Consider the following a cautionary tale heading into your 2017-18 hockey season. Perhaps the worst thing for a dedicated coach is to see a team fail to reach its potential. All things being equal, wins and losses are usually predicated on talent. And talent, particularly at the high school level, … [Read more...]
You might be a goalie parent if …
My mom used to love saying, with a healthy scoop of selfdeprecating humor, that "There’s a special place in heaven for goalie parents." I "thought" I knew then what she meant, but I’ve got a much, much deeper understanding now. After all, I’ve raised two daughters who were both athletes, and I’ve … [Read more...]
Brand loyalty: Trust factor
Brand loyalty is as old as sports itself. After all, "brand loyalty" is really just a variation of the "hometown team" concept, where fans are encouraged to support their local heroes. In Boston, we root for the Red Sox, the Bruins, the Patriots and the Celtics. On the international stage, we root … [Read more...]
Customization: A blank canvas
By the very nature of the position, goaltending attracts individuals. In the past, that often meant players who were a little — wink! wink! — unstable, or at the very least eccentric. The occasional "normal" goaltender was the exception to the rule. But with the tremendous advances in protective … [Read more...]
Shop talk: Sports Etc. sets a high bar
Today, I can walk into a brick-and-mortar Pure Goalie store in Marlboro, Mass., or Dover, N.H., or Long Island, N.Y., or a Hockey Monkey in Norwood, Mass., or Derry, N.H., or Woodbridge, N.J., and I’m simply blown away by the amount of goalie gear these places carry. Even well into my 50s, I still … [Read more...]
The ins and outs of skate sharpening
ne of my favorite "parlor tricks" as a goalie coach is to meet with a group of coaches from a particular program, on the ice. I’ll demonstrate a handful of goalie-specific skating techniques, including shuffles and drop steps (also known as a T-push or T-glide). Then I ask the coaches to do the … [Read more...]
