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Annie Zhang

OVERCOME. Junior Dylan Bump has faced many mental obstacles as the backup goalkeeper for the boys varsity soccer team. “One of the hardest things I faced was thinking I wasn't able to compete on a varsity team or at that level,” he said.

Meet Dylan Bump: one of the boys varsity soccer goalkeepers. Throughout his time with the Spartan soccer program, Bump has progressed through the ranks, serving as the backup goalkeeper for the BVS team and stepping in when senior starter Cooper Olson is unable to play. Bump has faced a number of mental obstacles at various points in his career due to factors like not receiving as much play time as Olson, but has worked hard to prevail through them.

Bump’s soccer career as a Spartan began when he was a 9th grader on C team, working his way up to varsity. “[During] freshman year, I was on C team, sophomore year I played as a swing player and was on the postseason varsity roster, and junior year (this year), I am on varsity,” he said.

Although Bump has been playing as a goalkeeper all that time, he didn’t start out in the position. Instead, he took on the role of goalkeeper after originally playing as a defender.

“I made the switch to keeper when I was still very young because I was one of the only kids on my team who was willing to do it,” Bump said. “After that I just kept playing keeper.”

While Bump has secured his spot on the BVS team this season, he has not finished working his way up to being the starting goalkeeper… yet. Bump had some concerns regarding the level of play for the varsity team and if he would be able to meet it. “One of the hardest things I faced was thinking I wasn’t able to compete on a varsity team or at that level,” he said.

However, he was able to overcome these mental obstacles with the help of his teammates and coaches.

“My team and the people around me helped me get over that, as well as showing myself in game that I could do it,” Bump said.

In addition to his own concerns, the mental blocks that come with his role as the team’s goalkeeper have also served as hurdles for Bump: “Playing keeper is so much about how you look at the game and the mentality you face it with.”

For Bump, one of the hardest things to deal with in his role is “getting scored on [when we’re] behind.”

Because the position of goalkeeper differs from that of field players and is more individualized, the hardships faced weigh more heavily.

Bump places emphasis on a goalkeeper’s duties to keep the team together following any adversity. “After getting scored on, it’s hard to move forward to the rest of the game and rally your team back together. Being able to do that is one of the most important things to learn as a keeper,” he said.

But Bump offers this piece of advice to other athletes confronting similar difficulties: “If you are struggling with a mental block in soccer — wherever you play — you have to realize that there will always be more opportunities. Rarely is a season defined by one moment by one player.”

Bump looks forward to building his perseverance and skill throughout the soccer season, which kicked off Aug. 14. BVS has their next game on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. at Providence Academy.