Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Simmons.
Hi Brian, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Utah playing soccer, and early on got put in as a goalkeeper. Through a lot of trial and error, I figured out what worked for me and over time found my way to competitive soccer. I can count on one hand the number of official training sessions I had for the goalkeeper position, and most of the time was left to figure it out on my own. After coaching at the high school I had attended as a student, people started reaching out to me to see if I offered private training. I didn’t have a lot of experience, but I decided to give it a try.
I learned that I love teaching, and especially that I enjoyed being a resource for young keepers who, just like I had done as an athlete, were trying to figure out how to succeed in that position. After a few years of training here and there, I decided to formalize into a business so that I could help more keepers more consistently. TIP Goalkeeping was formed on a foundation made up of 3 parts: no athlete misses out on training because of money; we choose long-term success over short-term success; and we train the whole person, not just the athlete. At this point, TIP is one of the biggest private Goalkeeper Training organizations in Utah, and we grow every year.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If I’m honest, it has been a pretty smooth road. There aren’t very many goalkeeper training organizations in Utah, in spite of the many hundreds of athletes who play the position. The hardest part has been trying to be deliberate as we have grown, to not lose sight of why TIP started in the first place, and what our mission is. There is a lot of demand for keeper training and it would be easy to just chase after the potential financial benefit of running this kind of business. But we’ve made a concerted effort to be true to our principles even as we grow.
We’ve been impressed with TIP Goalkeeping, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
There are a couple of things that make TIP Goalkeeping unique. If an athlete can’t pay, we reduce the cost or train them for free. At TIP, we believe that no athlete should miss out on training because of money.
Another important part of our philosophy is that we are teaching children, not just training goalkeepers. In addition to providing high-level athletic training, we focus on things like communication, leadership, and social intelligence. When keepers leave our sessions, we want them to be better athletes AND better, more capable people.
Lastly, something that sets TIP apart is our dedication to charitable giving. TIP is as small business as you can get: we don’t have a physical location, we don’t make incredible amounts of money, and have less than 5 individuals that work with us at any given time. In spite of that, we donate hundreds of dollars to charity each year. Through a charity called Children Incorporated, we support 3 children around the world in Ethiopia, Bolivia, and Sri Lanka. As a result of our 4th Annual Camp for Charity this year, we will be able to add another child. At TIP, we firmly believe it’s important to give back and help those in need.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Right now, we’re trying to expand the network of trainers we work with. At TIP, we’re very picky about who works with our athletes, so that is usually a process that occurs over time as trust is built.
Later this year, we’ll begin work on an online course to help keepers train at home, so circulating information about that once it’s ready would probably be the most helpful.
Contact Info:
- Email: tipgoalkeeping@gmail.com
- Website: tipgoalkeeping.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tipgoalkeeping/
Image Credits:
Weston Salisbury
