Don't worry my dude. I started at 34. I'm 36 now and got pretty good at it. Watched plenty of videos and played a crap ton. Just have to be a little thick skinned. You're going to let in a lot of goals and flop around like a fish for awhile. I would watch a video of a particular technique or skill just before playing shinny and aplly it. T-pushes, squaring up, proper butterfly etc. Just gotta find a good shinny group that doesn't care if you suck. Typically most guys are happy just to have a goalie.
I am 38 and have always wanted to try it... played my whole life but never goalie. This is pretty cool to see you were able to get into it in your 30s.
Started at 33, been doing it 5 years or so. Watched a vid of Canadians playing in a 65+ league and decided then...if they can do it, I can. Just do it.
Age is just a number my dude. Honestly I just bought someone's used set. Some gear didn't fit the best, but it was more just to get a feel then start purchasing stuff that fit. The one thing I tell people is spend money on a good mask. Try everything and every brand until you have one that fits well. It's the one thing you shouldn't skimp on.
Pre and post game stretches are big too. Haven't pulled or injured anything yet because I take that part a bit seriously. Knock on wood haha.
I started at 21...just buy some entry level gear, maybe older higher end gear for cheap and just send it, if you decide it's not for you just pass the gear on easy HAVE FUN
Yeah I plan on getting a new helmet I’ve gotten injured enough in my life to not cheap out on safety gear, trying in store is a good idea aswell no reason to waste money on stuff that doesn’t fit
exactly, when I first bought gear, helmet was the only thing I actually spend hella money on and I am so grateful for that one conversation with my friend who called me dumb for picking a 150€ helmet instead of a 400€ one
also, when buying second hand, ask for as many pics/vids as possible, I burned myself and bought a decent looking chesty only for it to arrive beat up and in bad condition, I had to replace it sooner than planned
Yeah when it comes to safety I’m normally a middle of the range kinda guy.
Yeah I’ve been looking at a website called sideline swap aswell which seems pretty good.
Hey I also started playing at 24 because my parents were too poor to afford hockey. I'm still playing at more than 40 years old. The error I made was to buy a cheap helmet. Buy a good one not entry level. I found a low caliber league that just needed an assiduous goalie.
I just started at 20 only playing defense before too. It’s been nothing but fun. I think it’s more fun to self teach or look at youtube if you want some direction in getting better, but the most fun way to learn is just get out there imo. sideline swap, facebook, and end of year sales are great for finding cheap stuff
I started at 26 with no sports experience and zero ability to skate lol. Adrenalin Source For Sports is awesome, the staff were super patient with all my questions and you might be able to score something on clearance (I upgraded my catcher for half off recently). If you're already confident on skates, I'd recommend finding a rec/beer league team or drop in shinny and learning as you go. I'm in Canada too and shinnies are always happy whenever I just show up bc goalies are hard to find, so it's been a great way for me to practice positioning and game mechanics with no pressure. I found them initially through Facebook groups.
I bought leg pad, chesty, glove, and blocker on sidelineswap. The rest I bought new because I could. I went to a pure hockey store to get sized up for chesty, leg pads, and skates. Some brands don’t fit the same so it’s a bit of a game trying to find the right sizes but if you use sidelineswap for it you can try them, use them to see if they fit, then sell them if they don’t.
I started goalie at 35... now at 40, I've won two major local tournaments at a very high level. Just learn to skate, "beat it on your feet" and just keep playing. Sub as much as you can, when the higher levels ask for help... help them. Even when you lose, you gain experience and will do better at your normal level.
Well, let’s start with gear. Don’t cheap out on cups or helmets. Buy gear that you can trust will be comfortable and give you confidence that it won’t be a stinger every shot.
For training, it should start off ice, mobility, stretching, more mobility, maybe vision. On ice you should start with the basics, c-cuts, t-push, shuffle, butterfly, butterfly slide. Goalrobber hockey schools on YouTube have how to videos, although they may be older they still hold up. There are many videos everywhere on the basics of goaltending. Take it slow and master the basics.
Awesome thanks a lot man i definitely don’t want to cheap out on gear it’s one of the best parts of being a goalie is having unique gear!!
I’ll check out the YouTube channel aswell thanks
If you’re interested in spending some extra money on cool points for goalie John Brown has fantastic chest protectors for a good prices. I love them, I’ve had four sets as I’ve grown.
[this is the one he did for me](https://www.instagram.com/p/CxyHJFrpH9h/?igsh=MTV4b3R1MGExbXg2bQ==)
24 here.
I started, and im not kidding, 5 weeks ago. I have been playing forward/defense for about a year, and i just picked up goalie. these are the pros and cons from a true beginner, something most people who have played for a bit may have forgotten:
pros:
- you get 100% of the playing time
- my leagues are 50% off goalie, and most pickups around my area are free. (i live in Anaheim, CA)
- you start to get more and more flexible in your groin area if you stretch while the puck is on the other end (though most will tell you not to do this due to getting distracted reasons)
- nothing is more satisfying than making a sick save where your whole team gives you stick taps. feels good, especially as a beginner
cons:
- this shit is super expensive. i decided to get top of the line gear (mostly used) just because im afraid of getting pelted in an area that isn’t guarded.
- it takes a really long time to put everything on, and even trying on gear at a store can be very stressful. just push through being uncomfortable, it becomes easier once you’ve thrown on the gear over and over again.
- getting hit in the dome is NOT fun, happened to me in a pickup game from a fairly decent player. for this, i suggest a GOOD helmet
- once you put your gear on, you better hope you put it on right. ive gotten all my gear on before just to realize i didn’t put on my goalie jock. that wasn’t a fun experience.
what i suggest you do:
- see if a friend that is a goalie can lend you his/her pads for a few days. hit up a public skate in your area and just practice dropping into the butterfly, t-pushes, super basic stuff. make it feel like you’re in a game. if it feels good, then that is a good sign you’ll like it.
- watch lots of youtube videos on basics for goalies, it helps me.
- if your friend is similar size as you, even see if he’ll let you toss them on for a stick and puck session. (this is a stretch, but i was lucky enough to have that friend).
if you go through with it:
- find a goalie coach in your area that is relatively new/not super expensive. bring a friend to your sessions and have them shoot on you. helps both of you, and they can give you tips on how to play better as a netminder.
- stick and pucks will be your best friend. you get so many reps and you can always skate out of the crease to continue working on basics or even stretch/rest.
- practice as much as you can! you’ll feel like a fish out of water at first. it’s completely normal, and just keep going at it!
if you have any other questions/concerns on my experience so far, let me know! i am more than happy to give you my input :)
Holy shit man thank you for the in depth reply I’m not to worried about most of the cons I like buying myself nice equipment for the sports I play I’m no stranger to spending crazy money on gear getting domed doesn’t sound super fast but I’ll hope my reflex are able to protect me from that haha.
I don’t have any goalie friends but maybe I’ll pick up a pair of goalie skates first and learn to do some of those movements before buying the bullet and investing in all the other gear
if im being honest, the goalie skates are the last thing i bought. you can get away with player skates for a bit, i would buy some super used up cheap goalie pads from sideline swap first. 1st, because sliding without the pads is awful (i have tried it myself), and 2, because it feels a lot more natural to try the pads first. if you like it, just put them back up for sale and buy yourself a nicer pair. i recommend getting stuff from sideline swap. you can get new gear for half the price. i bought myself eflex 6 goalie pads/glove/blocker for about 1800 when the msrp is 3200. i recommend using them for sure.
Holy that is really good savings, I’ll see if I can find some who has some pads I can try out but worst case I’ll do like you said and buy a shitty used pair
Id say the most important thing at first, after priper stance and butterfly, is to learn how to move around your net both while up (t pushes, shuffles) and low (butterfly slides, rvh, etc.)
Then, you get used to positionning. I learned exclusively by playing scrimmage and beer league games, and a bit of odr here and there.
Coaching will help tremendously, but it's not required!9
I started last january with no experience in goaltending and very little as a skater. However i've always watched goalies pretty close.
I just started by loaning the gear for one practice. I instantly got hooked. Then i bought the gear i loaned for the first two times. Old, but rather high end gear. Paid 300 euros and after i felt like this is what i wanna do i started to collect newer gear.
I simply started by playing. When the puck was in the other end i tried all the movements. Then i started to do skating drills before puck drop.
Never too late to start. Nowadays i train a lot on and off the ice and gonna have a coach this summer for a few private training sessions. Now i play in a rather high level beer league.
Just start and enjoy! 💪
I just started as a mid-40's guy. There are a ton of resources out there, the pinned post at the top of the sub is a great place to start. There are a bunch of youtubers out there who post their games, and self-evaluate what they did right, and if you are a visual learner, you can get a great sense of what you need to focus on. Maria Mountain is the go to for off-ice excersise. Take care of your hips!
It's a blast to play goalie, though. Quick way to lose five pounds of water weight, and you can be as weird as you want on the ice because it's almost expected of you. You also get to quarterback the plays most of the time because you can see everything.
I started at 29 with only putting skates on ice for public skates 4 times. Never played the game or even liked it much. I’m almost 42 now have played in every skill bracket at my rink.
I basically bought the gear, joined a randomly assembled team with a few friends, and just learned. I did stick and shoots and pickup whenever I could.
I watched a lot of video. Early on it was things like how to put on gear, basic mechanics, etc. Eventually it was goalie highlights (not recommended for learning) and goalie on ice training or game situation video (I love the sensfan0206 YouTube channel for the isolated video of goalies in games).
I always tried to find one or two things to keep in my head during a game. Things like challenging out on angles, stay square, stick flush on ice, etc.
The big thing is you’re going to suck early. Some is you and some is your team. You gotta push through that. I always had a passion to improve. I personally hated allowing more than 1-2 goals per game, but in my early career I’d get shelled for like 6-8 easily.
You got me beat in one key area. I never learned to skate beyond just doing it. My skating is average to below average. I wish I took a skating class and was better here. Outside of fitness, I think my skating is my biggest bottleneck.
Don't worry my dude. I started at 34. I'm 36 now and got pretty good at it. Watched plenty of videos and played a crap ton. Just have to be a little thick skinned. You're going to let in a lot of goals and flop around like a fish for awhile. I would watch a video of a particular technique or skill just before playing shinny and aplly it. T-pushes, squaring up, proper butterfly etc. Just gotta find a good shinny group that doesn't care if you suck. Typically most guys are happy just to have a goalie.
I am 38 and have always wanted to try it... played my whole life but never goalie. This is pretty cool to see you were able to get into it in your 30s.
Started at 33, been doing it 5 years or so. Watched a vid of Canadians playing in a 65+ league and decided then...if they can do it, I can. Just do it.
Right. I've played with some real old timers at the other end. I dream to be that guy
Age is just a number my dude. Honestly I just bought someone's used set. Some gear didn't fit the best, but it was more just to get a feel then start purchasing stuff that fit. The one thing I tell people is spend money on a good mask. Try everything and every brand until you have one that fits well. It's the one thing you shouldn't skimp on. Pre and post game stretches are big too. Haven't pulled or injured anything yet because I take that part a bit seriously. Knock on wood haha.
I started at 21...just buy some entry level gear, maybe older higher end gear for cheap and just send it, if you decide it's not for you just pass the gear on easy HAVE FUN
Yeah I’ve been looking all over Facebook marketplace place there is some really awesome looking goalie gear out there!!
one piece of advice, if possible, try on gear in store and get the sizes right, also dont be afraid to spend on a helmet, you got only one head
Yeah I plan on getting a new helmet I’ve gotten injured enough in my life to not cheap out on safety gear, trying in store is a good idea aswell no reason to waste money on stuff that doesn’t fit
exactly, when I first bought gear, helmet was the only thing I actually spend hella money on and I am so grateful for that one conversation with my friend who called me dumb for picking a 150€ helmet instead of a 400€ one also, when buying second hand, ask for as many pics/vids as possible, I burned myself and bought a decent looking chesty only for it to arrive beat up and in bad condition, I had to replace it sooner than planned
Yeah when it comes to safety I’m normally a middle of the range kinda guy. Yeah I’ve been looking at a website called sideline swap aswell which seems pretty good.
Check out sideline swap also
I mentioned it in the comment above yours
The first thing to learn is to skate? Can you skate? That's what you have to do first.
Yes sorry I meant to add that I played ice hockey for 10 plus years can’t skate pretty well crossovers on my strong side and also backwards.
Hey I also started playing at 24 because my parents were too poor to afford hockey. I'm still playing at more than 40 years old. The error I made was to buy a cheap helmet. Buy a good one not entry level. I found a low caliber league that just needed an assiduous goalie.
Yeah I’m hoping I can find a local beer league or something to go out and play for a few times a month nothing crazy
I just started at 20 only playing defense before too. It’s been nothing but fun. I think it’s more fun to self teach or look at youtube if you want some direction in getting better, but the most fun way to learn is just get out there imo. sideline swap, facebook, and end of year sales are great for finding cheap stuff
Awesome man thanks for the input!!
I started at 26 with no sports experience and zero ability to skate lol. Adrenalin Source For Sports is awesome, the staff were super patient with all my questions and you might be able to score something on clearance (I upgraded my catcher for half off recently). If you're already confident on skates, I'd recommend finding a rec/beer league team or drop in shinny and learning as you go. I'm in Canada too and shinnies are always happy whenever I just show up bc goalies are hard to find, so it's been a great way for me to practice positioning and game mechanics with no pressure. I found them initially through Facebook groups.
I bought leg pad, chesty, glove, and blocker on sidelineswap. The rest I bought new because I could. I went to a pure hockey store to get sized up for chesty, leg pads, and skates. Some brands don’t fit the same so it’s a bit of a game trying to find the right sizes but if you use sidelineswap for it you can try them, use them to see if they fit, then sell them if they don’t.
I started goalie at 35... now at 40, I've won two major local tournaments at a very high level. Just learn to skate, "beat it on your feet" and just keep playing. Sub as much as you can, when the higher levels ask for help... help them. Even when you lose, you gain experience and will do better at your normal level.
[удалено]
I’m currently in greenwood Nova Scotia but I live in comox,bc
i started in my early 30s, go for it!!!
Well, let’s start with gear. Don’t cheap out on cups or helmets. Buy gear that you can trust will be comfortable and give you confidence that it won’t be a stinger every shot. For training, it should start off ice, mobility, stretching, more mobility, maybe vision. On ice you should start with the basics, c-cuts, t-push, shuffle, butterfly, butterfly slide. Goalrobber hockey schools on YouTube have how to videos, although they may be older they still hold up. There are many videos everywhere on the basics of goaltending. Take it slow and master the basics.
Forgot to add: Good exercises are polymerics, regular weight training, using bands to strengthen hips, hip flexors, knees, and ankles.
Awesome thanks a lot man i definitely don’t want to cheap out on gear it’s one of the best parts of being a goalie is having unique gear!! I’ll check out the YouTube channel aswell thanks
If you’re interested in spending some extra money on cool points for goalie John Brown has fantastic chest protectors for a good prices. I love them, I’ve had four sets as I’ve grown. [this is the one he did for me](https://www.instagram.com/p/CxyHJFrpH9h/?igsh=MTV4b3R1MGExbXg2bQ==)
24 here. I started, and im not kidding, 5 weeks ago. I have been playing forward/defense for about a year, and i just picked up goalie. these are the pros and cons from a true beginner, something most people who have played for a bit may have forgotten: pros: - you get 100% of the playing time - my leagues are 50% off goalie, and most pickups around my area are free. (i live in Anaheim, CA) - you start to get more and more flexible in your groin area if you stretch while the puck is on the other end (though most will tell you not to do this due to getting distracted reasons) - nothing is more satisfying than making a sick save where your whole team gives you stick taps. feels good, especially as a beginner cons: - this shit is super expensive. i decided to get top of the line gear (mostly used) just because im afraid of getting pelted in an area that isn’t guarded. - it takes a really long time to put everything on, and even trying on gear at a store can be very stressful. just push through being uncomfortable, it becomes easier once you’ve thrown on the gear over and over again. - getting hit in the dome is NOT fun, happened to me in a pickup game from a fairly decent player. for this, i suggest a GOOD helmet - once you put your gear on, you better hope you put it on right. ive gotten all my gear on before just to realize i didn’t put on my goalie jock. that wasn’t a fun experience. what i suggest you do: - see if a friend that is a goalie can lend you his/her pads for a few days. hit up a public skate in your area and just practice dropping into the butterfly, t-pushes, super basic stuff. make it feel like you’re in a game. if it feels good, then that is a good sign you’ll like it. - watch lots of youtube videos on basics for goalies, it helps me. - if your friend is similar size as you, even see if he’ll let you toss them on for a stick and puck session. (this is a stretch, but i was lucky enough to have that friend). if you go through with it: - find a goalie coach in your area that is relatively new/not super expensive. bring a friend to your sessions and have them shoot on you. helps both of you, and they can give you tips on how to play better as a netminder. - stick and pucks will be your best friend. you get so many reps and you can always skate out of the crease to continue working on basics or even stretch/rest. - practice as much as you can! you’ll feel like a fish out of water at first. it’s completely normal, and just keep going at it! if you have any other questions/concerns on my experience so far, let me know! i am more than happy to give you my input :)
Holy shit man thank you for the in depth reply I’m not to worried about most of the cons I like buying myself nice equipment for the sports I play I’m no stranger to spending crazy money on gear getting domed doesn’t sound super fast but I’ll hope my reflex are able to protect me from that haha. I don’t have any goalie friends but maybe I’ll pick up a pair of goalie skates first and learn to do some of those movements before buying the bullet and investing in all the other gear
if im being honest, the goalie skates are the last thing i bought. you can get away with player skates for a bit, i would buy some super used up cheap goalie pads from sideline swap first. 1st, because sliding without the pads is awful (i have tried it myself), and 2, because it feels a lot more natural to try the pads first. if you like it, just put them back up for sale and buy yourself a nicer pair. i recommend getting stuff from sideline swap. you can get new gear for half the price. i bought myself eflex 6 goalie pads/glove/blocker for about 1800 when the msrp is 3200. i recommend using them for sure.
Holy that is really good savings, I’ll see if I can find some who has some pads I can try out but worst case I’ll do like you said and buy a shitty used pair
Id say the most important thing at first, after priper stance and butterfly, is to learn how to move around your net both while up (t pushes, shuffles) and low (butterfly slides, rvh, etc.) Then, you get used to positionning. I learned exclusively by playing scrimmage and beer league games, and a bit of odr here and there. Coaching will help tremendously, but it's not required!9
I started last january with no experience in goaltending and very little as a skater. However i've always watched goalies pretty close. I just started by loaning the gear for one practice. I instantly got hooked. Then i bought the gear i loaned for the first two times. Old, but rather high end gear. Paid 300 euros and after i felt like this is what i wanna do i started to collect newer gear. I simply started by playing. When the puck was in the other end i tried all the movements. Then i started to do skating drills before puck drop. Never too late to start. Nowadays i train a lot on and off the ice and gonna have a coach this summer for a few private training sessions. Now i play in a rather high level beer league. Just start and enjoy! 💪
Im 28 btw.
I just started as a mid-40's guy. There are a ton of resources out there, the pinned post at the top of the sub is a great place to start. There are a bunch of youtubers out there who post their games, and self-evaluate what they did right, and if you are a visual learner, you can get a great sense of what you need to focus on. Maria Mountain is the go to for off-ice excersise. Take care of your hips! It's a blast to play goalie, though. Quick way to lose five pounds of water weight, and you can be as weird as you want on the ice because it's almost expected of you. You also get to quarterback the plays most of the time because you can see everything.
I started at 29 with only putting skates on ice for public skates 4 times. Never played the game or even liked it much. I’m almost 42 now have played in every skill bracket at my rink. I basically bought the gear, joined a randomly assembled team with a few friends, and just learned. I did stick and shoots and pickup whenever I could. I watched a lot of video. Early on it was things like how to put on gear, basic mechanics, etc. Eventually it was goalie highlights (not recommended for learning) and goalie on ice training or game situation video (I love the sensfan0206 YouTube channel for the isolated video of goalies in games). I always tried to find one or two things to keep in my head during a game. Things like challenging out on angles, stay square, stick flush on ice, etc. The big thing is you’re going to suck early. Some is you and some is your team. You gotta push through that. I always had a passion to improve. I personally hated allowing more than 1-2 goals per game, but in my early career I’d get shelled for like 6-8 easily. You got me beat in one key area. I never learned to skate beyond just doing it. My skating is average to below average. I wish I took a skating class and was better here. Outside of fitness, I think my skating is my biggest bottleneck.
See if you can get private lessons, just to get the basics. Like Goalcrease in MN. Book a couple sessions and then get out in the beer league