Goalie's Corner

Q:  What makes Morgan a great Goalie?

A:  Morgan brings a high level of energy to practices and games while keeping things light amongst her teammates. She also has the ability to bounce back very quickly whether it's from a loss or a bad goal.

Q:  How has Morgan helped your team this year?

A: When Morgan plays in goal, she does some in game scouting of the opposing goalie and reports her findings to her coaches and teammates. This in turn allows us to adjust our game plan accordingly. Morgan is willing to play out when asked to do so which is certainly no easy task when you usually play goal.

Q:  What do you think is the hardest thing for goalies?

A: I feel one of the hardest things for goalies is not to get down on themselves when scored on. It may not be their fault but the goalies tend to be looked upon as the last line of defense for their team which can put a lot of pressure on a young goalie. Practice can also be a challenge for goalies as their skill sets and requirements are so much different than those of the skaters.

Q:  How do coaches help goalies and how have you helped Morgan?

A:  The best way for coaches to help goalies is to involve them as much as possible during practices with the skaters so this way they can be aware of how some plays are designed, in turn allowing the goalie to be more prepared for these situations. We have helped Morgan by having one of our assistant coaches work with her during practice while others work with the skaters. Once we have the drills done that involve just the skaters, we incorporate Morgan in the drills so that she has a better understanding of what we are trying to accomplish with the particular drills.

Q:  What advice would you give to other girls wanting to try the Goalie position?

A:  Give an honest attempt to playing the position. A decision whether that position is right for you cannot be based on the performance during 1 or 2 games. Developing a solid goalie does not happen overnight. It takes hours of 100% effort and dedication at practices and perseverance during games whether good or bad to learn the position. Attending goalie camps is also a very important key to the development of young goalies. Simply said, DON'T GIVE UP!

If you are interested in seeing your favorite Goalie featured in an upcoming newsletter, please send your request to:  ringette@sportmanitoba.ca