North Carolina State University Athletics
Between the Posts With Megan Connors
5/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
May 25, 2006
She's 5-foot-4 and has 192 feet of soccer field to cover. Senior goalkeeper Megan Connors may be small in stature, but it hasn't stopped her from being a big presence as the Wolfpack's final line of defense.
A native of Westfield, N.J., Connors does have the attitude associated with the New Jersey population. It is common within the soccer community for goalkeepers to carry with them a certain distinction, a special something that no field player could ever portray. But that special distinction is what allows a goalkeeper to handle the unique pressure associated with being situated in between the posts. It is one that is felt for 90 minutes of action while guarding the goalmouth. Connors is responsible for protecting a six-yard box and a frame that measures 24 feet by 8 feet. If the ball gets between her and the back of the net, her team is down a goal. So what she lacks in height, she must be stronger in other areas. She doesn't let her stature give her any disadvantage, but embraces the challenge of being her team's go-to-woman.
Knowing her strengths and weaknesses didn't happen over night. Connors, now the Pack's top returning goalkeeper, has spent more than 13 years of her life training as a soccer player. It has been in the last three years however, at the collegiate level, in which she has truly showcased her skills.
"Megan has developed nicely in the past year as a quality goalkeeper," said NC State assistant and goalkeeper coach Ben Pinkerton. "Our main focus has been on the fundamentals of the game, footwork, handling, shot-stopping and crossing. Megan, along with a new strength and conditioning program developed by our strength coach Wayne Wright, has improved in all aspects of her physicality."
Entering her final season at NC State, Connors credits several things to her improvement since walking on campus in 2003. Her family influence, training, her teammates and her personal motivation have all contributed to her success on the field and in the keeper box.
"Right off the bat, my dad has been there to push me," said Connors. "I would have never been as competitive in soccer if it wasn't for him. He actually had to drag me to tryouts. Both my mom and my dad have both been such encouraging and supportive people to develop me as a player and to be around players that had the same goals as I did."
Her encouragement and support these days, continues to stem from a number of sources, including her teammates. Currently there are eight members of her class that she played with the first day she joined the squad. Having camaraderie only enables Connors to continue her growth as a player. Each of those teammates has seen her improvement and been there to help her along the way and she was equally there for them. Such support funneled directly into the spring season, which saw Connors step up to a new responsibility - being the only goalkeeper for the Wolfpack.
Training to be the team's lone goalkeeper for the spring season was a challenge; Connors had to be up to taking. It was her opportunity to truly grow in her position. All of the repetitions in practice, all of the minutes played in the matches and the one-on-one time with Coach Pinkerton, was every bit Connors'. That meant, plenty of experience to help her hone her skills prior to her senior season in the Fall of 2006.
"Doing actual one-on-one goalkeeper specific training is a first for me since I have been here at NC State," said Connors. "I'm seeing that I'm getting stronger and quicker after a lot of repetitions, weight training and specialized conditioning programs. I know I have to be in shape because all eyes are on me now."
With all eyes on her its no wonder her mentality must be in place. It's not just the pressure of being the most experienced keeper on hand, but also the pressure of training to be a goalkeeper in the nation's top women's soccer conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference.
