For goalies at highest levels from age 12 or 13 & over.
I hope you all had a relaxed [not too much or any goalie time] summer!
Tryouts and pre-season prep go hand-in-hand! This is as much a mental / excitement time, as it is physical.
For most, a bit of summer conditioning or just being a busy outside kid has been the order of business! Body in reasonable shape and mind calmed for the next test.
To get a feel for the new season get into the physical prep slowly with max a 1hr x 3 x per week on ice warm-up. A week before try-outs you may get to 4 or 5 times. Workouts should be a mix of skill development [movement, small stuff – cover posts etc], and lots of reflex saves with a bit of game scrimmage to bring back the read and react senses…!
Not to worry about making every save or for that matter perfectly in practice. Reflexes really kick in when things become ‘a sense of urgency’ matter, at the tryouts! Trust your competitive level when you need it!
On the mental side - Obsessing over making ‘the’ team will only defuse your reflexes and senses! Be prepared, be confident. Show-up and focus on the puck!
Next ‘blog’… How to handle / perform in try-outs…!!!