Category: Positions
Type: Tip
ART OF THE ARC: LEARNING HOW TO USE THE ANGLES
Some of you younger goalies may be getting lit up with shots. You are standing directly between the pipes, right in the middle, and you just can’t get to the corners. It has not been mentioned before, but your position is not directly between the pipes. There angles that the goalie must play in order to be effective at stopping shots.
Imagine an arc that goes from one post to the other out into the field of play with the peak of the arc lining up with the center of the goal. This arc is where you should be positioned to defend the goal against any shot. If your arc draws you too far out into the pool, you have a shorter reaction time and you leave yourself open against the lob shot. If you arc to too shallow, you have all the reaction time in the world, but you can’t reach to cover the corners.
You have to understand what the shooter is doing and how the shot will be approaching the net. You should center yourself between the shooter and the center of the net along your arc. The shot will come on an angle between the line down the center of the net and the line to the corner.
The closer you are to the shot, the closer it will be within your reach. The further away from the shot, the farther out your reach becomes, to the point that your hand, outstretched, covers the corner of the net. This may even lend yourself to being too far out of the goal and you may not have enough reaction time.
Move back toward the net and adjust your movement along your arc accordingly. You may have to account for a one or two-handed lunge to make those shots at the corners, but they are not out of your reach.
I know this tip for you goalies is a little vague, but everyone’s arc is different. It is all based on your comfort level and reaction time needed to make the shot. In general, some goalies like their hips to be just outside the plane of the goal, while others like to be further out. It is all based on his or her preference. This is something that the goalie needs to figure out for themselves personally.
Play with your arc in order to cover your angles. Having a coach that is familiar with the position will help, but some of you may not have someone like me on the pool deck to help you through it.
Keep adjusting until you are comfortable, and you will find that when your arc is correct, you will stop more shots. Anticipation is the key to goaltending, which comes in handy when you start venturing out into the field of play away from the goal.
This technique is by far the hardest part of goaltending. Finding your arc takes most goaltenders a while to find so don’t get discouraged. The more shots you see, they better off you are. Play hard and remember: If you touch, you stop it.
Submitted by: Coach Dave
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