How should i get started?

volcomkidd911 · College Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 39

so im 15, and want to be goalie for a junior team or w/e. So far all i have is goalie skates and i can skate, just went out 2 weeks ago but my balance is a little off. I work out like 3 times a day building up my legs and stretching to get more flexible. Im planning on doing a camp this year but what else should i be doing to practice and get ready for the season?

auburn goalie · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:12 am Post subject:

work on endurence, leg strength(BIG), build a strong core, and get all your gear Very Happy

and skate as much as possible. get R2MN to help you out on stuff, hes cool Very Happy

(also, if your just startiing out, you aint gonna play junior hockey, sorry Wink

)
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lehtonen32 · Minors Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 141

Hey man, I started when I was 14 and next year will be playing Juniors. Building up your leg strength is important, but you need to get the rest of your gear ASAP and start playing. Ill make a list of things..

1) Get your gear
2) Start playing today! Go to pick up or what ever its called at your rink this time of year is perfect for pick up.
3) Buy Raquet Balls and start throwing them on a wall and catching them, this will help your hand Eye cordination.
4) Watch a pro that has your build. Say if your small like 5'9 watch Turco, if youre 6'4 watch lehtonen. (The reason I say lehtonen and not other goalies like Luongo or something is because Lehtonen is the next Generation goalie, not saying hes better, but he is 10x better to imitate) Once you have done that, take that persons style and make it into your on, dont copy them exactly.

All of these are of equal importance so the order I put them in doesnt mean anything
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volcomkidd911 · College Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 39

i thought you signed up for junior teams.

right now im just looking for some guidance on how i can get better. If i could get on any team right now and be the backup goalie the whole season and not play i would be fine with it. i just wanna learn where im supposed to be in certain situations and which movements to use etc...
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volcomkidd911 · College Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 39

lehtonen32 · Minors Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 141

volcomkidd911 · College Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 39

thanks for the tips so far
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netmind · Hall of Fame Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 1685

When your on the ice, skating is a big part of it. But skatiing in goalie skates is very different than player skates. Big part is everything we do happens in roughly 95% of the time in an area 8'x8'. Movements are explosive fast and short.
things you should be able to work on at open skates with out gear.
1. T-Push. T-push is used for for very fast lateral movements when a Bflyslide is not in order, to get to a puck out side the crease area, to move forward and out to cut off the angles on a breakaway player, or when following the puck in the zone (like on a powerplay or when your guys are dead and the team is just controlling the puck in your zone, you dont dare bfly slide for every movement becasue the passes are to fast and you could get burned)
2. work on your shuffle. The shuffle is if your moving from left to right or right to left tracking the puck keeping both skates on the ice, pushing with your right foot to move left and left to move right. The lead foot scrapes the ice as it moves.

3. You likely will not be albe to work inthe actual crease if your rinks open skate is biz, but you can work near it or in some area that will alow you to mimic one. starting at your left post #1, 2 is in line with the blueline meeting the boards, 3 is the top of the crease facing the slot 4 the other blue line meeting the boards and 5 the other post. Start on your goal line and practice telescoping to each point in random order with hard stops. the telescope is both feet on the ice, you angle your feet out and adjust your weight to move forwards and do a hard stop with both feet in a ^ toes meeting. BAckward is done the oposit. Being able to move well with your feet on the ice, means you have better ballance, a random puck will not slide under a skate, and your in controll
4. work on your stance. a good stance is critical. feet just alittle bit more than shoulder width apart, stick blade between feet out in front blocker out in front and not over laping leg pad, glove out in front with wrist bent backward so as much open glove is facing the shooter as possible, arms from should to elbow in tight tot he body closing those holes. Crouched down so that as much of you fills the net as possible.
a good solid stance is key to play. At times and in situations as you grow you will learn when you should widen your stance, or narrow it, and how to at times to either to bait a player into taking a shot you want them to take. but for now a good solid basic stance. Practice skating in your stance, and do wall sits at home.

5. youve heard it now several times and its true you need gear. We PArents many times have reasons for things. loads of time its based upon past experience. if you have bounced from thing to thing in the past the idea of spending 1k on goaiie gear more or less may not be apealing and they may be looking for some commitment from you. that is hard to do with out the gear. Its the middle of summer and even Jr highschool (which I think is what you were refering to when said Jr hockey) teams are doing serious off ice conditioning. So to help you here I sugest you contact the Jr highschool team or varsity coach and ask them for an off ice conditioning schedual. Serves 2 points. one it gets you in contact with a potential coach and 2 shows your folks your serious. 3. Wake up and 5 am. Start joggin friend. Yea it sucks but here is the deal. 5am...its cool out, shows the folks your serious and is good areobic for you. start small with about a mile or two depending on your condition, and remember running doesnt have to be fast, with the exception of marathon runners, a slow walk pace jog and fast jog provide the same levels of exercise. This is why military unit runs are done at paces that are just faster than a fast walk or slow jog. But find your pace and do it, get up to 5miles. If you can to realy work your quads get in to a stadium and run stairs, and or slowly and deeply stride from bench to bench up and down.

look for gear. give us your measurements for Ankle to kneecap center. Are you still growing? lots of folks on here will help find you examples of good inexpensive gear to get you going. If you have 50 bucks order your goalie jock, look on line for used goalie pants bet 50 bucks or so gets your those.
we are here to help.

shameless promotion...did you see my old catcher and blocker in the use gear...make me an offer Wink

FutureSuperstar93 · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:09 pm Post subject:

First off...Juniors becomes more like a job once you get into. From Tier III Jr A and B to Tier I. Your contract can be traded to any team in the league no matter how far away. You have to be on the ice every day. And workout every day. It's for the top top high school players.

Some leagues worth mentioning:

(Tier I Jr A) United States Hockey League- top high school players in the country/HS grads

(Tier II Jr A) North American Hockey League- top high school players in the region/HS grads

(Tier III Jr A) Atlantic Junior Hockey League- top high school players in the state/HS grads

Junior B:

Metropolitan Junior Hockey League- top high school players in the state

Empire Junior B Hockey League- top high school players in the state

Junior C: Considered to be Junior C level by coaches

Southeast Junior Hockey League- average to below average High School players

Continental Hockey Association- average to below average high school players

Then there are Junior C teams that will play AAA and Junior B teams to develop their players to play on their Jr A and Jr B teams.

I would reccomend not going for Juniors because if you just started this year, almost no chance...And you have to make sure you like playing hockey...A lot...And that you want to play hockey as long as possible

For my workout- Run 2 miles to start. I stretch as a seperate workout (hold stretches 90 to 120 seconds). I do chest, shoulder, back, trapezius bicep, tricep- all with dumbbells, I do a few different workouts, 3 sets of 15 for each part. Then I do lunges, sqauts, high knees, and I do some legs on the home gym system. I stopped the agility ladder...because I hate it and there was no point. If you want the dumbbell workouts I can give them to you, but it sounds like you're mostly set for your workout.

And I would reccomend watching goalie videos, training videos, everything. Learn about diet and everything else.

http://www.vaughnhockey.com/goaltending_resources/goaltending_resources.htm

That should have most thing you could need
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xELq9tC-RkA

volcomkidd911 · College Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 39

idk if were talking about the same team, i was confused when my friends told me about it but its a team where you sign up. The players that dont get into the A,B,C team or w/e do this.

As far as working out i got that covered but right now it sounds like im not doing enough endurance but more of weights. I don't have an order i do things in i just do them when the machine i want to do it on is open. For stretching, compared to what you guys are doing im sucking at this because i do like 5 stretches for 20 seconds so i definitely need to work on this.

I have been watching training videos and have read like half of the stuff on vaughn hockey.

My ankle to mid kneecap is like 17 1/2". I think i might still be growing a little bit. I did see your catcher & blocker but i cant remember which ones yours, ill go check it out.
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FutureSuperstar93 · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:44 pm Post subject:

You don't need great endurance, but it is very good if you can feel as good going into the 3rd as when you started the game.

And look at the Corey Wogtech videos
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xELq9tC-RkA

auburn goalie · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:28 pm Post subject:

yeah, he knows what hes talking about.

do a lot of core and legs, if you have limited time. upper body isnt extremly important
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volcomkidd911 · College Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 39

yeah i do lots of leg press and the ankle curl things where you go from flat feet to tip toes and down w/ weight on your shoulders

edit: how important is upper body, i focus my workout on my legs but where do arms help as a goalie?
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gimbo726 · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:48 pm Post subject:

lehtonen32 · Minors Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 141

"Southeast Junior Hockey League- average to below average High School players"

LOL Riiiiiiiiiiiight, thats why a team from the SJHL came in third in the nation. Good call.

This is the first thing I have not agreed with you on FS...
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