Corey Wogtech

In my last blog we talked about the self blaming tendencies that propel great goaltenders to improve. Great goalies take personal responsibility for every single goal which they allow. This, despite the reality that their teammates have usually made a number of mistakes which lead to the scoring opportunity, is a great way to initiate development points. The problem with continuously shouldering the blame is that goaltenders can forget that they are also responsible for sustaining their own confidence. We have to beware of self doubt when we are continuously reminding ourselves of our past mistakes, all be it in an attempt to improve. It is a goalie’s responsibility to humbly shoulder the blame for each goal against, while also preventing the negative mental effects which blame might often produce. The question is how do we successfully mix both blame and confidence?

As the NHL edges toward a new Stanley Cup champion, both junior and minor hockey tryouts begin. Although they might appear to have nothing in common, playoff runs and tryout sequences are similar because they require an immense amount of confidence for goaltenders. It is important for a goalie to feel confident during these events, which is difficult considering that their abilities are being critiqued by outside sources. Coaches, evaluators, media, they are all attempting to predict what a given goalie may or may not be capable of in the future. Often times those predictions include bits of doubt or negativity.

It can be difficult for a goalie not to believe the negative perception which others might have of them; especially goalies who responsibly blame themselves in an attempt to improve. We all hope to make the team, and we all want to win the championship. Unfortunately, the emotional attachment to those desires mixed with the negative perception of outside sources might cause doubt in our ability to achieve the goals which we have set for ourselves.

One of my pro goaltenders was struggling in the minor leagues this past season. The bounces weren’t going his way and his coach began to lose faith in him. He in turn began to lose faith in himself. He called me, worried about his future, doubting his ability as a professional. His doubt was much like anyone else’s; it had originated from his immediate circumstances. After expressing his concern I responded by saying, “you’ve forgotten who you are, and you’ve forgotten what you’ve done”. I followed that statement with a laundry list of his past accomplishments, some of which included success at the NHL level. His confidence changed almost immediately; the bad bounces seemed to disappear and he began to win with ease yet again. He realized that his past successes could manipulate his current mind set.

It seems almost comical that someone who had competed in the NHL would question their ability to succeed in any other league, but every goalie struggles when things aren’t going their way. Throughout the course of your career, the puck will appear to be both: a beach ball and a pin ball. The bounces will in repetition go: for and against you. The speed of the game will seem: slow and much too fast. Why do these things happen? The net, the rink, the puck; their sizes stay constant in both sequences. Simplistically speaking, the game doesn’t change; our perception changes. The puck looks smaller, the bounces begin to go against us, the game speeds up, and the people around us, coaches, teammates, media outlets, they all start to doubt our ability to succeed. The decisions that we make during these times of doubt are what allow us to either fail or succeed. How can we manipulate our minds to honestly believe that we’re capable of succeeding in our current environment?

The trick is, we must always look to our past in order to help us mentally justify our present. Although we don’t know the future, we can all remember the past. We have all done something in our past to get to where we currently stand. If you are a professional goalie, you succeeded in college or major junior. If you are a college goalie, you succeeded in junior hockey. If you are a junior goalie, you succeeded in high school or midget, and so on and so forth. If you have never played hockey before, the first time that you make a save you will have earned one small reason to believe that you can make another save. One save turns into two, two turns into three. Each save builds on the next all the way up to the opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup.

It is important to remember that you are not who people believe you to be. You are complex. You are experienced. You are proven. The failures of a period, a game, a week, a month, those are just the present, they’re the tip of the iceberg. Every goalie however is made up of the mass underneath the surface. Every save that you have made in your past is the compilation of a resume; a resume that justifies your place at any given tryout, practice, or game. Most of the people watching from the stands will never fully understand your depth, which is why they will always question your ability. They don’t know about the amazing save you made at one of your practices, or the tournament in which you earned the MVP. It’s your job to remember those past successes and incorporate them into your mental makeup. Only you can truly understand your own depth, so only you can control your confidence.

The key to confidence is remembering from your past that you have earned the opportunity to stand in the present.

Corey Wogtech
W Goaltending