It’s been an absolutely fantastic time at GDS, ever since I joined in October 2014. Obviously, when joining somewhere new, you can’t help but be hesitant and honestly I felt at home as soon as I stepped into training.
The support and confidence given by the coaches and other keepers provides you with a family feel to GDS, a professional yet helpful environment other goalkeeper centres do not offer.
For me in particular , GDS developed my goalkeeping ability, almost instantaneously as my performances in my training and matches outside of GDS improved, enough to be commended by the oppositions who I played against, given me the satisfaction that I was constantly getting better. Subtle yet key differences to my performance including my distribution (which still needs improvement), my handling and my one on one technique to name a few improved massively giving me more confidence in my ability as a keeper and my potential in taking my goalkeeping further.
The drills which are worked upon during the session vary from the Bulgarian session all the way down to the pyramid . I wouldn’t be able to pick my favourite because all of the sessions are key to a successful goalkeeper and they all are sessions I thoroughly enjoy.
To win medals as goalkeeper of the day, goalkeeper of the month and awards at our annual ceremony are achievements which should be cherished due to knowing that your hard work and dedication is being rewarded. I have had so many favourite moments at GDS, but winning the goalkeeper of the year award at our annual ceremony was a moment I will never forget. Many keepers could have received the award that year, but I was lucky enough to be given the award. Moments like these cannot be forgotten, but my thanks have to go to GDS for everything as without them I wouldn’t be the keeper I am today.
A huge thanks and appreciation has to go to all the coaches as well as everyone else who makes GDS special such as Caz and the parents who have supported GDS through the years. A special thanks of course has to go to Head Coach Dave whose interest , love and passion towards goalkeeping is infectious as it passes on to all of the goalkeepers, as well as his uncanny ability to create nicknames for everyone, ranging from Dangerous to Skinhead to Spike to name a few.
I would like to end by saying that one of my biggest regrets is that I found about GDS when I was 14 and that if I knew about an institution like GDS at a younger age, I would have leaped at the opportunity to join, something I wouldn’t want any keeper, young or old to miss out on, so come along, train with us and be a part of our growing family!
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