Quote:
Originally Posted by codynw
And hockey Canada really needs to do something about the goaltending situation. Make it cheaper for parents to register their kid if they’re goalies or something so we get more talent at the position. That’s a sad list compared to the forwards and defence.
|
Reduced registration fees would be nice (says the dad of a 14 year old goalie), but the biggest issue is development paths.
95% of coaches in minor hockey have no clue what to do with goalies, and associations provide very little for additional development, where as they'll bring in power skating coaches, and figure skating coaches, and shooting coaches for the 18 other skaters on the ice, while the goalies get put in the crease and shot at.
The only way to get proper goalie development is to look outside the registered associations and away from teams, which many associations and coaches frown upon because often they have conflicting schedules, so you either choose to be part of the team, or to get better as a goalie. More often then not when you choose to get better as a goalie, you're seen as selfish, and not a team player so then you lose playing time, or end up blacklisted and falling out of favor with higher tiered teams. But when you choose not to develop the goaltending skills, the goalie is usually the first one blamed when games don't go the way you want them to.
Hockey Canada needs to mandate more inclusive training opportunities for Goalies, and provide clearer development paths that should be followed the same way they are for the rest of the team. There's no shortage of young goalies, or talent anymore, it's entirely a development issue.