Starting in Goal as an Adult

[m3thods 13]

I also used a dangler, but when I upgraded my c/a it actually hindered my head movement. When I took it off, I noticed that my floaters overlap with the mask margin when I tuck my neck in. I wear a neck protector usually, so there's about 1/4" of area for a puck to squeak through if I don't tuck my helmet. It's a small enough risk for me to ditch the dangler.

If I ever change masks, I may go back to one if there is too much open space.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Yea there is almost zero open space for me, especially with the throat guard I got.

[Davetronz 109]

I also ditched the dangler for a Bauer goalie throat and neck protector.

I found that the dangler just got in the way, got caught or otherwise was a pain in the butt.

[Hills 712]

Just to counter all of the people removing danglers. I have worn one my entire life and always wear a neck guard as well. Once you learn how to tie the dangler the way you like it it shouldn't bother you.

Mine clanked all the time but the way I made it now it barely moves, and you might think your neck is covered but when scrambling holes open up so I'll take the extra coverage when possible.

[psulion22 402]

I wear a Maltese combo and no dangler. It's the best thing out there. Skip the dangler, it doesn't do anything. The worst neck injury I got was when a shot shattered my dangler and it slightly cut my neck. GO Maltese, you'll be happy you did. Lightweight and super protective.

[psulion22 402]

It's really difficult to post a video of you doing something when you know its completely wrong. Be gentle.

You problems aren't caused by flexibility, but rather technique. You are dropping forwards to the ice and sitting your hips down. When you do that, it pushes the pads back and your feet behind you. You should be dropping straight down - your feet should go more out than back. Drive your knees downwards into the ice, not forwards. You can help accomplish this by doing two things - get your feet out a little wider and deepen you knee bend more, and also keep your hips forwards when you drop .

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Thanks for the tips! I'll try practicing that. Do you think I need full gear to practice that or is just my pants and pads enough? Also do you think I can get away with sneakers instead of skates for the most part? Probably dumb questions but I want to make practicing a mix of convenience and accuracy, if that makes sense.

Been looking at the Maltese throat guards and everyone says they're great.

[BenderHockey 127]

Use all your equipment. Practice how you want to play. You might find you think you found the right way to do something, but then when the pads/skates come into play, it changes.

I also see in your video, that you tend to be sitting on your calves a bit when you go down. In a butterfly save situation, you want your hips/trunk to be flat/straight up and square to the shooter, not angled backwards.

[psulion22 402]

Thanks for the tips! I'll try practicing that. Do you think I need full gear to practice that or is just my pants and pads enough? Also do you think I can get away with sneakers instead of skates for the most part? Probably dumb questions but I want to make practicing a mix of convenience and accuracy, if that makes sense.

Been looking at the Maltese throat guards and everyone says they're great.

Pads, pants, and skates for sure. Gloves and a stick probably would help also. Looking at the vid again, when you get your feet out a little wider, bring your knees in closer together and bend them more. When you drop it will be easier to drive your knees together and down, instead of forward. You can kind of see what I mean in this pic of Carey Price. See how his knees are much closer in relation to his feet? (he's moving so it's not his full stance)

You can kind of see it in these pics of Henrik as well. Look at how close his legs are above his pads compared to his feet, and how deep his bend is.

I also see in your video, that you tend to be sitting on your calves a bit when you go down. In a butterfly save situation, you want your hips/trunk to be flat/straight up and square to the shooter, not angled backwards.

Yep. It drives the knees down and keeps the legs out. The newer technique is a little bend in the hips. It apparently improves agility and movement, and takes some stress off the hips and knees. I read about it in InGoal mag. Still not sitting though.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Well... here we go. Captain just let me know that our goalie won't be able to play any of our games in December and needs me to fill in. That gives me about a month to prepare.

Apparently there are never any goalies at the local 5:30am stick time, so he's going to go to those with me, as well as beginner pickup on Tuesday nights.

Yikes.

[SirJW 207]

Jumping in to the pool!

[IPv6Freely 2093]

So.. apparently playing pickup tomorrow. I think... I think I'd better practice putting this crap on... lol.

[BenderHockey 127]

You are probably going to be terrible. You need to be ok with that. Don't worry about the last shot that went in, worry about stopping the next one.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

You are probably going to be terrible. You need to be ok with that. Don't worry about the last shot that went in, worry about stopping the next one.

I'm absolutely going to be terrible. But where else am I going to start besides a beginner level pickup game? Other than stick time, which I'm doing next week.

I'm planning on literally just standing there most of the time and hoping it hits me. Hopefully they catch on that I'm a beginner and give me a decent number of mid- to long-range shots just to get a feel for things.

At least the goals don't matter in pickup - they don't even keep score.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Speedy Stitcher FTW! I can't believe I didn't own one of these until today.

Goalie C/A arms shortened about 1.5" so now I can actually get my gloves on! The photo shows the staples still in (stapled the fold together to make it easier to stitch - I've since taken the staples out, obviously). This thing was so easy to use :)

[BenderHockey 127]

Have them just shoot. No dekes, just long/mid range shots. Have them start with easy wristers, just so you can learn to pick the puck up off of the blade and track it in. Track every shot all the way into your glove, your pads, or the net.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Let in a bajilion goals in my first time as a goalie, but definitely got better as time went on. Made a couple nice glove saves too :)

Nice to see some black marks on my pads finally!

Oh, and almost threw up. 1hr45 is too long for me at this point. Didn't help that I was too afraid of not being able to get my blocker back on to take a drink. Need skinny bottles so I don't have to! But yea, being pickup it was nonstop. Never in their end long enough to chance it. That's my own fault though, should have just done it anyway.

Oh, and my feet REALLY hurt. I need to get some makos converted ASAP.

Edited October 29, 2014 by OptimusReim

[badger_14 601]

Let in a bajilion goals in my first time as a goalie, but definitely got better as time went on. Made a couple nice glove saves too :)

Nice to see some black marks on my pads finally!

Oh, and almost threw up. 1hr45 is too long for me at this point. Didn't help that I was too afraid of not being able to get my blocker back on to take a drink. Need skinny bottles so I don't have to! But yea, being pickup it was nonstop. Never in their end long enough to chance it. That's my own fault though, should have just done it anyway.

Oh, and my feet REALLY hurt. I need to get some makos converted ASAP.

Sweet!

Let the other players know if you need to stop for a drink - when I play street pickup, at least in the summer, they refer to water breaks as 'goalie breaks'. I'd like to think they'd be accommodating if you let them know, handwave or whatever, 'hey, I need break'. If you collapse of dehydration, they have to put up with the shooter tutor again. ;)

[BenderHockey 127]

Don't convert player skates, use the goal skates. Get them baked, stretched, punched, whatever. Player skates won't allow the movement you may not currently have, but will need in the future.

Take as many breaks as you need, both to rehydrate and to stretch. Stretch when play is at the other end, and every chance you get.

Also use the time when play is at the other end to work on movement. Look up how to push off, and get from post to post. I know you may feel like most of this is above your skill level, but if you don't start doing it now, you'll get used to NOT doing it, and you'll have to re-train yourself later. I made this mistake.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Don't convert player skates, use the goal skates. Get them baked, stretched, punched, whatever. Player skates won't allow the movement you may not currently have, but will need in the future.

How is it any different?

[BenderHockey 127]

The movements needed in the ankle area.

[Gummer12 134]

Incorrect. Player conversions work just fine. Law Goalie and TamTamG have them, and I have seen many others done. Esp Makos, they would be a good boot to convert with its lower cut

[IPv6Freely 2093]

My makos are just as low cut as my reactors, actually.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Had my second session this past Tuesday. MUCH better. I was much more comfortable out there, and not completely dehydrated like the first time. I managed to figure out how to get my blocker off quickly to get a drink during line changes (its pickup so I have about 15 seconds every time they change lines since theres both a beginner line and an advanced line on each team and when one changes the other has to as well).

I also was able to alleviate much of my foot pain by resting the balls of my feet fairly often. Since the skates have no rocker, I could get into almost a crouch and put 90% of the weight on my heels and wiggle my toes around. That seemed to really help. Ultimately I'm still looking for a used pair of Makos to convert (or buying Mako M8 or Mako II or VH for my player skates and converting my current Makos) but this will help for now.

One issue I found is that I find it extremely difficult to get up if I find myself on my butt. Rolling over is difficult, and I end up having my pad rotate around my leg so the pad front is on the outside of my calf. Obviously its just a practice thing, but it's a bit annoying not being able to get up quickly.

Still can't close my 5-hole, but I actually do find it much easier to butterfly on ice than on carpet or hardwood.

Twice now though I've taken shots on my inner thigh and it just happens to miss the padding in my pants and my thigh guard part of my knee pads. Once last week and once this week. Seriously considering changing my bauer long pants out for the ones with the yellow padding on the inner thigh and knees.

Either way, I'm pretty happy with the progression so far, and I'm actually kind of pumped to play in an actual game next month.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Right so... time for an update.

Had my fifth pickup session last night. It was actually worse than last week. I was slow, and let a lot of shots in that I really should have had. Just a bad game overall really.

A couple things of note:

I use my glove, a lot. Too much. At one point while on my knees I fielded a shot along the ice... with my glove. Yea, probably should have used a leg for that one. But like one of the guys said... its whatever you're used to. As a former catcher, it was kind of just programmed to catch everything regardless of where it was. That leads me to my second point.

I don't use my legs enough. I know this is just a comfort/technique/flexibility thing but I have a hard time kicking out to stop pucks.

I still cant close my five hole which causes me some grief. Mostly in that I end up having to make the first move in order to compensate for not trusting my ability to make five hole saves, which leaves me pretty open for shots elsewhere.

Finally, the biggest one. The butterfly itself is fine (besides the inability to get it closed), but if I'm in butterfly and have to open my legs at all (for the purpose of kicking out a save, sliding over to the other post, etc etc etc) I end up slipping off my landing gear. Both knees are pretty badly bruised right now from that, despite the huge knee pads I wear. It actually seems like the knee pads are so big that I don't land with my knee centered on the knee stack, and that's why I slip off.

Here's a photo of how big my knee pads are compared to the knee cradle in my pads (sorry for the poor quality, but I had to increase the brightness of the photo after it was taken):

I'm considering wearing some volleyball knee pads under those just for some extra padding. Thoughts?

My first real game is Sunday. Having to fly home from Winterfest, have a quick nap, and then get out to play my first game in goal. We'll see...