Tips for Coaching the Goalie

There is no denying the fact that goalies are an important part of every youth hockey team. Even with this fact, however, many goalies do not receive the level of coaching they deserve, if they receive any coaching at all.     

The reality is that team coaches often think goalies are getting outside coaching. Or, even worse yet, coaches just say that they don’t understand the position fully and/or that they need to concentrate on their other players.

Obviously, this type of attitude is unfair to goalies. For this reason, all coaches should focus on working with their goalies, just as they focus on other members of the team. Keeping a few simple tips in mind can really help all coaches to better and more effectively work with their goalies.

Assign Someone to be “Goalie Coach”  

It’s very true that coaches have to spend a lot of time with the other members of their team. However, this does not mean that goalies have to be neglected.

If coaches find that they do not have enough time to work specifically and individually with their goalies, they should seek outside help.

Assistant coaches, for example, are a great resource for working with goalies. Whether it’s the assistant coach or some outside resource, it is important to employ someone who fully understands and who, preferably, has played the goalie position to work with goalies on the skills specific to them.

Control Pacing

Even when there is someone specifically assigned to work with the goalie, make sure that team practices are also beneficial to the goalie as well.

By carefully controlling the pace of any team drills and giving goalies time to get set for shots, coaches can set goalies up for success and make practices just as beneficial for goalies as they are for everyone else on the team.

The goalie position is a special position with special needs. But, at the end of the day, coaches need to accommodate for this important position and ensure that goalies get the same attention as anyone else.