Top 10 Reasons I Love Goalkeeping
Goalkeeping can be stimulating, exhilarating, and empowering. Here’s why.
- Handyman: You are the only player on the field with the opportunity to use his hands. How’s that for your goalkeeping responsibility? Make the other players jealous by doing amazing, jaw-dropping things with your hands.
- Unique perspective: You have the garden spot vantage point on the field. Whether it’s seeing the other team’s weaknesses or recommending a mid-game adjustment for your attackers, you’ll see things others won’t.
- Gloves: The gloves! The velcroed gloves!! With the gloves on your hands, nothing gets by you – and you’ll look good doing it. Every time I put on a pair a goalie gloves on my hands, a switch is flipped: ‘it’s go time!’
With these gloves on your hands, nothing gets by you. - Own the 1 vs. 1: Snuffing out a breakaway puts a spring in the step of your team while the other team wonders, “Why bother? This guy is just too good.” Nothing is more fun than cutting down the angle on a breakaway and making a reaction save.
- Best athlete on the field: You are quick, fast and nimble, beating any opponent to a loose ball. And your teammates trust that you’ll never let them down. When there is a team sprint, you are usually finishing first.
- Always keep possession: Through sharp, decisive distribution, your team will always keep possession. The other team can’t score when you have the ball.
- Unbreakable wall: Setting up a wall is a great way to show you are in charge and you mean business. The best walls gives the opposing shooter little to work with when trying to put to ball on target. Their only chance? Bend it like Beckham.
- Grace under pressure: The diving save!! While your opponent starts celebrating a sure thing goal, you fly through the air, snatching the ball in mid-flight, denying yet another goal-scoring opportunity.
- Penalty master: You won’t save every penalty kick, but when you do, you’ll get in the head of the opposition and stay there. Watching the opponent’s forwards for tendencies and habits is just something that comes naturally.
- You got ball skills: You aren’t just a skilled goalkeeper, but you command attention and respect with the ball at your feet. You won’t score goals, but you’ll make smart, strategic decisions when you can’t get your hands to the ball.
Always be Goalie Ready,
Dan Naden
