Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
There is perhaps no position on the soccer pitch more critical yet less understood than the goalkeeper. It is a position that can lift supporters to their feet in one moment and destroy their nerves the next. It is a position that requires confidence, a little bit of brazenness, and a good pair of gloves.
But what goes into making a goalkeeper? Since starting her professional career in 2014, Washington Spirit keeper Aubrey Kingsbury has worked her way to the top of the National Women’s Soccer League goalkeeping mountain. A two-time NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, Kingsbury served as team captain and led the Spirit to the 2021 NWSL Championship and the 2025 NWSL Challenge Cup. As a shot-stopper, she has amassed 520 saves, fourth-most in league history.
I spoke with Kingsbury to dive deeper into the nuances of the position and how she mentally, physically, and spiritually approaches her work between the posts.
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