Goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth is now in his fourth season with the Revolution as a back-up – and sometimes starter – behind Matt Reis. The 27-year-old Tonawanda, N.Y., native took a few minutes to tackle several personal questions. Read on to learn about his past soccer experiences and his expectations for the future.
Was there a specific moment in your soccer career where you knew playing ‘keeper was the right fit?
Yeah, probably when I was a lot younger. I’ve always played since I was five, six years old. I’ve always wanted to play in goal. From a young age I’ve always played there.
What is it like having a seasoned player like Matt Reis as a mentor?
Matt’s been great to me ever since I’ve been here. It’s my fourth season now. Since day one, Matt’s really helped me along and he’s been a veteran in this league for a long time. He’s really gone out of his way to kind of give me pointers and help me wherever he can. He still does it today, which is fantastic.
Are there any other keepers you model your game after or players you look up to?
I wouldn’t say anyone specifically. I kind of just try to watch as many games as I can and listen to Matt and (goalkeepers coach) Remi (Roy). I just build off of what I see and what I think will work.
Do have a favorite player?
Probably Tim Howard because he’s one of the most successful goalkeepers from the U.S.
I know you’ve had some experience coaching, do you have any advice for young players trying to make the transition into professional soccer?
I would say the biggest thing is to be persistent. If you get knocked down once, keep trying. There are a lot of different teams out there and a lot of different coaches. It only takes one coach, one team to make a squad and to be able to play.
What has been your most memorable save?My second year we played at Houston. It was the end of the first half and the ball got popped up into the air and Dominic Oduro came in and blasted a ball and I kind of just made a quick reaction save to the right. I was able to tip it away and we ended up winning the game, 2-1.
What are your expectations for this season?
Well, hopefully I’d like to play as much as I can – help the team whenever I can. I try to come to training every day and work hard so I set myself in a position where when I’m called upon, hopefully I’ll be successful.
