Fundamental Skills & Good Drill Design
How goaltending skills build on one another, and how we design drills that actually translate to games. Based on USA Hockey goaltending development principles.
The Goaltending Skills Pyramid
Each fundamental skill builds on the ones below it. Build the goalie by building the athlete, from the foundation up — a stage can't be learned until the goalie is strong in the ones beneath it.
Bottom up: a balanced stance and general athleticism support skating; strong skating makes good positioning possible; and only from good position can a goalie make the right save selection. At 10U we live in the bottom three layers.
The Save Cycle
Around the wheel: every save starts with stance, skating to follow the play, and positioning (angle, depth, square). From good position the goalie makes the save, controls the rebound, and recovers back into a strong stance. If each spoke is strong, the goalie succeeds.
Skills by Experience — Where 10U Fits
These are guidelines, not rules — every goalie develops at their own pace. Adjust expectations to the goalie in front of you, not their birth year.
| Experience | Movement Focus | Save Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Years 1–2 (most of our goalies) | Stance, basic edges, shuffle, T-push, stopping in position | Watching the puck into the body, basic butterfly, covering the puck |
| Years 2–3 | Post-to-post movement, down-up recoveries, controlled depth | Steering rebounds to corners, clean glove catches, save selection basics |
| Years 3+ | Power pushes, backward flow with the play, post integration (stand-up) | Rebound placement under pressure, scramble recoveries, playing screens |
USA Hockey's 5 Elements of Good Drill Design
When we plan drills and practices — for skaters and goalies alike — every drill should check these boxes:
- Require constant decision making. Reading and reacting beats rehearsing a pattern.
- Provide quality repetitions. Quick resets, short reps, no standing in line.
- Look like the game. Skills should show up the way they appear in real hockey.
- Provide a challenge. Hard enough to stretch players, achievable enough to build confidence.
- BE FUN! The non-negotiable. Especially at 10U.
The Drill Design Continuum
When introducing a new concept, start with technical emphasis in unopposed practice. As the skill is learned, add players and complexity until the drill looks and feels like the game. You'll see this progression inside our weekly practice plans — Week 1 drills are unopposed; by Week 4 the same skills show up in battles and scrimmages.
Ready to put it on the ice?
Every drill in our library lists the fundamental skills it develops, so you can match drills to where each goalie is on the pyramid.