The ADM model

You will hear the coaches say things like the goalie must be the best skater on the team so skate in all the drills or must be the best conditioned player so skate harder in the skating drills. This is the equivalent of I don't know how to coach a goalie so skate and when we need a shooter tutor we will call you. Coaches will then throw the goalie into the net after skating for 45 min to face 3-400 shots then go into the breakaway drill. This is a recipe for a pulled hammy or groin. Goalie parents should arm themselves with knowledge look on line for some great drills that incorporate team play with goalie specific drills, create a hand book of them. Also arm the coach with knowledge, most goalies suffer from pulled muscles caused by dehydration! We wear 40% heavier gear and are required to skate hard then face shots in practice with no break where a skater has recovery time when waiting in line up for his/her next play/shot, goalies need recovery time too. If the coaches don't know they cannot change these mistakes.

Originally Posted by John37

I just completed my level 3 USA certification and we were interacting with others who were advancing from 1-4 in fact. We had some very good instructors. What pissed me off was seeing, Dads of players, who coach their own kids teams( pet pieve, USA hockey should prohibit Parents from coaching their own kids starting at squirt) but we were fortunate enough to spend an on ice session with with a renowned goalie coach, and several goalies including one NHL draft pic. Following the session, i was appaled to hear an entire table complaining that we just spend an hour on the ice learning how to coach goalies, and how to drill them.
I turned to them and stated simply and when you loose games at these and god forbid higher levels your all going to have opinions one why the goalie lost you the game. As head coaches it is your responsibility to know how to train every player on your team, not just forwards or D. You will not have the luxury of deadicated, competent goalie coach all the time. You will have other dads who think they know, and when your skating your team, Ill bet I still see your goalies skating circles and lines instead of 4 puck drills, and goalie agility training.
I have reached the place where I believe the ADM needs to require, one session perweek for goalie only for goalie training. They simply will not get anything from current development plans.

On parents not coaching their kids:

I think they are worried about not getting enough volunteers to have teams staffed properly. I know that my wife wouldn't allow me to coach a team that my son wasn't on while my son is playing hockey.

On goalies getting an hour a week of goalie specific coaching: I was lucky to have that when I was a kid. The issue now with a lot of minor hockey organizations is having a coach that can and will do that and finding the $200+ a week for the ice time.

Jim since my son plays travel league we have paid for ice time with our dues....That said if they can't find a staff member that can teach the kids for that hour, then they just get used as targets for the shooters. I would love nothing more than to get certified in coaching that position just so our local teams could get someone...but with a failed back surgery that isn't gonna happen.

Originally Posted by papawaynelowe

Jim since my son plays travel league we have paid for ice time with our dues....That said if they can't find a staff member that can teach the kids for that hour, then they just get used as targets for the shooters. I would love nothing more than to get certified in coaching that position just so our local teams could get someone...but with a failed back surgery that isn't gonna happen.

Dues usually go to buy the team's ice time and not for the association to run weekly goalie clinics.

Our association has some forward skills clinics that ran weekly for a while. But, you had to pay to be a part of those to pay for the ice time.

The other issue with good goalie coaching is something that I touched on above. USA Hockey doesn't have a program to teach people to be goalie coaches. I wish that they would have a Goalie Coach Specific CEP path for those that have a specific interest in coaching goalies. But, my guess is that something like that is way down on their To Do List, if it's there at all.

Originally Posted by Buff33

You will hear the coaches say things like the goalie must be the best skater on the team so skate in all the drills or must be the best conditioned player so skate harder in the skating drills. This is the equivalent of I don't know how to coach a goalie so skate and when we need a shooter tutor we will call you.

I don't understand what you are saying here, in all of my playing and coaching experience; the cop-out of a coach that doesn't understand goaltending is to send the kids to the nets and let them try and coach themselves. A coach who insists the goalie is the best skater on the team is a very intelligent coach, because frankly it's true. Yes it is absolutely important for young goalies to be working on goalie specific drills, however it is also absolutely crucial that they are great skaters first.

Originally Posted by Big Red

I don't understand what you are saying here, in all of my playing and coaching experience; the cop-out of a coach that doesn't understand goaltending is to send the kids to the nets and let them try and coach themselves. A coach who insists the goalie is the best skater on the team is a very intelligent coach, because frankly it's true. Yes it is absolutely important for young goalies to be working on goalie specific drills, however it is also absolutely crucial that they are great skaters first.

The problem I see is that a goalie needs to be good at goalie-specific skating.

There are some forward skating drills that apply well to the skills that goalies need. But, there are plenty that don't.

My contention is that in order for a goalie to be able to be successful at goalie specific skating, the goalie needs to be successful at basic skating drills. The overwhelming majority of skating drills are very beneficial to goalies. Crease movement, and other goalie specific footwork are complementary skills, not supplementary skills.

Originally Posted by Big Red

My contention is that in order for a goalie to be able to be successful at goalie specific skating, the goalie needs to be successful at basic skating drills. The overwhelming majority of skating drills are very beneficial to goalies. Crease movement, and other goalie specific footwork are complementary skills, not supplementary skills.

The key is knowing which forward skating drills have good crossover to playing goalie and those that don't.

For instance, I would rather have a goalie work on goalie-specific drills than do most crossover focused forward skating drills.