Quiz the Coach: Goalie Tips

So ya dig sports but need some help with your game? Don't understand some of the rules of football, basketball or soccer? Got a gripe about P.E. class, teammates or coaches, or anything? Why not Quiz the Coach? The Kidzworld Coach can help ya work out team problems or give ya tips and advice to improve your game - all ya gotta do is ask!

Hey Coach,
I just started playing goalie in ice hockey this season. Do have any tips for becoming a better goalie.
devilfornj88

Hey devilfornj88,

The goalie is probably the hardest position to learn in ice hockey. The goalie's job is simple - keep the puck out of the net. But that's much easier said than done, so here's a few tips to help you out.

Angles, Angles, Angles - Believe it or not, all that boring geometry stuff you've been learning at school can actually help you become a better goalie. Knowing how to judge angles is one of the most important parts of a goalie's game. If a shooter is wide or at a sharp angle, the less they have to shoot at. This means you don't have to come out as far to be effective. If a shooter is in the middle - or slot area - it is ideal for a goalie to be at the top of his crease. If his heels are outside the crease, he decreases the shooting area in the net. Hockey is a very fast game, filled with unpredictable deflections, screens and bounces. But if you know how to judge angles and where to get yourself set up, you'll have a big advantage as a goalie.

Skate, Skate, Skate - Becoming a strong skater is vital to becoming a better goalie. A goalie who's a strong skater will be able to get the puck from behind the net much faster and pass it up ice to an open player. During practice, work on cross-overs to help improve both your balance and agility.

Conditioning And Training - A goalie in ice hockey needs to be able to move around quickly while wearing a ton of heavy and bulky equipment - so it's important for a goalie to work on both strength and cardio training. The stronger you are, the lighter your equipment will feel and the quicker you'll be able to move around the ice. Talk to your hockey coach or a P.E. teacher and find out what combination of strength and cardio exercises will help improve your stength and flexibility.

Do you have a question on sports, P.E. class, fitness or health? Send it to the Kidzworld Coach. Keep in mind peeps, the Kidzworld Coach isn't a doctor or a professional athlete or anything like that. He's just a dude who digs sports, plays 'em and knows a lot about 'em. You should always talk to your 'rents, a doctor or your school gym teacher before starting a new sport or a new exercise.

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