348 Parents: Finding the Right Goalie Coach or Camp This Summer
In the Parent Segment, presented by Stop it Goaltending U the App, we ask whether that desire to protect our kids in minor hockey is really preparing them for life beyond it.
- Start with word-of-mouth recommendations, but actively search beyond your immediate network to expose your goalie to different coaching perspectives.
- Different goalie coaches specialize in different areas u2014 movement mechanics, compete and battle, hockey sense, or confidence-building for younger goalies.
- No single coach covers every developmental need equally, so diversifying coaching experience over a career accelerates a goalie's growth.
- Use the InGoal Coach Directory to search for coaches and programs across North America by location or with AI-powered plain-language search.
- Summer is the ideal time to add a new coaching voice u2014 a fresh perspective in July can unlock a breakthrough by September.
348 Parents – Finding the Right Goalie Coach or Camp This Summer
Spring is here, which means goalie parents everywhere are starting to think about summer development. Camps, coaches, extra ice — what’s worth it, and where do you even start?
For a lot of families, the answer starts in the group chat. Someone asks around, a few names come up, and that’s the list. And honestly? That’s not a bad starting point. If your goalie’s friends have worked with a coach and loved it, that’s worth paying attention to. A recommendation from someone you trust, about someone they’ve actually experienced, carries real weight.
But here’s a thought: why stop there?
Use your network AND cast a wider net.
If your buddies love their coach, great — put them on the list. But summer is also the perfect time to add a new voice. Different coaches bring different strengths. Some are movement specialists. Some are elite at compete and battle. Some are exceptional at developing hockey sense and reading the game. Some are especially strong with younger goalies who need confidence before anything else. No single coach covers everything equally, and the goalies who develop fastest are usually the ones who’ve been exposed to more than one set of eyes over their career.
Something that clicks with a new coach in July might be the thing that unlocks a whole new level come September.
Our Coach Directory is a good place to look.
The InGoal Coach Directory is live now, with coaches and programs across North America searchable by location. And if you’re not sure exactly what you’re looking for, the AI-powered search can help — describe what your goalie needs in plain language and it’ll surface the coaches and programs that match.
When something catches your eye, use the Inquiry button to reach out directly. Ask about their approach, their ratio of coaches to goalies, what a typical session looks like, what age and level they work best with. Contact a few. See whose response resonates, whose philosophy fits where your goalie is right now.
The 2026 Coaches & Camps Guide is also coming soon — with lots of fresh editorial content you and your goalie can learn from in a magazine style format.
One more thing worth saying.
If your goalie does exactly what every goalie in your area does, every summer, they’ll develop alongside those goalies. That might be fine. But if you want to find an edge — a different perspective, a specialized focus, a program that nobody else in your group has tried — it’s out there. The directory is a good place to start looking.
Your goalie has one development window. Make the most of it.
This segment is from Episode 348: Los Angeles Kings prospect and 2025 NCAA champion Hampton Slukynsky
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