Don't you even think of shooting at my goal

HOCKEY goals are seven feet high and 12 feet wide. From the top of the 16-yard shooting circle, that can seem pretty small. Put a goalkeeper in the way and the space becomes ever more negligible.

But stick Kees Jager in goal - 6ft 8in., 16st 5lbs, kitted out in pads, kickers, helmet, padded shorts, chest guard and gloves and charging out to narrow the angle - and you're lucky if you can spot even a hint of net.

Think of Jager keeping and the words that spring to mind are 'domination' and 'intimidation'. It's his goal; don't even think of trying to put a ball in there. He will get angry.

Jager takes pride in the sanctity of his goal. Even when being warmed up, he hates anything to pass him to rattle the back board.

During matches for Colombians and Guernsey this season he has been known to thrust out a pad, kicker or glove to stop efforts that would not have counted anyway because the whistle had blown.

And just so the opposition know how big he is, he has a little ritual he performs before the game: Jager, fully kitted, will walk into his goal and standing on one leg, will kick the bar.

Something to remind the other team's strikers that he is a huge obstacle.

''I am just naturally very flexible. I used to do a lot of plyometrics. I used to be able to do the splits as well, but I haven't tried that for a while,' he said.

For a big man, his speed off the line is surprising, his reactions superb. They need to be: top strikers will hit a hockey ball at something approaching 80mph.

Jager doesn't care.

'You don't really think about how hard it's being hit; you haven't really got

time to. With the pads and kickers around these days,

you don't feel anything. Sometimes when the ball gets me on the chest, I might feel a bit, but not much,' he said, matter of factly.

'The problem I have is that because I'm so big the pads don't cover all of me. I've had a couple of shots get me under the shoulder, but again, that's quite fleshy. Sometimes you know you're not in the best position but you cover up however you can.

'Probably the worst I've had is a ball in the side of the throat. It was crossed from our left and as I was moving to my right, the striker hit it first time. It felt like I was trying to swallow my Adam's apple.'

Any mentally stable person would probably never have picked up a stick again. Jager was back in goal within a few minutes.

Jager, 26, first donned the pads while at Elizabeth College.

He had previously enjoyed an undistinguished spell with minimal success as an outfield player in house matches.

'I grew taller between 14 and 16; I was really lanky, about 12-and-a-half stone, until I went to university.'

There his career bloomed. Representative honours came quickly: West of England U18s, South of England U21s, South of England senior side, England U21s, Great Britain U23 development squad, as well as England Universities for three years.

He graduated from Brighton University with a teaching qualification in PE and English.

But serious injury cost him a year out of the game. He was hit by a car, an Achilles tendon ruptured.

'That was just before the Youth World Cup. I was one of three keepers in the squad who had been training all summer. I must have had a pretty good chance of getting in the team.'

Jager stayed in the UK for a while doing odd jobs, including some hockey coaching, but decided to return to Guernsey.

Locally, a move from Unwantables took him to Colombians, then in their second season in Division One. He has been instrumental in their success.

'It's a great club. Everyone's good mates. I enjoy the social aspect as much as anything else.'

With the league champions ahead of him, possible he is not the busiest keeper in the league, though he would never consider a move.

'Sometimes it is difficult to concentrate when I don't see much of the ball. But you learn to stay sharp.'

He has also become a regular in the island side, this season playing all the HA Trophy matches to date.

'I always wanted to play for Guernsey when I was at university. It took me a long while to get into the side. Last season's inter-insular was my full debut.'

He is now keeping Jason Robilliard out of the side, no mean feat.

'We have a friendly rivalry, but we are also happy to help each other out. If ever I could not play, I would be happy knowing Jason's going in goal.

'The side is just so good to play with. We can go all the way in the HA Trophy and the ambition must be to keep on beating Jersey.'

Most keepers are frustrated outfield players. Jager does not really miss playing out, but has been known to venture into the opposition half.

'There was one match - it was Colombians against Yobbos - I went up front and Steve Ward didn't think I was worth marking. So I just stayed on the edge of the D. I scored a hat-trick in 20min.'

Somehow you cannot imagine anyone scoring so easily against the big man.