HOLDEN — Being a goalkeeper, and bearing all the weight and responsibility that come with it, just isn’t for the faint of heart, experts say. There is stress aplenty, both physical and mental, that go into the job. It takes a special skillset to adjust to the rigors of the job. Those lacking need not apply.
One keeper who knows a thing or two about the position is Wachusett Regional High’s Renee Rettig, who has tended goal since those early days when her interest in the sport began. Her journey began at the tender age of 4, when she participated in Holden Youth Soccer, before progressing into travel and club teams through middle school and into high school. She has established herself as the varsity squad’s senior team co-captain and anchors the goalie position as the team’s starter.
“My freshman year I started playing club with a higher age group, so I played with a lot of girls who were one and two years older than me; a lot of them were looking to play college soccer,” said Rettig, who hails from Holden. “They would talk to me about the recruiting process, and that became my goal, too. I wanted to play college soccer, so I kept pushing myself so I could be a lot like them.”
“Our team gets along really well and whenever we have practice, we try to plan things to be together, like pasta parties or team breakfasts. We look forward to those. We welcomed a new freshman to the team about halfway through the season, and she adapted perfectly. I think our getting along so well reflects out on the field. Everyone’s always cheering for each other when we’re out there.”
The nuances of the game can wear on keepers at any level. Knowing when to shake off being scored on and other survival tactics come in handy when the chips may be down, she said.
“Getting scored upon is very challenging to come back from, but you have to be there for your teammates. You’re the last one that the ball gets through, so you tell yourself that you’ll save the next one or do things differently.
“I tell myself that this ball is not going past me. I’d say I’m pretty strong on the one-versus-one, and I think that’s one of my better qualities. I go out on attack and often win the ball there.
“I get a little nervous going into games because we want to come out with the win. I think it’s better to go out with confidence rather than with a lot of nerves.”
The closeness and the friendships motivate her the most, she says. Her ability to be an effective leader among her teammates makes the team work just that much harder.
“I like being able to lead the team,” said Rettig. “I feel like I can keep things organized, and I also think I have a positive attitude that affects others. Even if we have a bad game, I like to be there for everybody. As long as I put my best effort out there, I expect my players to put out their best effort as well.
The pitch is not the only place Rettig can be found during the school year. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Cancer Awareness Club and Future Students of Medicine. She will be taking her skills and ambition to Maine’s University of New England where she will major in physical therapy. In the meantime, she’ll enjoy her remaining Wachusett days and the pride in donning the Mountaineer uniform.
“I really do love representing my school,” she said. “I coach through Holden Youth Soccer over the summer, and I love having them look up to me. It makes me fill the shoes that I wanted to fill.”
