Understanding the Purpose of the Pre-game Warm Up

After watching the poor starts by the Canadian Goaltenders at the 2010 World juniors, MTN began to wonder if what and how the Canadian goaltenders prepared prior to the game during the on ice warm up. The warm up may have effected how they prepared and performed for the competition.


A hockey game is not sixty minutes long! It starts before the drop of the puck and finishes well after the third period final buzzer.


The game actually consists of four periods (or more):
When stepping on the ice, attention to game like details must start! The goaltender must have game like focus during the warm up! It is actually part of the game. For as long as MTN can remember the 10 to 15 minute team pre game warm up is done on the ice.



During the goaltender’s off ice training and on ice practices they should have worked on speed and power. They have also worked on pattern recognition, did visual, aerobic and anaerobic training. Just minutes before the game is to start, is not the time to face multiple rapid fire, shots and continual dekes. Now is the time to focus all that they have trained for, so that they may fire automatically during the game.


It is extremely important that goaltenders develop a routine. Prepare for the warm up period as though preparing for the game.


The goaltender must warm up before the pre-game, on-ice warm up. How, arrive early, enter the rink with a plan and/or routine and have an organized warm-up. If a goalies does all these things, they will be ready for each and every game and that is half the battle!


The goaltender that does this will usually start the game quickly. Otherwise the goaltender may start slowly as if the first period is the actual warm-up. The game’s outcome may already be determined by then. Goaltenders can often dictate a game by how they play in the first five to ten minutes of the game. How many times have you seen a goalie that makes some brilliant saves at the start of the game, while the rest of their team wakes up, and then the team goes on a run for the rest of the game and wins? Probably as many times as you have seen a goalie scored on witththe first shot of the game. Goalies must create successful mindsets and pre-game routines. Sometimes these routines are regarded as superstition. Certain routines that they believe contributed to a great game one time might become incorporated into that athlete’s standard operating system for game preparation. Understand the difference between routine and superstition. Wearing a yellow tie will not in itself make the goaltender perform better, however if there is a belief that it will then the brain has triggered positive feedback. It is not the yellow tie but the brain that contributes to a positive approach.
The goaltender uses muscles, and the eyes in a particular way, therefore the warm-up should be tailored to heating up the muscles and visual skills that are going to be utilized. Goalies should warm up their muscles and vision before putting on their equipment. This level of preparedness is a must for any serious goalie.


Elite goaltenders seeking consistency tend to employ refresher drills—on and off the ice. They will be better prepared should a situation arise where they must use certain saves in the game. Refreshing the mind as to the proper techniques needed to properly prepare and perform involves:


Visualization

Once again, visualization is a big part of mental preparation for the goaltender’s game and should be done before going out onto the ice and any time the team goes back in the locker room between periods. Visualization helps goaltenders prepare for things to come and helps prepare the mind to react in a desired way.


Elite goaltender’s must look for ways to boost eye-hand-stick coordination, visual tracking exercises, spatial relations* and efficient movements centering on the net. Some of these pre-game routines are physically practiced while others employ imagery.



Make sure that goaltenders take pre-game warm up seriously and that they truly prepare to meet the challenges of the game!



A warm–up that uses rapid fire shots, deking and quick passes across the slot is not the most effective warm up for a goaltender. Warm–ups are not always good if forcing the goaltender to respond quickly and face plenty of shots before a game. Start slow and increase pace but keep the pace game like.


Work on the types of shots and the speeds of shots that need to be seen before the rest of the squad fires shots at normal speeds. Shots from one player also helps the goaltender focus on one puck at a time and helps build the confidence within so the goaltender is ready for whatever comes next.


Help Your Coach Develop a Warm Up That Suits Your Needs


It may not work with all coaches, but it is certainly worth a shot. There may be nothing worse (or better in some cases) than an angry and upset goalie before the start of a game. Warm ups can set a goalie off if he/she feels that they are not ready for the match. If you have certain drills that you like for warm up, tell the coach and ask if he/she will make them part of the warm up period. The worst they can say is no. However just because the goalie enjoys a drill does not mean it should be used in a warm up. Make sure it has relevance to the task ahead.


As stated above goaltenders must employ routines for pre-game preparation, such as net location sequences, focusing drills, and refocusing progressions that enhance consistency in performance.
Practice moves that may be made in the game at least four times!

Try and Incorporate Visual Skills with Movement Skills

Play the puck around the boards look for differences in the boards, especially when on the road. Have a player or two rim the puck around the boards and get out of the net to play it. See if the goaltender can notice any uneven areas that may cause the puck to jet out from the boards and possibly in front of the goal. Of course, one won’t be able to fix any problems with the boards, but you can alert yourself to the danger and change strategy when pucks are dumped into the zone.

Make sure that when the puck drops in the first period to have done everything possible to prepare the following skill sets:

1. Physical Skills
2. Mental Skills
3. Visual skills
4. Tactical skills

needed to perform your job of : “Keeping the puck out of the net!”
Samples of on ice goalie warm up drills

- Two shooters at hash marks in slot.

- Goalie starts center of net.
- Out to shooter #1 Controlled shot goalie follow rebound.
- Back to center of net.
- Out to shooter #2.
- Repeat 4 x each shooter.


Focus on: sculls, net orientation, reading release eliminating post save delay by puck tracking off the body, recovery and returning to net properly. Shooters must wait for goalie to get out and be set before shooting. All shots are to be five hole allowing the goalie to puck track

- Two shooters same as before however one player drops down to receive a staggered lateral pass.
- Goalie starts on near post, out to high shooter same side (inside hash mark in slot). When goalie gets there player #1 feeds a staggered pass to #2 who is on opposite side at top of crease.

- Goalie tracks puck and uses a butterfly slide, visual attachment to help prepare for no post save delay follow rebound then return to opposite post, and repeat. After player # 1 passes he drops down low on his side to receive a staggered pass from # 2 who after receiving pass and shooting now goes high to pass to # 1.
- Repeat 4 x each side.
Focus on: t-push from post to passer, visual attachment with puck on pass, getting butterfly slide under control, visuals on release of stick from both pass and shot, puck tracking and recovery response after save. Player passing puck must wait for goalie to get there and be set before passing , player receiving pass must wait for goalie to get there before shooting.

- Pucks behind goal line.
- Player or players in front.
- Player behind goal line passes out to player in front.
- Goalie starts at post with visual attachment to player behind goal line with puck.
- Goalie tracks out with pass , sets and faces shot from player out front who received pass. Player waits for goalie, to arrive, then shoots.
- Goalie tracks rebound then sets up at opposite post, where the sequence is repeated.
- Repeat 4 x each side.
Focus on: goalie tracking pass, shot and rebound placement. This warm up can incorporate the whole team if wanted have player taking shot attack net for one rebound then do a quick stop and skate hard to the redline. If using the whole team, vary the player who receives the pass so that he goalie must use more visual skills and not just assume who is getting the pass.
Key Warm up Points
- All passes are to be slower than game speed and all shots are to be shot 5 hole, Hitting the goalie and giving them a feel for the puck allowing them time to puck track on and off their body.
- During this time players can be doing passing drills, stationary, then moving.
- Upon completion of Goalie drills is the time now for the whole team to get involved.
i.e.; dump ins and break outs 2 on ones etc.
- No semi circle, No horse shoe, Maybe a controlled pace three line shooting drill if goalie can track puck i.e. Shooter follow in for rebound.
*Spatial Ability*
Spatial ability is the skill to analyze, visualize, comprehend and express signs and shapes. It helps to identify forms from the patterns and vice versa. It assists in solving critical problems. Spatial ability and multitasking are crucial to the goalie’s performance. The ability to focus on and integrate several factors simultaneously separates the great goalies from the good ones. Positioning and efficiency are key at all times. Goalies must systematically develop the ability to keep track of where the players are off-the-puck. They must integrate how well their teammates are reacting to the attacks and positioning of the opposing team. Goalies are ultimately responsible for managing the efficiency of defensive play. Threat awareness is but one part of the many factors processed and accounted for by a competent goalie.
References
“Pregame Preparation”
http://www.mtngoaltending.com/articl...reparation.pdf
“Important Vision Habits for Elite Goaltenders”
http://www.mtngoaltending.com/articl...oaltenders.pdf
“Body Mind and Soul”
http://www.kivalliq.com/2010Games/Body Mind Soul.pdf
“Pre Game Warm Up”
http://www.goalieacademy.com/articles/pregame.htm
http://www.podiumsportsjournal.com/2...tough™-goalie/
http://www.albertahockey.com/story/1...e_warm_up.aspx
http://www.albertahockey.com/story/1...e_warm_up.aspx
http://www.thegoalieguild.com/tag/pre-game-routine/