OUR PHILOSOPHY
The Elite Goalies philosophy is centered around our mission of improving goalies through the same historic teachings of the Martial Arts. By teaching goalies how to stay balanced psychologically, they are able to better control their environment and execute their technique on a more consistent basis. Because we stress the power of the mind in order to increase the power of the body, the Elite Goalies student follows our unique online goaltending system .
THE MARTIAL ARTS PHILOSOPHY
The purpose of Martial Arts training is to improve a student’s ability to understand who they are, both internally and externally. At its core, Martial Arts teaches a student how to master their mind. When faced with a multitude of different situations and confrontations, students are taught to stay calm and make the best choice possible in order to better deal with adversity.
Through the continued practice of Martial Arts, students become more aware of what they think, and more importantly, why they think. Finally, Martial Arts stresses the importance of consistent effort over time, which is necessary to achieve greatness in anything.
MARTIAL ARTS AND ELITE GOALIES
What makes an athlete an Elite Goalie is the thousands of hours spent learning and understanding how to eliminate the unessential and unnecessary movement patterns within the position. An Elite Goalie has come to understand how to minimize over-thinking and simply play. The mind is clear. The technique is applied through muscle memory. Situations are analyzed with precision and execution is flawless due to a sound mind and body.
The connection between the Martial Arts and Elite Goalies student is found in the power of the mind. In order to master each skill, one must have a sound mind, body and soul. All elements need to work together in order to move and react correctly in all situations. Without mental clarity, the body will not react correctly and mistakes will be made, goals will be allowed and confidence will be lost.
An Elite Goalie student will learn to eliminate the unnecessary thoughts that hold them back from reacting in a natural and effective manner. In this regard, the Elite Goalies philosophy follows the same form and function of Martial Arts philosophy. Students will raise their Belt Level depending on their skills rank and work their way up and strive for the heralded Black Belt, which is reserved for professional goalies only.
The Martial Arts teaches the importance of practice to the point where the student become a flicker of light for someone else. We carry this philosophy over to Elite Goalies, as students that reach the Blue Belt level are urged to begin coaching White and Yellow Belt students.
The Martial Arts stresses coming to class consistently, even when there are so many other demands on their time or when they just don’t feel like it. This is because the people who are committed to raising their rank are on the path to self-discipline and mastery. Those are the people who will really get to reap the benefits from their practice. The same goes for the Elite Goalies student.
THE ART OF ELITE GOALIES
Goaltending is an art, and we are all unique artists. But this skill does not develop overnight. It takes years and years of practice, repetition and a strong work ethic. And since practice makes perfect, how you practice will become habit and that habit will develop consistent muscle memory. If you practice without purpose, the body is unable to perform precisely.
Practice with focus, however, and the correct movements and techniques becomes the norm, which leads to smooth execution on a consistent basis. Without practice, an artist can’t draw what they see in their mind. Without practice, a goalie cannot make the proper save selection that the mind wants to execute. As such, improving both aspects of goaltending and Martial Arts takes plenty of practice.
After a training session, Elite Goalies students are asked to visualize what was done by mentally performing and replaying the physical movements and technique. This helps them remember their exact movements while also helping them develop the ability to visualize. Since students use their body to learn movements, particularly complex movements, their mind will develop as well. If only the mind is used, the body does not develop, and vice versa. That is why many trainers call martial arts “bodymind training.”
Learning new goaltending techniques, concepts and movements is not easy. Therefore the Elite Goalies coach will strive to fully engage the student’s mind in order to activate the body. Martial Arts methods like meditation and repetition will help students learn how to focus and slow down time. As time goes on, knowing the purpose or intent of the movement improves the student’s ability to focus, understand, and remember.
THE BELT LEVELS SYSTEM
Martial Arts is dedicated to developing the mind. Elite Goalies is dedicated to developing the goaltender. Together, these two schools collide to form a symbiotic world in which the student unlocks a world they truly control and master. The Elite Goalies Belt System is a systematic approach to guiding our students through the different ranks of being a goaltender. From their first time wearing the pads until the moment they turn pro, our system will guide and shape who they become as athletes and human beings.
From the White Belt to the Black Belt, there are different elements the Elite Goalies student will learn as they get older. All of these elements combine their ability to control the mind with controlling the body. One enhances the other, which allows for optimal performance as a goaltender both on and off the ice. If you can develop your will, you can do just about anything in between the pipes.
This is the mission of the Elite Goalies training system and we guarantee it is the most unique and productive system you will find. Success is imminent if the student is willing to open their mind and strengthen their mental toughness.
Similar to a Martial Arts student, the Elite Goalies student will learn how to control their internal environment. This happens by learning controlled breathing techniques and the ability to analyze situations. When a goaltender begins to feel pressure, they must be able to instinctively bring themselves down from a feeling of high alert or tension. They must recognize their thoughts and the rest will take care of itself and success will come through experience.
CONFIDENCE IN OUR SYSTEM
If you think you can, you are right. If you think you can’t, you are also right. The Elite Goalies online goaltending system teaches students to challenge their previously held beliefs about their potential and their future. As such, our philosophy teaches students to strive for that next Belt color and realize they are learning the same system that the Black Belt masters learned. If they are confident in our system and philosophy, they will be more confident in themselves and the ultimate goal will be reached.
It is important to realize that like a Martial Arts student, the Elite Goalies student should not compare themselves with others. They must display mental clarity and simply work on their own skills – that is what the practice is for. Our students are urged to let the practice be a way for them to break through their limitations and comfort zone. This allows them to create the opportunity to try new things and gain valuable experience that they wouldn’t get elsewhere.
Finally, the Elite Goalies system stresses Meditation, which is the foundation of all true martial arts. When you can control the mind, you can control the way in which you stop the puck. At the highest level, the goaltender’s mind must be quiet and clear. Once this is achieved, reading things like shot releases, angles, breakaways and any other game situation becomes a simple process of recognition and execution. The goaltender is one with their mind and one with the puck and saves are made at the Elite Goalies level.
“Mike has a really unique approach to coaching goalies that brings together the mental and physical sides of the position seamlessly. He has the ability to explain the details of the position so that anyone can understand them, and has personally been a great mentor for me throughout my career.”