With the recording of Episode 244 of the InGoal Radio Podcast we introduced a new segment to the show. We know so many of our listeners are parents navigating the world of goaltending for the first time; indeed, the reality is for most of us everything as a goalie parent is a first. We’ve been parents to a goaltender now for 12 years but every season brings a new experience. So unless you’re one of the crazy lucky people with more than one goalie in your home, you too are facing new challenges each day.

So this segment of the podcast is for you. In fact, we imagine there will be something in here for all goaltenders, even those without kids who step into the crease. This week we look at the question “Which mask should I buy for my son or daughter?”  While it’s a choice parents have a particular interest in considering of course it is also is a decision every goaltender will face along the way.

Each week we aim to tackle one question sent to [email protected] or one we have found on one of the Facebook parent groups where we hang out from time to time. We find that the same questions come up repeatedly so clearly many parents are wondering about the same things.

We will publish the audio for each segment in a post such as this one where we share Segment 1. As a relatively short clip it’s a quick listen whether you listen to the entire podcast or just this clip on the web site.

Of course your opinions on what we discuss during the show may be different and that’s great. We love that goaltending is a diverse world with many opinions and many ways of stopping the puck. If you agree, disagree or just want to add something to the conversation please hit us up in the comments below.

InGoal Parents Segment 1 – Which Mask Should I Buy for My Son or Daughter?

The audio segment published here takes you directly to the Parent Segment from this episode.

This week Woody and Hutch answer the question we’ve seen so many times on Facebook about the best mask to purchase.

If you’re an experienced goalie parent you’ve felt the pain of the headshot. In most cases where you aren’t a goalie yourself that’s not a direct experience but what parent doesn’t feel that vicarious sting when a shot rattles off their son or daughter’s cage?

Every shot that brings the familiar crack of puck on cage or shell also invites plenty of questions and even small amount of parental anger, especially in warm up and practice. We all wonder: why can’t they keep the shots down? Why doesn’t the coach do something about it? Can’t that kid control his shot? Are they even looking at the net when they shoot?

We’ll share our thoughts on these and other questions in a future show but this week we tackled the instinct many of us have as we ask, what can I do to protect my young goalie?

Whether we’re tired of seeing our kids going down from a shot to the cage or we are simply faced with the inevitability of needing to upgrade as our children grow, everyone eventually will need to buy a new mask.

It might surprise you to hear that we didn’t recommend a specific brand. Over the years we have reviewed a lot of gear at InGoal in our extensive in-house program that sees a wide range of goalies from minor hockey to junior, beer league and yes, even pros, share their feedback about a given piece of gear. Woody and Cam sit down each week to look at just about every piece of gear on the market as well. We have had working relationships with most of the major players in the industry over the years but still, we aren’t suggesting a particular brand because as we discussed this week, we strongly believe that fit is the number one thing you need to consider. And simply put, not all masks fit the same and not all masks fit every head. Even within a particular brand there will be differences in fit beyond just size.

And then once you’ve found the right fit you still need to decide which model and how much money you are able to invest. And we said invest for a reason. We really see a mask as an investment in your child’s safety far more than any piece of equipment.

Have a listen and let us know your thoughts below.

If you have a question you’d like to hear us discuss, hit us up at [email protected].

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