Goalie's Corner

Q:  What makes Morgan a great Goalie?

A:  Alexyss always appears absolutely fearless, no matter what situation she is facing. It may be a breakaway, or maybe a three on one, but she is always up for the challenge - and it doesn't matter if it's a close game, or if we are down 5 or 6 goals or more. She should be playing her first year ay U14, but instead is playing age advanced at the U16 level, against players up to three years older than her AND it doesn't seem to faze her. Alexyss is always positive - I haven't heard anything negative all season. Yes, I see a moment or two of frustration once in a while if something slips past her, but then she moves on to focus on the next play coming towards her. I think she loves the challenges of playing goalie and continually tries to improve her game.

Q:  How has Morgan helped your team this year?

A: By agreeing to move up to U16 and filling the crucial role of goalie, Alexyss insured that the team was able to compete competitively from the first whistle of the first game.  She has been outstanding all season, often facing double or triple the number of shots faced by the opposition's goalie, yet never letting a losing battle get her down.  She's a huge asset to have:  her skill level is steadily improving, and her presence of mind and fearlessness contribute to her ongoing success as the team's sole goaltender.  Give this girl two or three more seasons at U16, and without a doubt, she will be one of the most dominant goaltenders in the league.

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

A: Goalies face a lot of challenges.  They are never a part of the celebration when their team scores a goal, but suffer through their opponents' celebrations right in front of them when they are scored on.  After making a spectacular stop, their teammates usually don't have a chance to congratulate them - they're working hard to break out of their end of the ice.   Goalies spend almost the entire game as solitary sentinels in their crease, while teammates get coaching tips, encouragement and moments of camaraderie between shifts while on the bench.  It takes a very special and dedicated person to stand in the pipes, all alone, through the good times and the bad.

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

A:  Positive encouragement is a key factor in my coaching of goaltenders.  In a perfect world, every team would have a dedicated goalie coach, but this is not the reality we live in.  The entire coaching staff, along with the assistance of a few parents, all contribute advice and feedback to Alexyss, but the most important message is always positive encouragement.  Even when we're down seven goals in an uphill struggle against a strong team, the only concern is the opponent'snext shot and how the team and Alexyss will stop it, not the goals that have already been scored. It's always best to recognise the positives, and encourage the entire team to build on them, whether it's a victory, one really nice breakout from our end or simply preventing the other team from scoring in the final 5 minutes of the game. Find the positives and work from there, encouraging further development of these positives.

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

A:  Every player should try goaltending at least once.  At younger ages, it's easier to try that position for a practice or a game.  At older ages, it's more difficult to get that opportunity, but it's worth pursuing.  Talk to your coach.  Maybe it means dressing as a second goalie for a practice, or maybe it means an evening of goaltending in borrowed equipment on the local outdoor rink in a pickup game.  If you're interested, there's always a way to give it a try.  You may just find the perfect position for you!

Q: What is Alexyss' greatest Goalie moment?

A: There have been many, many great moments this season, but the greatest happened in the first half, I believe against the Red River Wild.  A player fired a hard shot at Alexyss from her left side, which she stopped, but the rebound bounced out front of the net and to the right - directly to another opponent.  Alexyss slid across the crease in time to block a second shot, but was down on the ice.  The second rebound went directly to the original shooter right in front of the open net.  As she shot high at the center of the net, a blocker came out of nowhere to deflect the ring over the net.  It was unbelievable, and Alexyss acted completely nonchalant, like it was an everyday occurrence.  If that had happened in some other ice sport, it would have made the news and been on the weekly highlight reels nationwide.  OUTSTANDING!!