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BACKGROUND
Originally from Central Wisconsin, John Clark has called Grand Rapids home since 1999. As a kid, he started playing soccer in youth leagues and never looked back. Soccer has remained a huge part of the Clark household ever since.
While John coached his 3 kids at Caledonia AYSO and CATS from 1999 to 2010, the goalkeeper coach position has always been his passion. In 2009 he started Clark Keeper Training, offering group, small group and one-on-one training focusing on the technical side of training to refining a players’ game and using their technique to make them a better goalkeeper.
Away from soccer, John works in Marketing in the material handling automation industry. |
PHILOSOPHY
While I’ve played goalkeeper for over 40 years, during my active playing days there was no real goalkeeper training available. Keepers were just ‘expected’ to know what to do in goal. My goal is to help change that. The goalkeeper position is one of the most difficult in all of sports. The mental toughness required for the position, combined with the ever-growing realization that today’s goalkeepers need to be among the best overall athletes in their teams makes coaching it a challenge, but one I relish.EXPERIENCE
40+ years soccer playing experience, playing at multiple levels of the sport, from club, to high school, to college, to advanced club play in Milwaukee, WI
- Played in Europe representing Wisconsin for Teams USA
- 4 years in college at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
- Club soccer in Milwaukee for the Milwaukee Rampage and Polonia FC
- Adult league play in Grand Rapids (as long as my body holds out)
- University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point women’s soccer team goalkeeper coach 1987
- Club goalkeeper trainer for PASS, CATS FC
- Staff Coach at Camp Shutout MI and WI
- Coaching clinics for AYSO United, TASC
- Thornapple High School Boys GK coach
- Caledonia High School girls soccer team goalkeeper coach
LICENSES, CERTIFICATION & DIPLOMAS
NSCCA Goalkeeping Level I and Level II Diploma
USSF D Coaching licenseFAVORITE TEAM
John has always liked the underdog, so whoever that is, that’s who he’ll cheer for. Away from soccer, John is a WI sports fan, so Packers and Badgers.BEST COACHING MEMORY
As a position specific coach, the best memories come from watching GKs improve their game and move on to the next level. With multiple goalkeepers moving from club to HS, and to college teams, there is a lot to be proud of. Even more so, seeing GKs that he has coached come back and begin coaching themselves is often even more rewarding.