Goalkeeper Justin Shepherd Teaches Youth Tactics, Techniques

Justin L. Shepherd is only 25 and is already the director of goalkeeping for New Mexico Rush Soccer, the Got Fit! Speed and soccer camp goalkeeper specialist and owns 360 Elite X Speed and Soccer School.

He started playing soccer at age 7, and he dabbled in baseball, but by the time he was at Eldorado High School, his grit, determination and lack of fear helped propel his school team to a 5A state championship, and was named a first-team All-State goalkeeper. His Albuquerque United Football Club (AUFC) 86 club team also won seven state championships and advanced to the Region IV Championship for club soccer. He was both teams’ starting goalkeeper, a soccer position he describes as “a head-case position.”

“Goalkeeper must be the most fit and acrobatic player on the team and deal with much stress and trauma,” Shepherd says. “Once a goal is scored on you, you are either in or out mentally, and you learn the hard way.”

Fortunately for Shepherd, as a youth he had his dad (Paul Nelson), Walt Witkowski and college coach, Dan Hager (head coach at Hardin Simmons University), help him through the rigorous mental and physical challenges of the goalkeeper position. He now teaches youth in a likewise manner.

“I put goalkeepers through a series of stress trainings and provide physical help to aid in overcoming the mental aspects of being a goalkeeper," he said. "It is tough because as goalkeeper, you decide who wins or loses.”

His favorite goalkeepers are U.S. female star Hope Solo and male pro David Castillas of Spain. 

“I like Solo because she is so mentally prepared that if she is scored on, she is immediately back in the game 100 percent. People don’t give girls enough credit, but they deal with the exact same trauma as boys,” Shepherd said.

As his knowledge of goalkeeping indicates, Shepherd has more than just high school soccer experience. The native of Albuquerque’s North Valley played college ball at Hardin Simmons in Abilene, Texas, and semi-pro for the Albuquerque Asylum (NPSL). He learned much more than he previously knew through coach Dan Hagar.

“He opened the final door to goalkeeping for me,” Shepherd said. In college, Shepherd garnered the all-ASC Goalkeeping award, was an all-ASC player of the week and was prominently featured in the sports pages of the Abilene Journal.

He attributes his seemingly innate athletic instincts to his father. “He was the first to teach me to jump mental obstacles,” he said.

Now he teaches through his own experience. For instance, how does a goalie handle the pounding that diving for loose balls and landing on the ground generates?

“Continuous diving makes the body used to hits,” he said. “You can’t think about the pain and be a baby. You use aggression, instincts, and fight to not be afraid to catch, come out and get hit. I love the pressure, and I am a controlling personality, which is perfect for goalkeeper.”

This summer, Shepherd hosted multiple camps and taught numerous kids to solidify their games. “I have been blessed to coach these skills, and people like Tom Hirschman owner of Got Fit! are delightful to work with.”

His plans for the future include being an FBI agent and/or an IT technician and definitely being a soccer coach. “Albuquerque is underlooked but has a huge pool of soccer talent. Justin Sells, Walt Witkowski, Dan Hager and my dad helped me fall in love with coaching the game. Also, I have fallen in love with all my current teams,” he said.