InGoal Magazine April 2012 - Summer Camp Edition : Page 74
helps you play within your style and will lead you to success. For example, if you tend to be a blocking-style goaltender then getting above the crease should not be one of your action points. have accurate angles, make smart save selections and track the puck with intensity. Step 3: Creating your in-game mindset Once the game begins it is important to direct your thoughts as often as possible on your action points, like “find that puck” or “get square.” The majority of goaltenders perform their best when they are thinking the least. So just remember that if you are thinking during the game be sure you are thinking about your three action points. Justin Johnson is the University of Minnesota goalie coach and founder of MEGA Goaltending. MEGA programs are designed to develop and refine goaltending skills in a challenging and purposeful environment. The dynamic staff includes multiple collegiate coaches who strive to ensure every student receives a quality experience. MEGA programs convey the most current methods of goaltending and afford you the time and repetitions to discover which methods work best for you. MEGA coaches are also passionate about instilling the type of mental skills that serve you well in the crease, and later in life. For more information please visit megagoaltending.com Finally, select actions that will allow other elements of your game to fall into place with little effort or thought. For example, if you play your best when relaxed then find out what you need to do to get relaxed and make a point of keeping yourself there. Why? Because if you are relaxed then you will likely read the play without angst, force the shooter to make the first move, One additional but crucial point to remember play efficient angles, and have quicker reactions. is that the reason you are selecting these specific action points is because you believe that by There are countless other benefits, but the executing each of them well it will give you your point is to find three actions that will allow best chance at playing your best. If that is the all the other elements of your game to shine case, then there would be no reason to change through without having to think about them. your focus toward any other action point, no This aspect of the process is crucial because it is reason to abandon your game plan even if the far more effective than spreading your attention craziest of events occur during the game. Why out over numerous actions, hoping they go well wouldn’t you change? Because it is still your enough to equal success. best chance to play your best. That’s why when Step 2: Pre Game Preparation the most consistent goaltenders find what helps Now that you have selected three action points, them play their best, they don’t forget it and it’s time to place them at the center of your pre-they don’t waiver in their pursuit of executing their action points. game preparation. In my e-book Game Day: A Goaltender’s Guide to Pre Game Preparatio n, I walk you through how to develop your own customized pre-game routine, and go into detail around the importance of developing quality habits prior to performances. I wrote the book because many goaltenders either don’t know the importance of preparation, or they tend to over-analyze and whip themselves into a ball of anxiety made up of a lot of “what if ” and “I hope not” prior to games. Step 4 Post Game Evaluation The most successful and consistent goaltenders I have worked with have all been great analyzers of their performances. These individuals have developed a way to look back on their games with an honest, detailed, yet gracious account of how they performed. A quality post-game evaluation begins with, you guessed it, evaluating how you executed your three action points. When you consider the number of possibilities a From there you can consider the other aspects goalie may face and the potential consequences of your game so you can continue to develop of failing to execute under these pressures, it is them in practice and in future performances. easy to see why. There is a better way. By putting energy toward the quality action When it comes to the mental portion of your points you selected before, during, and after pre-game routine place your attention on the your games, you will soon find yourself three action points you want to accomplish performing at a level of consistency typically rather than concentrating on all of the potential reserved for the most veteran of goaltenders. saves and situations you may face. Remember, rebound control will take care of itself if you 74 InGoal Magazine April 2012
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