Goalie Game Day

Growing up a goalie I heard every line: “Goalies are weird”, “Goalies are different” and “You just can’t talk to goalies”, but boy, were they wrong. Sure most coaches won’t go out of their way to tell a goalie something important in the pre-game meeting or speech, but personally, I feel like they are missing out on an opportunity.  Today’s modern athletes are all the same, they feel pressure, they want feedback and they all face the challenges of life through a digital world.

Twitter, Facebook and a variety of social media apps now play a large role in how athletes interact with their teammates and friends. Being able to know when to engage and when to shut down your devices is extremely important. Understanding not only your team’s policies but your own needs is extremely important in order to develop good mental preparation habits. As a goalie much of the game can happen well before the puck is dropped. You must be warmed-up, stretched out and depending on your style either fired-up or calmed down before you take the ice. How long this takes and how you go about it are up to you, but today we’ll look at a few strategies for handling social media before the game.

Social Media Silence

Social media silence is an approach that many teams take all together. Some teams or coaches will ask their players to avoid social media completely on game day or at least a certain number of hours before the game. Not only does this avoid distractions but it also lets you keep a clear head.

How often do you sit and think how much you wish you would have been at school or work before a game? Not very often I’m sure!

Being able to block out social media can mean the difference between a day of drama or being calm and mentally balanced at game time. For some it can mean the ability to avoid engaging in any chatter with friends on your team that may fire up the other team, or avoiding being fired up by something your opponents have shared.

The Pre-Game Post

Pre-game posts can become as much of a ritual as putting on your left pad first or wishing your posts luck before a game. You may choose to simply login, post and sign-off, following an otherwise quiet pattern similar to social media silence; though this requires some self-restraint. You might also chose to use your pre-game post to mark the end of your day on social media as you sign-off and begin focussing on the game ahead.

In the past I’ve coached with guys who share an inspiring or motivating piece on Twitter a couple hours before every game. For them the post was an opportunity to disconnect from work and focus on the game ahead while also sharing a few motivating characters with the team. As a goalie, it’s an opportunity to reach out to your team, especially if you’re fairly quiet at the rink, to let your teammates know you’re on-board for the game ahead.

Status-Quo

For some, part of the game is being yourself which means tweeting away all throughout the day. If you’re anxious or find that you get easily worked up before the game this can be a great way to approach your day. If your team doesn’t impose social media silence, choosing to stay status-quo on game day can make it feel like any other day.

Choosing to proceed with status-quo can be dangerous, you always run the risk of being trapped in some sort of social media drama or getting distracted from the task at hand. However, it can also be a great way to stay loose, relaxed and even keel heading into a big game.

Whatever your technique it is recommended that you find works best for you and within your team, and make it part of your routine. Having an established presence on social media can help increase your team’s fan base, rally up some support and even help sell yourself to prospective coaches or scouts down the road.

No matter what you choose to do on game day one thing is a must, stay positive and play hard!

 

Liked this article?  Find out more about the author, Jeremy Whalen, and the Social Athlete’s Guide