Being a successful goalie in the game of soccer requires unwavering dedication. Soccer star and accomplished goalie David Cipollitti shares some tips on how to shine at one of the most indispensable positions in all of sports.
As a goalie, says David Cipollitti, you provide the last line of defense for your team. Teammates count on you to be ready for any possibility. Scoring chances happen incredibly quickly in the game of soccer, and it’s critical to maintain an ever-present alertness and awareness as a trusted net minder. David Cipollitti, who has played on several teams in his home country of Venezuela, knows how much responsibility rests on the shoulders of a team’s goalie. Great goalies, says David Cipollitti, need to be aware of player and ball position at all times during the course of a game.
A soccer goalie also needs to be incredibly agile and athletic. Many aspiring players, says David Cipollitti, make the mistake of assuming that goalies lack certain athletic characteristics, and that, for the most part, they are immobile. David Cipollitti argues that this is certainly not the case. A successful goalie has to cover a lot of ground, including a largely-spaced goal that is constantly under attack by the opponent’s offense. A goalie must be able to quickly transition from one point of the box to another, and they must have a strong and accurate leg that will quickly move the ball out of the scoring zone.
David Cipollitti enjoys playing goalie not because it is easy, but because it is incredibly challenging.