Former Hekari United FC and Team PNG Kapuls Goalkeeper, Ishmael Pole has taken the initiative to conduct a goalkeeping clinic targeting all students in primary and international schools between the ages of 10 and 18.
Mr. Pole said that after speaking with the coordinators of school soccer in Papua New Guinea, he is hoping to run the goalkeeping clinic during the term 3 holidays right after Independence Day.
Mr. Pole will be going through the basics of goalkeeping with the participating schools.
“In goalkeeping, there are diving drills, mostly catching. During the course of this goalkeeping clinic, I will not be coaching on all other positions in soccer but will be concentrating specifically on goalkeeping,” Ishmael said.
The Kapuls goalkeeper said that in Papua New Guinea, there are a lot of on-field players but very few goalkeepers.
“In the National team, there were only two experience goalkeepers which was myself and my fellow goalkeeping counterpart Ronald Warisan,” he said.
Pole added that a lot of players tried out for the position of goalkeeping but needed more experience to make it into the National team. He further added that the Papua New Guinea Football Association only focuses on running other clinics apart from goalkeeping.
“With this idea to run goalkeeping clinics without any support from anyone, I want to be able to give back to young interested soccer players.”
“I want to help build a lot of goalkeepers so there will be fair competition later on,” said the soccer star.
He also confirmed that apart from the goalkeeping clinic he will be running for students aged between 10 and 18, he will also be running a similar clinic for students above 18 years.
This clinic for students over 18 years is set for the 16th August 2021 and will be at the Bisini Soccer field which is open for interested individuals.
He said it is also open to players who are attached to the Port Moresby Soccer Association or any other soccer clubs eager to learn the basics of goalkeeping in soccer.
For both the Goalkeeping Clinic, there will be a fee charged for those schools or interested individuals who want to take part.
Fees for the respective clinics will be posted on his official Facebook @ Ishmael Pole.