Inside the World of Soccer Goalkeeping
Soccer goalkeeping encompasses a variety of concepts that are needed to be mastered before becoming fluent within the position establishing the position as its own Discourse. Linguist James Paul Gee defines a Discourse in his article “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction” by saying,
“At any moment we are using language we must say or write the right thing in the right way while playing the right social role and (appearing) to hold the right values, beliefs, and attitudes” (Gee 6).
Since these combinations are what shape our identity, in turn, shaping our society, it is essential that every aspect must be mastered before one is considered part of a specific Discourse. His concepts become clearer as Darcy A. Fiano relates Gee to the real world by analyzing his key building blocks, shedding light on the transfer of such aspects when used by actual people in particular circumstances (Fiano 61).To prove that soccer goalkeeping is a Discourse, artifacts such as a rule book and interviews help display certain pieces of language that give us insight into how one becomes part of this Discourse. As there is a unique differentiation between a goalkeeper and other positions on the field, a person must display the correct form of practices, identities, and relationships through acquisition of an apprenticeship to build higher status and fluency within the goalkeeper Discourse.
Characteristics of the Game: Identity
Soccer goalkeeping, being its own Discourse, has its own forms of words, actions, values, beliefs, attitudes, social identities, gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes that distinguish the goalkeepers from other positions on the field. These concepts are described by Gee as “ways of being in the world” and have to be fully acknowledged before one can move forward in a Discourse (Gee 6). The FIFA Laws of the Game Rule Book helps exemplify the specifications of the position, describing a distinct and separate set of rules the goalkeeper must follow.
For example:
-Clothing Guidelines
* goalkeepers are permitted to wear a different color uniform distinguishing them from their teammates, the other team, and the referees (Laws of the Game 22)
* goalie specific gloves
* padding
* clothes often cover the entirety of their body
-Gameplay Guidelines
*goalkeepers are permitted to use their hands when possessing the ball within their marked goal area whereas any other field player cannot.
These differentiations, along with many others, are what create the unique identity of the goalkeeper, making the position its own Discourse. Understanding the parameters and definitions of every aspect of the game of soccer through the use of this rule book is pertinent to gaining access into the Discourse because they establish a learning foundation. The rules create a foundation of building blocks for which the goalkeeper is able to base his unique practices, identity, and relationships from, in order to gain knowledge and fluency within the Discourse.
Insiders vs. Outsiders
Since Discourse is a type of ‘identity kit’ with regards to how one acts, talks, and writes, it can be made clear when one is not appropriately displaying the correct identity, that is, being recognized as in the Discourse by others as defined by Fiano (82). This leads to the potential of being labeled as a pretender, trying to portray the correct elements of the Discourse when in fact, one does not completely know them. Gee refers to a pretender as “an outsider with pretensions to being an insider” (Gee 10). This issue is addressed by CVU Goalkeeper Dominik Jukabek explained in an interview,
“When I hear TV Football announcers say after a good save, ‘the keeper made a routine save.’ When they don’t have the ability to save/catch anything! When you make a great save and a few people in the stands realize how big it was. Very annoying!!!” (Roberts).
Jakubek is considered part of the goalkeeper Discourse and because of this, he is able to recognize when somebody is not in his Discourse. The announcers do not possess the correct identity as they failed to use the proper terminology. Referring to a save as a routine save when it was in fact, a good save, immediately demonstrated that they did not belong in the soccer goalkeeper Discourse. However, not knowing the terminology of the Discourse is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being labeled as an outsider. Without having proper action or body language to actually play the position, regardless of their knowledge about the sport, the announcers lack the Discourse completely. To display a certain identity, one’s actions are just as key as their language. When Jakubek explains how the announcers not only lack the ability to correctly define the position but lack the ability to play the position, it is clear that the complexity of a goalkeepers identity goes deeper than the players mere appearance. Having the correct identity encompasses every aspect of this Discourse. Therefore, simply mastering one aspect is not enough to be seen as fluent.
Social Prestige
The level of mastery a goalkeeper achieves differs depending on their social level within their field. This is considered the type of identity that others identify based on status and prestige, a concept used by Fiano as “high status or low status” to describe the different levels within a Discourse (83). The higher the level, the more status and prestige one gains. Goalkeeper Tim Howard of the U.S. Men’s National Team and English club Everton explains,
“goalkeepers need more games under their belt to be top-level than the average field player” (Woitalla).
In order to be a top level goalkeeper, experience is necessary. This means that the identity you wish to obtain may be further down the road than if you were to become a field player. Along with a greater amount of experience, there comes more complicated aspects hidden within the goalkeeper Discourse. More is expected from the manner of intensity in training to the complexity of practice drills. Age and experience is prevalent within this Discourse, making it extremely rare to find full fluency within a younger athlete. For this reason, hard work and dedication pared with ambition to get all the experience available, simulating basic instincts, is key to obtaining the correct identity through specific practices.
Game Changing Coaches: Apprenticeship
A coaches ability to teach its predecessors will ultimately determine the level of skill one achieves with the goalkeeper Discourse. Gee explains that mentors must teach their apprentices in a particular way that allows them to gain insight into aspects of the Discourse not provided to them through observation. He explicitly states how a mentor must
“scaffold their [apprentice] growing ability to say, do, value, believe, and so forth, within that Discourse through demonstrating your mastery and supporting theirs even when it barely exists” (Gee 11).
A mentor is responsible for scaffolding their apprentices skills, growing their ability toward becoming part of a particular discourse. A soccer goalie must learn the concepts or actions of the Discourse from a mentor such as a goalie coach who pushes them to use what has been taught and apply it on the field. Tim Howard explained his relationship with his goalie coach by saying, “One of the things I learned at a young age, particularly with Tim Mulqueen, is the importance of training at a high tempo. Make training sessions high tempo. Make them game-like” (Woitalla). Tim Mulqueen was able to teach Howard the importance of tempo in practices. Maintaining a fast tempo prepares the goalkeeper for the pace of the game. Since Tim Mulqueen was a former goalkeeper himself, being in the goalkeeping Discourse enabled him to have the knowledge to pass down to Howard who is under his apprenticeship. As a result of this relationship, Howard is now considered part of the goalkeeping Discourse because he finalized his apprenticeship process.
Game Speed: Practices
Practicing skills of a discourse in the same manner they are used in the Discourse itself, is an important step into becoming more fluent. The concept of practicing at a fast pace relates to Fiano’s interpretation of Gee’s seven building blocks that guide one into a Discourse. She refers to “practices” as ways of responding to circumstances that occur in certain situations (Fiano 82). Tim Howard explained that his training must be fast pace. The speed at which the ball is kicked at him in training must be the same, if not faster than the speed it would be kicked at him in a game. Some drills entail a keeper to practice proper techniques such as forward diving or side diving, parrying the ball over the crossbar or to the side of the post, boxing with one fist or two fists, and catching high above the head or low in the gut. These drills allow the keeper to better adapt to their position, decreasing the likelihood of the ball entering their net. Every drill must be practiced in a manner that allows the keeper to translate what he learns in practice directly to a game situation. This is to ensure familiarity. The more familiar a keeper feels about a situation, the more he is able to base his actions off of intuition and instincts. Having this familiarity will allow a goalkeeper to make the correct moves when the ball is played a certain way, displaying fluency within the Discourse. Tim Howard could not have achieved his level of mastery without putting in the correct training, which entails game speed and high tempo.
Discourse analysis allows for the study of a Discourse, providing one with a framework of practices to learn from as they serve as models representing both people and their settings. Analyzing key aspects of a soccer goalkeeper using Gee’s concept of Discourse and Fiano’s interpretation of Gee to real life, serve to help those enter the goalkeeper Discourse in a way that ensure fluency and mastery over a certain period of time. Although it has been made clear that officially entering the Discourse may not come until later on in life, the processes needed are more prevalent to keep up with as one progresses. As one’s practices, identity, and relationships are encompassing factors of this Discourse, it is impervious that one must gain fluency in all aspects to have the opportunity to gain access into the soccer goalkeeper Discourse.
Works Cited
Fiano, Darcy A. “Primary Discourse and Expressive Oral Language in a Kindergarten Student.”
Reading Research Quarterly. International Literacy Association, Jan. 2014. Web. 16
Oct. 2015.
“Laws of the Game 2015/2016.” FIFA. FIFA, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
Gee, James P. “Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction.” Journal of Education 171.1 (1989): 5–17. Print.
Roberts, Martin. “Interview with CVU Goalkeeper Coach & Sacramento Republic FC # 25.” Capital Valley United. Sport NGIN, 17 Mar. 2014. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
Woitalla, Mike. “Tim Howard’s Advice for Keepers, Parents and Coaches.” Youth Soccer Insider. Soccer America, 28 June 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
