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Growing up in a sport’s mad family, by the age of 11 I had played every sport conceivable; from basketball to lawn bowls. However, by the age of 11, I was fat. Very fat.
Somewhere between fat and obese, or what I liked to call ‘horizontally blessed’.
Whatever your term of choice, it was obvious I would not make a great sportsman any time soon.
And so, when it came to the school football match (usually daily) I would end up as goalkeeper, more volunteered than having volunteering myself.
Nevertheless, it was an opportunity for me to be accepted and be alright at something. Plus, it wasn’t hard work; plug the goals with my girth, and threaten to squash anyone who came near.
I came to like the role, and by the end of my time at the school was proud of my goalkeeping record.
Eventually, I left the school, played football for a while longer, and then decided it wasn’t my game. I focussed on schoolwork and girls. Well, girls anyway.
Time went by, puberty hit me like a ton of pimple-infested bricks, and the weight came off in bits and pieces.
But in all that, I never lost my love and appreciation for keeping.
From idolising Mark Schwarzer on the telly to Michael Theo(klitos) from the stands, the ‘keeper was always my hero.
Tonight I played my first game of football for a long time. As you can imagine, I struggled more than I’d like to admit.
When I tired to the point of collapse, my teammate offered to swap with me in goals. I subbed, but was worried sick I’d collapse in a heap.
But as soon as I stood between the sticks, I felt at home. I didn’t steal the show, but suffice to say the team has invited me back next week.
On the way home that got me thinking, “Why do keepers keep?”.
Why would anyone choose to use their body as an object to block footballs travelling at speeds, with the weight of the team’s expectation on their back?
I’m yet to hear a kid who dreams of being a goalkeeper, nor an old hand who once did. It’s usually something that just happens.
Of all the Premier League Golden Glove winners, only Pepe Reina started as a goalkeeper; Petr Cech started as a striker.
Whether the current guy is hopeless, or you’d really like to play in the first team for once, I’m sure every keeper has a story.
So, fellow keepers (who I’m sure are all better than I am), tell me, why do keepers keep?
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