10 Good Habits for Young Goalies Around the Rink

In the Parent Segment, presented by Stop It Goaltending U the App, we share 10 Good Habits Around the Rink that you can share with your young goalie to help make sure they are both getting the most out of — and making the best impression — even when they’re just there for a practice or a goalie lesson.

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10 Good Habits Around the Rink for Your Young Goalie

This week’s parent segment is inspired by our good friend and InGoal subscriber Chris Mottola, who sent in a suggestion we wanted to expand on — we’ll save Chris for near the end and add a few more from Coach James Geartner and our son Matty, who helped me complete the list before their skate the other day.

1. Take some time to warm up pre-ice. A little is better than none. Even if your team doesn’t do it, it’s good for you. Not sure what to do? We have lots of suggestions on InGoal, and we’ll link a couple in the show notes.
2. Before you hit the ice, take a minute to do something this week’s guest mentions: visualize. Even if it’s just practice, take a few seconds to prepare yourself. What kind of practice will you have today? What will your habits be like? It will help ensure you get off to a great start — and don’t just go out there for a bit of lazy stretching.
3. When you’re out there: listen, pay attention, and try. You’ll leave a great impression with coaches — they only want to see effort. Even if you think you won’t use what they’re teaching, try. As this week’s guest also says, it’s another tool in the toolbox.
4. And while we’re talking about trying… yes, you have more gear on, and no, skating lines isn’t fun. But try in any team skate. You may be destined to come in last, but how close can you make it? Coaches can see when you’ve given up — and it leaves an impression you don’t want to make.
5. Finish your save process — when the drill allows. We know not all drills are goalie-friendly, but track your rebound and follow it, even if there’s only one shot in the drill. It’s an important habit, one that ensures you’re sharp and reactive in a game.
6. Cheer for your partner. When they make a great save — or bust their butt in a skating drill — let them know it.
7. Getting frustrated? Don’t show emotion. Teams want to know you’re a rock in there. No shrugged shoulders, hanging heads, or slammed sticks. How could it possibly help? If this is something you struggle with, make it part of your pre-skate visualization.
8. Don’t waste time. If the puck is in the other end during practice, grab a puck and work on your puckhandling, post entries and exits, or basic skating. The old “down on your knees and kinda stretch the groin” isn’t impressing anyone.
9. Almost last, but not least — from Chris:

   “A good work habit is to not leave the ice until the nets are pushed where the Zamboni driver wants them and all the pucks are picked up. Coaches notice. Rink employees notice. I’ve seen clips of Fleury and Lundqvist picking up pucks after sessions. If they do it, we non–Hall of Fame goalies shouldn’t consider it beneath us.”

10. Leave the dressing room clean. Goalies are often the last out, and it sucks when others leave tape balls everywhere. Do a quick cleanup. Even if you aren’t last out, clean up after yourself — or better yet, pick up something that wasn’t yours.