The 2018/19 season is just around the corner! Arriving at the rink on the first day, you set your gear up in the locker room and find that you don't have a goalie coach.

What does this mean for your practices?
Your development?
It means you must take it into your own hands.
But how?

This generation of goalies is as prepared as ever with the numerous camps available across North America and Europe. Offseason is the time in which we meticulously work on our craft and finely tune the "small" details that often get neglected during the season. If you were to able to identify your personal skill deficiencies during camp or training, it will guide you towards having a more efficient practice time. Here are three steps to utilize what you learned during the summer and how to implement them during your season (even if you are lacking a goalie-specific coach).

1: Organize your day at the rink:

An effective way to maximize your practice time is having a consistent routine that you go through each day.

For example: I divide my practice day into three areas.

Warm-up - Foam rolling, pillar prep activation, stretching, & vision training
On Ice - 2-3 skill drills, team practice, & dead time work
Recovery - Additional foam rolling for muscle soreness, posture correction (hips, core, shoulders), & cold exposure (cold tub is most effective)

2: On Ice Plan:

Without having a goalie coach at practice, skill development will fall on your shoulders. Take initiative and talk to your coach before the season starts to say that you would like time at the beginning of practice to do 2-3 skill drills while the team warms up. You can accomplish your skill drills by having one shooter (assistant coach or a player).
Refer to the JPL YouTube channel for drill ideas. I recommend organizing your skill drills into

TRACKING, MOBILITY, & NET PLAY
Most youth practices neglect reps in these areas.

Have a plan for the “dead time” in practice. These are moments when the team is working on something that doesn’t include the goalie. This time is best to work on crease movement, goalie specific skating, and edge work. The important thing is that you have a plan for this time to get the most out of practice. Not only is this type of work ethic a good habit for the goalie, it impresses coaches and rubs off on other teammates.

My YouTube channel offers a number of different drills you can use during the season to improve your skating & mobility.

3: Have a Mental Strategy:

This is the most difficult area of goaltending. Human emotions can be erratic but those who can best control their fear, anger, disappointment, and ego will achieve longevity in the sport. I have learned throughout the years that you are not competing not against the other team... but your own personal doubts and anxieties.
Every successful athlete has self-belief & mental toughness. Self-belief stems from being prepared (quality practice time) and mental toughness is achieved by making a personal choice that nothing will stop you from reaching your goals.

Here are four tips to become a mentally tough goalie:

Clearly defined goals (short/long term): If your goals are identified (i.e. SV%, wins, to make a team), you will have a tangible target to shoot towards.
Self-evaluate: Compare your performance to who you were yesterday; not to others around you. By having your goals clearly defined, it makes the performance of other goalies irrelevant to your self improvement. Small daily improvements will lead to long term gains.
Be stoic in the face of adversity: Projecting confident body language is paramount for instilling confidence in your team. Walk tall with your shoulders back both on and off the ice. Assertive posture is a psychological trigger that instills self confidence. Avoid immediate emotional reaction to goals against, bad games, and negative people.
Make the most of what you can control and accept what you cannot change: This shouldn’t be seen as encouraging a passive mentality but helps to focus on the things you can influence. What controls your mind controls your life!

“You are competing not against the other team...
but your own personal doubts and anxieties.”

Using the excuse "I don't have a goalie coach" is not valid anymore. Goaltenders everywhere are learning how to take control of their game and use internal motivation to improve. I'm happy to provide these tips to help goalies and coaches guide their training and practice quality.

Additional resources that may be of interest are my Goalie Handbook and Drill Book which provide tips, drills, and more to help guide development at any age level.

-JP-

Self Coaching: Prepping for the New Season

1: Organize your day at the rink:

2: On Ice Plan:

3: Have a Mental Strategy: