Sign up for Goalkeeping 101

Aspiring keepers who hope to follow in the footsteps of Azkals’ Neil Etheridge, Roland Muller and Ed Sacapano are in for the time of their lives at a specialized eight-session summer training module organized by the Philippine Goalkeeping Academy (PGKA) in The Camp along the end of C5 corner East Service Road on April 9-May 2.

The PGKA was recently created to teach, train and develop local keepers by four Ateneo varsity veterans Rely San Agustin, Red Avelino, Albert Besa and Paul Arcenas. The training course is a project of San Agustin’s sports marketing and events management company RSA-TITAN.

“It’s my way of giving back to the beautiful game of football and the position that I have excelled in throughout my playing years,” said the 38-year-old San Agustin who was named UAAP best keeper in 1996 and 1997. “Growing up, we never had intensive goalkeeper training during practice. This is because goalkeeping coaches never existed during my early years. We would do simple catches, shooting exercises and that was it. No assessment on whether we were doing things correctly. It was only during my stint with the Philippine national team back in 1998 that I experienced training with a certified goalkeeper coach Per Henrikson. I realized the importance of having goalkeeper coaches as well as the need for specialized goalkeeper training. I have to admit, it was the most neglected position and I made it one of my goals in life to create that need. After so many years, the dream finally became a reality with the creation of the PGKA last December.”

The Azkals recently brought back goalkeeper coach Pascal Zuberbuhler to assist in the campaign to qualify for the main draw of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup.  Zuberbuhler, 42, is a 6-5 former keeper of the Swiss national team. His presence underscored the importance of specialized coaching for keepers with the Azkals.

San Agustin began playing football when he was nine and led Ateneo to back-to-back UAAP titles in 1995 and 1996 as keeper and team captain. He was a back-up keeper to Melo Sabacan with the Philippine team in 1998 and was in the national lineup for a friendly with Estonia. San Agustin was a keeper for Loyola (1997-99) and Kaya (2000-02) before coming out of retirement to play competitive football with Union Internacional Manila in the UFL Second Division.

“My hero is my former coach, the late Chris Monfort,” said San Agustin. “He was an inspiration to me because of his passion for the game. I inherited that passion from him, continuing to play the game even at my age now and developing football in the country through my work. But if we are to mention the one goalkeeper I look up to, it would be Peter Schmeichel, the former Danish international and Manchester United keeper.”

The PGKA camp is open to males and females of all ages, beginners and advanced alike with a limit of 50 participants. The fee is only P6,000 for eight sessions and includes two goalkeeper jersey tops. Among the keepers who will share their insights and experience with the campers are UFL goalkeeper coaches Dang Cecilio of the Loyola Meralco Sparks, Sabacan of Kaya and Noel Marcaida of Pachanga Diliman. Guest assistant keeper coaches who will also be at the camp include Ref Cuaresma of the Loyola Meralco Sparks, Paolo Pascual of Global and Kim Versales of Pachanga Diliman.

San Agustin said what makes the PGKA camp different is besides being the first academy to offer specialized keeper training, “we want to be able to take it to another level by monitoring the progress of our future participants and supporting their development when they play for their teams.” He added that “we also want to position the PGKA as an academy where youth, collegiate, semi-pro and professional coaches can eventually select their keepers from in the future.”

Speaking from experience, San Agustin said it takes heart and passion to become a solid keeper. “Being fearless is the most important trait,” he continued. “Young or old, everyone can be a goalkeeper. There is no height requirement. Technique and reflexes, these can be taught. For me, the goalkeeper has the most demanding role in a football team. He can’t afford to make mistakes. Just a slight error from him could see the ball inside the net.”

In the PGKA camp outline, San Agustin defined the four major pillars of goalkeeping. First, technical (catching, handling, diving saves, goal kicks, distribution, breakaway saves, field player skills). Second, tactical (decision-making, angle play and positioning, initiating attacks, anticipation, organizing the defense). Third, mental (leadership, training ethics, self-awareness, mental stimulation). Fourth, physical (proper warm-up, prevention of injury, footwork, conditioning).

The significance of goalkeeping was evident in the Azkals’ recent 1-0 win over Turkmenistan at the Rizal Memorial Stadium as Muller repeatedly thwarted enemy attacks with excellent positioning, cat-quick reflexes, gutsy decision-making and anticipation. The outcome could’ve easily been the reverse if Muller didn’t perform the way he did. In every game, the pressure is on the keeper as the last line of defense. Communicating with a keeper’s backline teammates is critical in anchoring the defense. The keeper must also be an accurate and strong kicker as he often has the opportunity to place the ball in an attacking zone with a powerful boot.   

The PGKA camp sessions are scheduled Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 to 10 a.m. Registration is now open. Interested parties may email the PGKA at [email protected] or phone 0947-8967884 or Tel. No. 847-0233. San Agustin may be reached at the RSA-TITAN office on the ground floor, Marajo Tower, 312 26th Street corner 4th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.