Anyone ever thought, what the heck i'll try goalie?

[Hermans 9]

10 years ago I went from D-man to goalie and never looked back! I absolutely love the mental side of the game, and as a goalie it so much more prevalent. I also love pressure, and think of it this way- if a forward or dman makes a mistake, no big deal. When the goalie makes a mistake, it's huge and everyone's looking at him. Go w/ cheap gear first, then invest in the good stuff. Two items you should never scrimp on though: Helmet, and Jock. Go for it, and good luck!

took my skates for sharpening and left with goalie gear on Jan 2nd of 2010. i've played in net about 30-40 times at shinnies for shits and giggles and love it. I don't play on a team in an actual league. It's a blast and a great workout.

I had the same advice from the guy at the store... "don't go cheap on the helmet or jock and I suggest for the price difference at least a mid level C/A... but I got used skates, used pants, pads, gloves and sticks on clearance and a cheap goalie gear bag..." I've loved the decision to go higher end on the helmet and jock.

[WSjo22 1]

I played once at practice for my college's inline team. I've played baseball, I catch, my entire life and still play in college... didn't help with stopping a puck at all. As mentioned, I have a really quick glove hand, but the thing that I excel at catching in baseball (backhanding short hops thrown too far to my right) really is a terrible habit in goal. I really tend to forget about my stick/blocker hand and try to backhand shots with the trapper. Also, playing the angles of an incoming baseball from a relatively stationary position that is (supposedly) being thrown to my mitt versus learning to cut down angles against an ever changing launching point with the puck (in essence) trying to be placed where I am not doesn't bode well for me. That, and the gear smelled terrible... I'm anal about airing out my ice and inline equipment, and none of it smells at all as a result. This goalie equipment could have gagged a maggot; it really made it hard to focus on stopping the puck fighting the nausea.

But, our goalie graduated last year and we have no new goalie coming in that we know of. So, in the interest of keeping the club running I may be switching full time from forward to net. We have the obstacle of getting a new set of gear (our previous goalie owned his own equipment, as did the one before him... meaning nothing was ever purchased towards a "team set") will most likely be our biggest problem. I'm looking forward to the challenge. Also, we're dropping down a tier in skill level after having our asses handed to us nearly every game last year, which may help ease the pain of converting to goal. We'll see how my ego handles it...

Since this was bumped.... I know exactly how you feel, spent the majority of my competitive baseball career as a catcher. I've played net a few times for the hell of it and nothing is worse than having someone lob a floater in on your blocker side and reach across your body with the glove and miss haha

[srv2miker 0]

Honestly, I think everyone should step in net for at least one game, to understand the difficulty in playing the position. It's a lot more than just being big and getting in front of pucks - the method and mechanics of moving in the net are completely different than playing out.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Honestly, I think everyone should step in net for at least one game, to understand the difficulty in playing the position. It's a lot more than just being big and getting in front of pucks - the method and mechanics of moving in the net are completely different than playing out.

You will definitely learn what they go through game in game out and gain more respect for your padded counterparts if you haven't already.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

Another video of me in net:

[Secti0n31 0]

I would absolutely love to play goal, but I can only play full right(or else the baseball backhand reflex would be too much to control) which makes it very difficult for me to 'borrow' gear. I think I'd make a pretty good goalie, and it'd be a lot of fun, but theres no freakin way I'm spending that kinda money. If anyone around 5'5 is just giving away full right goalie gear, that'd be a different story, but for now I'll just stick w skating.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Played a few times. Hated the wraparounds, they really pissed me off. It just felt so awkward to try and hug the post while trying to keep the paddle down and being ready to slide. Dekes were alright if they weren't cutting across. Only shots that annoyed me were high blocker.

[mug25 2]

I've got a very good reaction time and also am pretty good with a glove (played catcher and first base baseball when I was younger) so I'm always tempted to do it but the thing that holds me back is the price of equipment and I don't exactly have the most stamina. I'd be dead after one period.

[adam14 182]

I was dead after warm up, let alone the first period last time I played in net.

[mug25 2]

I was dead after warm up, let alone the first period last time I played in net.

You've talked me out of it. I'd not make it past carving up the ice in my crease.

[shooter27 116]

During the week before finals in college we weren't allowed to have formal practices so the guys that weren't studying would come down to the rink to scrimmage. Every year I would pick one of those days when one of our goalies didn't make it to strap on the pads and play net. It was actually a lot of fun, although I never realized how tiring it was to simply go down and up over and over again

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I'd LOVE to play goal, but I can barely skate as it is..