Goalkeepers a hardy lot
Ali Doyle didn't want to be a goalkeeper. But when starter Kyra Foley was injured late in the 2006 season, the Slippery Rock High freshman was thrust into that role for the girls soccer team.
When Doyle was told she was shifting from midfield to the stressful spot in front of the net, she let her feelings show.
"I sat down in the middle of the field and bawled my eyes out," Doyle said. "I didn't know what to do."
It worked out quite well for Doyle and the Rockets, though.
Doyle was breathtaking during the playoffs, stopping shot after shot and helping the Rockets advance to the PIAA Class AA semifinals.
Doyle, who so badly wanted to remain at midfield, has turned into one of the most solid keepers around.
"It's gotten a lot better since I was a freshman," Doyle said. "It's definitely been one of the best things to every happen to me."
But being a keeper is not for the faint of heart. Doyle found she had the intangibles to tackle one of the most difficult positions in all of high school athletics.
It's more than just stopping shots, coaches say. It's about courage, tenacity and split-second decision making.
"Above all, you have to want to be there," said Knoch boys soccer coach Doug Wood, who coached Steve Frey, one of the best keepers in school history, last season. "You have to have that special something. You have to be confident."
Because of that, not everyone is suited for the position.
It takes a special blend of skills, and coaches say that isn't always easy to find.
Slippery Rock coach Les Smith admits he is spoiled to have Doyle as his keeper. He inherited her from former coach Blair Gantz, but he said Doyle, now a junior, is everything he looks for in a goalkeeper.
"You have to have no fear," Smith said. "Mentally, it's hard because you have to deal with a lot of criticism — why did you come out? Why didn't you come out? It takes a special someone to stand in there. We have a special one in Ali."
Doyle said her success lies in the fact she has a short memory and thick skin.
She compares the position to quarterback on a football team. The keeper, like the QB, sometimes gets too much credit for a win and too much blame for a loss.
"Being a keeper is really hard," Doyle said. "It really plays with your emotions. When you have a great game, you get all the glory. When you have a bad game, you get all the criticism."But it's not just you. It's the defense in front of you, too."Some coaches are blessed with one go-to keeper. Other coaches like to split the job.Wood has found himself in that position this season, alternating between Naru Pfeffer and Cullen Hinderliter.Sometimes he changes his plan on the fly.Last week, Pfeffer enjoyed a terrific first half against Hampton. Normally, Pfeffer would yield to Hinderliter in the second half, butWood kept his starter in the game to complete a 2-0 shutout."Naru got in that zone," Wood said. "I told Cullen he would get his chances."Sometimes you need two," Wood added. "That adds a little competition. Sometimes, you go with who is hot."First-year Butler girls soccer coachSara Lettrich decided to go with untested freshman Taylor Troyan in net.But Lettrich said the best keeper in the world can't succeed without some help."Taylor is doing a good job, but she has players in front of her, too," Lettrich said. "There's some leadership out there to help her."Troyan has given the Golden Tornado an added dimension at keeper: She is skilled with her feet."A goalkeeper who can use her feet is such an asset," Lettrich said.Despite her emotional reaction when she got the job for the first time as a freshman, Doyle has warmed to the position.The best part about being a keeper?"Probably not running a whole lot," she said with a smileThe hardest part? The dreaded penalty kick."It all comes down to you," Doyle said. "You just have to kind of react. You can't think. Thinking gets you into trouble."
