A goalkeeper is asked to do many things: save every ball, refuse to back down in stressful situations — and be perfect.
Elon men's soccer goalkeeper Tomasz Wroblewski has been scored on nine times this season, but with 37 saves, he said the stress of the position no longer bothers him.
“I used to play the games really stiff because I was really stressed about making sure I didn't concede a goal,” Wroblewski said.
However, Wroblewski seems to have gotten over this fear, having set an Elon Division I record with 13 saves against Wake Forest on Sept. 17 amid an incredible season for the Phoenix. Going into the back half of his final season at Elon, Wroblewski is on a hot streak. After his career game against Wake Forest, Wroblewski was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week. Wroblewski’s save percentage and number of shutouts both rank within the top 25 nationally. Elon head coach Marc Reeves said Wroblewski made some exceptional plays in the game against Wake Forest, and believes that he is a pivotal part of Elon’s effort to win a CAA Championship.
Wroblewski said he now plays with a relaxed mentality of being comfortable with whatever happens.
“I think it's really important to know that you might make a mistake, because we are not machines, even machines sometimes make mistakes,” Wroblewski said. “I think you cannot think in terms of, ‘Oh, I'm going to make a mistake,’ I have to deal with the pressure.”
Wroblewski — originally from Warsaw, Poland — is in his second year at Elon after transferring from Lake Erie College. Reeves said Wroblewski came into Elon with excellent reflexes, unbelievable shot-stopping abilities and great speed. But Reeves said he believes his decision making has become a lot better over his time at Elon.
“His decision making has probably become even better in terms of his game management and understanding of when he impacts and when he needs to stay in his goal and rely on his main attributes,” Reeves said.
Wroblewski said the transition from Division II soccer to Division I was difficult at times last year, but after working on his physicality, he has found a good place to be in.
According to Reeves, Wroblewski’s work ethic is what makes him stand out. Reeves, who arrives bright and early for the team’s 8 a.m. daily practice, said Wroblewski is always right behind, one of the first players to arrive every day.
From there, Wroblewski and the four other goalkeepers on the team begin practice on their own 30 minutes before anyone else starts . Separated from the rest of the team, they work on fine-tuning their abilities with the team’s goalkeeper coach for an hour, before joining the rest of the team.
This separation of the goalkeepers and the rest of the team is often represented in the games where goalkeepers are forced to maintain a good mental focus far more than any other position.
“What separates us a little bit from the group is that we have not as much to do during the game, and then there is this moment when we have to perform this like one save that you have to make and just have to be ready for that,” Wroblewski said.
Reeves echoed this, saying that other positions on the team can make mistake after mistake, yet the score can remain the same. But, if Wroblewski makes one mistake, that error directly results in a goal.
“The position is different, probably more just in terms of your ability to get over mistakes quickly or your ability to go to the next plays is even more magnified than maybe a forward who misses four scoring opportunities and then scores,” Reeves said.
Wroblewski also said he believes his role on the team is different because he is asked to do things very differently than what his teammates are asked to accomplish.
“The life of a goalkeeper is definitely different than the other players because you have to be good on your feet, then you have to save a ball, you have to deal with crosses and there is a little bit more components,” Wroblewski said.
Despite being the only goalkeeper out there on the field during a game contrary to the many forwards who play in a game at the same time, Wroblewski said the position isn’t as lonely as people might think because of the community that the five goalkeepers on the team build together.
“It's good to have those people with you who understand you,” Wroblewski said. “They know how it is, and they keep pushing you. I think that's an even bigger role than mine because, yes, I'm playing, and I'm performing, but I feel like those guys are the main reason why I keep improving.”
Wroblewski said he believes Elon is a great place to develop soccer players and that his goal for the remainder of the season is to make sure he leaves the soccer program in a good place.
“I just want to make sure that when I leave the place, the program is going to be stronger and going to keep going. I just want to start something important in this place,” Wroblewski said. “This is kind of my goal to bring the program to the top and make sure that next year they can recruit good players, really good players, and make sure all those players that are playing right now are just going to be even better and more competitive.”