The Lionville Soccer Club strives to provide positive, balanced and effective development for players in the Downingtown Area School District. In 2011, Lionville continued its longstanding tradition – over 90% of the players who tried out were selected to play for their school teams! LSC fielded twelve teams in the PAGS and Delco leagues. 75% of the teams participated in Premier, Division 1 or Division 2 competition.
Mission Statement
The Lionville Soccer Club provides Travel Soccer for boys and girls in the Uwchlan Township and surrounding areas. It is designed for the more serious soccer player who is looking for a greater level of instruction and competition. The Club is committed to the ideals of fair play, sportsmanship, teamwork and the development of character. Our primary objective is to develop players by providing quality instruction that challenges each player, and to instill a love and respect for the game. We believe that while winning is important, development of character and skill take priority. We strive to ensure that every player who goes through the travel program will be sufficiently prepared to play for their school teams.
Quick Soccer Guides
Soccer Goalkeeper Guides
So you want to be a goalkeeper, huh? This is arguably the position with the heaviest responsibility among any other player. The team’s victory or otherwise usually rests on the hands of both teams’ goalkeepers. Just because goalkeepers stay only in 1 area, that does not mean they don’t need much skill to play well. A goalkeeper must possess a myriad of skills that take time to master and improve upon.
So what are these essential skills one must learn if they want to be a great keeper for their team?
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Communicating with Teammates
Being in a player always at the back of the field, you have a unique point of view from anybody else. With great communicating skills you can easily convey messages across the team that players might miss as they focus on guarding their positions. It is a great goalkeeper’s job to unify a team into working together towards a win.
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Agile Reflexes
Good strikers are known for their lightning quick footwork and movements. It is a goalkeeper’s job to match the striker’s play. Having quick reflexes does not always come easy to anyone. A lot of times, it takes regular practice to develop an agile reflex.
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Covering A Lot of Ground
A skillful opponent usually waits for the goalkeeper to make a move and will make a quick play to circumvent the initial movement. A good goalkeeper must immediately seize his/her territory in order to intimidate the attacker’s stance or play.
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Reading the Attackers’ Move
Many soccer games are lost because of a wrong reading from the goalkeeper. Although, there’s no easy way to tell where striker might send the ball, it is always great to have a good sense of reading your opponents’ moves.
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Diving
Diving skill is a basic to any goalkeeper. They are known to send themselves flying in order to save the ball. It is a great skill to master early on as the benefits will determine most of the games outcomes. As a goalkeeper, you should have a great diving skill.
Soccer Goalie Equipments
Every goalkeeper needs to have these soccer equipments at the basic level.
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Attire and Protective Gear
Goalkeepers are known for their agile cat-like abilities to save a flying ball. In order to this job properly, goalkeepers must be in their proper attire to do their job well. Not only to look good also to protect themselves from any injuries they might get from all the dives they are doing.
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Gloves
Again, soccer goalkeeper gloves are not worn to look good. Goalie gloves protect goalkeepers from injuries catching balls coming towards them at a 100kp/h. Having gloves serve as a buffer that will lessen the impact of the ball on the goalie’s hands. So having a good pair of goalkeeper gloves is essential.
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Training Equipments
Okay training equipments may be extra but if you want to improve your game, then soccer equipments will be your bestfriend until they retire. There are whole slew of soccer equipments but at the very least you should have the mini cones and the agility ladder to help you work on your soccer playing basics.
In case you are really interested in playing as a goalkeeper for your soccer team, then try reading these goalkeeper tryout tips for more information.