Jon Dawson Interview: Indy 11 Goalkeeper Recounts Path to Becoming a Professional

Jon Dawson is the backup goalkeeper for Indy 11. After a stellar record while playing in the Developmental Academy, Dawson attended Butler then signed with Indy 11 in early 2014. Dawson talks about his thoughts on the DA vs High School issue, his time at Butler, and how he embraces the struggle.

Talk about your high school experience. What are some outstanding memories and where did you play?

I played four years of varsity soccer at Brebeuf Jesuit here in Indianapolis. My freshmen year was my first time playing seriously. I was a two year starter and sat my first two years behind one of the more influential players in my career, Matt McCain. He wasn't the best goalie I've played with but I was young and he showed me how straight up fun it is to be a goalie. To play varsity soccer and to just all around be a soccer player. He taught me how to handle certain shots. He gave me confidence but also kept me humble. A bunch of guys from the Indy scene were like that. Kelly Powers, Tyler Keever, Joe Mills, and Andrew Moor, just to name a few. They were good guys and we all worked hard together and learned from one another.

My junior and senior year I was the starter for my high school as well as Carmel United Soccer Club DA. (At that point you could play both and it wasn't an issue.) We won two national championships in the DA, the first ever U-16’s in 2008 and the following year 2009 for the U-18’s

[Carmel United was later re-named Indiana Fire Academy.]

The most fun times of my life were playing in high school games against teams with DA players on them. Not having DA and high school is a mistake, I think. The kids need to see what it is like to be on a bad team, as bluntly as that is. Our DA team only lost three games, I think, in two years. My highschool team? Well our game plan was hope we scored on a counter and let me make fifteen saves a night. Guys need to learn what it takes to be a leader for a group of players who aren't going to be playing at the next level. It keeps you grounded to know that losing happens and players make mistakes. The difference is how good of a teammate you can be to help them through it.

Winning sectionals and making it to regionals my senior year [with the high school team] was the furthest the team had been in twelve years or something. So that was super special. Obviously, winning back to back DA titles was cool too. *laughs*

You attended Butler University from 2009-2013. What stood out about Butler that made you want to attend that school?

Winning both [DA] championships and being highly decorated at Brebeuf gave me an opportunity to basically go anywhere I wanted. I knew the goalkeepers in my class so I stayed away from some of those schools, Georgetown, Boston College, UCLA, etc. The DA head coach for us [at Carmel], David Costa, was Butler’s assistant coach. He is another huge role model for me. So when he said come to Butler, I jumped at it. I committed in April of my junior year.

The coaching staff at Butler was everything I wanted. The environment was truly professional. Sometimes I wished I was at a Big-10 or an ACC school that had a lot of inflow of revenue from other sports. Or an early Under Armor school. That would have been cool *laughs*. But, no, if I did it all over I would have either stayed with Butler or picked a big school for the wrong reasons. Butler was a blessing. Plus a degree from the business school is pretty good so I am thankful for that opportunity.

You essentially sat for the entirety of the first two years at Butler, only playing one game. How does this affect a 18, 19 year old goalkeeper? Is sitting for two years different for a goalkeeper versus a field player?

I sat behind Fabian Knopler and he was super helpful. Very knowledgeable of the game and insightful. But my first year I broke my foot and two weeks later broke my hand. My second year I sat healthy and that was hard. Especially like I mentioned previously being so highly recruited and decorated, I thought I should play. But he was twenty-five and I was nineteen. He knew everything and was so clean and crisp. I can't blame them.

[Sitting] was hard and it made me tougher mentally and it literally has helped me today. But I don't think everyone can do it. It's hard for a goalkeeper. Only one of us can play. If I was a field player I would find my way into the field with fitness or changing positions or something. I wouldn't take no for an answer. But as a goalkeeper, what can I do except work hard? And that's what I did. Like I said, I think sitting made me tougher especially now in my professional career. I’m still waiting for my chance but I train as hard as I can every day. I learned that from a young age in the Academy and at Butler.

After redshirting your first year, you became a three year starter with Butler. What stands out looking back on your time with Butler?

The guys I played with were just good guys. Every day we went to battle together and we knew we were there for each other. In college, I showcased my shot stopping ability. We gave up a lot of shots, so that was a double edge sword, but I showed I could make plays. I look back with joy at how hard we fought as a team. Going from the Horizon League to the Atlantic-10 (2012) to the Big East (2013) was hard. But we held our own and competed every day. We were a tough team to play against.

What was the process like for you going from amateur to professional? Where did you look? What worked, what didn’t work?

I would say the process was just hard work. I put myself out there every summer and went to PDL teams in different parts of the country and that helped me create new connections. So when I needed a club to look for I had a bunch of different people who were able to help me. I didn't sign with an agent early on so having these connections was how I got my name out there.

I tried the open tryouts and the combines and they were decent but never worked for me. I need one-on-one time so that they can see close up how I train and how I move. So for me, going into training camps or places where I was there for multiple days worked best for me. But the biggest thing I did was just work hard and take risks. What was the worst that could happen? If someone said no, and I was in the same place I started.

What advice would you give to a young goalkeeper trying to become a professional?

After the DA, I had a few different opportunities to go overseas. Looking back, of course I wish I would have [gone overseas] since I sat out my first two years of school. But it all has worked out for me. I am not to the level I want to be at yet, but I see progress every day and that is what matters. So I would tell them keep every door open till the right one closes the others. Keep working hard and shake everyone's hand. Good things happen to those who are ready for it.

You’ve been with Indy 11 as a back up for two seasons now. How have the past two years helped you develop as a goalkeeper?

I’ve learned from Kris, Keith, Jurgen, Gary* and all the other coaches we have brought in. There have been other goalkeepers who have come in on trial or to train and I have learned from them. I just try to be a sponge and soak up all the information I can so that when my opportunity comes I’ll know what to do. Sitting has taught me to be a better teammate and to appreciate the struggle. I love the fight everyday. I love waking up and going to work and going as hard as I can every day for the whole day. Just knowing that when my time comes I have put myself in the position to succeed from working hard in training.

* - Goalkeepers Kristian Nicht, Keith Cardona, previous Head Coach Juergen Sommer, and Assistant Coach Gary Yohe

What’s your situation with Indy like now? Are you looking to return or eyeing another club?

I am fully committed to Indy. I want to be here and this is my hometown team. I am looking forward to the opportunities that are ahead.

Last three miscellaneous questions, who’s the best player you’ve played with or against?

Kleb. [Brazilian midfielder Kléberson] But that’s obvious. Andy Najar from DC Academy was special. To me, there are a bunch of good players in the NASL but Kleb and Andy are the two who stick out the most to me.

Do you have any pre-game superstitions?

I used to be very routine, but now it's changed to just whatever happens on that day. I guess that might revert to the old days if my playing time increases.

And lastly, three years from now, what’s your dream situation?

Lifting hardware somewhere. I work hard to win, and I want that to pay off!

Camp Shutout: The Largest Goalkeeper Camp in the World

This past summer I had the pleasure of being invited to Camp Shutout, the largest goalkeeper camp in the world. Camp Shutout resides in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and featured over 300 campers (all goalkeepers) and a 75+ person staff, which includes NCAA goalkeepers of all levels and goalkeeper coaches from across the US. I spoke with four different goalkeepers who were at last year's camp about why they attend and what separates Camp Shutout from other goalkeeper camps. A quick rundown on the four goalkeepers:

• Matt Bersano played three years at Oregon State before playing for Penn State, where he also did his graduate work.
• Nicole D'Agostino played at both Pittsburgh and Monmouth and is currently in France pursuing a professional career. Both Matt and Nicole worked as staff assistants last summer.
• Nathan Wisbey was awarded "The #1", the award for the top goalkeeper amongst the campers and began his freshmen year at University of Dayton this fall.
• Stan Anderson is the founder and director of Camp Shutout as well as the Chicago Fire Academy goalkeeper coach.

What makes Camp Shutout effective for goalkeepers? And what do campers and the staff get out of it?

Matt Bersano: Starting with the logistics, being the biggest goalkeeper camp possible allows for the goalkeepers to put themselves into scenarios of evaluation with and against friends, competitors, and maybe even future teammates. With the numbers being so high, the importance of having a staff that is fully capable of handling the workload while staying in good spirits throughout the week makes the experiences even more efficient for the camper. From a staff perspective, one can walk away from the camp learning more about the position than they may have as a player through the different number of styles and ideals that accompany all facets of the soccer generations leading every session.

Nicole D'Agostino: Camp Shutout is unlike any camp. From my eight years of participating in this camp, and my seventeen years of playing soccer, I have not come across anything that even comes close. Camp Shutout is the only weeklong goalkeeper-specific camp that covers more than just shot stopping (what a goalkeeper would get in a regular club training session). The game is evolving and there is so much more to the position than being able to pick a ball out of the upper 90. It is impossible to fit everything into a week but topics like cross management, breakaways, distribution and small-sided games focus on the small aspects that can make or break a game.

When I was a camper, it was a lot of information in a small amount of time, but the amount of repetitions that a camper gets throughout the week creates muscle memory. Campers are able to see several different coaches and staff assistants throughout the week from various levels. This is invaluable because each coach has something unique to offer whether that is related to soccer or not.

As a staff member for the past five years, it is one of the most rewarding weeks of my year. Just like I have grown up with the staff members, I see repeat campers grow from year to year. I am able to see how they have taken their game to the next level and how they take in the skills that we teach them. I know this first hand as a camper. I came into Camp Shutout not knowing how far I wanted soccer to take me. After my first year, I had the network, the confidence, and the training to bring me as far as I wanted. Now that I am on the other side of it, I love helping keepers find that confidence, enjoy learning and working hard to truly become better players.

Nathan Wisbey: Camp Shutout is such an effective camp for goalkeepers because it is specifically for goalkeepers. Usually with other camps there are only a handful of goalkeepers, and the rest of the campers are field players. But with Camp Shutout, the entire camp is centered around being a goalkeeper, covering all aspects from the physical side to the mental side as well. I was training with the top group for camp, and being in an intense training environment, I was able to train alongside top academy players from all over the country, getting the best training in the country not only from the help of the coaches but from other goalkeeper campers as well.

Stan Anderson: Our emphasis is on the goalkeeper. That sounds simple but the spotlight is on them. I think they feel that and it is important for them. The training is obvious. That is why they attend but our complete focus is on them, their development and their experience. Our goal, my goal, is that they simply become a better goalkeeper. The byproduct is that many move on to college and some are having a nice pro career. I also think they make some friends for life.

The staff from Camp Shutout 2015

What does the staff get out of it? They get paid. *laughs* It is a reunion of sorts. Almost a migration for them. Many of them grew up together in this program and the respect level among them is fantastic. High major D1 goalkeepers training with and improving alongside a D3 goalkeeper. I know many of them would do it for free but when I get to see their down-time together between midnight and 2:30 am, it is pretty special.

What makes Camp Shutout different from another goalkeeper camp?

MB: The biggest thing that stands out about camp shutout in comparison to other goalkeeper camps throughout the country is the family environment that brings nearly every one of these kids back year after year. They're training six hours a day then competing against one another as the week goes on, but the second they leave they're already counting down the days until they come back the next year. You don't get that kind of experience at many of the other camps.

ND: To have something grow so widely and rapidly but still retain the feeling of a family is unbelievable. I started the camp when I was fifteen and the number of campers was around 100. To see it now at almost 350 and 75 staff is surreal. The family has grown bigger and stronger. I can’t say that I am still friends with the teammates that I played in high school with, or even some of girls I played college with, but I have all of these close friends from this camp. We pick up where we left off every year without missing a beat. Even though it is a single position, you meet the group of eight-to-twelve keepers that you will be training with for the week and you are immediately a team. Trying to make each other better and it’s a group effort to get through the week. It all pays off when you connect with a new team to try and win Team Keeper Wars. TKW is always the highlight of the week and the atmosphere that is created on Friday night and Saturday morning can't be recreated.

Camp Shutout is also unique for the staff. It’s 75 people that enjoy the game, enjoy teaching, and enjoy making individual connections to help the campers. And, as you know, off the field we only leave the week with the best stories that happen from midnight to 4am that we talk about for the next 360 days.

NW: What separates Camp Shutout from other goalkeeper camps is the quality of the staff. The staff and staff assistants are the best in the country coming from all different levels including coaching/playing professionally, coaching college players, playing in top level colleges, etc. With all the different coaches comes different coaching styles as well. Learning different styles of goalkeeping can really help the goalkeeper narrow down what’s best for him or her.

SA: A few things. I love our staff, truly love them. I am happy for their successes on and off the field. With that being said, I will not allow any sort of an ego on the staff. If you don't concentrate on the goalkeeper and their improvement, your time will be short lived with us. We emphasize a good time along with a tremendous work rate. I'm not concerned with bringing in a band or having Joe Zimka run Club Shutout or rolling out the extended slip and slide as long as we are also working our backsides off. The emergence of the John Trask Total Striking Academy has brought our staffs together and we have a pretty good night each year.

[The John Trask Total Striking Academy is a camp for strikers that works alongside Camp Shutout throughout the week.]

Many camps that goalkeepers go to, the goalkeeper is an afterthought and they simply face some shots and are evaluated on simply their shot stopping. Little coaching is conducted for them. Our feedback for them is virtually self-conducted. They get a notebook and write down their likes, dislikes, achievements, challenges, exercises and then meet with their coach that night and a different coach each night.

How does Camp Shutout prepare players for the next level?

MB: From being a camper to becoming a member of the staff, Camp Shutout has as many physical advances to one’s game as it has mental tests to prepare for their next level. I say “their next level” because the camp is not run to create 300 professional goalkeepers. It is built as a way to make sure that every single person at the camp walks away a better goalkeeper and making friends and family along the way. Working with the college coaches and college players three times a day gives the kids chances to see exactly how they play and compare their daily habits to the habits of these already proven collegiate or professional athletes. The competitive side to the end of the week does lighten the load on the body but also tests the goalkeepers in ways that the technical side of the early part of the week couldn't quite reach.

ND: Camp shutout is not an easy week. Three 90 minute sessions a day of continuous reps and hitting the ground is not easy. It tests you physically, mentally, and emotionally. When the low diving and extension diving session is finally catching up with your body, it’s Gieche training day. [An intense aerobic-inspired and fast paced goalkeeper session.] I’ll never forget my first Gieche training session, which at that time was still called “pressure training”. And wow, did I feel the pressure. I left that first year of camp knowing that I was going to give my time, effort, and body to this position because I couldn’t get enough of it. Camp Shutout was like college preseason except with fifty more coaches yelling at you. If you can take that, you can take three coaches yelling in your ear.

I was also part of the Wiberg WGS system. That was actually how Pittsburgh initially contacted me. The amount of success stories from Eric Wiberg is incredible. He is helping goalkeepers with their dreams of playing collegiately. His contacts also helped me again when I was looking to take my fifth year elsewhere and get my masters. Eric, Stan, and Douggie (aka GK guys) are the real deal. They know all the right people and the right steps to take when trying to get goalkeepers to the next level. Also the college talk night is so important because camp physically gets the goalkeeper ready, but until your first day of preseason you really have no idea what to expect. The college talk session unveils the amount of time and commitment it really takes to play D1, D2, D3, or NAIA. Others can talk about the time management aspect of college sports, but playing this position where you are fighting for one spot while trying to be the leader that the position demands, that is the type of the advice that is unique to our staff.

NW: Camp Shutout prepares you for the next level in many ways. By receiving different types of coaching everyday, one learns to become more coachable and will be better prepared for different coaching styles as well. As the staff comes from all different types of levels, they have great experience in their fields, so they can give advice and share their own experiences on how to become a better keeper for the future. The staff is always available to answer any questions about anything as well. With intense training every day, it sets the tone for what college level trainings are like and better prepares the keeper for what to expect.

SA: I think they prepare each other. I get hundreds of calls a year from people that want to attend Camp Shutout and many of them state that their child is the business, the best in the state or the country or the world or the universe. At the end of the day, this is a proving ground. Show up, head to the field, and see if you are as good or better than the other goalkeepers from California, Florida, Texas, Dubai, Canada, Sweden, Spain, almost every other state. The staff have seen the next level. Our goalkeepers have played in many top leagues around the world along with the women's pro game in the states. When so many staff and staff assistants go through the program, the coaching philosophy tends to be the glue. The coaches are encouraged to teach the game and the way they see the game. At the end of the day, the young fourteen year old aspiring goalkeeper can see and smell the top flight, with a possible MLS draft choice that happens to be his coach for the day. Now they can see the next level.

One of the main events at Camp Shutout is Team Keeper Wars, which features the campers being split into teams that compete in a massive bracket. The winning team gets to challenge the staff for the ultimate championship. Until 2013, the staff had won every year until the campers won back-to-back years. Entering 2015, the staff was determined to earn back the title.

Talk about the Camper v. Staff Team Keeper Wars game. What happened in the years past and how did your team prepare for the final?

MB: The biggest difference between this year and the last two years were that we actually thought about the game prior to the morning of the last day of camp. Last year, I was off tying my shoe in another area of the park and not even chosen to be a part of the team that played against the campers. By planning out a team ahead of time and talking a bit of strategy we were able to step into the game on Saturday morning knowing that we were going to not let the fiasco that occurred the years before happen again this time. We stayed up late a couple of those nights talking team keeper wars strategy, definitely the first time I've ever done that in my life but it worked. Can't argue with that team performance.

ND: Well… to be completely honest I’m not exactly sure what happened in the past years. *laughs* But, there is a way to play the game. In past years, I do not think that we stuck to the game plan. Also everyone wants to be the hero and score that upper 90 goal against three keepers, but we must all know our limitations (which we did not) and we ended up doing a lot more chasing than anything in past years. It was a whole different vibe this year. Obviously the team was strategically picked this year, positions were given, and a new game plan adopted. The night before (soccer tennis night) we assured that we were all on the same page with a new set up and how we were going to play. Essentially, take out the point person and then score right down the middle.

When the game goes fast, it usually gets out of control so our plan was to slow it down. I noticed when we were losing, that is when we were rushing to score rather than getting the job done. Leadership in the preparation definitely went to Joe Z [Zimka] and Peter [McKeown]. They made sure that we weren’t joking around with our warm-up. And you know when those two aren’t joking around then it’s serious business. To be honest, the game goes so fast I feel like I black out and only remember the final ten second countdown. But, leading up to the walk out, we had requested music which ended up not playing and we had to find another way to get really pumped up so we all started hitting each other to get riled up. Peter doesn’t know this but he knocked the wind out of me for a couple of seconds. Totally fine. It worked out and we won the game.

NW: I was fortunate enough to be on the camper team two years ago when we beat the staff for the second year in a row. It's all about making your shots count and making the simple saves. You also have to give it your all when sprinting for a ball even through the crowded areas. I was on the camper team again this year, and unfortunately we couldn't get the W. We managed to keep a lead on the staff for majority of the game, but I think the games are a bit longer than regular games, to give the staff a better chance *laughs* so we weren't able to hold on. If we would have made just a few more saves, I think we would have taken it. I will be coming back as a staff assistant, so we will definitely be going for the repeat against the campers next year. Just have to stay focused and keep our cool, not getting over confident.

Staff wins TKW!! @campshutout #CampShutout pic.twitter.com/GRLQlI8YQs

— Eric Wiberg (@WibergWGS) July 25, 2015

SA: This is simple. CD, Chris Dadaian, picked the team last year. We lost and I fired him from that role and took over. Seriously, I truly do not like to lose to a group of emerging goalkeepers and we did. We have top shelf people on staff to play this match and should win comfortably, show them how to work as a unit, and perform the role of goalkeeper  at a high level. CD, Dougie and I got together this year and chose some vets, some girls, some guys, limited our overall amount of goalkeepers playing and we went out and won the game handily.

What about Camp Shutout makes you return every year? Will you be back next year?

MB: Like I said before, it's a family. I would like to do everything in my power to return but I will be figuring out this dilemma while linked up with an MLS/USL team somewhere in the states. Missing Camp Shutout because I am off playing professionally sounds like the only just reason to miss, behind being unable to attend. It’s a battle that I would love to face in the next few years.

ND: Absolutely, if my schedule allows. It may be a close call depending on how postseason goes in France. I have only missed one year of Camp Shutout (2008) because of a coach not allowing me to go because of fear I might get hurt before the season. I always make it a point to be at Camp Shutout because it is honestly my favorite week of the year. I get to spend a week with the people who share my same passion for playing, learning and teaching. I have grown up with most of the staff and they have believed in me since my first year at camp when I was fifteen. They are the ones who made me better, helped me play collegiately, helped me through four surgeries, a college transfer, and now playing abroad. I look forward to camp every year to see the people that I have sore abs from all week because I can’t stop laughing and because we train at 6am every morning. But the reason I keep coming back is because even though I am exhausted, sleep deprived, unable to walk and voiceless, I have never felt more refreshed leaving camp. This position is tough and it tests you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Spending one week a year to see the kids that truly love the position, and as a coach to be able to develop these players, is so rewarding. It made me realize why I love the game and that it is not my time to step away yet. I leave confident in my abilities as a player and coach and that’s because of the atmosphere that camp shutout creates.

NW: I plan on returning next year as a staff assistant because I have enjoyed camp so much for the past six years as camper and have learned more than I ever could anywhere else. I am excited to do the teaching and expand my knowledge for goalkeeping as a staff assistant as well.

SA: We do this because we are good at it. We feel we are as good or better than the other options. We do this because the goalkeepers demand it. We do this because we love it. We do this because the energy is ridiculous. We do this because it helps open doors for people. We do this so that when top schools in the country call looking for a goalkeeper we can help, and I mean the best of the best. We love it and I hope and pray the staff and goalkeepers continue to feel the same way.

Lastly, what are some outstanding memories from Camp Shutout?

MB: Every year brings on new memories. Last year was kicking down a tile in the ceiling playing soccer tennis at 2am then building an impressive ladder made of dinner tables to be able to climb up and retrieve the ball that was lost in the ceiling with the broken tile. This year, many of my best memories come through the moving and assembling of the goals. Nothing like walking over to move a goal to its proper spot for team keeper wars, shirtless in the gleaming sun leading into an improv photo shoot for the upcoming staff 2016 calendar. It's a good group of people with a bunch of interesting dynamics, there are constantly new memories being made.

NW: Winning individual goalkeepers wars back when I was in the youth when Camp Shutout was at Marquette. Another great memory was getting into the top group for the first time going into my junior year. One memory that stands out was when Zimka wore his tight yellow pants and yellow shirt for individual keeper wars a couple years back. One of the best memories though, was winning the #1 position at the end of camp this past year. A great thing about Camp Shutout, it's not a memory, but I just want to put this in, is the friends that you make. You make great friends at camp that hopefully you can stay in touch with for a long, long time.

SA: I tend to remember the coaching moments, the teaching moments, like with Matt Pyzdrowski, the better goalkeepers, and the ones who struggle the most. I can tell you I tend to let go of the 'my son/daughter should be in the top group' phone calls much quicker now. I trust our staff. I remember Concordia, where we started, and then broke away from a small camp we used to affiliate with. I remember Jon Mroz and starting the Advanced Sessions. I remember Erin Kane and Kaitlin Kelly battling to blood. I remember Kirk Thode's save at Camp Whitcomb Mason, which sealed my recruiting of him. I remember the hottest week in two decades at Marquette and having to train at 7:00-10:00 in the morning and and then again at 7:30-10:00 pm and no air conditioning in the dorms! I remember when someone is kind enough to say we helped them achieve a dream.

For more information on Camp Shutout, visit their website at www.campshutout.com.

Jon Kempin Interview: Homegrown Goalkeeper Looking Forward

cover photo from St. Ann's Photos

Jon Kempin is a twenty-two year old goalkeeper who played for Sporting Kansas City for the last five years. Now out of contract, Kempin talks about involvement with US Youth National Teams as well as his plans with Sporting Kansas City moving forward.

You signed with Sporting Kansas City at 17, foregoing college. What were the factors that played into your decision, knowing that your involvement with the first team would be sparse for the first five years? 

The main reason for signing pro at such a young age was the fact that MLS gave me money for college. That way, I was able to take college classes while getting professional training year round instead of college training and games for a few months out of the year. My thought was that I would get some games with the reserve team while adjusting to the pace of shots and strength of players at such a young age.

From St. Ann's Photos

What would you tell a young goalkeeper signing with an MLS team to be mindful of?

I would tell a younger goalkeeper signing with MLS to have a clear and direct development plan. How to get games, possible timeline of being the starter, so forth. Make sure you're in a good environment where they respect and value younger players. If they haven't finished college I would advise them to figure out a way to do so. MLS has a new program with Southern New Hampshire to help players complete their degrees.

(Read more about the program here.)

You've spent time with nearly every youth national team. You've been called in for camps, you've been left out of some. What goes through a player's head knowing there is a chance at a call up?

It's obviously frustrating to be in and out of camps. You're trying to build a good relationship with players but [you] only see them a few times a year. You just need to keep working hard in case your chance comes again and focus on your club team and continuing to grow there. My goal when I was younger was to make it to the Olympics. I was fortunate enough to be called into youth national team camps and without the U-17 residency program I don't think I would be where I am today. 

How hard is it for a player to retain a spot in the player pool or regain one? Is there anything that could help the process of getting the right players into camps but keeping the fringe players involved?

I think the addition of more youth age groups is awesome and a great step for US Soccer. In my opinion, that will allow for more players to be seen because there will be more camps. It will also help our players build more of a relationship and understanding of one another through the years. It is always tough going into a camp for a week and trying to get on the same page. Now that US Soccer added more ages, I believe there will be a better chance for players to build chemistry. 

You were with the U23s who just recently finished a two leg series against Brazil, losing 2-1 in the first game and then 5-1. With it not exactly being results you were looking for, what do you take away the series and what areas do the U23s need to continue working on?

Well, the first games result wasn't too bad. We almost got a goal at the end and a possible PK. A 2-2 draw in Brazil after one day of training wouldn't have been bad. The 5-1 was obviously not great. We had a great first half and couldn't keep it going second half. Brazil has Champions League players. Their quality was very high and it was a tough challenge but we learned a lot though and we were able to work on certain situations. I think the biggest thing for us is games as a group. The more games we have the more chemistry we will create before Colombia. 

In the first game, you picked up a yellow card pretty early into the second half, which not only had viewers confused but you seemed a little out of the loop as well. What did the ref say to you?

*laughs* No idea, it was in Portuguese. Our coach forgot to give the sub sheet to the ref and I forgot to wait for the ref to put up the electronic sign. Kind of funny, but it took them twenty minutes to realize.

“My goal when I was younger was to make it to the Olympics. I was fortunate enough to be called into youth national team camps and without the U-17 residency program I don’t think I would be where I am today.”

You were called into a USMNT camp last January. What stands out looking back at the camp and what did you gain as a player?

It was awesome hanging and going to dinner with some of the players I looked up to when I was younger. They helped me fit in. I loved the experience I gained there. The main thing I learned during the trip was consistency. In order to make the next jump I needed to be consistent everyday in training. 

SKC had a bit of a whirlwind with their goalkeeping situation this year. From someone who was inside it all, what can you say about the goalkeeping situation that the public may have missed?

It's pretty straightforward. Luis Marin was far away from his family in Chile. He wanted to be closer to them and so he moved home. That allowed for Tim Melia to step in. In my opinion, he was the best if not second best goalkeeper in the league once he started playing. His interesting style of goalkeeper helped us win a US Open Cup championship. I've enjoyed blending some of his skills into mine and creating my own style of goalkeeping. 

And now you're out of contract with SKC. What options are you weighing at the moment?

I am looking at other options I have. Europe and other MLS teams. I've been with KC for six years already so my ultimate goal is to get something done with Kansas City but I am not afraid to leave if I am not being valued.

Five years from now, what's your dream situation?

In five years I hope to be the starter for a team. A lot of players goals are to play in Europe. If I am starting for a team over there... awesome. Bayern Munich is my favorite team but if I'm starting for my hometown Kansas City, I can't complain about that either. 

Keegan Rogers Interview: Goalkeeper Moves From PDL to Sweden

Keegan Rogers played four years at Western Washington University and is now playing in Sweden after a successful season with his PDL club FC Tucson. Spending multiple years in the PDL, Rogers is finally getting a chance to continue his professional career in Europe. Rogers talks about his unconventional route and how it helped him get to where he is today.

Talk about your time at Western Washington University. Typically a goalkeeper that ends up playing professional soccer played for a DI school. So what was different about WWU, a DII program?

I had an absolute blast attending and playing for WWU. Our program got better each and every year and it was an awesome experience to play for such a great school in such a great conference with such great players. When it came down to deciding which college to attend, I ultimately made my decision based upon whether I would get the opportunity to play right away, what type of scholarship I would receive, and if they offered a decent program for my major. I was recruited very heavily out of high school and I was in contact with most of the D1 programs in the country. However, just about every program gave me a reason not to attend. Some coaches didn’t have any scholarships left, some wanted me to attend and wait until my junior year to start playing, and some schools didn’t have the academics I was looking for. WWU was the perfect fit for me. They reached out to me and I was offered free schooling, the opportunity to be a four year starter, and academically, WWU is one of the top schools on the West Coast. As an added bonus, WWU is close to home (Portland, OR). It was just something that you couldn’t pass up and if I had the opportunity to go back and choose a college to attend again, I would choose WWU every single time.

There were a lot of things that WWU helped with to get me to the next level. I got a lot of experience that most goalkeepers at the collegiate level wouldn’t get. I was a four year starter whereas a lot of other goalkeepers at the collegiate will wait until their sophomore or junior year to begin playing. Experience is invaluable as a goalkeeper and to get all the games I got has been huge for my career. I also got every opportunity to make saves and have a big influence on games. I had several games with 6+ saves and the games where I played my best were against ranked opponents.

When did you realize you could play professionally?

This question is tough for me because I’ve always wanted to play at the professional level and it has always been my goal. I’d say that I truly knew I could play at the pro level was when I was a senior in high school. I had walked into my high school locker room after baseball practice when I got a phone call from my dad saying that I wasn’t going to be going to school tomorrow. Instead, the Portland Timbers had invited me to training for a couple days which was at 10:30 in the morning. I ended up skipping school and participated in practice with the goalkeepers there and it was an awesome experience. At the time, Jake Gleeson was the starter while Troy Perkins was rehabbing from a knee injury. I played well when I was there and with the amount of confidence I had, I knew that this could be an environment that I could thrive in. I thought to myself, “The Timbers could have picked anyone for training. Any collegiate goalkeeper. Any local goalkeeper… and they picked me. An 18 year old kid in high school.”

FC Tucson 2015 Team Picture

You played for the Timbers U23 team in the past but this season you played with FC Tucson. What were some of the highlights there an how did Tucson prepare you for Sweden?

Playing for FC Tucson was a great experience. This was my fifth year playing in the PDL and I can definitely say that FC Tucson is one of the best, if not the best organizations to be a part of. For me, the high point was undoubtedly the Desert Diamond Cup. Playing against Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids, and the New England Revolution was surreal. At that time I was with Arizona United for preseason but Tucson needed another goalkeeper so I traveled down to Tucson and got significant minutes. I got some great exposure from the games and I even got to train with the Sounders first team. I couldn’t have asked for a better environment to be a part of.

I would say that one of the lows was that there was always players moving in and out of the roster. At one point this year, I believe there were about 35 players on the team and when I departed, there were about 24 or so. It was difficult because when you’re playing and connecting well with your back line, the next week, or even next day, your back line can look completely different and you have to start over and adjust quickly. And also with as much talent that FC Tucson brings in, it limits the opportunities for players to play and get experience. However, at the same time, I think this also prepared me for Sweden. I am walking into an entirely new culture, environment, and team and the quicker I can make changes and adjust, the more successful I will be. FC Tucson has a pro-environment vibe and so I believe the transition to professional soccer will be easier now with the experience I had in Tucson.

Tucson lost in the first US Open Cup game to Chula Vista 2-1, in extra time. What happened in that game?

That was a definitely a rough result and probably the toughest result in my opinion. FC Tucson prides itself in US Open Cup success. So for us, we really expected to go far in the tournament. We were undoubtedly the better team that night. I thought we did everything right except put the ball in the back of the net. Defensively we left a couple players unmarked on a cross and we also got caught on a counter. Chula Vista did well sitting behind the ball and they took advantage of the opportunities they got.

It was particularly tough for me because I barely touched the ball at all. I touched the ball a couple times with my feet, but that’s about it. I believe they had four total shots, and two went in. Nothing I could do on either goal. One was a shot off the post, and the other was a slotted ball from about seven yards out.

At WWU, I usually had to make two or three big saves each game and an average of about five saves a game, but for that particular night, I think I made one save. It was tough as a goalkeeper because there isn’t much you can do about the result on that night. Despite us being the better team in my opinion, Chula Vista did well and upset Arizona United and put on a show against Sacramento Republic, so it was a good showing by them.

Overall how would you rate your season with Tucson?

Overall, I thought the season was great. We won the division, beat the undefeated Kitsap Pumas to make it to the conference finals, and sent players back to their [school] programs as better players. With players moving in and out each and every week, I thought the team met expectations. Obviously, every team has the ambition to win a national championship, but after watching the conference finals against the Sounders U-23s, it just looked like some of the FC Tucson players were tired at the end and I believe that was more of a total roster problem than a personnel problem. We had the players, just not the energy. If we had the 35 players that we had mid-season for those two conference games, I have no doubt that FC Tucson would have won both games handedly. But from my perspective, it looked like they just ran out of gas. Overall, I thought the team did well and I’m proud of the way we played.

How did you get in contact with IFK Lammhult? Were there any other clubs you were talking with?

I was actually contacted by IFK Lammhult through my brother. My brother Austin Rogers plays professionally for Kitsap Pumas and he has a ton of connections with teams all over the world. Lammhult reached out to him asking if I’d be interested in coming over to Sweden to finish out the season and I said yes. Not very many people get an opportunity like this, so I didn’t hesitate to accept the offer. At the time they contacted me, I was focused on coaching and getting ready for school in the fall to finish my degree, so I wasn’t directly talking or trailing with any teams. However, I am always keeping updated with teams in the USL and MLS and their goalkeeper situations.

What tier is IFK Lammhult in the Swedish set-up? I was having trouble finding an answer on this.

Lammhult has been going through a lot of change recently. They were in the 3rd division a couple years ago, but when they moved down to the 4th division, the club decided to essentially restart due to finances. Last year they won the 6th division and now we are in the 5th division.

What’s the goalkeeper situation like over there? Are you being brought in to start or will you be competing with someone else?

I have been brought in to start. Their starting goalkeeper has been having some issues with his hand, so I have been brought in to replace him. There are two other goalkeepers on the roster; one is 15 and the other is 26.

And when do you leave for Sweden?

I have been here for two days now. I have had one training with the goalkeeper coach and we have our first game August 1st. I am looking forward to all the challenges that await. This is a great environment to be a part of and I can’t wait to continue develop my skills as a goalkeeper.