Parents: 5 Reasons your Child is Great in Practice and Struggles in Games
The audio segment published here takes you directly to the Parent Segment from this episode.
- The practice-to-game gap is normal for goalies at all ages and is not a sign of poor ability or potential.
- Game chaos — traffic, deflections, unpredictable releases, and angle changes — is fundamentally different from the controlled environment of goalie sessions.
- Self-doubt slows processing and movement; goalies need a flow state in games, not overthinking, making mindset coaching critical before confidence unravels.
- Skill transfer from training sessions to real game situations takes years, as reading live play only develops through game repetitions.
- Help young goalies separate performance from results, focusing on gradual confidence-building rather than immediate outcome-based evaluation.
In this week’s Parent Segment, presented by Stop It Goaltending U the App, we share 5 reasons your young goalie looks good in goalie sessions and then struggles in games.
A parent recently asked why their child looks great in goalie sessions but has a hard time during games — and it’s a question we hear all the time. This episode breaks down the key reasons, with insights inspired by our conversation with performance psychologist Dr. Saul Miller.
What we cover:
This is completely normal. Many goalies of all ages feel confident in practice and overwhelmed in games. It’s not a sign of poor ability — it’s part of the position.
Games are chaotic. In goalie sessions, shots are clear, controlled, and built for development. Games are the opposite: traffic, deflections, unpredictable releases, constant angle changes — especially at younger levels where nobody knows what’s coming next.
The mental game is huge. Even tiny doses of self-doubt slow processing and movement. Games demand a “flow state,” not overthinking. Confidence can unravel quickly when practice success doesn’t match game outcomes, which is why mindset coaching can be so valuable before problems snowball.
Skill transfer takes years. Sessions build the foundation (movement, tracking, mechanics), but reading real play only comes from game reps. Even pros say the hardest jump isn’t speed — it’s predictability. If NHL goalies feel that, imagine 10-year-olds.
Bottom line:
Your young goalie isn’t alone. Bridging the gap between training and games takes time, experience, and support — mentally and technically. Help them separate performance from results, build confidence gradually, and remember it’s a long, rewarding journey.
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