An important part of playing goalie is having your body in the best position possible to make the save. As the ball moves around the perimeter, your body needs to move with it. The best way to do this is to have a semi-circle arc from pipe to pipe. In other words, you need to be able to easily move from one side of the net to the other. The top of this arc should be about three feet above the line of the goal at the center front of the net.
If you start with your left foot on the right post, you should be able to take four shuffle steps in a semi-circle arc and finish with your right foot on the opposite post. You will cover five areas with these five steps:
- Far right or right post
- Far left or left post
Making a save starts with being in the right position. This is a skill you should practice every day so that you can execute this movement from side to side in the net without looking down or worrying about your body positioning. Stay balanced as you move, with your eyes up and your stick in front of you.
As the ball is moving around during the game, you should feel confident that your body is in the right position and that you’re at the right angle to the ball to make a save.
Now that you have the arc down, learn how to step to the ball that’s coming toward you for a better chance at making the save.