RYHA Goalie Coaching• This packet is designed to give you the ability to develop your teams goalie.

• Dedicate 10-15 minutes of practice and devote that to 1-on-1 coaching of the goalie.• As you will read SKATING is very important, the goalie should skate a good portion

of the team skating drills; however, goalies must spend practice time working on goalie-specific footwork and skating drills.

• For Squirts and below DO NOT let them carry or shoot the puck thru team drills, they are not strong enough at that age and it’s wasting time. Team puck handling drills are an opportune time for goalies to practice their footwork and skating drills.

• This is just the basics. If you have questions or need more drills or assistance please contact Mike Bromberg at mnhockeyone@gmail.com

• Remember, and remind other coaches, without a decent goalie a great team will never win.

Coach & Goalie – A Development Partnership

• Goalies develop at an unequal pace. A Coach must be flexible in allowing a goalie to build their own style of play.

• Convey to them the importance of a practice and that they need to take charge of their own development. “If they cheat, they are only cheating themselves.”

• It is important that Repetition is stressed both on and off the ice. • Review the drills prior to the start of practice. By asking them questions is a way to

make sure that they understand the Drill or Skill that is going to be taught. • Be POSITIVE. Speak to both goalies during the course of a practice, and give them

an opportunity to speak. Make eye contact when you are listening to them. • Teach each skill in a piece-by-piece method, making sure that your Goalies do not

skip pieces.

• Never let your goalies repeatedly do something wrong!!! After one side is executed properly work on the other side, and after each side is executed properly randomly switch sides.

• Have your Goalies execute the skill properly, slowly and in sequence without the

use of pucks. • Introduce pucks in a slow and controlled manner so that the goalie can make the

save. This instills confidence in the goalie to perform the save.

• Speed up the drill gradually once the goalie has developed proper execution and control.

Coach & Goalie – A Development Partnership

Skating is the most important aspect of being a goalie. Coaches MUST incorporate Goalie-specific Skating & Mobility drills in each practice. All major goalie instructors state the best skater on the team should be the goalie.

Your job is to coach not score. It is good to challenge to goalie but they must learn the movement.

Drills must be timed & spaced apart so that goalies have time to set up properly before the next shot, especially in Warm Up drills.

•It is the coaches’ responsibility to run drills so that the goalie is allowed time to set up, make the save and respond to the consequence of the save.

•Rapid fire drills serve little purpose unless they are performed in a controlled situation; for example, stationary rapid fire shooting drills, to a specific save, helps develop and improve a goalie’s quickness and agility.

•Drills should be structured and timed so that the goalie has the time to follow and complete the entire sequence of the drill. This is especially important during team shooting drills. By incorporating movement in a drill, the goalie has to move in their crease prior to a shot

Although emphasis must be placed on the initial save, drills should contain “Game Situation” elements. (Example Rebounding, Screen Shots, Deflections etc.)

Coaching Tips to Include Goalies into Practice

1. Always have your Goalies start from the middle of their net on the goal line and as

the puck moves towards the Blue line, they challenge on their correct Angle.

2. Always have your Goalies always stop on their outside Skate when they are telescoping out to challenge the shooter.

3. Always have your Goalies Lead with their stick when they are telescoping out to challenge the shooter. By doing so they will be quicker and square on the Puck.

4. Always have your Goalies always keep their Shoulders Square to the Puck and not the Shooter.

5. Always have your Goalies always get up with the leg furthest from the puck first

6. Always have your Goalies challenge the Shooter. Have them make most of their saves outside the top of the Arc.

7. Always have your Goalies be in the Set Position prior to any shot.

COACHING FUNDAMENTAL TIPSThe following is a list of 7 Coaching Fundamental Goalie Tips to

aid coaches in Detecting Glaring Goalie Errors.

1. SKATESYou should be positioned on the Inside Edges of your Skates. With the proper Edge Control you will feel solid on your skates so that you will be able to react to any situation with correct form. Your skates should be spaced about shoulder width apart and you should distribute your weight on the inside balls of your feet.

2. KNEE FLEXIONBend your knees so that you are sitting comfortably with confidence. Your Quadriceps play a very important role in obtaining a SOLID Set Position. They support the weight of your Body thereby making the ability to adjust your position in the crease in a Powerful and Controlled manner. It is important not to have your knees touching one another. When trying to make a save while your knees are touching one another (V Stance) you first have to open your knees then make the save…making two movements instead of just one.

3. UPPER BODYYour upper body is slightly bent forward so that it is in line with your knees. If your shoulders are too far forward or backwards you will be off balance. Your shoulders, Hips and Skates must be square to the puck at all times.

The Set PositionA quality Set Position begins from the feet up.

Power for any lateral movement should be readily available in the Set Position.

4. GLOVESBoth gloves should be held at the same height and on a parallel line to each other and in front of your pads at waist level so that they are free to move in any direction. By having proper placement of your gloves you will have a Balanced Set Position, and be able to follow the puck all the way into your Glove or Blocker.

CATCHING GLOVEYour wrist should be flexed back to open your glove up to the puck. You should hold you glove higher in your initial stance, so that you take more of the net away, and gradually lower it as the shooter moves in to be in line with the trajectory of the shot.

BLOCKERYou should position your Blocker to the side of your Pad and about 2-3 inches in front of your Pad. By doing so you will have free mobility to move your Blocker in any direction and you will Eliminate Double Coverage.

5. STICKYour stick is your most important tool!!! If you lead with your stick your body will follow. You should hold the paddle of the stick firmly with either your index or your index and middle finger, with the remaining fingers gripping the shaft of the stick firmly. Your stick should be held Flat on the ice in between your Pads. To determine the proper distance that your stick should be away from your pads is to stand with your skates behind the Blue Line and place your stick in front of the blue line and assume the Set Position. By doing this your stick will assume the proper 55 degree angle.

6. HEAD Hold your head high in line with your knees always facing the play. Your body should be in a symmetrical line from your head to your toes.

The Set Position

Save Positions

• Half-V

• Full-V or Butterfly

• Two-Pad Stack or Deck Save

Skating Terms

• Shuffle – push skates sideways, keeping blades parallel to each other and perpendicular to the direction of travel.

R R RL L L

1

2

3

• T-Push / T-Glide – skates form a “T” shape. Push off with the top of the “T” and glide on the opposite skate.

R L R L

1

Drills

• Basic Footwork Drills– Shuffle 1 – Push Across the Goal Line Post to Post– T-Push Post to Post– Triangle Cross-Over to the Left Post– Half-Moon 5 Puck Shuffle – V Telescoping – Inverted Y Telescoping– 3 Angle Opposite Telescoping RLCC– Bow Tie Cross Over with a Shuffle from the Post– Hour Glass Single T-Push

• Shooting Drills– Inverted T-Push Stand Up Stick Save– 5 Puck Continuous Box Butterfly– Random Stationary Shooting– Follow the Shooter Middle Release with Backdoor Option– Rebound Drive to the Net– Catch Glove Fundamental Save– Stick Deflection Fundamental Save– Angles Fundamental Positioning

Basic Footwork Drills

• Sample Goalie Skating Drills – could be done while the team practices puck handling drills.

• The goalie should progress to performing these on their own.

– Post to Post Shuffle (4 repetitions)

– T-Push Post to Post (4 repetitions)

– Triangle Cross Over to the Left Post Drill (3 repetitions). Repeat to the Right Post (3 repetitions)

– V Telescoping Drill (4 repetitions)

– Inverted Y Telescoping Drill (4 repetitions)

– Half Moon 5 Puck Shuffle (3 repetitions)

– Any combination of: (3 repetitions each)• 3 Angle Opposite Telescoping RLCC• Bow Tie Cross Over with a Shuffle from the Post• Hour Glass Single T-Push

Shooting Drills