Goalie can refer to either the position or the player. A goaltender may claim to be a goalie. The position is formally known as goalkeeper or goaltender, although the word "goalie" is often used, particularly in young sports. In soccer, the goalie is also known as the keeper.
There are two types of goalkeepers: goalkeepers and keepers. A goalkeeper is a person who plays the role of goalkeeper in football or hockey. Keepers are the backup players on their team who will come into the game if the goalkeeper fails to stop a penalty kick or open the scoring during regular time in the game.
Goalkeeper is not a specific job title but instead describes a person who plays the role of goalkeeper. There are several different positions within soccer that may be called goalkeepers, including starting goalkeeper, back-up goalkeeper, and goalkeeper coach. Goalkeepers can also be split up by league and club size. In professional leagues like the English Premier League or German Bundesliga, there will usually only be one goalkeeper per team playing in the match, while in lower league teams or in amateur games, there may be as many as three goalkeepers available for use during a game.
The goaltender is the player whose primary responsibility it is to stop the ball or puck when the opposition team seeks to score a point. The only person permitted to grasp the ball with her hands is a soccer goalie. Handballs are forbidden in soccer.
There are several reasons why a goalkeeper is important for her team to win games:
* Goalkeepers can make or break a game. If they're bad, their team will lose. If they're good, their team has a chance of winning every game they play in.
* Goalkeepers can save their teams from losing games. If the opponents score while the goalkeeper is being sick or injured, then her team has a chance to win later on. This is called a "saved match" and it happens all the time in soccer.
* Goalkeepers can protect themselves from injury. While playing, keepers can wear helmets that limit damage if they take too many hits to the head. This is very important because players who can't remember what happened in the last game are not recommended for professional soccer leagues.
* Goalkeepers can collect balls that would otherwise be thrown out of play. In this case, they are called "fielders" instead.
In sports such as soccer (football) and hockey, the goalie is the player who stands in front of the goal and prevents the ball or puck from entering (or crossing the goal line). The term "goalkeeper" can apply to both the position and the athlete. In football, the quarterback may have a designated holder who is assigned the task of putting the ball into play. However, the general rule is that if there are no officers on the field, then anyone can be the kicker.
There are two types of keepers in soccer: the goalkeeper and the reserve goalkeeper. The goalkeeper is the only person allowed in the box with the ball. He is allowed to use his hands to stop the ball or prevent it from going out of bounds. He is also permitted to run after catching a ball outside the box. The reserve goalkeeper plays when the first-choice keeper is not available because of injury or if he needs some game time. He cannot enter the field of play until the last minute of the match and cannot handle the ball.
Other players may be assigned specific roles within the team during different parts of the game. For example, defenders may be given the job of tracking back from their own end zone or penalty area. Midfielders might be told to look for opportunities to pass the ball forward or take shots at the net. The role of a striker is to score goals.