A problem position requires a problem-solving coach, and Eclipse Select goalkeeping mentor Mike Bristol has proven to be just that.

While college coaches across the country will mention the difficulty in finding the required athleticism and technique for goalkeeping in the Girls’ game, there appears to be a dearth of leadership in coaching circles to do something about it. Eclipse made a purposeful decision in 2004 when they hired Bristol, as club Director of Senior Girls Mike Nesci explains.

"(Director of Coaching) Rory (Dames) and I sat down after the 2004 season and took a look at our problem areas. We decided to look at finding a full-time goalkeeping coach to make what was not a strong point into an absolute strength,” Nesci said. “Bristol has done that 100 percent for us. You just have to look at the success not only for our teams but at the individual success since he’s been here.”

The briefest of glimpses at the Eclipse setup will show this, with 2 of 3 U17 Girls National Team goalkeepers at the last World Cup, Taylor Vancil and Alexa Gaul, plus University of Portland recruit Erin Dees and U15 regional standouts Kylie Morgan and Darcy Hargadon numbered among Bristol’s pupils.

“I know what it’s done for the club,” Nesci added. “It’s been a huge part of our success.”

Talking with Bristol is like accessing a computer on goalkeeping information.

“When I came in I gave Mike and Rory a vision of how I thought goalkeeping should be set up at a club level. Nobody else was doing this,” Bristol said. “They said to set it up however I wanted and they’ve let me run with it, and it’s worked out well.”

The 31-year old Bristol grew up in Granite City, IL, just outside of St. Louis. He began playing goalkeeper on his high school team as a freshman and continued on to Western Illinois where he played for Dr. Eric Johnson. Following school he pursued goalkeeper coaching licenses, including the three-tiered program from NSCAA and a national license with USSF. After coaching for a spell at Illinois State University, he found himself at Eclipse Select. He also helps with the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II ODP setup and is an instructor with NSCAA.

Bristol recognizes the problem with the position on the women’s side, and puts it down largely to vision from the club level.

“There’s not a whole lot of goalkeeper coaches out there in terms of the club level. There are coaches who work with teams but too many of them are not putting all their time into the goalkeeper and they’re not getting to a lot of games,” he said. “You can train a kid but until you see them in game situations and break them down, things like angle play and how well they’re connected to back line, you’re only getting a small part of the game by just training the kid.”

Bristol typically trains Eclipse goalkeepers from 5 to 9 every Monday and Thursday evening, with Friday being a travel day and weekends usually spent at matches. At a normal session he might work with four to five goalkeepers (two teams training at once) for an hour as a small group, then participating with them at team training.

Two of these days will be the U12 through U18 teams at Libertyville, and two others will be at the club’s other sites in the Chicago areas, including with U13, U14 and U17 Boys teams in conjunction with some assistant coaches at the club.

Bristol’s students are effusive in their praise for the coach.

“He’s meant so much to me as a player,” said Dees. “He knew just how I needed to improve and he’s helped me to do it. I wouldn’t be going to Portland or anything like that if it wasn’t for his coaching.”

“I wouldn't have gotten where I have with all the National Team stuff without Bristol's trainings,” the Texas-bound Gaul said. “He is the best goalkeeper coach I have ever worked with.”

“He has helped me more than anyone,” Morgan said. “I’ve improved so much since I started training with him. He’s pretty much taught me everything I know. Everything before that was just basic stuff.”

Morgan adds that the coach knows when and how hard to push.

“He works us hard but that makes us all love it and want to play more,” she said.

Bristol added that psychology is an important part of goalkeeper coaching.

“There’s a way to design sessions before big events in order to build confidence,” he said. “There are times when you want to gear a session to make sure they are at the top of their game, but it’s a long season and if you tried to do that every time you would never work on their weaknesses. You want to make sure they are psychologically read to go before certain big events.”

Bristol speaks almost a unique language when talking about the technique and mechanics of goalkeeping. Nesci admits to not always understanding what he’s talking about, but the goalkeepers seems buy into the message with full confidence.

“He has it down to the absolute minutiae of goalkeeping,” he said. “He has it broken down. It’s a science to him. We’re extremely lucky to have him.”