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Goal Tending Goal tending is the act of defending the goal from within the goal crease and preventing the puck from entering the net.   Your Athlete Can: Never Sometimes Often Identify own goal Identify the goal crease Understand the rules of the position Use and control the goalie stick Track moving puck Move laterally in the crease Maintain proper position in the crease Keep feet within the goal crease at all times Communicate with teammates Stop the puck with the stick Stop the puck with the body Control the puck Clear the puck Go to ground to stop the puck Return to standing position after going to ground           Teaching the Skill The Basic Goalie Stance ("Set" position) Feet are shoulder-width apart or with the pads touching. Knees and waist are bent slightly, with the weight forward on the balls of the feet. Back is kept straight with head up, always watching the play in front of the goal. Blade of stick is kept flat on the floor at all times. The stick is held firmly with one hand. The catching hand is held to the side, knee high, open, level with the stick glove and ready for a shot.   Teaching Points Focus eyes on puck at all times. Play the puck and the offensive athlete. Keep pads centered on the puck. Always try to keep legs TOGETHER — never apart. Recover from floor as quickly as possible. Catch puck whenever possible, and then release it to teammate as quickly as possible. After making a save, freeze the puck, place it where only teammates can get it or put it to a teammate. Keep feet in the goal crease at all times. Communicate with teammates.     A goalie should be taught two basic types of movements: For moving short distances quickly and from side-to-side to keep position in front of the puck, use the side step. Take short steps without turning the foot. When side-stepping, the goalie is always in basic stance. The foot is never turned on this move. This move is also used when the puck carrier is behind the net and when the goalie must move from post to post. For staying in line with a shooter, use the pivot. The goalie pivots his/her upper body to face the shooter when the shooter moves from the middle of the court to the outside. The goalie may need to pivot and then side-step, or vice versa, to stay in position between the shooter and the goal.     Key Words "Watch the puck, not the athlete" "Keep legs together" "Keep stick flat on the floor" "Stay on your feet" "Get up" "Clear the puck" "Hold the puck" "Nice save"     Coaching Tips Some tips the goalies should remember include the following: Always keep the blade of the stick flat on the floor. Concentrate on holding the set position from the time the attacking team advances over the center line until the puck leaves the defensive zone. Let the opponent make the first move — don't commit to the first move. Try to predict what the opponents are going to do next. Stay on your feet (don't go to the ground too early). Throw the puck like a plastic saucer disc so that it lands flat. Move out of the net, always staying in the goal crease, in order to cut down the shooting angle. Use the goalie stick and catching hand to determine position in the net. The goalie watches the puck, the defense watches the athlete.   Faults & Fixes   Common Mistakes Correction Drill Reference Goalie comes out of the goal crease Teach the goalie to keep feet in goal crease Angle Drill Goalie Positioning Drill Goalie goes to ground too early Teach the goalie to wait until the opponent begins to take a shot Reaction Drill Goalie throws the puck up the middle of the court Teach the goalie to throw the puck to the side or leave it in the crease   Goalie does not control the save Teach the goalie to prevent the puck from rebounding Goalie Warm-up Drill Tennis Ball Drill Goalie stays down too long after save Teach the goalie to get back into standing position quickly Reaction Drill

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