NCE Soccer x AB1 GK Academy: Raising the Standard for Goalkeeper Development

This summer, NCE Soccer will deliver a significantly enhanced goalkeeper training experience through a new partnership with AB1 GK Academy, founded by former Premier League goalkeeper Asmir Begović.

As part of our Pro Pathway Camps at DeSales University, this collaboration ensures that goalkeepers are no longer an afterthought in the development process—but a central focus within a high-performance soccer training environment.

For NCE, this is not simply a partnership. It is a continuation of our commitment to delivering a professional standard soccer pathway for every player on the field—including those in goal.

A Full-Circle Moment: Reconnecting with Asmir Begović

There is a personal element to this collaboration.

NCE Founder John Curtis first worked with Asmir Begović during their time together at Portsmouth FC, when the club was competing in the Premier League. At the time, Asmir was a young goalkeeper beginning his professional journey.

Since then, he has gone on to build a career at the highest level of the game, representing clubs including Stoke City, Chelsea FC, AFC Bournemouth, Everton FC, and now Leicester City FC.

Reconnecting through this project reflects a shared belief:
young players require access to professional standards early in their development.

Why Goalkeeper Development Is Often Overlooked

In most youth soccer environments across the U.S., goalkeepers remain underserved.

Training sessions are typically built around outfield players. As a result:

• Goalkeepers receive limited position-specific coaching
• Technical detail is often neglected
• Decision-making under pressure is rarely developed in realistic contexts
• Progress is inconsistent and difficult to measure

This creates a gap.

While outfield players may experience structured development, goalkeepers are often left to adapt without the same level of guidance or repetition.

At the professional academy level in Europe, this would not be acceptable. Goalkeepers follow a dedicated, structured development plan, supported by specialist coaches and integrated into the overall game model.

That is the standard NCE aims to replicate.

What This Partnership Changes

By integrating AB1 GK Academy into our Pro Pathway Camps, NCE is ensuring that goalkeepers train within an environment that mirrors the demands of the professional game.

This includes:

• Position-specific technical training aligned with modern goalkeeper requirements
• Game-realistic scenarios that develop decision-making and positioning
• Integrated team sessions where goalkeepers apply learning within the full game model
• Direct exposure to professional methodology developed through elite-level experience

The objective is not simply to improve isolated skills, but to develop complete goalkeepers who can influence matches.

High-Performance Soccer Training at DeSales University

The Pro Pathway Camps at DeSales University are designed to provide a concentrated, high-standards training environment.

Every session is structured around:

• Technical execution under pressure
• Speed of decision-making
• Tactical understanding within the game
• Accountability and training standards

With the addition of AB1 GK Academy, goalkeepers now experience this same structure through a specialist lens, ensuring alignment between individual development and team performance.

Building a Real Goalkeeper Pathway in the U.S.

This collaboration is not limited to a single camp.

It represents the early stages of a broader objective:
to create a clear, credible pathway for goalkeepers within the NCE ecosystem.

Future opportunities may include:

• Specialist goalkeeper training programs within regional NCE training
• Integration into international tours and professional academy experiences
• Identification and support of high-potential goalkeepers within the pathway
• Expanded collaboration with AB1 GK Academy across multiple environments

For goalkeepers in the U.S., this addresses a longstanding issue—
a lack of structured progression aligned with professional standards.

Development Over Exposure

This partnership reinforces a core principle within NCE:

Development must come before exposure.

Too often, goalkeepers are placed into showcase environments without the technical and tactical foundation required to succeed.

At NCE, the focus is different:

• Build technical consistency
• Improve decision-making under pressure
• Develop tactical understanding
• Raise behavioral and performance standards

Only once those elements are in place does meaningful opportunity follow.

This is how professional academies operate—and it is the model we continue to implement.

Why This Matters for Players and Parents

For players, this creates access to a level of detail and structure that is rarely available within traditional club environments.

For parents, it provides clarity:

• Your child is training within a professional framework
• Coaching is aligned with real game demands
• Development is measured, intentional, and progressive

This is not additional training volume.
It is better training, delivered with purpose.

Next Step: Secure Your Place at Pro Pathway Camps

This summer’s Pro Pathway Camps at DeSales University provide a unique opportunity for goalkeepers to train within a professional, high-performance environment—now enhanced through our partnership with AB1 GK Academy.

If your athlete is serious about development and ready to be challenged:

• Explore the Pro Pathway Camps
• Review camp dates and structure
• Secure your place early to guarantee availability

For those committed to meaningful progression, this is where development accelerates.