I've always wanted to be a goaltender. I've played Ice Hockey for 7 years as a defensemen - making the all star team 5 out of those 7 years.

I'm willing to purchase all the equipment and I know it is expensive. I just need some tips/help/advice on ice hockey goaltending.

I've played goaltender several times in roller hockey. I was out having a game and my buddies father who coaches a Junior team who placed second in the nation told me I should go out for ice hockey goalie. He said I was a year too old or he would have wanted me on his team. I am great with my glove but I have a feeling ice is a heck of a lot more different.

I think theres different styles of goaltending and I wanted to know whats best for my build. I'm 6'3 215.

I have trouble going into the butterfly completely - is there anything I can do to help me do it all the way let's say certain stretches? I won't be playing untill spring so I have plenty of time to get ready for it and I plan on taking a goalie camp over the summer.

I know to keep my stick on the ice and to keep my knees bent. What can I do to prepare myself for when I play in the Spring league?

Or if there's any helpful websites please post them here.

Don't know what birth year or age you are or what level of play you have been playing at, but it it entirely possible to make the conversion to goalie later in your playing time. It just takes more work.

What you have going for you
1) Knowledge of the game gained through experience. Kids who start young both have to learn the game and the position as they develop. You can focus more on learning goaltending now and the theory will come fast.

2) Some experience in roller hockey goal. Clearly you have gotten the bug and don't have the fear issue that many wannabe goalies (wanna be the center of attention only goalies) develop during their first experience. I'm going to discount that experience a bit as from what my goalie D tells me, roller and ice goaltending are rather different animals. Her opinion is that mobility is a bigger factor in ice hockey where glove speed and reach are more important to roller hockey. BTW, she hates roller goaltending because wheels take away the best part of her mobility (lateral).

3) The bug. Motivation is a big factor in success. From your willingness to buy your own equipment, I can tell that you are willing to invest a bit. You do have a certain degree of uncertainty about the butterfly technique (it is not a natural thing nor good for the knees). Goaltending isn't entirely about butterfly saves. The best goalies use many techniques and select the best technique for the particulars of the situation.

I'll tell you that where I live, we had a kid take up goaltending in his 2nd year of Bantam hockey a few years back and was similarly motivated and ended up an excellent HS goalie. His first year was kinda rough, but he had a coach willing to work with him. With some roller experience, you are already ahead of him.

As to what you should be doing right now...

You hit on an important thing about stretching. The most aggravating injury a goalie can have is a groin pull because they are slow healing, difficult to tell when they are healed, and quick to re-injure if you don't wait long enough. And a goalie without good flexibility (developed through a good stretching regemim) will eventually succumb to groin injuries.

Seeing that you are from PA, I would guess that your local organization probably has some type of goalie coaching (clinics or practices) available.

I would try to find out NOW if you can beg into these sessions even though you don't play for a team right now. With your lack of experience, you might want to attend with younger goalies (squirt/peewee) where they work more on basics that you need to practice(shuffling, telescoping, basic butterfly, finding angles, getting up and down, etc.). I think a willingness to learn with the younger kids will demonstrate an maturity and respect for learning that will get you the respect of coaches.

As you quickly master the skills, I'm sure they will bump you up to your own age level quickly.

With a couple months of basics, you will be better prepared for Spring League where nobody plays defense and you will get your resolve tested thouroughly and see lots of rubber.

Plan on attending a couple of weeks of goalie camp this summer. I can't make a local recommendation for you, but look for camps that are run by the principle participants. Many camps are franchised (think Rick Heinz) and can have great variability in the instructors and the teaching. Perhaps Fangers has some other good suggestions in this area.

As to your build, you seem to be good sized, but it has nothing to do with technique. There are big and small butterfly tenders as well as big and small floppers and stand-up guys. The best goalies can do all of the above which keeps the shooters guessing. You will develop techniques that you are more comfortable with, but don't let that limit you as shooters learn how to game goalies. I'm sure you hear about which ones are weak down low or 5-hole or someplace else.

Hope I've been helpful. I praise your willingness to make the change at your age. It takes plenty of work, but if goaltending is your thing, there is nothing else like it.

Feel free to ask more questions.

I'm 16 so I guess that would make me a "Midget".

The area I live in there are not many goaltenders because of the cost of the equipment. Sometimes for in-house leagues they let goaltenders play for free and have all other players pay the couple hundred dollars to play those games. When I play roller, I don't really think about going into the butterfly or whatever it's more me just automatically reacting to the shot. The league thats going on right now, the winter league needs another goalie and I might join just to get the experience. They do have camps at the local rink but I have not seen any flyers or packets about goaltender camps. However there is camps for all ages on hockey for shooting, passing, etc. and theres daily scrimages. I would guess they would need a goaltender there and while everyone else is doing their own thing a coach could work with me. I'd have to call and ask about that. I've talked to my gym teacher and like you said he hit the point on the groin area. He demonstrated certain stretches that I should be doing to improve my flexability. I've always been good with angles when playing roller, however with those 2 on 1's you can't really slide accross to save the shot like you can in ice. Like you said moving laterally. I've played ice hockey for a 7 years like I said above, so I pretty much know all the rules and how everything works. I also attend games and observe the goaltenders I guess to see how to react in different situations and where to be at certain times. (Ages 10-13 and 14-17) I wouldn't expect to pull a "Patrick Roy" performance my first game but I will learn along the way.

I'll post more later if I have any more questions or comments.

Thanks for the help RedWingsGuy!

Where exactly in Pennsylvania are you from? Our kids from New Jersey just about live in Pennsylvania as we spend so much time going there to play teams and in tournaments.

I have a friend that got a great deal on goalie equipment through GoalMonkey.com. I think he paid $50 for the leg pads. If you have any consignment sports or Play it again sports in your area you can save significantly on equipment there.

Mitch Korn Goalie School

Don't become a seal!!!

F77 -

I didn't realize Mitch Korn had any camps in your neck of the woods. My D has done Mitch's camp closer to us and we think it is excellent.

Mitch has a couple eastern camps - DC, CT, Newburgh NY - in addition to Cincy, Buffalo, Nashville.

If you can get to one of Mitch's do it - my son loves his camps and will go no where else and he' worked the Cincy camp last summer (and again this summer s well as the residence camp at Miami U).

check this out as well

I live in the Suburbs of Philly.

Both of those camps look great, I'd have to talk it over with my parents.