Parents Can Live by the Same Advice Goalies Often Hear from InGoal

In the Parent Segment, presented by Stop It Goaltending U the App, we talk about the importance of parents listening to — and living by — the same advice goalies often hear from InGoal.

“Physician, heal thyself.”

Or should I say… Goalie Parent, heal thyself.

As I listened to this week’s feature interview, I mentally checked the box I often do:

“Yes. This one’s special. I have to send it to my kid.”

So many things resonated—from picturing Matty and his best buddy screaming support for each other when they played on the same team, to all the incredible insights into the mental game.

And as Mikey spoke more and more about his mental approach, it hit all really home personally—not for how I saw my son in it but for myself as a goalie, and as a goalie parent.

I tease Woody about watching the shot clock, but I’ve done those very same calculations a thousand times in my own games: “Okay, 2 shots, 1 goal… need 8 more saves to get back to .900.

Wait, 3 shots, 2 goals… now I need 17 more saves on the next 17 shots…”

I do the same thing as a goalie parent. I know many of you do too. You start calculating how many more saves to get to .900, even calculating the save percentage of the kid at the other end in the same game for comparison.

Whether it’s tracking shots, judging goals, or obsessing long past the goldfish-length memory, these thoughts creep in for goalie parents – it’s perfectly normal.

And if we share them with our kids post-game?

We’re adding to their mental load.

We’re setting the wrong example.

But today’s segment is about you.

Being a goalie parent is hard.

But you’re not destined to live in a state of constant stress. There are things you can do and they’re right in front of us!

Whether it’s passing on this episode or any other tools we want to give our goalie kids normally? Know this: they’re available to us too:

• Don’t count stats.
• Do your breathing exercises.
• Give yourself a moment to be frustrated… then move on.
• Next shot. Let’s go.
• Build a routine that brings you calm.

(And let’s be clear—I’m not claiming perfection. Far, far from it.)

When I’m able to follow this advice – the games are so much more enjoyable.

I’ll admit it’s so much easier to do when things are going well – but that’s kind of the point. There are tools to help when they aren’t.

So here’s your homework this week:

🎧 Listen to the feature interview. Make some notes.

Or head to InGoalMag.com and click the Mental Game link at the top and

Read something. Watch something.

Find one thing to work on—for you.

Whether Johnny or Suzie is playing spring hockey, tryouts, baseball, soccer—whatever—pick something for yourself to work on so you enjoy the next game a little bit more.

Then hit me up at 📧 parents@ingoalmag.com and let me know what you’re working on.

I’m here to listen—and learn  – from you.