As a goalie coach I'm working with 8 goalies. I have 4 goalie from the same age (10). One of them has extraordinary talent, another one isn't that talented but a workhouse and then there are the two others who have average talent, just happy to be on the ice.
The most rewarding to work with? Of course, the workhorse. That kid's amazing. The improvement he made during a couple of months is unbelievable. The least rewarding? You guessed it. The kid's a natural. The way he skates, moves, stops pucks, .. he has it all. The problem? His cute face, his long hair, his attitude! Hello there all my fans, am I looking good or what?
I should get fired if you attend one of his games: ugly rebound control, lack of intensity, loss of concentration, .. His team is losing games because of him. I told him a thousand times about movement, positioning, immobilizing pucks.. He keeps kicking those rebounds around the place. The workhorse? I told him only a couple of times. If I told him to sleep in his equipment he would do it, that same day. No rebounds, pucks flying towards the corners of the rink.
Guess who's my favorite goalie?
Did I told you about the 8-year old wearing red/white/blue pads & gloves, a habs jersey, extraordinary talented & a real workhourse?
Hey, I'm no Rollie Melanson.