Travis Ives is doing all the right things to help ensure he has every chance to emerge as a top flight U.S. goalkeeper.

The talented backstop from Bridgewater, New Jersey has experience with youth national teams and ODP, but for the past couple of seasons has been studying diligently as a pupil of Andrew Sparks in the New York Red Bulls youth program.

More recently, Ives made a verbal commitment to play his college soccer with Marlon LeBlanc’s West Virginia Mountaineers.

“I’m very excited to go there,” Ives said. “I think it’s going to be a great place for me. I’m very comfortable with the coaches and I think I’ll fit in and do well there.”

The recent goalkeeping history should be enough to have Ives enthused.

“I was able to watch them train with coach (Mark) Carr,” he said. “Knowing they’ve had strong keepers in the past like Nick Noble (now with Chicago Fire) and with Zach Johnson being the Big East goalkeeper of the year last year, I think they can definitely take my game to the next level.”

The 2010 graduate is already playing at a pretty high level under Sparks with NYRB. He said he’s really enjoyed his time with the team.

“It’s been great there. We train solid four times a week and spend a least a couple of hours working on hands and feet,” he said. “Coach Sparks and Red Bull has definitely helped me in a major way.”

Ives recognizes that the imperative of turning pro early is not so great for a goalkeeper, and hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow New Jersey native Tim Howard and make it as a professional after learning more through the college game. He identifies some strong areas along a few targets for improvement.

“My biggest strength in goal is my confidence. I can organize a team and keep everything composed,” he said. “Something I am working on is my feet and maybe moving around the box a little faster, but I’m already improving in those areas.”

Ives also works on his own to improve physical conditioning and strength, but will enjoy the dual benefits of top-quality goalkeeping coaching as he continues the journey toward the Mountaineers’ Morgantown campus.