The numbers - 59, 285, 19 and 33 - speak louder than words when the subject is senior goalkeeper Kelcie Brodsky of the UC San Diego women's soccer program. That's 59 as in games and starts, a UCSD career-record 285 saves, 19 shutouts, and maybe most importantly, 33 wins. The Agoura Hills native, who started as a freshman on a Triton team that went all the way to the NCAA Division II championship game, will once again be counted on as the defensive anchor for a Brian McManus-coached side that is looking to continue pushing back into conference and national prominence. The Triton head man is among Brodsky's many admirers. "In a nutshell, she's a goalkeeper who has been as good as anybody we've had," says McManus. "If you look at her record, she stands up to anybody in our conference. She's received All-CCAA recognition all three years, but Kelcie's the type who does her job quietly, and because she makes it look easy, people tend to underestimate her." A psychology major at UCSD's Sixth College, Brodsky took time recently to talk about how she got started in net, her early success as a Triton, and the secret to a successful 2015 campaign.
Q: What compelled you to be a goalkeeper? Is that where you started your playing career, or something that evolved?
BRODSKY: Becoming a goalkeeper was actually a fluke thing. I started playing soccer when I was four, and I was always a forward or central midfielder. When I was 10, I was playing midfield with my club team and would only step in as goalie for (penalty-kick) shootouts. Our goalie quit, so my coach asked if I would be OK in goal until we found someone else. I said sure, I ended up doing pretty well, and my coach never found another keeper. It was weird at first, but then I learned to love it and have been a full-time goalie since.
Q: Is the position as pressure-filled as many fans assume?
BRODSKY: There is definitely a lot of pressure, because you're the last defense between a goal scored or not, but for me, I enjoy that pressure. This position allows me to have a huge control over the game, and I've always loved making a difference with the team.
Q: You've started all 59 games of your UCSD career. Is it all pretty routine now, or do you still have nerves prior to a game?
BRODSKY: I still get a little nervous before each game, but that's because every game is so important to me.
Q: As a freshman, when the Tritons went all the way to the NCAA Division II championship game, you stopped three shots in a quarterfinal shootout against Colorado School of Mines. What do you remember about the actual shootout? What were your emotions afterward?
BRODSKY: Whenever I get into a shootout position, I always tell myself that there is no pressure on me. That may sound weird, but the players are shooting from 12 yards out, so they are expected to score. For me, if I just save one shot, I did my job.
Penalties are all about reading the shooter and just going with your gut, so that's what I did. When I made that first save, words can't describe how excited I was, but there were still more shots, so I tried to keep my composure and focus. I remember one of the penalties, I got my hand on it, but that wasn't enough and it still rolled into the goal. I thought to myself, there is no way I'm going to let that PK haunt me, and now I was even more determined to stop the rest. We were past the first five shooters, so now it was a single-shot elimination. I made another save and as I sat on the side, I repeated please make it, please make it, please make it in my head. When my teammate missed, I shook it off and told myself that I just have to do the same thing again. The next PK was taken and I made a third save. I couldn't even get excited yet, because I knew Alexa (Enlow) still had to make her PK. Alexa's shot went in, and we advanced to the semifinals.
I was over the moon with happiness. I ran over to Alexa along with the rest of the team, and we were in a huge group hug cheering in victory. One of the best parts though was my little brother, Tanner, rushing out onto the field to hug me and congratulate me. It was one of the best moments of my life, a memory I will never forget and will always cherish.
Q: Did any of your coaches or teammates have words of advice or encouragement heading into the shootout which was going to determine whether or not UCSD went to the NCAA semifinals?
BRODSKY: My teammates all just told me that I had this, trying to build up my confidence. Then (goalkeeper coach) Trent (Painter) came up to me and said, "You ready? Let's go get us a championship." When he said that, I knew he fully believed that we were going to win that shootout, and now I was just as confident as he was.
Q: Was that a defining moment in your UCSD career?
BRODSKY: That was definitely a defining moment in my career. I was part of an incredible team, and I always felt like I was helping the team, but at that moment, I really felt like I made a huge difference. Those three saves helped our team reach the (semifinals), and eventually the championship game. It was an amazing feeling knowing that I contributed to the team's success.
Q: Have you found the off-season heading into your senior year any different than the previous three? Is there any one thing that you're really hoping to be better at in 2015?
BRODSKY: This off-season has been the same for me as any other year. The one thing I'm hoping to be better at this season is communication in the back. We unfortunately lost our center back, Michelle (Yasutake), who was very vocal and would do most of the organizing for me. Now that she's not there, I really need to step up that part of my game.
Q: After your trip to the NCAA championship game as a freshman, your team has not made the NCAA playoff field the past two seasons. Has that sharpened the focus in preparation for 2015?
BRODSKY: The disappointment of not making (NCAA) playoffs has really focused the team. We've talked as a group about what we need to do in the off-season and preseason in order to be ready by the time season comes around. We set goals for the 2015 season, and every one of us is on the same page to reach these goals. My freshman year when we made it to the championship game, we all had one goal in sight, which was to make it to Georgia (site of the semifinals and final). This year, we have the mindset to make it to Florida.
Q: What makes being a keeper interesting/exciting for you?
BRODSKY: What's exciting to me is having the opportunity to make those saves that no one expects you to make. When you come up with a big save to stop a goal, that is one of the greatest feelings.
Q: Do you study other keepers? What are some things you've drawn from others at the position?
BRODSKY: I don't actively study keepers, but when I'm watching a game, I notice things keepers do, much more than field players. I look at their positioning and decision-making. I try to put myself in their situation and think about what I would do.
Q: How would you describe your style as a goalkeeper?
BRODSKY: I would describe my style as calm and athletic.
Q: During a typical training session, what do you and goalie coach Trent Painter work on?
BRODSKY: Every day is different depending on what Trent really thinks I should work on. Sometimes we focus on crossing, other times reaction shots, but we always do a little footwork and shot blocking.
Q: Obviously, there are times the team works on penalty kicks during practice. Who is the toughest player on the team for you to face?
BRODSKY: I would say the hardest person to face is Katie (O'Laughlin). The way to guess a PK is by reading the shooter's decision on which side to go, but Katie told me that she doesn't pick a side. She just kicks it as hard as she can. This makes it impossible to anticipate which side she'll shoot, and she also has a really hard shot, so you have to guess or you'll never be able to react fast enough.
Q: You also played softball in high school and have six years of ice and roller hockey experience. What roles did you play in those sports, and have they benefited you as a soccer player?
BRODSKY: In roller and ice hockey I played goalie, so this helped me a lot with my reaction time. I played shortstop in softball, which helped with my footwork and reaction time as well. Softball also helped with quick decision-making because when you're at bat, you have a split second to decide to swing or not.
Q: You're a psychology major but have recently decided to switch your postgraduate focus from dentistry to physical therapy. How do psychology and physical therapy intersect?
BRODSKY: As a physical therapist, you are always working with people, so I think psychology is extremely important in allowing you to understand what your patients' mindset might be. As an athlete, I am constantly around injuries and the rehabilitation process, so naturally, I was drawn to it. I love seeing the recovery of athletes who get another chance to play the sport they love.
Q: Using your psychology studies, how would you profile head coach Brian McManus?
BRODSKY: I would describe Brian as a very passionate man with a deep love for the game and the team. He cares a lot about the program and is very respected among his players, other UCSD athletic staff, and soccer coaches from other teams.
Q: What will be the key to success for the 2015 Tritons?
BRODSKY: The key for our team's success is to play our game and not to change the way we play based on the different teams. We have a lot of talent on our team, and if we can play as a unit, all focused on the same goal, then we will have a successful 2015 season.
Previous Triton Q&A Features
Kuba Waligorski (Men's Soccer) July 20, 2015
Nate Garcia (Cross Country) July 13, 2015
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