The life of a goalkeeper imitates the picture of a child on seesaw. it contains highs and lows; however, you never want to get off because it’s all a part of the ride. Both instances provide you with a shocking thrill. When at the bottom of a seesaw the best is yet to come and when at the top it’s a great feeling. With goalkeeping, there is little room for error, this creates a tense but rewarding role in the soccer team.
Goalkeepers can appear as the superhero of the team, when save after save is produced to help the team win. Or in the dying minutes, the goalkeeper can defy the opponents the chance of catching a win. This possibility of being a hero is what draws a minority of people into being a goalkeeper –– however this niche group all share a common sympathy and appreciation for each other. The shared bond between goalkeepers comes through the understanding of the position and its needs, such as the mental drain of being constantly prepared for anything.
The close unit of goalkeepers is mainly formed during training. The goalkeepers’ training is the most position specific out of all the soccer players due to the fact the position is so unique. It requires a technical coach who can identify small errors and areas for adjustments to take their goalkeepers to the next level. The drills can be made very creative and fun for the goalkeepers as the position requires so many different skills to be successful.
The goalkeepers’ life can be an exciting one as there is an unexplainable thrill from making saves that feel nearly impossible. Or the pride that is earned from hearing the disappointment in the opposing team’s’ fans after being denied a goal that looked almost certain.
Unfortunately, the life of the goalkeeper isn’t always as fun as it sounds. Pressure is a part of all competitive sports, and soccer is no different. As a goalkeeper, the margin for error is so small the pressure can mount up. It can happen when a simple mistake is made or when nothing has been done at all. Mistakes on the field can always be hidden by outfield players, such as stray passes or poor touches. However a goalkeeper can’t get away with these mistakes as easily. A misplaced pass by a goalkeeper could be received by an opposing player in a good shooting position, and a poor touch could be stolen by an attacker which could leave them facing only an open goal.
The pressure faced by a goalkeeper can go hand in hand with the isolation of the position and role itself. For large periods of the game a goalkeeper can be completely unnecessary and therefore not involved in play. This accompanied with the physical loneliness of the position can make it hard for the goalkeeper to feel a member of the team or useful sometimes. Such as when a manager talks to their team about an impressive 5-0 win, for the players involved in getting on the ball and scoring it is a great feeling and one to remember, yet for the goalkeeper it can feel as if the participation wasn’t necessary for the win. Ultimately, I would describe it as a high risk, high reward role in the soccer team.
