We get hundreds of emails & texts from amateur goalkeepers WORLDWIDE, they ALL want to be professional goalkeepers, play for the national team or play in college etc. The allure is intoxicating, especially for the talented, and it can warp judgment. 

*Only less than 2% will make it far enough to play Professionally & thousands more are lined up to play in college.  Therefore, competition is getting tighter every day!!!

I’ve seen hundreds of talented goalkeepers across the nation & the world who play in great clubs or schools/universities/programs. However, this does NOT GUARANTEE them a job in a professional team or a spot in ANY National team or University.

So who will really be successful and who will fail?

Is not the athlete with best club, is not about TALENT,  is not about “who you know”, the goalkeeper with best skills, is not good looks or best health.  What will make you successful, is GRIT.

This is what GRIT means:

• Grit is Passion, perseverance, discipline, patient and consistency for very long time to reach LONG TERM goals.
• Grit is stamina to persevere
• Grit is sticking with your future goal day in & day out. Not just for the week or the month or when is convenient, is about sticking with your goals for years to come!!
• Grit is working extremely hard to make your future goal a reality.
• Grit is working on your future goals as a marathon, NOT a sprint.
• Grit is an ABSOLUTE TRUE understanding that reaching your goal is not a straight shot to it, is adapting new ways to your goals, when need it.
• Grit has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR TALENT!!!
• Grit is about finding your limits and pushing through it.

The most popular questions I get from many parents & athletes:

“ how do I build the GRIT on my son or daughter?”

“How do I keep them motivated for a long time”?

“ how do I help them gain solid work ethics?”

“how do I reach my goal?”

The truth is that I have NO ANSWERS for any of these questions. 

However, what we do know for a fact, from all the athletes and professional goalkeepers we’ve trained in the last 10 years worldwide is the following:

• All of them were raised in environments where they learned to EMBRACE DEFEAT & REJECTION.
• Their parents, family and even neighborhoods where they grew up, taught these guys they do not have to be number 1 at everything, nor you ALWAYS get what you want.
• they learned the true meaning of DISAPPOINTMENT and how to deal with it.
• They are also very HUMBLE in anything they do.

These concepts about GRIT can help anyone in any career field reach their goals. Just make sure you follow through your commitment. However, YOU MUST BE WILLING TO FAIL and BE WRONG  & start over again with lessons learned.

 Being sheltered from disappointments & failures will give you an illusion that everything is great, until reality hits and you no longer have the will to fight!!

Find your GRIT!!