🥅 What do goalie parents wish every skater parent understood? Apparently… a lot.
When we asked that question on social media, we expected a handful of responses. Instead, more than 210 goalie parents jumped into the conversation—and their answers opened the door to a discussion every hockey family should hear.
In this episode of Our Kids Play Goalie, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli dig into those responses and unpack the things skaters, parents, and coaches may never fully appreciate unless they’ve experienced life between the pipes.
From the right way to warm up a goalie to the emotional pressure that comes with having every mistake potentially show up on the scoreboard, this conversation is about creating more awareness, better teammates, and healthier hockey environments.
🏒 In this episode, Lee and Mike discuss:
🥅 Why a goal against is rarely the responsibility of one player
🔥 Why warmups should prepare your goalie—not become a breakaway competition
🚨 The safety rule every young player needs to learn: if the goalie isn’t looking, don’t shoot
👀 Why skaters need to listen when a goalie says, “I can’t see!”
❤️ Why some goalie parents are quiet during games—and why it probably isn’t personal
🧠 The enormous mental challenge of giving up a goal and immediately preparing for the next shot
🤝 Why rebound control is a shared responsibility between goalies and their teammates
📊 Why save percentage and goals-against average rarely tell the whole story
🗣️ How communication between goalies, defensemen, forwards, and coaches builds stronger teams
🏒 Why coaches must deliberately include goalies when designing practices
💪 How confidence from teammates can help a young goalie develop confidence in themselves
One of the biggest reminders from this conversation? A skater can make a mistake and the game keeps moving. When a goalie makes one, the horn may sound and the scoreboard changes.
That doesn’t mean goalies should be protected from accountability. It means hockey families need to understand the position, recognize the shared responsibility of a team, and help young goalies learn from mistakes instead of making them feel defined by them.
And for the skaters listening: your goalie wants to be part of the team. Talk to them. Protect them. Listen to them. Clear rebounds. Give them a proper warmup. And remember that when the puck goes in, they probably don’t need anyone reminding them.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: What Goalie Parents Wish Every Hockey Family Understood
🎧 Listen now and share this episode with a skater parent, coach, or teammate who wants to better understand the person behind the mask.
This episode is powered by NHL Sense Arena. You can also find current offers from NHL Sense Arena, Hockey Wraparound, books from the Our Kids Play Hockey team, and more at ourkidsplayhockey.com/deals.
Keep supporting the goalies who support your team—and keep building better hockey environments together.
#OurKidsPlayGoalie #YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieParents #YouthHockeyParents #GoalieLife #HockeyParents #GoalieTraining #HockeyCoaching #YouthSports #HockeyDevelopment
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