United States goalkeeper Tim Howard opened millions of spectators' eyes around the world with his once-in-a-lifetime performance against Belgium just two months ago in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Howard's breathtaking display of determination and athleticism not only kept the USA's hopes alive in being world champions, but also proved once again that the goalkeeper position is arguably the most important one on the soccer field."If you can't score, you can't win," are the simple but ever so true words of first year Lehighton girls soccer head coach Rich Emmert.Lehighton is one of several area soccer teams that return their goaltender this season a crucial position to build a team aroundThe Indians are a very young team that is in transition as the Indians are moving to the Schuylkill league after finishing last season with a 5-13 overall record. Emmert is looking forward to playing in the new league and is confident in his goalkeeper Erica Koutch. The senior keeper took over as the Indian goalie midway through last season.The Lehighton coach praised Koutch's determination during the exhausting drills and practices this season. He thinks she has the skills, athleticism, and determination to lead this Lehighton squad in the right direction in 2014."Last year Lehighton only had two teams that didn't go to districts and this team was one of them," Emmert said. "That experience opened the girls' eyes in saying that we have to work hard in order to be winners. Their mentality is the best I've ever seen in my seven years of coaching."Tamaqua is another area team that went through a transition phase last season.Lady Raider head coach Clem McCarroll has an astounding 37 players returning, one being senior goalkeeper Carly Sassaman."You can't always judge a goalie by the team's record," said McCarroll. "Whether or not the team is successful, having a senior goalie such as Carly always produces positive outcomes on the field."The Tamaqua coach has high praise for Sassaman, a multi-sport athlete, and he tries to keep his goalkeeper on her toes during practices. McCarroll said it makes a coach's job much easier having a veteran presence in the net, and even allows him to sleep better a night during the midst of a competitive season."It's important to not ignore the goalies in practice," he noted. "About 70 percent of the time, you do offensive things in practice and the goalkeeper won't be involved. We try to have a coach work on the side with Carly, who is also doing a great job helping out the younger goalies."Jim Thorpe is a team that was successful last year, finishing with a 10-8 overall record.The Lady Olympians lost a few critical players, so head coach Tom Condly and his squad will turn to senior goalkeeper Alyssa Smith to help guide this Jim Thorpe team."Alyssa started goalkeeping as a sophomore and really came into her own last season," explained Condly. "She's a huge part of this team, as she is the last line of defense. She brings familiarity to our defense, as she's a vocal leader on the field."The Jim Thorpe coach praised Smith's work ethic and training and said that Jim Thorpe will rely on her a bit more than previous seasons."You head into every season expecting to win and we feel petty good this year. We need some players to step up, and having a second team all league player in Alyssa is absolutely huge for us."Just like Tim HowardKoutch, Sassaman, and Smith will look to lead their respective teams by example in search of a 2014 Schuylkill League championship.