Archive for Tips

Ever notice that a lot of goalies who wear a lexan throat protector, NHL’ers included, tend to tie the side strings through the cage itself rather than through the ear holes? The throat protector was made to pivot up and down, but attaching it this way causes it to balloon out in front of the goalie’s face during play action, effectively blocking one’s view (especially the newer coloured or opaque ones).   By the way, ever notice that when you buy one of these things, there are no instructions given as to how to attach it?  I coach some kids whose dads have it tied on in so loosely that it is more of a sternum protector than anything else.  Really lives up to its French language namesake: “bavette” or bib (i.e. like the Fisher Price plastic bib I used to put on my kids when they were babies, with the big scoop at the bottom for all the guck that missed their mouths or got spit up…)

Tying the side strings through the ear holes draws the protector closer to the chin so that it stays out of the way. Moreover, drilling a hole in the BOTTOM of the protector and passing the middle string INSIDE the mask, between the mask and the chin cup, ensures that the throat protector cannot ever come up in front of one’s field of vision, even when the goalie’s head is facing down (as is the case whenever the puck is close to the goal). Compare photo 1 to photo 2 and decide for yourself.

here's the dangler tied on through the ear holes and with the string in the bottom of the chin

here's what happens when it is tied on through the ear holes and through the hole in the top of the chin (at your nose)

simply drilling a hole and passing the string inside the mask keeps the dangler from coming up too far

Personally, it drives me nuts to see so many young goalies (and old ones too) whose vision must be blocked about 50% of the time. When the puck is close to your body, down on the ice it is often impossible to see because of the way the dangler is attached!
Look at the accompanying picture of Marc Andre Fleury (photo by Jonathan Newton, Washington Post).  While the red shading is by no means exact science, it is pretty easy to imagine how the area close to his body (where the puck happens to be) is obstructed by the throat protector swinging out.

don't get me wrong; Fleury is still my son's hero- and one of mine too...

‘Tenders Tips #9

photo thanks to wwarby

You want to be the best goalie that you can be.

It takes hard work to get there, sometimes it seems like more work than you can ever hope to take on.

But the old cliche is true – a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Once you are on that journey there might be a lot of steps – but they are all small and manageable.

Do you have something that you want to do to improve your game? Crunches or other exercise to improve your core strength? Lunges or other leg work to improve your strength? Juggling to improve your hand-eye coordination?

You can make huge strides by simply making a commitment to regular practice no matter how brief. In fact, regular training will do far more for your goaltending than irregular but very intense training. 30 min a day for 7 days beats 3 and a half hours in one shot no matter how you look at it. 10 minutes a day for a month beats five one hour sessions in a month hands down.

So – set yourself a goal today. Write it down. Make a commitment. Stick to it.

“I will do ten lunges on each leg every single day without fail.”

Or

“I will practice juggling for 5 minutes every single day, without fail.”

Or

“I will work on my shot – 20 shots every day without fail.”

Those are all very easy goals if you think about it. But in the end what do you get?

3650 lunges per leg in a year.
Over 30 hours of juggling!
7300 shots.

How good a juggler would you be with 30 hours of practice? How much harder would your shot be after 7300 practice shots?

How good will you be if you do nothing?

‘Tenders Tips #8 – Without going on the ice you can improve your goaltending

Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala grabs a little practice between whistles

I took a break from goaltending after university and was away from the ice for more than ten years. When I stopped playing we were still in a world of skate saves and Patrick Roy had not yet begun his now historic career. Today, without any coaching, I now play a butterfly game, and by most accounts I do a decent job of it. Shots along the ice, once a weakness, are now a strength.  I have confidence that I can take away the pass on a two-on-one with a butterfly slide. Guys parked on the backdoor look like opportunities, not obstacles.

I’m not writing this to suggest my goaltending is anything special – it’s definitely not. But somewhere along the line in the last twelve years I have transformed myself with no coaching – and did I mention no practices – into a butterfly goaltender. How did that happen?

I have a few thoughts on that but one of the strongest ideas is mental rehearsal. I can’t claim that I have a special program for this, but I’m a visual person. I watch a good deal of hockey and I think about how particular moves are made. Over time, somewhat with intention, and somewhat without, I have incorporated all kinds of techniques into my game just by thinking about them.

So if you want an extra edge to your training, or if you just don’t get enough practice time, think about a technique and rehearse–in your mind. Imagine a play and how you will execute to make the save. Repeat several times.

Maybe your inspiration comes from something you have learned in practice or with a goalie coach. Maybe you have a great DVD on goaltending. Or maybe you’ve just seen Marc-Andre Fleury make a lights-out save. Either way, you can think your way to a better game.

You can lie down on the couch today and get up a better goalie. Think about it.

‘Tenders Tips #7 – “Fitness goals” make all the difference

Break out your running shoes and get fit to stop more shots.

No, not goals to improve your fitness – but we’ll get there. I often think about the goals I let in and many of them I classify as “fitness goals.” These are the ones that I just couldn’t get into position for but I knew, if I were fresh, I would grab every time. It might be the third or fourth shot in a scramble, it might be late in a very busy game, and yes, it might come when my fitness isn’t what it should be. Perhaps I didn’t have the energy to move quickly enough, or the lack of fitness made my technique suffer. Either way, more goals than I care to admit are fitness goals that I simply wouldn’t let in if I were in better shape.

We can’t train to be big. Lots of us don’t have the experience or the coaching to refine your technique like a pro. Not everone can afford the latest, greatest gear. But every one of us can improve our fitness. And it doesn’t need to cost a penny.

It’s not enough just to play the game if you want to be the best. Get fit. We’ll talk more about it in the future but for now – schedule 45 minutes of aerobic exercise into your life three times per week. Running, Cycling, Swimming, just get out there and get moving.

It’s free. It’s good for you. It makes you a better goalie. Guaranteed.

If you don’t agree, I’ll give you your money back!

‘Tenders Tips #6

Carolina Hurricanes Goalie Coach Tom Barasso is successful because he has a complete understanding of the game and is a powerful communicator

There’s an old saying amongst teachers that you don’t really understand something until you can teach it. That can apply to your goaltending every bit as much as an academic subject.

If you want to be the best that you can be you need to really understand the position. Believe me, you might think you understand, but until you have tried to put it into words, to pull out the essential elements and to communicate it to someone else you do not completely understand. At very least the process of preparing to teach someone else will help you really sort out what you think about goaltending.

If you were going to work with a young goalie – where would you begin? What are the most important elements to communicate?  What might someone say after you teach a lesson – are you ready for the hard questions? 

I guarantee that sitting down and making some notes as if you were going to teach someone will help you become a better goalie yourself.

Better yet, why don’t you volunteer some time with a minor hockey team and help some kids out while you are learning yourself. Even if you’re still playing minor hockey there could well be a team with younger goalies who could use a hand.