![]() He helped me mature both as a player and as a person. But goalkeeper fundamentals are the same for all ages. He knows when players are physically and mentally prepared to move on to new challenges. His demeanor adjusts accordingly to children, who need more patience and inspiration than pros. Of course, at the younger ages, the training isn't as vigorous. And it's remarkable how similar his methods are at each level. national team.Ĭoach Mulqueen has coached keepers of all ages, from youngsters to seasoned pros. Amazingly, he would also coach me when I became a pro with Major League Soccer's Metro-Stars (now known as the New York Red Bulls) and on occasions with the U.S. When I was selected to Olympic development program teams, there he was, ready to train the keepers. But I was a better goalkeeper after each session with Coach Mulqueen.Īfter that first camp, I started going to Coach Mulqueen's weekly goalkeeper sessions and played for his club team. It's a long road to mastering the position. I realized that there is an art to goalkeeping, and I was improving dramatically. Because of that, it became a fascinating challenge. As Tim showed us the fundamental techniques and revealed that making a save required a precisely executed series of movements, the position took on a whole new meaning and became even more enjoyable.Ĭoach Mulqueen showed us how much skill and thought go into goalkeeping. When he trained us, I soon became aware that goalkeeping wasn't just about getting your body in front of the ball to block shots and catch balls. ![]() And Tim was enthusiastic in a way that made us feel like we were on a special mission. We would be doing something unique, something the rest of the campers weren't doing. Coach Mulqueen took aside the kids who volunteered for keeper training. ![]() He made me feel like I was doing something special.īefore that camp, I was a kid on the team with enough skill to score goals while on the field and prevent them when I took my turn in the goal. ![]() If you ask me when I really knew I wanted to be a goalkeeper, I trace it to when Tim Mulqueen started training me at a New Jersey soccer camp when I was 12 years old. This is an excerpt from Complete Soccer Goalkeeper by Timothy Mulqueen & Michael Woitalla. ![]()
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