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Goaltending / On ice

Goalie track and set

Follow a visible ball, adjust the standing position, and become still before receiving a gentle toss.

8U · 10U · 12UIntermediate6 minutes2–6 players
Original drill diagram
Goalie track and set: player positions and movement 1G2
1 starts opposite the net, then moves sideways along the solid arrow. The dot marks the held soft ball at the new toss position; the dashed arrow is its flight only after G is set. G is shown at an example adjusted position in front of the net. 2 represents waiting goalies. Feeder starts about three meters away and moves about one meter sideways. No puck or shot is used. Original schematic; not to scale. Circles with numbers or letters mark players. Other markers and arrows are explained in the caption; some diagrams show puck or ball movement instead of skating. Red arrows show shots. Follow the written setup for spacing.

How to run it

Equipment: Goalie equipment, Net, Soft ball, Skates, Hockey protective equipment

  1. Use one net and one soft ball. Goalie G starts centered in front of the net in the ready stance already taught. Feeder 1 begins about three meters in front of G. For 2–6 participants, use one feeder and one active goalie; additional goalies wait outside the working area and rotate after a set.
  2. The feeder holds the ball visibly near waist height and moves slowly about one meter to either side. The goalie watches the ball and uses small standing adjustments to face it, keeping the body between the ball and the middle of the net.
  3. The feeder stops and holds the ball still. The goalie finishes moving, settles the feet and says “set.” Only then does the feeder give a gentle underhand toss toward the catching glove, below chest height.
  4. The goalie follows the ball into the glove, then returns it to the feeder and resets at the center. If the ball is missed, locate it, collect it and restart; the miss does not trigger a second toss. Complete three move-set-toss repetitions, alternating the feeder’s side.
  5. Use six minutes for demonstration and short sets. With one goalie, rest briefly after three repetitions; with more, rotate the next goalie into the net. Count repetitions with a complete set before release, not just catches. The goalie stays standing throughout this version.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Find it, face it, set.” Let the eyes locate the ball before adjusting the body.
  • The feeder holds the ball until the feet have stopped moving. If the goalie is still drifting, repeat the set rather than tossing sooner.
  • Keep watching the ball after release and through the catch or miss. Return to center only after the ball has been accounted for.

Common mistakes

  • Goalie follows the feeder’s chest instead of the ball. Try: have the feeder hold the ball still to one side and ask the goalie to point the glove toward it before resetting.
  • Feeder releases while the goalie is moving. Try: require the spoken “set” and a visible pause before every toss.
  • Goalie lunges for repeated inaccurate tosses. Try: remove lateral travel and make three easy tosses to the catching glove from the starting position, then restore the movement.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier for a developing 8U goalie: track the held ball and become still without any toss. Add the toss only after the move-and-set sequence is repeatable.
  • Harder for ready 10U/12U: let the feeder choose either side without announcing it. Keep the same short travel, spoken set and gentle glove-height toss.
Research context & source notes

Background sources for this drill’s skills and teaching principles.

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