There might not be a more high-pressure position in all of sports than being a goalkeeper on the soccer field.
Baseball closers find the game on their shoulders, but are responsible to pitch one inning, maybe two at most.
The goaltender in a hockey game carries a similar responsibility, but is responsible for covering a goal that measures six feet wide, by four feet tall.
Connor Sparrow, goalkeeper for the Real Monarchs, is responsible for protecting an area that measures 24 feet wide, by eight feet tall.
For Sparrow, standing six-foot-two, in his second year with the Monarchs, he welcomes the pressure.
“It’s kind of comforting, in a weird way,” he said. “It’s good to know that you are the person, you are in control of everything. There’s some comfort in that.”
That comfort was on display in the Monarchs (6-1-0, 15 points, 2nd in Western Conference) recent victory over the Swope Park Rangers. In extra time, with the Monarchs holding onto a 2-1 lead, Sparrow denied the Rangers chance at an equalizer from Amer Didic, clinching the victory. Ten days later, he posted a clean sheet on the road in a 3-0 win over LA Galaxy II to keep the Monarchs hot streak alive.
But Sparrow hasn’t always been one for pressure, though he’s welcomed in the increased responsibility as he has climbed through the soccer ranks.
“It’s something that’s developed as I’ve gotten older,” Sparrow said. “Obviously the higher level you play, the more pressure there’s going to be in the game. That really fuels me and I feel good after that moment, and that’s a good thing.”
While that pressure serves Sparrow while he’s in goal, it’ll serve the greater good when Sparrow moves on to his next profession.
Though Sparrow currently lives to save goals, his next professional goal is to save lives.
This past summer, while recovering from an abdomen injury that sidelined him for the final six weeks of the Monarchs season, Sparrow returned to his alma mater Creighton, where he completed 220 hospital hours required to become a registered nurse.
Before the thought of professional soccer seemed plausible, Sparrow set his sights on the medical industry. With a sister and several extended family members in the profession, the Monarchs goalkeeper chose a career path. Sparrow said the dream of nursing dated back to his senior year of high school before he enrolled at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Later, he transferred to Creighton and it was there that his decision to pursue soccer took hold.
After his junior season at Creighton, he started to catch the attention of the professional ranks and coaches encouraged him to pursue that dream.
Sparrow dominated in his final college season, earning Co-Big East Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, while making the All-Big East Conference Second team. Sparrow entered the MLS SuperDraft, and was selected with the fourth pick of the fourth round by Real Salt Lake.
Though Sparrow is currently finding his playing time with the Monarchs, he’s valued his time with the organization’s first team. Just as Sparrow learned the practice of nursing by studying the talented professionals in front of him, he’s valued his time with first team goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
“It’s the best experience you can have just watching, and observing all the technical aspects that they do,” Sparrow said. “He critiques me in a positive way as much as he can, and he always puts the pressure on you in training, if you’re not performing he’ll let you know, and he’ll make sure you get up (to his) level.”
Monarchs fans don’t need to fear losing Sparrow to nursing just yet, and he promises to follow through with his career in soccer before entering the medical field. But fans can find comfort knowing that when he does trade in his goalkeeping uniform for scrubs and a stethoscope, their lives won’t be the first thing he’s excelled at saving.
