Kaden Brinkerhoff shakes hands with Bonneville players after posting a shutout in goal. He's used to walking down the line and shaking hands with a team that came away with no goals.
Photo by John Coon
– Seeing
Kaden Brinkerhoff between the posts is enough to strike fear into any opponent.
Brinkerhoff has mastered the art of shutting down offenses. In his second year starting at goalkeeper for
Roy, the junior has tallied 14 career shutouts. With Brinkerhoff in the net, the Royals have allowed just seven goals all season and have posted a scoring differential of 2.26 goals per game.
It has helped Roy run off a seven-game unbeaten streak going into the final two weeks of the regular season.
Kaden Brinkerhoff has Roy back in statetitle contention.
Photo by John Coon
"You talk about goalkeepers having cat-like reflexes and he really does," Roy coach Glenn Puckerin said. "He's just dominant back there. The back four can rely on him. Week in and week out he seems to have confidence. He knows that position well."
Brinkerhoff enjoyed a fantastic debut as a sophomore a year ago. He posted eight shutouts to rank second in Class 4A behind Olympus goalkeeper Ethan Cash. As a junior, Brinkerhoff once again ranks second in Class 4A with a total of six shutouts. He trails Murray goalkeeper Tanner Critchfield by one.
He remains humble about his impact on the field. Brinkerhoff prefers to deflect attention to his back line, saying they are the ones who really make all of his shutouts possible.
"They win pretty much every 50/50 ball on the ground and in the air," Brinkerhoff said. "They're always hustling. They give 110 percent every game. And I do what I can to help."
Brinkerhoff does much more than simply help. He organizes the defense and barks out instructions. His directions make it easier for everyone to stay in position and attack the ball at all times.
It's one of the reasons he has never wanted to play any other position besides goalkeeper since he first started playing soccer.
"I can see the whole field," Brinkerhoff said. "I get to be a leader. I get to communicate with my boys because I can see everything. I just like being under pressure."
He models his game after pro goalkeepers like Real Salt Lake's Nick Rimando and Manchester City's Joe Hart. Brinkerhoff tries to play larger than his stature and make sure that any opponent who tries to challenge him comes away knowing there is no portion of the goalmouth they can penetrate.
"I try to make myself as big as I can in the goal and use that to my advantage," Brinkerhoff said.
Brinkerhoff's ability to handle pressure rubs off on his teammates. They trust him in the net and know they can afford to be aggressive in going after the ball. Coupled with a strong Royals offense on the other end of the field, it adds up to a winning formula.
Breaking through the smothering Roy defense is nearly impossible for almost any team because of Brinkerhoff's fearless example.
"He's mentally tough," Puckerin said. "Nothing seems to phase him, to be honest. As a goalkeeper, you've got to be willing to challenge for the ball and sometimes take a knock here or there. There's no fear in him. That's what we like about him."
Brinkerhoff has earned much-deserved credit for playing a role in the resurrection of the Roy soccer program. The Royals sunk into the cellar after winning their only state title in 2003 and endured a stretch of seven losing seasons in eight years.
It all changed a year ago. Roy won its first playoff game since 2004 and posted its first winning season since 2003. The Royals also shared the Region 5 title with Logan – their first such title since that state championship season a decade earlier.
It comes as no surprise to see Roy emerge as one of the 2013 Class 4A title contenders as the regular season winds down. Brinkerhoff is aware of elevated expectations around the program and welcomes them. He feels confident the Royals have enough tools to improve on their quarterfinal finish from a year ago.
Brinkerhoff's personal success feels good only because it has coincided with seeing his whole team progress.
"We've built our program up very well," Brinkerhoff said. "We have a good team that plays well together. We have great team chemistry. Our coaching staff is great. We have good leaders on and off the field and we just have fun."
John Coon has covered prep sports in Utah since 2004. He previously worked as a prep sports reporter at the Salt Lake Tribune for 2 1/2 years and then spent 3 1/2 years as a prep sports reporter with the Deseret News.
