What’s Behind the Mask: Mental Preparation for Ice Hockey Goalies

Growing up watching ice hockey as a devoted Chicago Blackhawks fan, I was always fascinated with ice hockey goalies. As a six-year-old watching games on TV, I wondered what it was like to see that little black puck fly at you through helmet wires and try to move with 40–50-pounds of gear to make a save. I was most intrigued not by the physical side of goal keeping, but the mental side. How did they perform minute after minute without becoming totally overwhelmed? As the last line of defense, ice hockey goalies face unique mental challenges that impact their performance and well-being.  

In this blog, we dive into research on the mental effects of goalies being benched, along with some of the mental skills that have been found to improve their performance. We will then bring this research to life through two case studies from the University of Denver club ice hockey goalies who participated in interviews.  
 

Background

In hockey, it is common for goalies to get benched with no explanation provided by their coach. Although this might be seen as part of the game, there is a psychological impact that comes along with getting pulled. Battaglia et al. (2018) found that there were four main themes that happen while and after being benched. The first theme is called the “skate of shame.” This is when the athlete is leaving the ice and feels humiliated, judged, ashamed, and experiences a decrease in confidence. The next theme is called the “banished benched.” This theme includes feeling excluded, ignored, and isolated on the bench. The athletes in this study all stated that coaches avoided eye contact, communication, and emotional support, leaving them to feel invisible and no longer useful. The third theme is called the “the lonely locker room.” Here, goalies are blamed for a loss and teammates distance themselves from them by following their coach's opinion. This makes goalies feel socially rejected. Lastly, the fourth theme is “silent celebration.” Even if their team wins, goalies feel as if they do not deserve to celebrate because they were benched. Goalies commented that they felt ostracized during goals, locker room celebrations, and post-game dinners and gatherings.  

Benching is just one of the hardships that ice hockey goalies face during their careers. Scholars note that goalies also have trouble maintaining concentration, eliciting positive emotions, recovering from poor performances, and trying to perform consistently (Monnich, 2021). Unfortunately, many goalies are never taught to deal with these stressors through mental skill training. However, there are psychological strategies they can use to help counter negative emotions (Rogerson & Hycaiko, 2002). These include centering, self-talk, and mental imagery. Centering requires the goalie to take one deep breath in and find the awareness of tension within their breath and then exhale while finding their mental focus. Self-talk is using a positive inner dialogue to create self-affirmations that can boost a goalie's mood. Rogerson & Hycaiko (2002) found that centering and self-talk improved competitive performance in games and practice and are helpful both before and during playing.  

Another tactic for mental preparation is mental imagery. Here, goalies use all their senses to create image of an opponent shooting a puck at them and them saving it from hitting the net. It is the act of sensing feelings of the surroundings all within your mind to replicate the game. Mental imagery and positive self-talk have been found to combat the stress and pressure in NHL goalies (Barbour, 2017). To better understand what this research looks like in practice, I interviewed two ice hockey goalies who compete for the University of Denver club team. Next, I discuss each of their stories.

Jake

Jake (pseudonym) started skating when he was two years old and began playing hockey when he was four years old. Even in his younger years, he recalled his love for sport and competing. At age 10, Jake started playing goalie, but he struggled to earn respect due to his smaller size. He was able to overcome this and earn the respect of his coaches and teammates by working harder. Nevertheless, the mental battles he experienced in the net were challenging throughout his career.  

Jakes experiences were similar to what was found in the research. He has been pulled out of the game many times. “That is just the norm of being a goalie,” said Jake. “I’ve had a lot of different coaches, but luckily now I have coaches that can relate.” In the past, his coaches yelled at him on the bench, in the locker room, and even when he was playing well. Jake has also felt left out because he plays goalie. He discussed how being a goalie can feel isolating, but his club experience at DU has reshaped his mindset thanks to the support he gets from his teammates.  

One specific memory that Jake recalled in our conversation was when he felt blamed for losing the game with his 18-u triple A team. They were playing another team in their league and their backup goalie let in three goals halfway through the first period. Jake was then put in the game. After 62 shots from the other team and just 7 shots for his team, they lost 5-3. From these statistics, the loss was clearly not Jake’s fault. Nevertheless, when the game ended, their coach walked into the locker room screaming, “Never in my life have I blamed a goalie for a loss.” Jake said it took him time to learn how to not take the blame too seriously and instead focus on how he can help his teammates.  

Although Jake has gone through mental battles with coaches, he never gave up on the sport he loves. Some strategies he uses to keep a positive mindset include keeping a consistent pre-game routine, focusing on himself, and finding pride in the fact that the goalie is an isolated position to play.

Maddie

Maddie (pseudonym) started skating when she was three years old but fell in love with ice hockey when she was five. Maddie's story contradicts findings from research in several ways. First, unlike other goalies, she was never benched due to performance, although she did recall once being pulled out of a few games to reset her mind. Maddie also mentioned how her coaches always told her why they pulled her out after a game, and it typically related to her mental state negatively impacting the team. She mentioned how her negative mindset always came after letting in a few goals. “At times I feel like I could have made saves that were fluke goals, especially if we lost by one goal. No one has ever said anything to me, but you can feel it and know you let in a few bad goals.” said Maddie. Her loss of confidence came through her letting her teammates down. To grow this confidence back up, she enjoys when her teammates and coaches compliment her and give her feedback, so she knows what she is doing right and wrong. 

One unique challenge Maddie faced that was not mentioned in the literature was being able to purchase goalie gear due to being a girl. The goalie skate blades and gloving are all sized for men, making it difficult for her to buy the correct gear. She still deals with finding glove sizing that fits her and must wear a different glove underneath the more protective glove.  

Even though Maddie has not experienced benching or coaches yelling at her, she still went through mental challenges that formed her into the player she is today. Her love for the position is fueled by her desire to be better for not only herself, but her teammates.  
 

Conclusion

Maddie and Jake have very different lived experiences, but both emphasized how important a strong mindset is for their performance. In the literature and the interviews, the coaches played a major role in goalies' mental well-being and performance. Maddie’s interview shows how constructive feedback can help athletes experience positive emotions, while Jake’s experienced low confidence and burnout when his coaches blamed a loss on his performance. In essence, goalies need consistent, constructive coaching and mental skills to reduce the mental stress and pressure that already comes along with the position.  

References

Battaglia, A., Kerr, G., & Stirling, A. (2018). An outcast from the team: Exploring youth ice hockey goalies’ benching experiences. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 38, 39-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.05.010  

Barbour, J. (2017). Psychology of goaltending in ice hockey. Snowdrifts, https://snowdrifts.lssu.edu/psychology-of-goaltending-in-ice-hockey/

Monnich, T. (2021). Mental skills training for ice hockey goalies. (2572581472) [Doctoral Dissertation, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.

Rogerson, L. J., & Hrycaiko, D. W. (2002). Enhancing competitive performance of ice hockey goaltenders using centering and self-talk. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 14(1),14–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200209339008