Here Come Tryouts...Again

As we get deeper into our summer, I know that the minds of many competitive goaltenders are starting to move to the upcoming hockey season and in particular, tryouts.  The word tryout will evoke a whole slew of emotions in a young goaltender (and parents, as well): excitement, nervousness, apprehension, anticipation, and downright fear.  While there may be many (legitimate) complaints about the various tryout scenarios of different hockey associations, it is an unfortunate but necessary part of measuring and placing young athletes in the best possible environment for their development.

I have parsed a few articles from great goalie coaching gurus, like Steve McKichan and Travis Harrington (offsite pdf article link here), to give young goalies a list of tips and ideas to carry into the tryout process.  In an additional future post, as a goalie developer and evaluator, I will provide a list of what I expect to see in terms of skills and what I wish to see in goalies at different age levels during tryouts.  Take this article as a support essay to help provide yourself or your young goalie with the best possible way to prepare and approach tryouts.  Success not guaranteed…

Before jumping into my grocery list of tryout tips, Steve McKichan had an excellent post at the GSBB in regards to what type of cuts there are in tryouts.  These three types of cuts are presented in the order most coaches will use to eliminate prospects, but beware, that is not always the case. 

1. Skill Cuts: is when coaches or evaluators can identify that the goalie doesn’t measure up in terms of physical or technical skill to play at the required level.  Early on in goalie evaluations, some skill cuts can be very obvious to even lay coaches.  In getting closer to the final four or five candidates, outside or specialist evaluators may be called upon to rank goalies in overall skill or specific skill attributes.
2. Attitude Cuts: is when goalies that may have the requisite skills, but due to personality deficiencies or poor attitude to things like work, competition, coaching authority, or teammates, are let go.   There are cases where a kid’s talent and skill may overcome a borderline antisocial personality, but ultimately, those selections are usually to the detriment to the team’s overall enjoyment and development during the future season.
3. Parent Cuts: is, in my experience, the final tie-breaker in the situation where candidates are evenly ranked in skill and attitude.  It may be unfair to a child to be cut for who or how their parents behave, but it is reality.  I have defended the practice, at times only when there is a very legitimate tie in skill and attitude, as fair, since bringing on disruptive parents to a team sport is actually unfair to the other kids and parents.  It may be looked at as what the goalie brings to the table is not worth the baggage that comes along with them.

List of Tips

1. Be physically fit.  Tryouts are not CONDITIONING camps.  If you cannot be at the best physical shape that you can be at the start of tryouts, you are not giving yourself a fair chance and you are not giving the coaches a fair opportunity to evaluate you.
2. It is only minor hockey, but you should have a professional attitude. 
3. You should prepare appropriately.  Check and double-check your gear prior to going to the rink for each session.  Nothing looks worse than a kid forgetting his gear on the first day of tryouts.  Coaches wonder what else will happen during the season.  Make sure everything fits and is in the best working order.  Tryouts are not the time to break-in new gear.
4. Show up on time for tryouts and all meetings.  Better yet, be 5-10 minutes early for everything.  Remember, even Jonathan Quick got cut down from his AHL team to the ECHL because he slept-in and missed a meeting with the assistant goalie coach of the LA Kings.
5. Show that you want to be there.  Be the first and last off the ice.
6. Want the net.  Own the net.  Act like it is your net and you deserve to be there.  I often see goalies standing around discussing who should be next in the drill or net during tryouts.  If there is ANY doubt, TAKE that net and let the other lost souls debate and lose out.
7. When you are out of the net, work on your skating and goalie specific movement drills.  Coaches like this.  Plus it gives you a chance to show what you can do in terms of movement.  Drills in tryouts are not always conducive to this.
8. Be coachable.  Listen attentively and don’t be a drill-killer!  It is easy for goalies to skip a coach’s explanation of the drill.  Don’t do that!
9. Show confidence not cockiness.  It is psychology 101 and most veteran coaches know it.  Cockiness is a form of inferiority complex and a way to compensate for a lack of skill by diverting attention.  Confidence tells me you have done it before and you are capable of doing it again.
10. Consistency over flashiness (related to above).  Steak over sizzle.  Desperate or diving saves on occasion or the appropriate time are definitely ways to get notice, but if that is all that you do, skilled evaluators will quickly write you off as lucky and risky.
11. Keep a calm demeanor even with a bad outing or bad goal.  Evaluators are also looking to see how you handle a few tough knocks.  Do you shift blame?  Do you throw a tantrum?  Do you just pack it in? Or do you bounce back and get tough?
12. Be yourself!  Play to your strengths.  Tryouts are not a time to experiment.  Spring hockey and summer camps are that time.  If you do have special skills, then by all means put them on display (sparingly and in the right situation).
13. If you want to be compared to the best goalie, get near him and share his/her net.
14. As McKichan said, if in doubt keep your pie-hole shut unless it is time to be communicative.  The times that require you to be vocal and heard by coaching staff is when you are directing defensive traffic, handling dump-ins, assisting in breakouts, or cheering on teammates.  Be VERY loud and positive, then.
15. Have fun!!  It is only hockey, a sport.  Goalies will always be challenged, no matter what level they ultimately play at.  When a goalie gets a shutout in every game and in every practice for a single season, then I will make a very public apology for that comment.  Until then, a goalie can develop at any level they play at with the right work ethic and right mindset.

This is not a 100% comprehensive list and though long, most of these items are common sense and the list should just provide a reminder to the legit competitive goalie of how to approach tryouts. 

Best of luck!