Developing Routines: More Than Superstition

 

“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act but a habit.”-Aristotle

 

Have you been keeping track of your favourite goalie and witnessed them going through a slump at some point during a season? Have you ever noticed how that goalie usually breaks out of a slump in spectacular fashion? During the post-game interview a sports reporter will often ask the goaltender what they did to get out of the slump and more often than not the goaltender will say that they focused on the fundamentals but otherwise kept the same approach as they had all season.

 

Despite the misunderstanding that goaltenders are superstitious, the top goalies have found a consistent pre, during and post game routine that helps them to be successful. High performance athletes know the importance of finding a routine that triggers their peak performance. Even if they do not always perform completely at their best of their abilities they are consistently good/excellent. An important part of being consistent, which every goalie wants, is to be consistent with proper conditioning, practice, nutrition and mental preparation. Consistent approaches to play at peak performance are simply routine.


Many young goalies are inconsistent because they have not found or paid attention to what they did when they played a great game. When a goaltender is developing a routine they need to vividly remember what they did to perform so well. In order to develop a sound routine the goalie needs to “listen” carefully to their self-talk as well as what their body has told them. If you are in tune with your mind and body you will be more likely to recognize when you are lacking something then you can develop the means to get yourself ready to perform at your peak.

 

As you develop a routine you need to come up with something that can be easily changed in case of something going wrong. Too many goalies fall into the trap of a wrecked routine turning into a bad game. Routines are there to help you perform well, not take away your focus. Now, it is not the job of MTN to prescribe the routine that will make you a great goalie. It is up to the individual goaltender to come up with a routine that works best for them; everyone is different. Basically, a routine should get the mind and body relaxed, energized, and ready for peak performance.