I think I want to give goaltending a whirl, where do I start?

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Jacob

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Feb 27, 2002
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I've been a forward all my life and used to even hate the thought of playing goal, but I've changed my opinion. I need some suggestions for equipment, and some links to basic technique tips if at all possible.

My reflexes suck ass and I have bad knees, so I think I'm going to have to be picture perfect as far as positioning goes.
 
If you have bad knees to start with I'd say reconsider. Goaltending puts incredible stress on your knees and hips so if they aren't strong to start with you are taking a risk. As far as equipment goes, I'd suggest finding some decent used stuff until you know this is something you want to get into. Brand new gear off the top could easily set you back 3 or 4 grand.

In terms of techniques I wouldn'teven know where to start you. Find a hockey school I guess, or a veteran goaltender to teach you the basics.

Good luck to you.
 

Frank Drebin

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Jacobv2,

I started playing goal when I was 15 years old, by the time I was 20 I was a decent senior goalie, now at 25, I consider myself pretty good :D .

Since you've already been a forward, I would assume that you've got some decent skating skills. What you need is an experienced goalie to show you the basics:

Shuffle/T-Glide, Angles, butterfly/standup style, stick saves, etc.

There is a place in town here that is dedicated to goalies; they have a 20 foot sheet of ice and they give tutoring for about 25 bucks for a half hour. I would suggest going to a place like this to get your basics.

Look on the web for instructional videos. I watched a bunch when I was a younger, and the principles almost become imbedded in your subconcious if you watch them enough.

As far as equipment goes, look around for some cheap used stuff to start with. Use it for a couple of years, and if you are serious about playing goal, upgrade.

The most important thing I would suggest for a goalie starting out is to play LOTS. At my local rink I had my name up, and whenever a team needed a goalie (often, very often), they would give me a call.

As well, this forum is as good as any I've seen on the net as far as members and content goes...I still ask goalie questions from time to time, and there are a lot of good posters that like to try to help out.

Best of luck.
 

#66

Registered User
Dec 30, 2003
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Get this book!

I've been fortunate enough to play with some very good goalies and they all say that Plantes book is like the bible. I'm not sure if this book goes over it but net depth and footwork are very important to a goalies game. I've been playing with an old BU goalie he says that its what makes or breaks goalies.
 

Brodeur

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
25,864
15,276
San Diego
Hehe, DON'T DO IT!

Just wondering, roller or ice? I tend to bruise up my knees a little more outdoors since concrete can be less forgiving than the ice. How tall are you by the way?

Goalies who do the butterfly tend to develop more knee and hip problems. Most goalies who start out instinctively do a non-butterfly technique where the pad face ends up on the ice surface as opposed to being at the shooter. You cover less net, but your knees take less of a pounding. A guy like Brodeur does a half-butterfly, I've also seen it referred to as the 'right knee down' technique. Brodeur says he's quicker to recover than other butterfly goalies.

Example:

Butterfly: http://www.kazlaaz.com/goalies/tips/butterfly01.jpg

Half-butterfly: http://www.hockeyrulz.com/photos/brodeur03.jpg

The difference being, in the Brodeur pic, his right pad is lying on the ice as opposed to being perpendicular to the ice and facing the shooter. A lot of beginning goalies will have both pad faces on the ice. Like I said, it's a lot easier on the knees since you're using your pads as cushioning......as opposed to maximizing the amount of net they're blocking.

Depending on the level you're playing at, just remember that 70-75% of goals are along the ice.

--------

What is your price range on leg pads? Each company (aside from Brian's) seemingly makes pads in three different price ranges: $200-300 for roller hockey/beginning ice, $400-$500 for ice, $900-$1000 for those who obsess about hockey.

If you aren't certain you're going to be a goalie for more than a couple seasons, I'd go with the cheaper pads. But if you think this might be a more permanent thing, I'd at least spring for the $400-500 range.

The lower level pads offer zilch in terms of knee cushioning. I bought $99 CCM roller pads for Xmas, and my knees were just taking a beating to the point where I had to tape volleyball knee pads to the pads.

The $400-$500 pads will have more knee padding, as well as things like thigh boards. The $1000 pads will have some more bells and whistles that probably aren't needed if you're a beginner.

Here's a pic of pads with built in knee pads: http://lib1.store.vip.sc5.yahoo.com/lib/hockeygiant/beastback.jpg

Here are my recommendations:

$99 - 2004 CCM Roller pads: http://www.discounthockey.com/ccmrgsegonew.html - I have these. I don't like them very much (lots of rebounds), but you can't beat that price.

$199 - 2005 CCM Roller pads: http://www.discounthockey.com/ccmpfs30sego.html - This year's model, pretty nice in terms of knee protection for the price. The pad itself is kinda ugly and seemingly made of some synthetic material.

$199 - 2004 Mission Motion Lite: http://www.discounthockey.com/mimoligole.html - Had two buddies buy these in the last week. The pad itself is nicer than the CCMs, but the knee protection isn't as good. Not sure which one I'd recommend between these and the $199 CCMs.

$299 - 2005 Reebok Seniors: http://www.peranis.net/prodHome.ihtml?sid=2&cid=27&pid=3987&dept=3 - These just came out. Just from looking at them, it seems to have the same construction as the Mission with the knee padding of the CCM.

$409 - 2004 Koho 490's: http://www.goaliemonkey.com/koho490-pads-sr.html - I don't recall any extra knee padding on these. I'd personally spring the extra $50 on either of the next two.

$460 - 2004 Heaton Z's: http://www.goaliemonkey.com/gpheatonhelitez-sr.html - I like these pads a lot, but couldn't get myself to buy them. They are nearly identical to the $1,000 versions. The knee and calf padding is there.

$460 - 2005 Itech 7.8: http://www.goaliemonkey.com/itech-gl78vampelitesr.html - Just came out, these look very simliar to the Heaton Z's (no calf padding).

--------

Anyways, feel free to ask more questions. Buying goalie equipment is a big investment, so it's best to take an afternoon and try everything on since every goalie is gonna like his pads a certain way. The hockey shop should be more than understanding.
 

IkeaMonkey*

Guest
My tip for a goalie with knee problems(as I have a horrible left knee and a banged up right) is to develop a hybrid floppy style. Use the half-butterfly over the traditional butterfly for most sequences, but most of all, rely on reflexes and flexibility to make the save.

Like people said, if you have bad knees and arent looking to "seriously" play, dont bother. The leg pads are the most important piece for a goalie with bad knees. I had one of my pairs custom done by Brians with a knee pocket simlar to the one Broduer posted and it seriously is worth the extra money to get it done customized. It adds to the protection on the knee and the way mine was done, it makes the pad much more responsive.
 

CornKicker

Holland is wrong..except all of the good things
Feb 18, 2005
11,780
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e-bay for equipment, i got a full set of goalie stuff for less than 1000
 

Jacob

as seen on TV
Feb 27, 2002
49,342
24,740
Officer Jim Lahey said:
Jacobv2,

I started playing goal when I was 15 years old, by the time I was 20 I was a decent senior goalie, now at 25, I consider myself pretty good :D .

Since you've already been a forward, I would assume that you've got some decent skating skills. What you need is an experienced goalie to show you the basics:

Shuffle/T-Glide, Angles, butterfly/standup style, stick saves, etc.

There is a place in town here that is dedicated to goalies; they have a 20 foot sheet of ice and they give tutoring for about 25 bucks for a half hour. I would suggest going to a place like this to get your basics.

Look on the web for instructional videos. I watched a bunch when I was a younger, and the principles almost become imbedded in your subconcious if you watch them enough.

As far as equipment goes, look around for some cheap used stuff to start with. Use it for a couple of years, and if you are serious about playing goal, upgrade.

The most important thing I would suggest for a goalie starting out is to play LOTS. At my local rink I had my name up, and whenever a team needed a goalie (often, very often), they would give me a call.

As well, this forum is as good as any I've seen on the net as far as members and content goes...I still ask goalie questions from time to time, and there are a lot of good posters that like to try to help out.

Best of luck.
It's hard to find a mentor for me because there are so few decent goalies in my area. That's one reason I want to give it a try, I think maybe I could develop a monopoly on the position in my area.

What is your price range on leg pads? Each company (aside from Brian's) seemingly makes pads in three different price ranges: $200-300 for roller hockey/beginning ice, $400-$500 for ice, $900-$1000 for those who obsess about hockey.

If you aren't certain you're going to be a goalie for more than a couple seasons, I'd go with the cheaper pads. But if you think this might be a more permanent thing, I'd at least spring for the $400-500 range.
I think that's probably what I'm going to do. Thanks for the links.
 

octopi

Registered User
Dec 29, 2004
31,547
4
Jacobv2 said:
I've been a forward all my life and used to even hate the thought of playing goal, but I've changed my opinion. I need some suggestions for equipment, and some links to basic technique tips if at all possible.

My reflexes suck ass and I have bad knees, so I think I'm going to have to be picture perfect as far as positioning goes.

Start in the lowest skilled rec league you can(This will not only help you get beat less, players usually don't shoot as hard either)

Crouching if possible is good. Helps you see the puck in play.

Try a Cash Converters or second hand store for equipment. I was able to pick up pads, mitts and a blocker for about $100 Canadian a few years back this way.(Altho, I might have been in youth sizes for some of these items, what with being only 5'6 and all).Don't go with a fancy mask, buy a wire cage for your current helmet.

If you are playing against people who generally won't be shooting very hard, you can use your regular skates(as I did)

Most importantly, buy a neck protector. (In my case, I wore a hard junior collar, which cost $10, but you're probably bigger)
 

octopi

Registered User
Dec 29, 2004
31,547
4
One more thing: If you don't think you'll have good leg mobility, buy the biggest goalie stick you can find!
 

Sixty Six

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Feb 28, 2003
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i wanna give it a shot, i have played a few games before and sucked, but when you don't do something then go right into a game i guess thats bound to happen, but i have seen shots one week and then again a week later and i always was atleast respectable the second time around so doing it alot, maybe i'll find i'm actually ok at it
 

mattihp

Registered User
Aug 2, 2004
20,425
2,915
Uppsala, Sweden
If you have bad knees you have to find a style in which you don't have to flop around too much... If you are not too tall, I'd go with post-to-post standup... But as has been said... Not a good idea to play goal with bad knees
 
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