Galbraith keeper for SeaWolves

Goalkeeper Joe Galbraith has all of the

ingredients to play at soccer’s highest level. His 6-foot, 4-inch

frame provides a deadly wingspan that nearly covers half the goal.

His in-game instincts are coming into focus, and as the last line

of defense, he’s as cool as a Pacific breeze.

This year, the 2009 Whitefish graduate

took a leap toward the top level when he was selected to play for

the Everett, Wash., SeaWolves soccer club in the Premier

Developmental League.

The PDL is the ground floor of Major

League Soccer, the top-tier league in the U.S.

Galbraith decided to tryout for the

SeaWolves on the off chance he might be selected.

“About 150 people showed up for

tryouts,” Galbraith said. “Of the 11 keepers, they picked three. I

was just going to give it a shot and I ended up making the

team.”

He played in three games in the

SeaWolves inaugural season and the team finished with a 4-7-4

overall record. They travel across the West for games, taking on

clubs from Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and Canada. Everett’s game

against Victoria drew a crowd in the thousands.

Galbraith is also the starting keeper

for Northwest University’s soccer team. College ball is in the fall

and the PDL season runs in the spring and summer.

“I’m playing soccer all the time,” he

said. “I’m constantly having fun.”

Galbraith says the transition is

massive from high school to college, and then to PDL.

“Being form Whitefish and coached by

O’Brien Byrd, we had a fast squad,” he said. “But going to the

college level, it’s so much faster. That was a huge jump for me.

Then the step up from college to the PDL level is even larger.

You’re playing with the fastest and smartest guys from all

over.”

After three games with the SeaWolves,

Galbraith knows he has some work to do before moving up in the

ranks.

“I have to be quicker,” he said.

At that level, players shoot with a

swerve on the ball and their crossing is more accurate.

“Everything is more of a challenge,” he

said.

His favorite situation is the

one-on-one fastbreak.

“It’s just you and him,” he said. “And

if I make the save — I love it.”

Galbraith says prep players in

Whitefish with aspirations to play collegiate ball or with the PDL

have to market themselves to coaches.

“You have to look for the college,

recruiters do not look for you,” he said. “You have to make the

effort to be seen.”

Galbraith sent letters to 30 schools

all over the Northwest when he was a senior.

“It’s a huge effort to make yourself

known, especially from this area.”

He admits, though, that the Bulldogs

two-season record of 27-1-1 while he was at Whitefish may have

aided him in the recruitment process.

“It probably helped me a little,” he

said, laughing.

As for the future, nothing is out of

the question for Galbraith. He’s young, healthy and has a long

career ahead of him.

“If the roads line up, I would love to

play in the United Soccer League or the MLS,” he said. “I want to

go as high as I can. I’m working on being the fastest, smartest guy

in the back.”