Goalie Vision 101

Introduction

Hello goaltenders, coaches and hockey enthusiasts. I am an optometrist in Calgary, Alberta that provides optometry services, but more importantly, I work with athletes on improving their vision. I am also a goaltender, having played at the U18 and junior levels in Alberta. Through specialized eye exercises using technology and traditional methods, my aim is to improve athletes’ reaction times, have their nervous systems work at peak performance levels and train their eyes to track objects efficiently. I have worked with numerous WHL and NCAA goalies including former NHL goalie Chad Johnson, Adin Hill of the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Kristen Campbell of the Canadian Women’s National Team and presented for Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta.

I will be presenting a multipart series on tracking and provide some eye exercises at the end of the article for young athletes to do at home.

Keeping Things Clear on the Fovea

Many goaltenders and coaches understand from a basic view that tracking is important. We need to know the fundamental anatomy of the eye so that we can understand how the eye muscles move and function, how to train them, and how to best use them in a game.