GOALIE SKILLS FOCUS:
We recently held a Goalie Coaches Refreshers Session, led by Garrett Bartus and assisted by Nick Novysedlak (AIHL Sydney Ice Dogs Goaltenders). The session focused on skating movements and skills, puck tracking, and post positioning.
Key points from the session:
Head Coaches: Make drills purposeful for goalies, rather than just having them stand in goals and block shots. In any drill, give goalies something to focus on. Break it down to the small details and have them do it repetitively for that session. E.g. Skill: tracking the puck. Focus: active head trajectory on each puck released.
Skating
- This is the most important skill and must be emphasised. If you can get to the correct angle, have good depth and be set, you’re in the best position to make a save.
- Head turns first, body rotates, then push with the back leg. Skating 1
- 4 Main skating movements:
- T-push.
- Butterfly Recovery.
- Butterfly Slide
- Butterfly Push (Powerslide)
- Ensure the shoulders stay level and balanced i.e. avoiding bopping up and down during movement. Skating 2
- Inside edgework: The earlier/younger the goalies start doing this the more comfortable they will be on their edges.
- On feet – figure 8s. Visual and audio instruction: Skating 3 FWD. Skating 3 BKWD
- Butterfly – once comfortable on the feet. Skating 4
Puck Tracking
Use nose as a guidance. I.e. nose in line with puck. Puck Tracking
- Tracking the puck all the way into the body
- Hands out in front, avoid twisting away.
Post Positioning
- VH is a good option for younger/beginner goalies because of their size and strength. Post Positioning 1
- As goalies become stronger and more confident (around Bantam age), move into RVH. Post Positioning 2. Post Positioning 3
- Foot placement is a personal preference (toe on post, skate blade on post, shin on post). Post Positioning 4
- C-Cut recovery from RVH is not easy to do and takes a while to learn and execute. Post Positioning 5. Post Positioning 6
Thank you to the Canterbury Ice Hockey Club for allowing us to hold this session during their goalie training slot.
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