From The Crease

Every goaltender brings a different physiological package to the crease.

This changes not only by athlete, but also by age and level. With this said, goaltenders committed to growth need to recognize the direct role their basic fitness plays in pursuing this development.

Whether it's the physical demands of the season, support for the goalie's mental resilience, or the training habits necessary to drive repetitions, detail, and quality, a strong fitness base is a necessity.

Adherence to the Goalie Value System starts here.

It's not just a new season, it's a new era of goalie development.

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FTC Tuesday Tip: Quick to Position Moves

Elite goalies aren’t faster. They’re earlier.

Too often goalies drift from position to position when there is no urgency to do otherwise.

For example, on a low-to-high pass, a goalie will often drift to their next position on this exit.

The problem is that things can begin to happen fast and unexpectedly. The goalie does not want to find themselves behind a moment.

This does not mean the goalie needs to overwork. The goalie needs effective body management, and they need to use quick-to-position (Q2P) moves.

A good rule of thumb is for goalies to adopt an “every next move is my most important” mindset.

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Your feet have to come back first.

Before you work on making the save, make sure you can get there.

Edge control. Starts and stops. Recovery. That's the foundation your entire performance pyramid sits on. None of it works if your skating base isn't back underneath you first.

Most goalies come back to the season focused on stopping pucks. The ones who show up differently start with what's underneath everything else.

Foundation first. Everything starts with your feet.

It's not just a new season, it's a new era of goalie development.

25% off for all new annual subscribers.

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Want Ian Clark's full breakdown? Sign up on the FTC website for his free "10 Keys to Unlocking Your Best Season" guide.

It’s not just a new season, it’s a new era of goalie development.

The off-season is almost over... Are you ready to level up your development?

New lessons. New ways to track your progress. A new standard for what it means to be your own best goalie coach.

Welcome to a new era.

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FTC Tuesday Tip: Quick Triggers - Down

When down, the goalie’s trigger, or start, is also critical to success.

Of course, this represents the recovery and organizing portion of the save process.

As previously noted, a slow triggering goalie is, simply, a slow goalie. Being late is not an option in time-sensitive moments.

When down, it is a rotational trigger on the knees that is required.

The rotational trigger sets the table for both a dynamic and efficient recovery process. With time often limited, this is vital to post-save success.

The rotational trigger, too, is led by the eyes, followed by the shoulder/hands and the planting of the backside skate perpendicular to the desired direction.

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FTC Tuesday Tip: Quick Triggers - Up

A trigger is equivalent to the goalie’s start of a move.

The word trigger is used to emphasize the quickness that is required to be elite.

Remember, a slow starter is a slow goalie.

On the feet, the goalie uses the hinge method of triggering.

Goalies should avoid using a c-cut trigger as it is counterproductive to the need for quickness and early eyes.

The hinge will support early/leading eyes and immediate loading of the push skate.

Effective triggering on the feet – for a T-push or a butterfly slide – demands effective management of the goalie’s flexion and width.

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