Two junior Sunshine Coast Fire goalkeepers are full of confidence for the rest of the NPL season after honing their shot-stopping skills during the recent school holidays at the Roar Academy in Brisbane.

Under 12 Boys custodian Nathan Foster and Under 18 Girls shot-stopper Savanna Bowtell-Harris attended the camp on the encouragement of Fire first team goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach Antony Hall.

The youngsters only this year moved between the posts for their respective squads, and both admitted the Roar Academy experience will benefit their game and their teams in the long term.

Bowtell-Harris put on the gloves for the first time this season after playing as a midfielder in the past.

“The reason I have stuck with (goalkeeping) is probably because of the adrenaline rush it provides,” she said.

“It is an intense and scary position at times, but in the end the team has to know they can trust you to be there as the last line of defence.”

The current season is also Foster’s first as a goalkeeper, after his Under 11s coach Michael Williams encouraged him to trail in the position.

“Although I hadn’t been a goalkeeper before, I liked helping to direct the play and the enjoyment of stopping a goal.” Foster said.

During the three-day Roar Academy, experienced and qualified coaches took the two youngsters through a series of drills focusing on the importance of relative handling, reflexes, positioning and game situations.

The pair also met and worked with former English Premier League player and now Roar goalkeeping coach Jason Kearton, current Roar first team gloveman Michael Theo and Matt Acton as well as W-League shot-stopper Kate Stewart.

“I was excited to meet Michael Theo; he ran a session on the first day that focused on handling and footwork,” Bowtell-Harris said.

“Michael really emphasised how important footwork was and how it could lead to good handling which is important for games.”

Both goal keepers learned new positional elements to focus on in their NPL games. “I need to dominate the box, attack the ball and speed up my reaction time,” Foster said.

Both Bowtell-Harris and Foster harbour ambitions to one day play professionally as goalkeepers.

 

Words: Emily Wilson (Sunshine Coast Fire)
Image: Sunshine Coast Fire