When he wasn't stopping goals as the keeper, he was scoring them as a striker.
Matt Dyer, 18, from Winmalee fell to his death at the Hawkesbury Lookout just over three months ago.
The promising soccer player was due to go on a sporting scholarship to the US when, according to police, he "lost his footing [and] tragically fell over the lookout ... falling 30 or 40 metres" and dying at the scene.
Last Thursday evening Matt's family gathered at Lomatia Park to find a way to commemorate the soccer prodigy, announcing that a scholarship has been set up by the Winmalee-based Golden Boot Striker School in his memory.
"I think he'd be humbled but chuffed as well," his mother, Moya, said of the annual $3000 scholarship package.
Called the Matt Dyer Memorial Striker Scholarship it will honour the talented soccer player who was due to leave in August to play college soccer in the US on his own scholarship.
"It gives someone that opportunity that they might not have had," Mrs Dyer added.
Matt, who graduated from St Columba's last year, worked closely with young soccer players and was an assistant coach and a member of the Golden Boot Strikers Academy.
Shortly after his death, Mrs Dyer told the Gazette "he delighted watching them improve and came home with little updates and reports on them after every session. I will be forever thankful that Matt got to have the experiences he had at Golden Boot. My husband had commented many times on what an ideal combination of soccer and kids make for Matt. Russell said so many times 'he just gets it, he gets the game and he gets kids'."
Matt played football from 2001 to 2015 with Springwood Football Club and in 2010 and 2011 played representative football for the club.
Golden Boot Striker School head coach Michael Robson said "he was so passionate about playing football that in 2014 he played for both the under 18's and Mens Prems, sometimes playing three games as either the keeper or as a striker".
Mr Robson said Matt was making the unusual transition from his keeper role into the striker's position, and was able to capitalise on his own knowledge of keeper strategies and weaknesses to score goals.
"His dual experience as both a keeper and a striker quickly cemented him as an asset to the school and he was loved and respected by all the players. He was dedicated and passionate ... attending as both an assistant coach and as a player as he prepared for the US."
The one-year scholarship was "an ideal way to continue Matt's legacy," Mr Robson said.
The school is a professional striker specific coaching system, using qualified coaches to deliver measurable performance improvement. It is designed for players in any attacking position and boasts a 300 per cent increase in success for goal scorers, Mr Robson said.
The scholarship is open to players (both male and female) who reside in the Blue Mountains and nominations close on May 26.
Any person or club or official can nominate a player aged between 12 and 18 using the official nomination form on the website www.goldenbootstrikers.com.au/scholarship.
Mr Robson said "this is an outstanding opportunity for young players, located in the Blue Mountains, wanting to play as strikers or attackers. The Golden Boot system will develop their skills, accuracy and the essence of what is required to be a great striker."
Mrs Dyer said: "Russell, Isabel and I are extremely touched by Michael honouring Matt in this most fitting and appropriate way and we are looking forward to following the progress of the scholarship recipient."
