Sports and Leisure Magazine Jan 2007
Greg Gardner is an Assistant Coach with the Niagara University Purple Eagles Hockey Team. He is also a goalie consultant for WNY and has a Goaltending Institute on Campus at Dwyer Arena.
As Yogi Berra of the Great New York Yankees said, "The game is half mental…. 90% of the time." As funny as this sounds, Yogi is actually right. For goaltenders of any age, the game is more than just half mental. In no other sport is there as much pressure as there is on a goaltender. The highs of a win that a "goalie stole" for his team can feel overpowering; conversely the lows of a loss that a goalie preformed poorly in, can be devastating. The object for the goalie is to find a healthy balance between these two polar opposites.
Confidence fuels good performance. When goalies feel good about themselves, he or she reacts proactively. Confident goalies can read and feel the game easily, and generally are in good position to stop the puck all the time. When a goalie is not feeling confident, he or she tends to simply react to the game. A non-confident goalie seems to be out of position and is constantly trying to play catch up. So, how do you coach your goalie to be confident and not be so fragile?
To start, the only time I feel nervous about anything, is when I feel unprepared. Preparation breeds confidence. The better prepared you are, the more confident you will be in your ability. For goalies there are 2 ways to prepare; being physically prepared as well as being mentally prepared.
To physically prepare for games, good practice habits need to be developed and a system needs to be employed. That system starts with repetitions in practice and proper form all the time. Repetitions can be done using a quarter of the ice to work on drills or can be employed during regular practice drills. The concept I like to deliver to goalies is to yearn for a consistent method.
Imagine your daily morning routine. For most, a cup of coffee begins the day; for myself, I can do it in my sleep. I know where the coffee, cream and sugar are kept. I know where the mugs are and how much coffee is needed to make a good pot. But finally I also know how to pour and prepare my cup exactly how I like it. Now can you imagine how disruptive and disturbing your morning would be if you couldn't find where the mugs were, or if you constantly experimented with how to prepare your cup? Now imagine if you did not know exactly how many scoops were needed to brew a pot and had to hope that the coffee tasted good. That is what an unprepared goalie goes through on a daily basis. He or she is constantly experimenting with his or her routine hoping to find a miracle. During games he or she is just reacting and hoping that they are in the right position to make the save.
A confident goalie feels sure in him/herself and his or her ability. That goalie knows what to do in every situation and can handle when there are bumps in the road. S/he takes the long view and is prepared for success. A prepared goalie is a confident one and a confident goalie is half the game, 90% of the time.
