What does your child like about being a goalie?

[Anonymous]

My son, who is a midfielder, and I were discussing this, and we were wondering what aspects of the goalie position appeal to kids (I used to play as a left back many years ago). It just seems like such a stressful position, and trying to stop balls that are kicked at you full force doesn't sound that fun to us. Also, it is a really important position, but other players and parents only seem to focus on it when something goes wrong vs. when the goalie does something right.

My son asked his team's goalie, but the kid sort of made a joke of the question and didn't really answer (claimed less running, but that is obviously not the real reason).

If your child is a goalie, what aspects of it does he/she enjoy?

[Anonymous]

My kids don't play goalie for their teams ---now U14 and U17.

But--they love playing basement soccer and at the backyard net---and favorite thing 1v1 is being the goalie and diving on the ground and trying to make saves.

They both had a turn or 2 in goal on their U9/10 teams when every kid was required to play it at some point. They now both play center mid.

When they play Futsal they will sometimes volunteer to play goalie and I am amazed that they are actually pretty good at it--but I think it mirrors their basement soccer on are hard tile floors and close-up shots.

I could never be the parent of a goalie. It seems very stressful. Also- they make a mistake and it costs a goal. A forward can make mistakes the entire game and no big deal. The goal has a fumble or comes out too far or misses a penalty shot and feels the loss heavier. I also didn't like when my kids played sweeper for a similar reason. They could play outstanding the entire game and 1 play someone would get by and then you had to hear all the idiots on the sidelines whose kids could never finish and missed opportunity after opportunity scream about the defense.

[Anonymous]

My kids were goalies and also did another individual sport. Eventually, they both transitioned to just the individual sport and that is their preference. I think they liked the independent aspects of being the goalie, meaning they had control over the situation. So it was a team sport, with an individual role, best of both worlds for them.

The other thing that made them good goalies and they enjoyed was being able to see the game and communicate. And punting is fun!

[Anonymous]

My son is a goalkeeper and loves it. While there is some overlap in skills, it really is a fundamentally different position from the rest of the team so asking why someone likes playing in goal rather than in the field is kind of like asking why they prefer playing baseball to football. Goalkeeping is just a really good fit for my son's skill set and athleticism, and he finds it exciting. He definitely gets bruised and beaten, but he has sensory integration issues and is really hyposensitive so throwing himself at the ground actually helps him settle down and focus - he doesn't feel the pain until after the game is over.

It's a mentally tough position, but he has a good ability to differentiate between goals are on him and which aren't. Sometimes there are goals he should have been able to save and after the game he'll pick them apart to assess what he should have done differently, but if there's a total defensive breakdown or if the other team just gets an amazing shot into a high corner, he can shake those off easily and move on. If he couldn't handle the mental part of it so well I don't think he would enjoy the position nearly as much.

[Anonymous]

I coach a team of 7 year old girls and I was shocked at how many beg me to be goalie. The ones that truly seem to enjoy it are the ones who are good at it. It seems to be a position that can be challenging but exciting and rewarding.

[Anonymous]

I would say my kid enjoys the tactical aspect of being able to see the field and have an effect there. If you can get your team to embrace the sweeper-keeper role, and play from the back there is alot of potential to improve play in the defending third.

There is also the thrill of being the last line of defense and making the save that you really weren't expected to make. It takes a unique mentality to make that stretch over the periods of inactivity and/or failure.

It requires a broader degree of athleticism to do it well than for field players which suits her. My DD grew up throwing, catching, and punting and is good at it.

[Anonymous]

Theres a saying ,
A striker can miss 9 shots on goal and score 1 time and be a hero . A success rate of 10%

A Goalie can stop 9 shots on goal and let 1 goal in and he's a bum. with a success rate of 90%.

It takes a thick skin and the strongest mentality on the team.

Its almost like euphoria, when as a goalie you stop a breakaway 1v1. The crowd is building with anticipation ready to roar for an exciting goal. Then the goalie slides in and kills all of their dreams!!

[Anonymous]

Control of the field (directing others)

High when you make a save

But gotta argue with it's the goalie's fault if goal goes in. No dude. It went past 9-10 other players to get to the goalie. Don't ever, ever blame goalie.

[Anonymous]

She thrives under pressure and loves that she's in a position that the team relies on. She's also loves diving and contact. Flying into the ball and the plant leg before an offense player can get off a shot puts a huge smile in her face

[Anonymous]

But gotta argue with it's the goalie's fault if goal goes in. No dude. It went past 9-10 other players to get to the goalie. Don't ever, ever blame goalie.

Mostly agree, with a few exceptions. The goalie that my son's Super Y team had last summer made a few big mistakes that led to goals. The goalies during his regular seasons, no issue with saying they should never be glamed.

[Anonymous]

You need to be mentally tough. DS has specialized in GK for years but recently moved to a field position. He never chose to be a GK but at u9 the coach rotated everyone through and he thought it was fun. At u10, he was GK about 50% of the time and he received so much positive feedback that it made him want to play there more and so he specialized. He told me he enjoyed the physical aspect of it. He was always a sensory seeking kid so the diving was fun. Now that he’s older, he’s suddenly developed severe anxiety about being in the goal. He says it’s obvious to everyone when you make a mistake. He tells me the anticipatory anxiety is interfering with his performance so it’s a vicious cycle. He’s taking a break from the goal (luckily there is another GK who wants more time). The other parents, players and coach are very supportive when he is in goal, so it’s just something he will need to work through and we hope in time he will find his way back to it. It’s definitely a high pressure position as mentioned above.

[Anonymous]

She really likes the diving/catching aspect of goalkeeping. She likes that there is not much running (she has had foot problems that were really bad when she was a field player). I think she also likes having a defined space on the field where she is supposed to be.

Goalie is definitely a stressful position, but the smile on her face when she makes a good play makes my day. We really stress the fact that there are going to be some shots she won't be able to stop and the fact that there are going to be times that she makes a mistake that results in a goal. All of that said, they win as a team and lose as a team, so it isn't her "fault" per se. And as long as she is doing her best, she should be proud.

I will say that at U11, everyone is so glad that they/their daughter are not playing goal, that we really have had a very positive experience and haven't dealt with finger pointing when the team gives up a goal. However, my daughter is 10 and she knows when she cost the team a goal -- and after the game she'll cry about it for a few minutes. But, a couple hours later, she wants to work on goalie drills, because that is what she loves about soccer.

Goalies really are a different breed from field players and one of the things my daughter really enjoys is training with other keepers.

[Anonymous]

I honestly believe DD first started playing goalie b/c she doesn't like to run. Then she got good at it and liked being a key cog in the machine. I love that she is GK b/c it has helped develop her leadership skills and has taught her resiliency (bouncing back from giving up a goal, good or bad).

As for the other stuff, most parents and players "get it" and know when a goalie lets in a bad goal vs just gets beat on a good shot or b/c defenders aren't doing their jobs. She/we have gotten the most compliments in games that we lost, where she kept the team in it with good saves, or kept it from being an embarrassment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Goalies really are a different breed from field players and one of the things my daughter really enjoys is training with other keepers.

I completely agree with this. My son really likes his team, but his weekly keeper clinics with other keepers in the club is a huge part of what he enjoys about soccer.

[Anonymous]

My son likes it because he says he’s better at it than things requiring fancy footwork. To quote his 12 year old self “I’m really good at jumping and diving but suck at doing things with my feet.” I think there’s also an aspect of laziness. He’s fast and in shape, but complains when he plays mid and needs to run the whole game. On the other hand, he’s an adrenaline junkie and enjoys the physicality/throwing himself in front of people.

He has a pretty thick sin and doesn’t rattle easy, so it’s relatively easy for him to shake things off and he feels good about himself that he can shake things off and be ready for the next play. The pressure doesn’t really bother him. He doesn’t show it, but I think he also really likes making the big saves. It’s fun for everyone to be counting on you and come through. He’s excited to recount how high he jumped to make a particular play, etc at the end of the game.