Hail to the keeper! Agree with all of the statements so far but will add this. Most kids are put into goal out of need not desire. When a striker (field player)misses a shot or loses the ball, we hear applause, good effort, unlucky, or get it back.. A keeper takes the blame for every goal. Right or wrong that is
their reality. They are toughest on themselves taking each goal personally. I have watched my kid leave games after a penalty shootouts were we had 3 players miss and he stopped a few blame himself. I have seen him and other keeper keep a team in the game or make the difference in a win and all the credit will go to the striker that scored.You have to have some thick skin to be a keeper! Parents and coaches don't help as they re-enforce the issue. The whispers from parents on the sideline or at practice is phenomenal. Yes we can hear you even in another language. A keeper will go to a 1.5 our keeper training and then make it to a regular practice and get scolded for not keeping pace. Ever been to a keeper practice, exhausting.I have seen academy level players play a poor ball back to their keeper run into the keeper resulting in a score and the keeper is blamed. You also have to be a bit crazy to play the position. Who voluntarily puts their head and face in front of a flying foot or ball. I see kids coming in hot and cleat up on the keeper or stomp them when the are on the ground ( I have a great x-ray show an elbow bruise with the manufacture of the cleat). I tried talking my kid out of playing the position to no avail. Oh well, I went 1 of 2 as the other is a field player. Over the years he has come to understand that you will never get credit for a win and every loss is your fault. It is part of the position. This not a compliant, it just contributes why keepers stop or are hard to find. I realize that for every knucklehead that makes a derogatory statement their are those are positive with their comments. Kids focus on the negative until we get ice cream or head to the beach. Simply put, he loves to play the position and usually plays for multiple teams in the spring as a guest. It is the Rodney Dangerfield position of soccer, no respect. I admire any kid that is willing to put themselves on the field and even more when they put themselves between the posts. See my favorite goalie Scott Sterling on youtube.