On a hot Thursday morning at The Home Depot Center, the Chivas USA goalkeepers are leaping over mini hurdles and weaving through obstructions before making saves on yellow rubber balls designed to bounce at odd angles.
It's all part of a normal day of training under the watchful eye of Chivas USA goalkeeper coach Leo Percovich, who employs all manner of props to keep his training sessions both dynamic and constructive for the Chivas USA goalkeeping corps.
"Leo's a very unique goalkeeper trainer," said Lance Parker, one of the three goalkeepers on the Chivas USA roster, along with Zach Thornton and Dan Kennedy. "He's probably my favorite 'keeper trainer that I've ever had. He has amazing drills. You can tell that the stuff he does really works."
Percovich works with a group that has seen several changes in 2009. During preseason, Kennedy and Thornton were battling for the starting spot when a right knee sprain to Kennedy two weeks before opening day ended the duel. Thornton has started each of Chivas USA's games this season and the 1998 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year has been brilliant since, leading the league with five shutouts.
After Kennedy's injury, Chivas USA brought in local 'keeper Eric Connor to help fill the ranks and take reps during practice. Connor has aspirations of playing professionally and is using the experience to learn and improve.
"I literally grew up admiring and watching Zach Thornton," said Connor, a native of Trabuco Canyon in Orange County, Calif. "My mom was telling me the other day about how I told her I wanted to be Zach Thornton when I grew up. Getting to know him and learning from him is amazing."
Connor played two years at UCLA and two years at the University of San Francisco before graduating in December. As a youngster, he played on an Olympic Development Program team coached by Chivas USA team administrator and assistant coach Kevin Esparza.
"Day in and day out, I feel like I'm improving," said Connor. "I'm getting more comfortable and getting myself ready for this level."
The group shifted again when Parker, currently on the club's developmental roster, suffered a minor right ankle sprain before last Saturday's game at San Jose. With Kennedy still out, the Red-and-White called upon Miguel Benitez, one of four MLS league pool goalkeepers, to serve as a temporary backup for the match.
"I was having dinner with my family [in L.A.] on Friday night at 6 p.m. and I got a call saying that they need a goalkeeper for the San Jose game," said Benitez. "They sent me the flight info and I was there the next day."
Benitez is a native of Torrance, and played three years at Loyola Marymount University before transferring to Cal State Dominguez Hills, where he won the 2008 NCAA Division II national championship. He joined MLS in preseason and had previously been on the LA Galaxy bench for three matches earlier in the season.
"I'm like a doctor on call," joked Benitez. "I signed my contract with the league and then if any goalkeeper goes down, they call me and fly me out."
With Kennedy and Parker now returning to training, and Connor and Benitez still in camp, Chivas USA had five goalkeepers (including Thornton) to work with on Thursday.
"[Having so many 'keepers] helps a lot," said Parker. "One or two guys don't have to do all the reps and get tired, which keeps the quality from getting sloppy."
While there is competition between Parker, Thornton and Kennedy for the starting job, all the 'keepers remain friendly and supportive of one another.
"We're a pretty tight-knit family," said Parker. "We go everywhere together; we come out [to practice] early, and we stay late. All the different things we do, we're always together."
The combination of Percovich's unique training sessions, stiff competition and a strong supportive atmosphere has lead to good results for Chivas USA's goalkeeping.
"Obviously [we're] doing something right," said Chivas USA head coach Preki. "Zach has been sharp and we have no complaints."
Jeffrey King is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
