2024-10-04, 09:21 AM - Word count:
From all accounts, the season 18 class of the SSL has reached unprecedented depths. With four matches in the books and plenty of recruiting time remaining, the academy has nearly been filled with promising athletes from across the globe. There has even been talk of diverting some of the over-flow to the SSL minor league system to allow for the unexpected surplus of talent. With all of that in mind, let's take a deep dive into perhaps the most important position on the board, that of the Goal Keeper.
The Keepers
The safe choice: Bartholomew Twinkletoes
When it comes to buying a car, I don't know about the rest of you but I always goToyota. Get me from point A to point B safely with minimal maintenance, and please last well past 100,000 miles on the odometer. From this draft pool, Bartholomew Twinkletoes is the balanced choice. For any team looking for a Keeper who knows their role and has a the base level attributes to hold down the position, Twinkletoes is a fine prospect. Proficient in nearly every aspect of the position, Twinkletoes profiles as a low risk/moderate reward option. If he continues to progress consistently, BT could become a keeper of legend with strengths across the board, but his current spread of abilities is washed out a bit by his "master of nothing" approach.
The smart choice: Mr Clean-Sheet
Work smarter, not harder is what I say. Being fully balanced isn't always the best thing, especially if one or two attributes are far more relevant to success than others. For example, my extensive knowledge of the Star Wars universe might be impressive, but it didn't help much when I was playing shortstop for junior varsity. Mr Clean-sheet fits the bill for well-attributed TPE, and he makes for a head-smart choice at keeper. His chief strengths are in positioning, reflexes and throwing. Whichever team chooses to select him will be fielding a keeper who always positions himself best to be his most effective self, with the reflexes to make athletic stops and the throwing acumen to distribute the ball back to the offense quickly.
The best choice: Benecio Aguilera III
Ultimately, what teams really want from their key players is an athlete whose skills are greater than just the sum of their parts. TPE for TPE, Benecio Aguilera III is the best of this crop. He eschewed balance in favor of superior balance, positioning, and the best reflexes at keeper that this pool as to offer. The ancillary attributes will improve in time I'm sure, but his superior athleticism makes him the best choice here to make an early impact.
The wild card: Sweeper the Keeper
WILD CARD B$%$ES! Every team needs an eccentric maniac to rile up the fans and unnerve their opponents, right? Sweeper the Keeper of Victoria Falls is that individual, to a T. Sweeper is an eccentric player with a reputation for making overly aggressive but undeniably creative choices, he's the sort who can inspire a whole nation of fans by creating opportunities for his team out of thin air, but with the considerable downside of being a reckless lunatic who indulges in risk-taking far too often for anyone's comfort.
We have a full season of academy play to see how these young talents perform under the lights, and there's a ton of anticipation league-wide to find out who ends up on what team. Stay tuned.
The Keepers
The safe choice: Bartholomew Twinkletoes
When it comes to buying a car, I don't know about the rest of you but I always goToyota. Get me from point A to point B safely with minimal maintenance, and please last well past 100,000 miles on the odometer. From this draft pool, Bartholomew Twinkletoes is the balanced choice. For any team looking for a Keeper who knows their role and has a the base level attributes to hold down the position, Twinkletoes is a fine prospect. Proficient in nearly every aspect of the position, Twinkletoes profiles as a low risk/moderate reward option. If he continues to progress consistently, BT could become a keeper of legend with strengths across the board, but his current spread of abilities is washed out a bit by his "master of nothing" approach.
The smart choice: Mr Clean-Sheet
Work smarter, not harder is what I say. Being fully balanced isn't always the best thing, especially if one or two attributes are far more relevant to success than others. For example, my extensive knowledge of the Star Wars universe might be impressive, but it didn't help much when I was playing shortstop for junior varsity. Mr Clean-sheet fits the bill for well-attributed TPE, and he makes for a head-smart choice at keeper. His chief strengths are in positioning, reflexes and throwing. Whichever team chooses to select him will be fielding a keeper who always positions himself best to be his most effective self, with the reflexes to make athletic stops and the throwing acumen to distribute the ball back to the offense quickly.
The best choice: Benecio Aguilera III
Ultimately, what teams really want from their key players is an athlete whose skills are greater than just the sum of their parts. TPE for TPE, Benecio Aguilera III is the best of this crop. He eschewed balance in favor of superior balance, positioning, and the best reflexes at keeper that this pool as to offer. The ancillary attributes will improve in time I'm sure, but his superior athleticism makes him the best choice here to make an early impact.
The wild card: Sweeper the Keeper
WILD CARD B$%$ES! Every team needs an eccentric maniac to rile up the fans and unnerve their opponents, right? Sweeper the Keeper of Victoria Falls is that individual, to a T. Sweeper is an eccentric player with a reputation for making overly aggressive but undeniably creative choices, he's the sort who can inspire a whole nation of fans by creating opportunities for his team out of thin air, but with the considerable downside of being a reckless lunatic who indulges in risk-taking far too often for anyone's comfort.
We have a full season of academy play to see how these young talents perform under the lights, and there's a ton of anticipation league-wide to find out who ends up on what team. Stay tuned.
