In our exciting feature called How Became A Goalkeeper, KickOff touches base with SuperSport United net minder Washington Arubi, who shares an interesting story of how he settled on a career between the sticks.
The 38-year-old Zimbabwean says he was almost lost to soccer as his first love in sport was Cricket.
The interesting story
"I used to be a cricket player, I'd play as a wicket-keeper and sometimes as a bowler. At that time, I was still 10 years old.
"I used to be that boy who wanted to participate in everything every time. I tried to do any sport.
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"My first-ever experience as a goalkeeper was in my primary school in Zimbabwe, against Onismor Bhasera's primary school.
"I performed so well in that game and this coach who was there asked me to come and join his junior team. I didn't even want to go because at that time I thought I was good enough to play cricket.
"But eventually I did go there, and that coach encouraged me by telling me to be confident and not be shy. From there I never looked back.
"So, that guy made me who I am today, I don't want to lie to you. When I was 10 years old, he played me in the U12s. When I was 12, he played me with the U15s.
"I was always playing with people who were older than me. That shows I managed to grow as a goalkeeper.
"I then got a scholarship in another city called Kwekwe. I was now 16 years old. While there I was playing for a team called Lanshire Steel, I still remember this one game where we were leading 1-0 and I made a mistake in the last minute, and one of our defenders beat me and I cried. I quit and went back home, but my father told me to be a man and go back there. The same day, he booked me a bus that took me back there.
"I played, like, four, five games and I was called to the national U20 team."
Goalkeepers I grew up following
"Tapuwa Kapini, Gift Muzadzi, who played for Hellenic, and Energy Murambadoro. That time, those were my role models.
"They were confident in what they were doing, tactically they were good, and they were vocal.
"I think people do not realise that goalkeeping is the toughest position in football."
Favorite goalkeepers still playing
"Itumeleng Khune, Ronwen Williams and Ricardo Goss.
"Khune, for me, is still good enough and still has what it takes to play at the highest level. He is one of the best and he can easily get back to where he was.
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"It's just that sometimes as a goalkeeper when you spend too much time on the sidelines, you lose confidence and end up doing things you are not supposed to do because of all the confidence [that is gone].
"As a goalkeeper, you need to work harder than the in-field players."