I played this summer in the Canadian Field Nationals that were held in Coquitlam, British Columbia. In one of our round robin games we had the chance to play against the Six Nations team from Ontario that had three or four World Team players. These guys were big. And although they didn't run much their stick skills were awesome. In the second quarter of our game we gave up six goals and each one of those shots were an uncontested shot from about 8-10 yards. I'd like to think I had a chance on them but really…these guys were peppering the corners. I took one shot off the inside of my calf as I tried to kick it out to stop a ball. The shot hit the fleshy part of my calf so it stung…I still have a round spot where the ball hit…a month later.
We ended up losing the game but afterwards someone came up and asked me if I was scared getting shot at by those guys so close to the cage. I mean the shots were hard, fast and super close. They were wind 'em up cannons too, not little dish and dunk type shots. As I thought about the game, especially the second quarter, I realized I wasn't scared at all. Not even close. But "why" I wasn't scared was something I wanted to share with you today.
You see even though the shots were coming at me upwards of 100mph. I knew that these guys knew right where they were going. Many of the shots that went in hit just inside the pipe. I could hear them hit the pipe or that part of the net where it's tight against the pipe. So I knew that these balls were going by me but they were going in at some of the hardest spots for the shooter to hit and the hardest spots for me to save. Many, if not all, of the shots went in "off stick hip" or right by my left ear. The furthest spot for my stick to go.
These guys were great shooters, and even though the shots were hard and fast I knew, that they knew, right where they were going. At one point one of my defensemen stuck his stick out to try and knock down a shot. The ball was headed right for my stick but it deflected off the d-pole and deflected into my chest. It hurt a ton and knocked the wind out of me. I was so pissed at my d-pole because I was about to catch the shot but because of him I now had a huge bruise on my chest.
I trusted these guys to shoot the ball by me and not "at" me. I felt safer getting shot on by these guys than I do by a bunch of high school kids who can't shoot nearly as fast. Those kids can do some damage because they will wind up and have no idea wher the shot was going to go. Many times the ball winds up on your thigh. Or in your chest. Or it hits you square in the balls. Ouch!
Trusting those who shoot against you is vitally important as you develop. Even when you get older too! By trusting the shooter you can focus on stopping the ball. On moving to the ball. And not worrying about if the ball is going to hit you or not which vitally compromisies your mental clarity and your effectiveness as a goalie. So keep that in mind as you develop. Do you trust this shooter who is shooting on you? Do you know he knows where the ball is going? Can you forgive him for the odd-ball that hits you in the arm, or the thigh, or the balls?
