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Consistency = Success

Alexander

Thursday, 29 October 2020

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“CONSISTENCY beats Talent. Because it’s not what you do once in a while that matters, it’s what you do every single day”. #ChampionMinded

In the world of hockey, consistency is something that every coach wants & expects from his/her goaltender.

Why? Because if a goaltender is consistent, coaches know they can count on him/her to deliver a solid performance game in and game out and this allows the coach to formulate a game plan based around that without fear that things could go “south” sometime during the match.

So, what effect does your consistency have on the team? 

Your team will play with more confidence because you are giving them a chance to win every game
It gives everyone that extra layer of security so they can play their game without doubt, knowing that you are going to handle your end & that you are reliable and dependable

As a consistent goaltender, what you don’t need is:

To be flashy or super aggressive
To play a perfect technical game
To not allow yourself to make mistakes

To let pressure situations overwhelm you

What you must do from game to game is:

Keep the number of mistakes you make to a minimum

Keep your emotions in check & your energy level steady
Keep the "lights out one day, play below average the next" performances to a minimum

What leads to lack of consistency?

1. Lack of pre-game preparation. I cannot emphasize this enough. Preparation is the key to so much of a goaltender’s success because being inconsistent there will lead to inconsistent performances. Other inconsistent habits we develop when we are away from the rink such as not following a regular off ice training program or sound nutritional, rest & sleep habits will also lead to lack of consistency on ice.

2. Thinking we are good enough. Sometimes we like to relax and think “we’ve made it”. Understand the toughest part is not necessarily “making it”, it’s staying there. If you aren’t getting better every day; you are getting worst and at some point, everybody else passes you by.

3. You aren’t confident. To be consistent requires confidence. And you won’t develop confidence by second guessing yourself every time things go wrong. Simply put, confidence is having faith & trust in what you are doing. You don’t have to necessarily win the “big game” or get a shutout to develop confidence. And, at those times when you don’t feel confident, try “faking it”. You might be surprised.

4. You lack a little mental toughness. The smallest things upset you during the game & then you have trouble regaining focus. Soon, the little distractions pile up and soon it affects your game. Understand what is happening and that you need to address this. You probably are as mentally tough as the next guy; you just don’t know how to deal with what is happening. If that is the case then you need to have a serious discussion with someone who can help. Because of the nature of the position, and the pressures, goaltending, in itself is a real mental challenge.

I encourage every goaltender who competes at an elite level to seek out the advice of a mental coach WHETHER YOU THINK YOU NEED IT OR NOT. It is definitely one sure way to “up your game consistency” and your success.

CONSISTENCY LEADS TO SUCCESS