IMG Cup Winter Showcase - Goalkeepers and MVP

So, soccer is tough to scout sometimes. There are a lot of 0-0 games, 0-1 games, 1-1 etc. Sometimes it's just a lot of back and forth in the middle of the field and the Keepers never really get a chance to shine. I can't tell you how many shutouts I've seen where there's zero saves. That's great for the defense, and the team is doing their job, but it's really hard for GK that are trying to make their way to college. With Keepers, you're often looking for the little things, stuff in warm ups, the communication, the distribution, the way they read and react positioning wise, it's not as straight forward as scouting other positions. So this tournament didn't leave a lot to write about on GK, but I did have two stand out.   <ol class="wp-block-list"> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='148061' first='Julia' last='Ivanova'] - GK. IMG 09 GA. Yes, another player from that IMG team I keep writing about. They really were THAT good. I'd love to hear from anyone at the recent GA events they've been at and hear what they looked like against some other high level GA talent, because they were fantastic here. As I mentioned in my lead in, I didn't get to see a lot from Julia, game play was largely in the offensive end, there were only two runs in by the other team, and neither resulted in a shot. I did however see some things worth mentioning. Size wise, she's listed at 5'11 and I wouldn't be surprised if she's broken 6 feet recently, she's got good length both in the arms and torso, which helps with those higher balls in the box. In warm ups she showed good hands and was light on her feet, with some quick side to side. I saw some diving, but it was curated warm up diving so it wasn't full speed or completely accurate but showed some good form. In game I got to see her build out once or twice, she did a good job reading the field quickly and seeing the second tier play which is a problem for most Keepers, they see the first pass, but can't read how the press is going to push in after that play and see where they can go with the ball next. It's obvious because you see the first pass and girls get swarmed and trapped right away. If it's not there, then going to the next level is the right answer, and she showed good leg strength on the Goal Kick I got to watch. I'd love to get to see her with some more pressure and action, but the little I did see, she looked like a bright spot in goal, and one I'll have my eyes on. She's recently committed and reclassed as a 2026 to play at Arkansas. 2. Olivia Strain - 2029 GK. Liverpool Central MD U19. This one is not like the first, I saw her get plenty of action this weekend, she gave up some goals, many that weren't her fault, as is the life of a Keeper. Olivia is short for a keeper, at 5'4 but she's also only 15 and playing up on a U19 NAL team, which is where the curiosity sets in. She's strong left to right with good reaction time, and is aggressive about challenging in the box. I saw her win multiple 1v1s this weekend and take away chances before they could get off a shot. Being shorter she's got no room for error on high balls, she can make the tip, but she's got to time it just right, which she did once or twice this weekend. Her communication was good, she talks constantly and calls out open players and knows where the play is going to go, she reads the field very well. She's got some developing to do still, being only a Freshman but there is a ton of potential there too. </li> </ol>    Olivia is tough and aggressive. She owns the box and doesn't hesitate to cover all ground in the 18, attacking and taking shots away before they become problems. She's got no trouble using her body to stop shots, and is very good in 1v1 situations. She's playing four years up currently, and holds her own, reading the field and positioning well, and communicating to drive defense to where they need to be. Over the next four years as she gradually works her way back to her own age group, she's only going to be that much more advanced each step.    MVP   [player_tooltip player_id='112568' first='Presley' last='Cason'] - 2027 FWD. IMG 2009 GA.   Sometimes you're at a tournament and there's just one player that is head and shoulders above the rest. In the first few seconds you know you've found a special one. This is one of those players. Presley moves with so much aggression and skill it's almost terrifying. Watching her speed break through the line, and reading the play to see where to position or how to create space to get a shot off was one thing. But on the next run down the field a ball gets played to her up the middle from the wing, and she gives the ball a slight heel flip and sends it on to her streaking teammate at full speed was next level. I wasn't even sure I saw what I saw at first. I got to see five corners while I was watching this game. Presley took all of them, and placed every single one of them in the same exact spot each time, a perfect, high lofted ball that dropped exactly in the middle of the goal. Repeating a kick like that that many times is a high level show of skill. It's not like she was playing against slouches, the defense she was going against had two of the best defenders I saw all weekend, and she was just overwhelming. She works hard, plays tough, plays fast, and has some of the highest skill level I've ever seen in a High School aged player. Doing my homework after I found that she's committed to West Virginia already, which is no surprise at all that she's committed to a D1, this kid checks all the boxes, she's not just a college prospect, this is a player you will hear about making noise as a freshman. She's flat out one of the best players I've ever seen. A text I sent about 20 minutes into her game: "I just found the best player in the whole tournament, and it's not even close, she's an absolute monster."     That about wraps up my weekend in FL for the IMG Cup. More content to come soon, with showcases at Best of the East and Jefferson Cup on the agenda.

So, soccer is tough to scout sometimes. There are a lot of 0-0 games, 0-1 games, 1-1 etc. Sometimes it's just a lot of back and forth in the middle of the field and the Keepers never really get a chance to shine. I can't tell you how many shutouts I've seen where there's zero saves. That's great for the defense, and the team is doing their job, but it's really hard for GK that are trying to make their way to college. With Keepers, you're often looking for the little things, stuff in warm ups, the communication, the distribution, the way they read and react positioning wise, it's not as straight forward as scouting other positions. So this tournament didn't leave a lot to write about on GK, but I did have two stand out.