6 Best Goalie Training Videos For Parents That Simplify Key Drills

Your child just announced they want to be a goalie, and suddenly you’re thrust into a world of specialized gear and even more specialized skills. You want to help them practice in the driveway or at stick-and-puck, but the position is a mystery. Using online videos can be a game-changer, turning confusing movements into simple, repeatable drills that you and your child can tackle together.

Why Parent-Led Video Drills Build Confidence

When your young goalie is just starting out, your support is their most important piece of equipment. Watching a short training video together before heading to the rink or the basement does more than just teach a skill. It sends a powerful message: "I’m interested in your world, and we’re a team." This shared learning experience demystifies the position for you, allowing you to give specific, positive feedback like "Great job keeping your eyes on the ball all the way into your glove!" instead of a generic "Good job!"

This process transforms you from a simple chauffeur into an engaged part of their development team. It builds a common language between you and your child, which helps them articulate what they’re struggling with or what their coach is asking them to do. For a young athlete in a high-pressure position, knowing their biggest fan understands the fundamentals provides a massive, and often overlooked, confidence boost.

Maria Mountain for Off-Ice Goalie Agility

Before a goalie ever masters their on-ice movement, they need to build a strong athletic foundation. This is where Maria Mountain’s resources shine. Her focus is almost exclusively on off-ice strength, flexibility, and agility tailored specifically for the demands of goaltending. Her videos are perfect because they don’t require expensive ice time to be effective.

You can do these drills in your living room or backyard. They often focus on crucial areas like hip mobility and core stability, which are the engines behind powerful butterfly pushes and quick recoveries. For the 8 to 12-year-old goalie, incorporating these exercises builds the physical framework needed to execute on-ice techniques safely and effectively. It’s a smart, low-cost way to invest in their long-term development and injury prevention.

Future Pro Goaltending for Basic Positioning

Your child has the pads on, but now what? They look lost in the net. Future Pro Goaltending offers some of the clearest, most accessible videos on the absolute basics: the stance. Their content is fantastic for breaking down the fundamentals of how a goalie should stand, hold their hands, and position their stick.

These videos are ideal for the 7 to 10-year-old who is just learning to move in the equipment. They simplify concepts like setting your depth in the crease and taking the correct angle on a shooter. By watching a quick clip together, you can help your child understand the "why" behind their coach’s instructions, making on-ice practice time much more productive. This is the starting block for building muscle memory correctly from day one.

Dahan Goaltending for Tracking and Rebounds

Once your goalie is comfortable in their stance, the next step is learning to interact with the puck. Dahan Goaltending provides excellent, focused drills on two of the most critical skills: tracking and rebound control. Their videos often use simple setups that you can easily replicate, helping your child learn to follow the puck with their eyes all the way into their body.

This is a key developmental leap for goalies in the 9 to 13-year-old range. They are moving beyond simply blocking the puck to actively controlling it. The drills emphasize "swallowing up" pucks to prevent dangerous rebounds or directing them safely into the corners. Practicing these concepts builds the quiet, calm efficiency that defines a great goaltender.

USA Hockey’s Drills for Foundational Skills

If you’re looking for a trusted, curriculum-based approach, USA Hockey’s online resources are an invaluable tool. Their materials are aligned with the American Development Model (ADM), which focuses on age-appropriate skill progression. This means you can find drills specifically designed for your 8U, 10U, or 12U player, ensuring the concepts aren’t too advanced or too simple.

The great thing about USA Hockey’s content is its reliability. These are the same foundational principles being taught by certified coaches across the country. Using their videos helps you reinforce the key habits your child’s team coach is trying to instill. It’s a fantastic way to ensure the practice you’re doing at home is directly supporting their formal training.

Coach T’s Videos for In-Game Situations

Drills are one thing, but understanding how to apply those skills during the chaos of a game is another. This is where a resource like Coach T’s Goalie Training on YouTube becomes incredibly useful. He excels at breaking down game-like scenarios, such as how to handle a 2-on-1 rush or what to do when the puck is behind the net.

This content is perfect for the 11 to 14-year-old goalie who has the basics down and is now learning to "read" the play. Watching these situational videos helps them develop their hockey IQ. It shifts their thinking from "How do I do a butterfly slide?" to "When and why do I use a butterfly slide?" This tactical understanding is what separates good goalies from game-changing ones.

InGoal Magazine for Advanced Butterfly Slides

As your goalie gets older and more serious, their technical needs become more specific. The modern butterfly slide is a cornerstone of the position, but it’s also complex and physically demanding. InGoal Magazine’s YouTube channel and website offer some of the most detailed, technical breakdowns of advanced movements available anywhere.

This is a resource best suited for the dedicated 12 to 16-year-old goalie who is committed to refining their craft. The content is often presented by pro-level coaches and gets into the fine details of edge control, body rotation, and timing. While you may not be "coaching" this skill yourself, watching these videos with your child can help them understand the mechanics so they can work on them with their professional goalie coach.

Using Videos to Supplement On-Ice Coaching

It’s crucial to remember that these videos are a supplement, not a substitute, for qualified, in-person coaching. Their real power lies in maximizing the value of the coaching you’re already paying for. Think of it as homework that prepares your child for the lesson.

A great strategy is to watch a video on a specific skill—like rebound control—the night before a private lesson. Your child can then go to that lesson with a better understanding of the goal, ready to ask intelligent questions and absorb the coach’s feedback more effectively. This approach empowers your child to take ownership of their development and turns your investment in coaching into a much more efficient and collaborative process.

Your role as a goalie parent isn’t to be a professional coach, but a facilitator of their passion. By using these video resources, you can provide targeted, effective support that builds skills and, more importantly, reinforces their confidence between the pipes. You’re giving them the tools to learn, and the encouragement to keep trying.