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What is resiliency?  Why must we teach it?  How can goaltenders use it?   These are questions every parent, coach, and player should be asking.

Brickwall, Comeback Kid,  Mr. Teflon,  and Kevlar are words used to describe our resilient athlete.  I interpret these people are those who have overcome adversity and have the ability to spring  back after difficult situations.

Goaltenders, often falling under the cluster of "battered humans" are a group of athletes who must learn to be resilient.  Often tormented  by fans, parents, referees and players not only including opponents but their own  teammates have to learn to achieve resiliency by more than trial and error.  Handling verbal abuse, criticizing, mixed messages and negative reinforcement is an area we mentors must address to help goaltenders who have been abused.

Here are 10 helpful tips in teaching goaltenders resiliency:

1.     Talk in a "positive way" to goaltenders explaining that they have potential to play at their best abilities, use optimism.

2.     Teach them to "overcome the odds".  Explain to them they are the great equalizer and there main job is to give their team a chance to win.

3.     Teach them during the "critical hours" communicating with them after their poor performances or bad experiences.

4.     Teaching to take a "loss as a lesson" and become more technically educated.

5.     Setting training goals and visions for handling rejection.

6.     "Engaging" goaltenders in on-ice activities to help them correct their temporary mistakes.

7.     Remind them "good things happen to good people."

8.     Formulate a success - identify what steps have to be taken to become resilient.

9.     Teach them to identify with a role model who has overcome difficulties.  Grant Fuhr, Mike Richter.

10.   Teach them to have fun and spunk while playing the resilient position of goaltending.

This article was contributed by Mike Geragosian of Mike Geragosian's All American Goalie Camps.

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