“Football is like life. It requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and respect for authority.”
Mission Statement
Protect Your Net is a goalkeeping training academy that aims to help goalkeepers reach their full potential. Our aim is to teach young goalkeepers the technical and tactical aspects of the position. Equally important is to educate and model the physical and mental steps that need to be taken to be a quality goalkeeper. We believe a strong work ethic and knowledge of the position is necessary for sustained growth and success. We take an approach to coaching and training where we believe in teaching the reasoning behind aspects of training. To expand knowledge of the position we encourage goalkeepers to ask questions to gain a more thorough understanding of the topics being covered. We want our goalkeepers to understand concepts from training sessions and be able to effectively apply them to their matches.
MIKE RADCLIFFE
Mike Radcliffe grew up in Baltimore County and played goalkeeper for Perry Hall High School during his high school career. Following high school, he played four seasons of college soccer McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. After graduating from McDaniel, Radcliffe spent seven seasons as an assistant coach for the Men’s Soccer Team at Stevenson University. During that time, he also spent one year as the Goalkeeper Coach for the Women’s Soccer Program at Stevenson. In addition to coaching collegiately, Radcliffe currently is in his 9th year as a State Goalkeeper Coach for the Maryland Olympic Development Program. He also works for the East Region ODP boys’ soccer coaching staff and spent the 2020 season training the Baltimore Armour Girls’ Developmental Academy Goalkeepers. From a club perspective, Radcliffe has worked extensively with clubs through the area including serving as the Director of Goalkeeping for Pipeline Soccer Club for five years. He also currently works as a Goalkeeper Coach for Next Level Soccer, Old Line Football Club, and Towson United. Radcliffe currently has a US Soccer Coaching D-License, as well an NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 3 Certificate. Outside of soccer, Radcliffe works as a school counselor at General John Stricker middle school in Baltimore County.
ZACH KEESECKER
Zach Keesecker grew up in Harford County and played goalkeeper for C. Milton Wright High School during his high school career. Following high school, he was on the Men’s Soccer team for Towson University. Graduating with a Physical Education degree, Keesecker has been a Physical Educator in Baltimore County since 2009 and is currently teaching at Honeygo Elementary. For keeper training, Keesecker has worked with keepers of all ages and skill sets in Baltimore and Harford County He currently works with clubs around the area that include Pipeline Soccer Club, Old Line Football Club, Towson United, Northern Elite and AFC. He leads the Goalkeeper curriculum for Harford Soccer Camp and has ran Goalkeeper Specific camps at John Carroll. Keesecker holds a United Soccer Coaches Level 1 Certificate.