Goalies - Catching hand discussion.
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Officer Jim Lahey said:
I was the exact same way. Do everything right(hell, when I was younger and I played baseball at camp I'd use a right glove, take it off then throw with my right...yea, that bad...but ive sense switched to left for baseball as well), but catch when I play goalie left.
I tried going full right with my gear and couldnt get used to it. I acctually found puck movement was harder with the blocker in my left hand because I couldnt get used to the motions of moving the stick with my left hand.Not to mention it felt weird positioning wise when it came to reading someone coming up the boards.
I also tried the "Travis Scott" way of goaltending. Playing regular, but buying a righty stick and turning it over when clearing. It took too much time and effort to do this, so I just gave up.
practice practice practice
its much easier learning to shoot left handed than learning to play with full right gear imo
its much easier learning to shoot left handed than learning to play with full right gear imo
If u have a left handed baseball glove... go out and practising catching with it. It will become normal for you and you wil realize it is the right thing to do. Im right handed and i played baseball so i needed my right hand for throwing because i CAN"T throw with my left so i put the glove on the left hand and got used to it since i could not do anything about it.
Just go out and practise a lot with ur left and soon enough it will be natural for u
Just go out and practise a lot with ur left and soon enough it will be natural for u
HabsFanFromPEI said:
That's kinda what I'm talking about. In baseball, you have to catch with your non dominant hand, because you can't throw with the other.
Not the case with goaltending....I'm saying maybe it would be better if goalies were to wear their catcher on their dominant hand, or at the least wear the gloves so they can actually shoot the puck the right way with the catcher on the bottom.
Something to think about when teaching a young goalie....I think if I could go back 10 or so years, it would definitely be worth a try....
Anthony said:
Yeah definitely that's the case for me now. Just saying that I don't know if this is taken into consideration much when a young goalie is starting to play for the first time...I think most teams just have full left equipment, and unless the kid is a southpaw in baseball, nothing is thought of it.
Stephen
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It's kind of weird that you are right handed but you shoot right. Most right handed people I know shoot left, meaning the blade is to the left. This all makes sense when you think about a goalie holding his stick in their dominant hand and catch with the other, just like in baseball.
membleypeg
Registered User
I hear you!
My son was in exactly the same predicament as you were in about 3 years ago. He catches in baseball with a left hand mitt and shoots right handed in hockey however, he felt more comfortable catching a puck as a full right goalie. I tried to force him to catch with a left handed trapper, as I thought it was nuts to catch with one hand in ball and the other in hockey.
My son continued to tell me that he felt more comfortable as a full right goalie, so I sought the advice of a local former pro goalie. He advised me to test his catching hand with a sneaky method. I was told to have a bunch of ping pong balls around, and to fire one at either hand when he wasn't ready for it. I was to observe his ability to catch the balls with both hands. He advised me to go with whatever hand showed a better ability to catch the ping pong balls (the reflexes needed for a good glove hand makes or breaks a goalie and is one thing you can't teach).
To my surprise, my son showed equal ability at catching the ping pong balls. He switched to a full right goalie, and has not looked back. He loves the goalie position, and has developed a pretty good catching hand, even at the tender age of 10. As an added bonus, he can handle the puck and poke check much better with having his left hand on top of the paddle.
I don't know if the ping pong ball test is a fair indicator for all goalies who are unsure of which hand to catch with however, it proved to me that my son was correct in his feel for the net. I was a parent who knew very little about the goalie position before my son started playing. I just wanted to be sure that I wasn't buying a trapper and blocker, and then exchanging them a few months down the road.
My son was in exactly the same predicament as you were in about 3 years ago. He catches in baseball with a left hand mitt and shoots right handed in hockey however, he felt more comfortable catching a puck as a full right goalie. I tried to force him to catch with a left handed trapper, as I thought it was nuts to catch with one hand in ball and the other in hockey.
My son continued to tell me that he felt more comfortable as a full right goalie, so I sought the advice of a local former pro goalie. He advised me to test his catching hand with a sneaky method. I was told to have a bunch of ping pong balls around, and to fire one at either hand when he wasn't ready for it. I was to observe his ability to catch the balls with both hands. He advised me to go with whatever hand showed a better ability to catch the ping pong balls (the reflexes needed for a good glove hand makes or breaks a goalie and is one thing you can't teach).
To my surprise, my son showed equal ability at catching the ping pong balls. He switched to a full right goalie, and has not looked back. He loves the goalie position, and has developed a pretty good catching hand, even at the tender age of 10. As an added bonus, he can handle the puck and poke check much better with having his left hand on top of the paddle.
I don't know if the ping pong ball test is a fair indicator for all goalies who are unsure of which hand to catch with however, it proved to me that my son was correct in his feel for the net. I was a parent who knew very little about the goalie position before my son started playing. I just wanted to be sure that I wasn't buying a trapper and blocker, and then exchanging them a few months down the road.
membleypeg said:
I thought this was hilarious when I saw it. I pictured a kid with his back turned and you yelling "THINK FAST BILLY!" and hitting him in the head with a ping pong ball. Oh man, my comment adds nothing, but to picture that is clutch.
Growing up when I used to skate out, I had a left-handed shot and I play softball and was accustomed to going after things with the glove on my left hand. So it seemed only natural that I have my blocker on my right hand and my glove on my left. However, my first two years of playing net in HS, I only had an opposite set available to me. I was absolutely HORRIBLE at playing that way. Without thinking, I'd drop my stick to try and catch the puck in my blocker (think how you'd catch a frisbee) and I couldn't move my right hand fast enough to catch a puck. For some reason, the reflexes only worked on the left side. But I could stickhandle very well from that side since the blocker hand would slide down the stick easily and the glove could go over the end of the stick.
I figured my own personal comfort and safety (ie. no more broken bones in my left hand from going after the puck) was more important than being able to stickhandle, so when I had a set of pads made for me, I switched everything around. Now I suck at stickhandling (doesn't matter how much I practice) aside from the poke and taking out people with the stick since I can't get my left hand in a comfortable position, but I'm faster at everything else so I think it evens it out.
I wish I had the ping pong ball test when I was going through all of this... Those are a lot softer than pucks
Just go with whatever's more comfortable for you and know that something may have to compensate somewhere.
I figured my own personal comfort and safety (ie. no more broken bones in my left hand from going after the puck) was more important than being able to stickhandle, so when I had a set of pads made for me, I switched everything around. Now I suck at stickhandling (doesn't matter how much I practice) aside from the poke and taking out people with the stick since I can't get my left hand in a comfortable position, but I'm faster at everything else so I think it evens it out.
I wish I had the ping pong ball test when I was going through all of this... Those are a lot softer than pucks
Just go with whatever's more comfortable for you and know that something may have to compensate somewhere.That's an interesting proposal. However, you are talking from a perspective of "skater who shoots right who is transferring to goal" though. I think its more natural to a person that they catch with the non-dominant hand. It would definitely be worth it to test a person when they are young, I'd be interested myself in seeing the results. Its probably a factor of where the person's mind is on where they will catch, I don't think you can change that.Officer Jim Lahey said:That's kinda what I'm talking about. In baseball, you have to catch with your non dominant hand, because you can't throw with the other.
Not the case with goaltending....I'm saying maybe it would be better if goalies were to wear their catcher on their dominant hand, or at the least wear the gloves so they can actually shoot the puck the right way with the catcher on the bottom.
Something to think about when teaching a young goalie....I think if I could go back 10 or so years, it would definitely be worth a try....
P.S. I dont know if that post made any sense. Its kinda a collection of broken thoughts...
Very interesting, see i'm right handed EVERYTHING, but i use left handed glove.
I'm so not getting this "non-dominant hand holding stick". I've honestly never understood that. With baseball it makes some sense, but in hockey, if you catch right you puckhandle right. Also I would think that your right hand is faster if its your dominant right?
I switched to lefty because i was forced to, when i first started hockey i used right for a couple months and my puckhandling was really good, but i lost my right handed set so i converted to left, i went through some really bad stages adjusting to to left, but a bit over a year later i'm perfectly comfortable with left handed catcher and puckhandler.
I'm so not getting this "non-dominant hand holding stick". I've honestly never understood that. With baseball it makes some sense, but in hockey, if you catch right you puckhandle right. Also I would think that your right hand is faster if its your dominant right?
I switched to lefty because i was forced to, when i first started hockey i used right for a couple months and my puckhandling was really good, but i lost my right handed set so i converted to left, i went through some really bad stages adjusting to to left, but a bit over a year later i'm perfectly comfortable with left handed catcher and puckhandler.
Wow cujo using entire rebok...he normally mixes and matches, they pulled in a lot of big name players
Another thought..
I've always thought it easier for goaltenders to use their dominant hand for holding their stick. It makes for easier stickhandling (IMO) and easier pokechecking and stick movement (more strength with dominant hand).
One thing to say though. People have always said that goalies are finicky and the position is unique. Definitely holds true...
I've always thought it easier for goaltenders to use their dominant hand for holding their stick. It makes for easier stickhandling (IMO) and easier pokechecking and stick movement (more strength with dominant hand).
One thing to say though. People have always said that goalies are finicky and the position is unique. Definitely holds true...
Officer Jim Lahey said:
If you're right handed, then you wear your glove on your left hand and hold your stick with your right hand, it's just that simple. I'm a righty and if someone throws a baseball to me, it's impossible for me to catch it with my right hand but i've got no problem catching with my left hand.
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Accord said:
So you're saying it wouldn't be worth it for a young goalie to try both ways? You wear your gloves like this because "just the way it is"?
And of course it's natural for you to catch with your left hand....because you've been doing it for years!!
Accord said:
:lol
Funniest thing in a while. I mean, it's got nothing to do with the way a goalie naturally feels comfortable in his gear...naw, if he's right handed HE HAS TO WEAR THE GLOVE ON HIS LEFT...because, well IT'S THAT SIMPLE. Gold, Johnny, Gold.
:lol
That's not true, it's natural for someone that is right handed to catch with their left hand because they need to use their dominant right arm to throw the ball or accurately be able to move their stick around with ease! People don't just choose which hand they want to catch with, they do so because they need to use their dominant hand for other things which would be a lot harder to do if they did so using their weak side.Officer Jim Lahey said:
A young goalie should already know whether he is right handed, left handed, or ambidextrous and based on that he can make an educated decision.
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DynamoAO said::lol
Funniest thing in a while. I mean, it's got nothing to do with the way a goalie naturally feels comfortable in his gear...naw, if he's right handed HE HAS TO WEAR THE GLOVE ON HIS LEFT...because, well IT'S THAT SIMPLE. Gold, Johnny, Gold.
:lol
Yeah, it is just that simple, and you want to know why? Just go outside and try and throw a baseball or something with your non-dominant hand and let me know the results.
There is a reason every right handed baseball player wears their glove on their left hand and there is a reason why every right handed goalie wears their glove on their left hand, it's because you need to use your dominant hand to throw a baseball and to easily maneuver your stick. Sure, it's pretty awkward having to shoot a puck left handed when you're a righty, but it's something that can easily be overcome unlike having a different catching hand.
You're sitting here laughing at me because you don't understand this simple fact? Pshh. If someone can wear their glove on their right hand with ease, then they're ambidextrous.
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Originally from another "Rink" Thread
I'll take your comments with a grain of salt, Accord.......
Accord said:
I'll take your comments with a grain of salt, Accord.......
Accord said:
Hey paco, how do you think these people learned to play their respective sports?? Trial and error. When you are a kid, you learn which side of your body is dominant. You do this through trial and error. When you pick up a stick, you find out what is comfortable. When you put a glove on as a goalie, you find out what is comfortable. You dont know as a 5 year old, "OH **** IM RIGHT HANDED, SO I GOTTA WEAR MY GLOVE ON THE LEFT...ITS THAT SIMPLE!". You play what is comfortable.
I'm righthanded and I shoot righthanded in hockey. I am defying your superb logic sytem. Your dominant hand is always supposed to be on top, but mine is on the shaft! People don't always act by "norms", its not that simple, cheif.
Where do you get all this awful hockey logic?? First you tell us taping sticks toe-to-heel decreases velocity and accuracy and now you are telling us which piece of equipment you HAVE TO use if you are a specific handedness. I'm gonna give whoever tells you these things a shake.
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