Don’t curb your enthusiasm
Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesTo paraphrase the great poet Gertrude Stein, coaching is coaching is coaching. There are principles that apply seamlessly across a…
Goalie Guru
O'Connor: Hey, goalies, let's hear you talk out there
February is usually playoff month for many hockey programs (high school in particular). At the very least, the month is a sign of the final…Read More
Anxiety is a performance crusher for goalies
Any goaltender who has strapped on a set of pads — regardless of whether it’s ice hockey, street hockey or roller hockey — knows fear.…
Adequate protection lays groundwork for goalie improvement
Fear. Whether it’s concern about physical harm or emotional distress, fear is one of the great obstacles facing any goaltender trying to reach his or…
Summer is shopping season for hockey parents
It’s August, which means most diehard hockey players are getting the itch to hit the ice again, and goalie parents are saying a quiet prayer…
Team-oriented Marc-Andre Fleury is a grade-A role model
During Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, I was multitasking, trying to get some work done while watching the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden…
If you want someone’s attention, whisper to them
At the risk of dating myself (yet again), I was recently thinking back to my heyday of the 1970s and ’80s, when there was a…
Toughness is a trademark that can be developed
I absolutely love playoff hockey, especially postseason college hockey. No knock on the National Hockey League playoffs, which are great, but the college game, both…
Practice what you don’t do well
As an unabashed fan of hockey in general, and women’s hockey specifically, I always look forward to the Winter Olympics. Sure, the tournament is a…
Parents, school officials must respect boundaries
Sigh! Seems like every time I want to focus on a basic goaltending topic — from techniques to game preparation — something happens that pulls…
Sports without sportsmanship is a hollow activity
February represents the stretch run for most high school hockey seasons. In other words, this is the time of the season when coaches tend to…
Guidelines for age-based goals
One of the most difficult aspects of coaching is applying the right approach to each goaltender, at varying age levels. The reality is that not…
How to deal with the fear of losing
Adecade ago, I was working with a young goalie who showed considerable promise, despite his tender years. He had good athletic ability, terrific control of…
