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Can SAĞBAŞ : Goalkeeper Coaching in the Turkish national team

Updated: May 4

We sat down with Can Sağbaş, Goalkeeper Coach of the Turkey Women’s National Handball Team, to talk about the team’s recent World Championship qualifiers, the evolution of women’s handball in Turkey, and how he’s using technology to push goalkeeper development to the next level. From his own days as a player to coaching across all levels of the national team, Can brings a unique perspective and played a key role in making Steazzi more accessible by helping translate the platform into Turkish. He shared his thoughts on the challenges of international competition, the importance of mental training, and what’s coming next for the team.



Can you introduce yourself ?


My name is Can. I am currently serving as the goalkeeper coach for the Turkey Women’s National Handball Team. I started handball directly as a goalkeeper and developed myself in this position. After my playing career, I transitioned into coaching, focusing specifically on goalkeeper coaching. I have worked with goalkeepers from various age groups and contributed directly to their development processes.
My national team career started with the youth national teams. I served as the goalkeeper coach for the U17 and U19 teams. During this time, I gained valuable experience in player development, communication, and working at an international level. This experience in the youth teams helped me progress to the Senior National Team.
I actively use technology in my training sessions. Through video analysis, data tracking, and mobile applications, I closely monitor the performance of the goalkeepers and provide individual feedback. I also place a great emphasis on cognitive training. I aim to develop the goalkeepers not only physically but also mentally. For this reason, I implement specific exercises that improve attention, perception, and reaction speed. I have reached the point I am at today through hard work, continuous self-improvement, and applying modern coaching methods on the field.


Can you give us a little insight into Turkish Handball and the National team ?


Handball in Turkey is a growing sport year by year. In recent years, infrastructure efforts have increased, and clubs are investing more in young players. Both the men’s and women’s leagues play an important role in athlete development and producing players for the national team. Especially women's handball has gained significant momentum in recent years. To reach a more competitive level internationally, clubs, coaches, and federations are working together.
The Turkish Women’s National Team, where I serve, is part of this development. Our team consists of young, talented players. Along with individual development, we also emphasize team awareness. As coaches, we focus not only on physical preparation but also on technical, tactical, and mental development. To compete with top teams in Europe, we actively use modern training methods and technology. Our goal is to elevate Turkish handball to the European level and create a sustainable culture of success.




The world championship qualifiers: what was the experience like ?


The qualification process was both educational and challenging for us. As a team, we went through an intense preparation period. There was a sense of excitement and responsibility as we traveled to matches. Especially at home games, the atmosphere was special and motivating. With the support of our fans at home, we gained more energy, which elevated our players' performances.
During this process, our new head coach David Ginesta Montes made a very positive impact in a short period. He established strong communication with the players and brought discipline, energy, and a new perspective to the training sessions. He taught us a lot tactically. Under his leadership, the team began to play in a more organized and confident manner.
Despite the challenges, our players showed great determination. Our young players gained important experiences during this process. We are happy with the performance of our goalkeepers. They made significant contributions during critical moments. This qualification process has made us a stronger team and laid a solid foundation for our future goals.


What tools do you usually use to help with your coaching ?



We use technology effectively in our training sessions and matches. Steazzi is a powerful tool that allows us to track and analyze player movements in real-time during matches. We use this program specifically for tracking goalkeepers and conducting opponent analysis. Being able to simultaneously record and monitor the performance of goalkeepers during the match is very important. With the data provided by Steazzi, we can evaluate every movement, save, and decision-making process of our goalkeepers in real-time. This enables me to provide much more effective feedback to my goalkeepers during timeouts. By analyzing their performance instantly, I can offer clearer and more constructive feedback. Additionally, we use this tool to analyze the opponent's game strategy, player movements, and weak points. This allows us to make more informed and strategic decisions during the match.


What’s next for you and the team ?


There are several important steps ahead for our progress. Both the team and I are constantly working to improve every day. First, we will continue to support the individual development of our players. We will focus on taking our goalkeepers' technical and cognitive development to the next level. Additionally, we aim to deepen our team's understanding of the game and create a more strategic and organized playing style.
We will continue to use technological tools more effectively to constantly analyze our matches and accelerate our feedback process. Steazzi is an indispensable tool that allows us to track the performance of our goalkeepers and the entire team in real-time during matches. With this software, we can monitor the movements, decisions, and in-game situations of our players very clearly during each match. With the data provided by Steazzi, we can offer instant feedback to our players and continuously track their development. I would like to thank Steazzi for its contributions; this tool has become a valuable resource for analyzing and improving our team's match performance.
In addition, we will continue to focus on making our team mentally strong through cognitive training. Improving our players’ decision-making processes during matches to make them faster and more effective will create a significant difference in the long run. These steps will ensure that both our players and technical staff continue to progress.




Thanks to Can for taking the time to speak with us and share his insights into the journey of the Turkish national team and the evolving role of goalkeeper coaching.

You can follow Can and stay updated on his work here:

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