Questions Asked & Questions Answered
How Should the Starter Handle Themselves with the Backup Goaltender?
As a starting goaltender, it’s important to handle yourself in a professional and respectful manner as it establishes your character and leadership qualities.
Be a Supportive Teammate: Show support and encouragement to the backup goaltender, to gain respect you have to show respect.
Communicate Effectively: Communicate effectively with the backup goaltender, discussing strategies, sharing observations, and providing feedback. We share a passion.
Share Your Knowledge: Share your knowledge and experience with the backup goaltender, as you connect with them. Support them on and off the ice, when a pat on the back or verbal, l understand needs to be said, don’t hesitate. We are brothers between the pipes.
Show Respect: Show respect for the backup goaltender and their role on the team, recognizing that they are an important part of the team’s success. Root them on. Make sure you contribute to a supportive role above all.
Lead by Example: Lead by example by showing good sportsmanship, a positive attitude, and a professional work ethic. You succeed as you lead, set your standard high, meet it and go beyond it. Compete with yourself. Self-determination, taking responsibility is contagious. Your example propels, motivates and activates those around you.
Help Them Be Ready: Help them be ready for their starts by giving them constructive feedback, sharing your observations, and providing guidance when needed. Your input is stabilizing and assuring, inspiring your goalie partner to get back on the horse.
Be Open to Constructive Criticism:
The key word here is constructive criticism. Respecting a goalie partner’s criticism means you’re willing to listen. The criticism itself and how you react to it should be based on logic, common sense, math or science. Knowledge and understanding welcome criticism and challenge.
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