I have been getting a ton of questions from goalies about putting some goalie-specific training tips here on Total Female Hockey Club. I promise that your information is coming - but in the meantime, I wanted to share a goalie success story with you.

Back in May, I had a chance to work with all of the goalies at the Under 18 national team training camp. One goalie stuck out among the group - she was so shy and quiet and she had a “deer caught in the headlights” look on her face for most of the camp. She admitted that she didn’t have much experience with fitness testing and seemed worried that she wouldn’t be able to make it through the week.

She pushed herself as hard as she possibly could for those four days. She fought and clawed her way through it - all the while with a huge smile on her face. She may not have been a fitness testing superstar, but she definitely left an impression. She showed no fear - she may have been scared to death on the inside, but she didn’t let that get in the way of pushing herself to her limit.

And you know what happened when I saw her a month later at our next provincial camp?

She was a completely transformed person. The “deer in the headlights” look was replaced by a look in her eye that said, “I belong here”. Her on-ice performance had certainly improved, but her increased confidence off the ice was by far the biggest change. She had become more focused on her off-ice training and her nutrition and her commitment really showed throughout the entire camp.

I saw her again this past weekend and although we didn’t get much of a chance to talk, I could see that she has truly gone from a shy player to a quiet and confident leader in just a matter of months. And while I know that her increased confidence will take her a long way on the ice, the effect it will have on her off the ice will be huge and will be something that will stay with her for a very long time.

So there you go, goalies. Not exactly going to help you with your technique, but this will hopefully serve as inspiration. You can make huge changes in your game in a very short period of time if you believe in yourself and show no fear.

~ Coach Kim