‘You have to be a little crazy’: The mentality of a goalie

Goalkeeper Siera Edwards ('26) dives for the ball at Sparks Field on Sept. 14, 2025. Photo courtesy of the Willamette Athletics Department.

For most goalies, their journey in the position starts about the same: no one else on their team wants to be a goalie, so they are forced into it. 

“It kind of just became whoever isn’t scared of the ball flying at their face just stays in goal,” said Willamette’s women’s soccer keeper Siera Edwards (’26), recalling how she started between the sticks in youth soccer. 

It’s not surprising that, even so young, being a goalie isn’t exactly a coveted job. As the last line of defense, there is a weight that rests on the shoulders of the single goalie. 

Mikkel Jensen (’27), keeper for the men’s soccer team, summed up the pressure by saying, “If you make a mistake, it’s over. If you mess up, it changes the whole game.”

Willamette University’s lacrosse goalie, Olivia Austin (’27) said, “I don’t think people realize how mental being a goalie is. It is one of the most mentally tough positions ever.” 

All Bearcats goalies agreed, the pressure of being a goalie is one of the hardest parts of the job. “Sometimes the pressure can weigh down on you. If you fail, everyone can see it,” said Austin. The goalie making a split-second mistake that leads to a goal is a lot more obvious than a defender in the outfield making a mistake, and comes with immediate consequences. 

Goalie positions come with other responsibilities aside from saving the ball. There is an underlying leadership that comes from the goal. Goalies can see the whole field and are expected to tell their players where to be to help other members of the team. Keepers are also responsible for distributing the ball from the backfield, either after a save or from an opposition turnover, which can be just as crucial in regulating the team’s play as a good clear from a center back or a fast break from a midfielder.

For Austin, the demands of the position require incredible mental resilience and an ability to shake off any mistakes. “You have to be able to … show up and do the work every time.”

Sometimes, the mentality derived from goalkeeping to experiences outside of sports. “If you’re able to shake [mistakes] off on the field, why wouldn't you be able to shake it off in real life?” Jensen asked.

Edwards explained that her goalie position has thrown her into a leadership role that a field player might not have, and that has helped her self-confidence when applying for jobs and interviews. 

Every goalie has one trait in common, according to Edwards: “For any goalie, you have to be a little crazy. … You are having objects thrown at you at very high speeds.”

There are also plenty of positive feelings with the goalie’s job, moments that remind goalies why they do it. Perhaps the most obvious is the feeling after making a great save and celebrating with the team, Austin said. Another is the community of other goalies that is built within a team that Edwards carries with pride.

“When people realize how important you actually are and how hard it is, that’s very rewarding,” Jensen said.