Fate has played a hand in Land O'Lakes' Kyle Boerner becoming the county's top goalkeeper.
By STEVE LEE
Published December 7, 2003
LAND O'LAKES - Kyle Boerner is all for volunteering.
After all, doing so helped make him a star and could lead to a scholarship.
The Land O'Lakes junior is in his third season as the starting goalkeeper. Last season, he was on the Times all-county and all-Sunshine Athletic Conference first teams.
Boerner, a defender for Tampa Blackwatch's under-10 team in 1996, offered to give keeper a try when his coach sought a volunteer for an injured player.
"I guess I'll step out because nobody else was raising their hand," Boerner said he remembered thinking. "I took the position, and the rest is history."
Boerner has since trained with former keepers Mark Sheppard (University of Florida), Alan Spratley (English pro) and Kevin Keelan (Tampa Bay Rowdies).
"They gave me a very strong foundation," Boerner said. "They told me that you've got to let the players in front of you know what to do and when it comes to that 18-yard box, everything should be yours."
That training, coupled with his natural ability, helped Boerner overcome playing in front of an inexperienced defense last season. Although the Gators lost three first-team all-conference defenders (John-Paul Rodrigues, Trae Martin and Keith Strand) to graduation, Boerner led the county with a 1.30 goals-against average and five shutouts.
Boerner capitalized on another opportunity as a freshman. After four seasons of Greg Kline manning the nets for the Gators (which included two trips to the state tournament), the job was given to Dustin Collins, a former Olympic Development Player who also played tight end for the football team.
But Collins, then a junior, struggled and, after briefly splitting time with Boerner, quit soccer. As a result, Boerner became the starter.
"Greg just left, and everybody was talking about Dustin," Boerner said. "I was hoping to do my best and was very happy to get the chance to start.
"It was a big confidence booster and helped me get some leadership qualities."
Land O'Lakes junior defenders Sean Bokee and Ryan O'Connell came up through the ranks with Boerner in the Central Pasco Youth Soccer Association, and all were teammates at Pine View Middle School. Bokee and O'Connell agree Boerner has become a team leader.
"Compared with other keepers I've played with, (Boerner) talks the most," O'Connell said. "Communication, that's the key.
"Plus, he comes up with the big save that you don't expect him to (make)."
Added Bokee, "He's always talking."
In practices, the three talk trash to one another.
"It's pretty funny trying to score on him in practice and talking trash back and forth," Bokee said.
Boerner reserves some trash talking for his sisters, who played soccer at Land O'Lakes and earned scholarships. Kristin, a 1998 graduate, played at Samford (Birmingham, Ala.), and 2000 graduate Kelly plays for Lander (Greenwood, S.C.).
"The boy's got to bring up the rear and try to beat my sisters," he said.
