BravoGK.com

PLAY FOR KEEPS! FALL CFC SCHEDULE POSTED PLAY FOR KEEPS!

Pics of the Week

Long time Bravo training crew: (L to R) Drew Esposito (SCSU), JJ Comeau (UNH), Adam Margulies (Union), Coach Paul, Greg Cumpstone (Hofstra- pictured below), Nate Trucks (Lesley College), Tim Cahill (Middlebury)

Bravo elite Jami Kranich (#0) begins her freshman season at Villanova

Bravo legend Alyssa Naeher about to save in her first career start for the Boston Breakers at FC Gold Pride on June 19, 2010

Quote of the Week

Tony DiCicco, who coached the U.S. to the 1999 Women’s World Cup title and won a U.S. national team record 103 games, knows a thing or two about goalkeepers. He founded the reknown SoccerPlus Goalkeeper Schools, and was ecstatic when Naeher was available with the final pick of the first round in January’s draft.

“She is a very good shot saver,” DiCicco said. “When she is on her game, she does a lot more than that. She comes and wins crosses, she has very good range when she feels like she can come and get the crosses. She is a good athlete so she can get the balls that a lot of other keepers can’t get to. When she is on her game, she dominates the penalty area.”

DiCicco believes Naeher’s future is incredibly bright, both with the WPS and the U.S. national team program.

Although she is one of five keepers currently in the player pool for the national team, only Hope Solo and Nicole Barnhart have played this season. Both have plenty of quality soccer remaining. Solo is 29 and Barnhart 28. Still, DiCicco sees big things on the horizon for Naeher.

“Alyssa in my opinion, if she keeps developing, is going to have the starting position for the U.S. national team at some point in her career,” DiCicco said

One of the best ever Lev Yashin shows us that the game may change, but a keeper mentality is the same as it ever was.

"What kind of a goalkeeper is the one who is not tormented by the goal he has allowed? He must be tormented! And if he is calm, that means the end. No matter what he had in the past, he has no future." - Lev Yashin

Are Keepers Crazy?

The only people that don't think keepers are crazy are the keepers themselves!

Nobody ever said playing in goal is easy... it certainly is not. The keeper mentality is one that stems from mental toughness. From the beginning, when blooming keepers are drawn to playing in the goal - they know full well what kind of pressure it entails, and that the last line of defense has to be physically and mentally strong. Just how strong is where they differentiate. In a word, all the training in the world makes no impact without FOCUS! In a keeper's world, nothing hurts more than letting in a goal - not cuts, bruises, raspberries, nor harsh conditions. Once that is realized, the keeper decides that it is worth it to give everything toward winning the ball no matter what kind of repercussions are looming. We're too busy to be affected by emotions - sulking and celebrating are equally bad - only the next ball matters. A focused keeper is going to do everything possible to keep it out, is never caught off guard or taking a mental vacation, and when given the opportunity, attacks the ball with great controlled aggression and force, no matter if there is someone there to challenge or not. Even if kicked while smothering, all a focused keeper cares about is getting up quickly to distribute.

So what does that level of focus look like? Nothing. Absolutely no expression. Any facial expression shows that we are being affected by something mentally, and that we are not ultimately physically ready. It's that intense and alert look in our eyes with a blank face that scares non-keepers into thinking we're crazy. They are mistaking our focus for insanity. It's that look that says, "There is nothing you can do to stop me". (See example pic and video of mental master Oliver Kahn below) It's the field player who thinks that it's crazy to enjoy the trade of physical pain for the mental anguish of letting the goal in, and us keepers know that they are mentally weak for thinking that. Choose Bravo...because we're not crazy... they're crazy!

Click either Pic for video

Bravo GK Alyssa Naeher Registers Her First Breakers Wins

Read game summaries of Alyssa's winning streak with the Boston Breakers.

Click the Pic!

Bravo Regional GKs

Villanova freshman Jami Kranich (pictured above) kept her spot on, and Taylor Bucklin (below) returned to the Region 1 Team at ODP camp in 2010.

T-Buck Technique of the Week

Taylor Bucklin shows a textbook 2 step approach dropkick

1: 2 hand release while stepping with the kicking foot

2. Big step with plant foot, heel to butt with kicking foot, and smash it off the bounce!

Will Steiner Flashback - Now and Then

Long time Bravo Keeper has grown in skill and size in the past 8 years!

Click the Pic!

Photo Gallery

Former training partners on the field together again!

Jami Kranich played for Villanova at Temple against Kara Williams, and both kept shutouts!

Temple Topped By Villanova In Home Opener, 4-2

AMBLER, Pa. - The Temple women's soccer team kicked off the fall sports season with a showdown against rival Villanova, Friday afternoon at Ambler Sports Complex. The Wildcats would play spoiler in the Owls home debut, handing out a 4-2 loss. Senior Kelly Diviny was the catalyst for Temple's second half surge, assisting on the Owls first goal and tallying the second.

Villanova (1-0-0) wasted no time getting on the board, capitalizing on sloppy play from Temple. Sophomore Heidi Sabatura scored two consecutive unassisted goals in the sixth and 14th minutes, each time on takeaway balls. Junior Katie Ryan netted unassisted in the 29th minute, then fed freshman Stephanie Myers for a blast from the top of the box to give the Wildcats a commanding 4-0 lead heading into the break.

The Owls (0-1-0) had several chances in the first half, including a shot from junior Allicia 'Sha' Yurkovic that was deflected wide by VU keeper Jami Kranich. Junior Tara Murphy started in goal for the Owls, making four saves and enduring a tough period of defensive lapses.

Temple was outshot 9-4 in the first period, but would show resiliency and fought their way back in the second half. Diviny got things started with a beautiful cross from the left side, finding the foot of sophomore Kate Yurkovic who chipped the ball in left side for the Owls' first goal of the season in the 71st minute.

An energized Temple offense summound up one more score, as it would be Allicia Yurkovic crossing a ball from the right side for Diviny, who buried a shot right post in the 89th minute. Senior Kara Williams took over in net for Murphy at halftime, making one save in the second stanza.

The Owls had several other scoring chances including two shots that found the crossbar. Senior Steph Ferretti made a nice cross to junior Niki Conn which found the post, along with a blast from the left side by freshman Jenna Gosnay that found the iron.

Villanova Freshman goalkeeper Jami Kranich (Hamden, Conn.) played the first 65 minutes in goal, making two saves and not allowing any goals while picking up her first collegiate victory. Sophomore Kelsey Quinn (Mt. Airy, Md.) played the final 25 minutes and had one stop.

In the end, the Owls outshot Villanova by a margin of 12-11. Their play in the second half was the determining factor, outshooting their foe by a margin of 8-2.

Villanova                                               Temple
## Player                 MIN GA Saves                 ## Player                 MIN GA Saves
---------------------------------------                 ---------------------------------------
0 Kranich, Jami....... 65:01 0     2                 31 MURPHY, Tara........ 45:00 4     3
00 Quinn, Kelsey....... 24:59 2     1                 33 WILLIAMS, Kara...... 45:00 0     1

Play For Keeps!

Hit Counter