Deflection Matrix
For the 2021-2022 school year, my i2 project is called the Deflection Matrix, a lightweight, portable set of devices that can be planted into grass fields and used for goalkeeping practices to train reaction time and hand-eye coordination. With my father being a goalkeeper coach, I always see him trying to find ways to create a device that can cause a soccer ball to make unpredictable bounces. He complains that carrying bottles full of sand around is an annoyance due to their weight and inability to stay in place after being hit by a ball. I was shocked to find out that there is no purchasable device that performs the task on the internet.
My passion for soccer and engineering played a vital role in my decision for my project. As a soccer defender, I value having a keeper that can react quickly and make game-deciding saves. I get to witness goalkeepers in action constantly and sometimes even rely on them to fix the mistakes I cause. From my experience, assistant coaching young goalkeepers ages 8 to 10 is a different, useful device that can keep younger players engaged and challenged.
