Kellen Pierce
Mr. Chambers
Sports Journalism I
3/28/24
Life and Sports Article
Coach says, "Put these on," as he hands me a pair of goalie gloves. I had no idea what to do; I had no clue what these were. He brought me to a goal and instructed me to stop the shots. After a couple of shots, I was just kicking them as they came at me, not understanding the goal. Then my coach informed me that I could use my hands. I managed to save a couple with my hands, and after five minutes, none had gone in. I loved rolling and getting dirty on the ground, which led me to realize something: I had found my love—being a goalkeeper.
I never thought that if I were going to play soccer, I would be a goalkeeper. I always wanted to score goals, like everyone else, because scoring a goal is one of the best feelings ever. But I soon learned that stopping goals was an even better feeling.
I played striker throughout my youth career and continued training as a goalkeeper with the keeper coach. I never actually played in goal that much because I was so good up top.
But that all changed.
When I moved to my Academy team, Valencia CF Academy Seattle, in the summer of 2019, I came in as a striker and played my first season up top, scoring some goals. Until the only keeper we had left the team. We had no keepers, and my coaches knew that I had played in goal in the past, so I had to step up to the challenge.
In my first season, I was decent for a keeper who had not played in a while, and I was enjoying it. Until Covid-19 struck.
This canceled everything; we had online film sessions, and parks were closed, so we could not train.
During Covid, I realized that I had more potential in goal than on the field. So, I decided to start training at home. I would use my bed as a pad to jump and dive on, the hard wall as a rebounder to work on handling, and cones to work on my footwork.
When we returned to training, everything was so much different, but I knew that I had to work hard in every training session. And I saw the improvement, saving shot after shot.
Restrictions were lifted, and we could train in the normal format again.
But soon enough, we had our first game, and this was my first test to see if I could live up to all the demanding work I had put in. We won 2-0, and I got my first shutout. And it was only up from there.
I won multiple trophies and championships and started the college recruiting process.
I had some interest from a few coaches and was traveling to Spain to train, and it was going great for me. But I was not getting as much interest, so I needed to do something about that. So, I traveled with my dad all around the US for ID camps, talked to plenty of college coaches, and tried to stay in touch with them.
Now jumping ahead to January of 2024, I try out for a USL2 team, and I get cut. I ask the coach if I can come back out, and he says yes. I was beyond excited.
After the second tryout, I get a call back for tryouts in March, and I knew this was my time to earn my spot.
So, I am just spending time together at a Ballard FC game with my mom when the coach of the team comes up to me and offers me a spot on the USL2 team.
And now I am at my highest peak of youth soccer and attracting lots of D1 attention.
But most of all, I am doing what I love—playing goalkeeper.
