No teammate to shoot on you? No problem! This drill will focus on the mechanics of your glove and blocker save. Use a mirror in front of you to look at yourself while doing the drill or a camera to ensure you have good positioning and you are making good progress to be ready for the next season!
We all know we are asking you to be a wall during a game, but why not use an actual wall as a training partner to work on your hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness.
There are two main drills to practice here both composed of multiple movements to run through. You will have seven moves to execute on the first drill, and six moves to practice on the second drill. For the first drill with the seven movements, it is important that you to drop in the butterfly position to mimic a save. Make sure to lean your body toward the side you make a save on. On the glove side, wait 2 seconds on the save. After the save, go back up with the opposite leg. On the other side, you will have to watch your blocker first like you made the save, and then watch on the side like there was a rebound. Recover to your post and go back to the top.
Let’s get set-up and ready to improve coordination and awareness!
DRILL #1: ROTATING HANDS
TIP: To maximize net coverage and ability to move while maintaining balance, always start in a proper stance at the top of your crease. Your feet are parallel to each other and are a little more than shoulder’s width apart with a slight ankle bend and weight on your toes. Keep your gloves out in front of your body to create a good balance.
For the second drill, you must maintain a goalie position throughout the movements. We use the Blocker Sleeve bouncing balls for all our off-ice activities. You will need your glove and blocker for these drills. We recommend you use your glove for those drills to ensure you catch with the netting pocket of your glove rather than the palm of your hand. Try to recreate and improve your reaction speed ability and the movement done on the ice. Get yourself a Blocker Sleeve to work with the same mentality on your blocker hand. The last three movements of this drill are repeating the first actions but while jogging in place. This keeps you quick and light on your feet while maintaining a strong and aggressive stance.
DRILL #2: GLOVE & BLOCKER SIDE
(ALWAYS KEEP YOUR GOALIE POSITION):*REPEAT THE SAME 6 DRILLS WITH YOUR BLOCKER SLEEVE.
TIP: Make sure to track every ball with your eyes. Take a one to two second stop after the save and then start again. Make forty to fifty reps of each drill.
