Kyle Barkett started playing soccer at the age of seven with the Indian River Soccer Association. His position of choice was midfield and he did well as a center midfielder for several seasons with school and travel teams.
But then during his freshman year, Barkett suffered an ankle injury and had surgery before soccer season. During his recovery, as soccer season grew near, he began to think about changing positions.
“While I was going through rehab I couldn’t do much but I could use my hands so I just started working with my hands and thinking about playing goalie instead,” Barkett said. “I am pretty tall and built more for the goalie position and I wanted to try it.”
When the season started, Barkett told head soccer coach Chris Fonehouse he wanted to play goalie and the coach gave him a shot. “I talked to both coaches and said I wanted to play goalie and they thought it was a good idea,” Barkett said. “They liked my size and build and thought that I would do well in the goal.”
When the season started Barkett wasn’t 100percent recovered from surgery and he wanted some time to learn the intricacies of the position. Vero also had a senior in the net so Barkett figured he had time to work into the role.
Midway through the season, though, the starting goalkeeper went down with an injury and the team looked to their new freshman goalie to fill the net. “I was a little nervous when I had to start playing as a freshman,” Barkett said. “There is no room for mistakes. You make a mistake and there’s a goal. It’s a lot of pressure.”
Despite the pressure, Barkett says he enjoys the position “because you’re like the quarterback out there and you have to read the game and always communicate with the other guys.”
Barkett has continued to play well for the Fighting Indians as their goalkeeper – so well that some colleges have shown interest in the now junior. He’s been contacted by Wake Forest and several other colleges. “I have to say that my injury my freshman year might have been a blessing in disguise,” Barkett said. “If it didn’t happen the way it did I may not have changed positions and [ended up with] the opportunities I have now.”
