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POB PRESENTS · GOALIE PARENTS

SUPPORT THE
GOALIE.
PROTECT THE
CONNECTION.

A practical, interactive guide to managing the pressure of the position—before the game, in the stands, on the ride home, and through the season.

Start training →ABOUT 25 MINUTES · SELF-PACED
GOALIEPARENTCALM SUPPORT
BEATS LOUD ADVICE.
4 SHORT MODULES4 REAL-LIFE PLAYS1 STRONGER CONNECTION

WHY THIS MATTERS

YOU FEEL EVERY SHOT. YOUR CHILD FEELS YOUR RESPONSE.

Goaltending makes mistakes visible and pressure personal. Parents cannot control every goal, decision, or outcome—but they can make home the place where belonging never depends on performance.

“Your child is the goalie. You do not have to play the position from the stands.”

YOUR TRAINING PATH

FOUR PERIODS. A CALMER SEASON.

0% COMPLETE

Parent first. Coach second—or not at all.

The parent provides connection, nourishment, rest, perspective, safety, and unconditional belonging. The coach owns technical instruction, practice design, feedback, and selection decisions.

YOUR CREASE
  • Emotional safety
  • Calm encouragement
  • Healthy routines
  • Respectful advocacy
OUTSIDE YOUR CREASE
  • Live technical corrections
  • Roster decisions
  • Referee management
  • Comparing young goalies
ROLE CHECK“Am I parenting, coaching, advocating—or reacting?”

Your nervous system enters the rink too

Tight muscles, dread, anger, nausea, racing thoughts, and the urge to coach are signals—not instructions.

1

FeetPress both feet down.

2

ExhaleMake it longer than the inhale.

3

OrientName three neutral things.

4

UnclenchSoften jaw, hands, and shoulders.

5

ChooseMy job is calm support.

THE 24-HOUR RULE

Do not send the message your nervous system wrote. Draft it, sleep, review the policy, and decide whether it still needs to be sent.

Connection before analysis

The vehicle should not become a second game where your goalie has to defend themselves again. The athlete gets a say in whether hockey is discussed.

TRY
  • Do you want quiet, music, food, or to talk?
  • Would you like listening or help?
  • Hard game. I’m here when you’re ready.
AVOID
  • What happened on that goal?
  • You need to stop dropping early.
  • We pay too much for this.
SIMPLE IS POWERFUL“I love you. Do you want comfort, space, or help?”

Support without rescuing

Listen, validate, and preserve agency. Step in when safety, wellbeing, discrimination, retaliation, or maltreatment requires an adult response.

Select a box to open the related workbook visual.

SUPPORTOPEN VISUAL ↗
  • Ask what help is wanted.
  • Separate facts from assumptions.
  • Help identify controllables.
  • Use the communication process.
RESCUINGOPEN VISUAL ↗
  • Contact the coach while activated.
  • Blame teammates.
  • Speak for a child who can speak.
  • Add training as punishment.
SAFETYOPEN VISUAL ↗
  • Stay calm and listen.
  • Do not promise secrecy.
  • Record exact words and facts.
  • Follow reporting procedures.

PRACTISE THE PLAY

WHAT WOULD YOU DO NEXT?

PLAY 1 OF 4

The hard goal

Your goalie allows a goal they usually stop, then looks toward the stands.

FINAL BUZZER

READY TO SUPPORT FROM YOUR CREASE?

Check the essentials, then take one small commitment into the next game.

1A goalie parent’s primary role is to…
2Before discussing a difficult game, first…
3When a child reports humiliation or fear…

TAKE IT TO THE RINK

YOUR GOALIE-PARENT BENCH KIT

Download the full workbook and return to these quick tools throughout the season.

01Full Workbook28 editable pagesDOWNLOAD DOCX ↓02Ride-Home ScriptConnection and words to borrowOPEN MODULE ↑03Stands ResetA 60-second regulation toolOPEN MODULE ↑04Advocacy GuideSupport, rescue, and safetyOPEN MODULE ↑

Important: This resource does not replace medical care, counselling, technical coaching, child-protection duties, Safe Sport procedures, or association policies. In Canada, call or text 9-8-8 for suicide crisis support and 9-1-1 for immediate danger.

THE NEXT GAME STARTS AT HOME

MAKE BELONGING BIGGER THAN THE SCOREBOARD.

More POB resources →
Puck Off to Bullying

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