School of Goalkeeping

Jeff is committed to ensuring that SCSG offers the finest state-of-the-art programs for goalkeepers and their teams, as well as developing the highest quality staff.

Jeff played soccer extensively in California before a career ending injury motivated him into the world of coaching.  As a youth, Jeff never had a GK trainer; he would go to summer camps, spring camps and clinics throughout the year.  At the age of 15, he met Dave Vanole and began to train under his tutelage and began to see how important a GK trainer was to him.   This is why he knew it was important to change the training views for the goalkeeper and designed a state-of-the-art weekly training session for goalkeepers, which later became Southern California School of Goalkeeping in 1996. He became the Assistant coach at Mt. San Antonio College in California in 1997 and served as an assistant coach for the Women’s program at California Baptist University from 1998-2002 and Associate Head coach for the Men’s program from 2000-2002. Jeff has worked as a ODP District 4 staff coach, ODP state coach and U14/U15 goalkeeper coach for Cal South ODP from 1997 – 2003 in which the teams won 3 National Championships against other Regions of ODP. He has been the Director of Goalkeeping for several clubs in the past 10 years and is currently the Director of goalkeepers and Director of Coaching for Corona Eagles F.C.  He is currently the goalkeeper coach/Associate coach for Cal poly Pomona for the past 5 years.

Jeff holds a NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, an AAF/National Diploma, NSCAA State Goalkeeping Diploma, Regional Goalkeeping Diploma, and a National Goalkeeping Diploma and a USSF license.  A dynamic teacher, his coaching services are in high demand throughout Southern California.  Jeff is married to Irene and has three children, Kyle, Kambria, and Kaiden

The Anaheim Bolts have signed Jeff Tackett of Southern California as the Anaheim Bolts Goalkeeper Coach. Jeff is the Founder and Director of the Southern California School Of Goalkeepers (SCSG). Jeff and his staff train goalkeepers from all levels of compitition. Jeff is also the goalkeeper coach for the Cal Poly Pomona Mens Soccer Team and the Director of Coaches for the Corona Eagles Soccer Club. In addition to training goalkeepers, Jeff indentifies prospective goalkeepers for the Cal-Southern Olympic Development Program (ODP).

The Bolts are competing in the Western Division of the Professional Arena Soccer League and will host 12 home games from October 2011-March 2012 at the Anaheim Arena.