I have written this article for a newspaper of the youth formation work of Darmstadt once. He partly reflects the experiences which I've made. If some statements contradict with your opinions I can only say: These are just my experiences, not more and not less. Therefore other opinions are of course possible too!

TO BE A GOALIE

The quite special feeling to stand between the posts.

If you ask a goalkeeper, and it's equal which sport he does, why it's okay for him that he stands always in the "line of fire" then the answer is not seldom "Well, this job is somehow fun". However, if you don't share this enthusiasm, you mostly cannot understand what is so terrific in doing this. To keep the goal is often an ungrateful service, always bruises, you can't please anybody, least of all yourself. An icehockeycoach once said about his goalie:"All goalkeepers are a little strange, they are always discontented with their performance.". I find this understandable, because theoretically you could prevent every goal and so every goal is more or less a mistake. And even if you made a shut-out, you could also make that better. It is seldom that a goalie is more satisfied about his performance than his coach is. As a goalkeeper you must simply force yourself to look from time to time more on your positive sides. This can really motivate. Especially the next few seconds after a save one feels simply great. The feeling is like when you score a goal, only the other way around. And you feel at least equal to the other goalkeeper. That's sometimes some kind of a game in the game, but it's name isn't soccer or hockey but "I made more saves than you did". The team with the better goalkeeper can also be the looser, because absolutely without a defense it doesn't work and to score is the job of the other players. This situation is especially frustrating. You are somehow powerless. The "superman-feeling" after a save is also faster gone. Then you are all the more discontented with yourself.

But the only feeling between goalkeepers isn't envy of the performance of the other or satisfaction that one was better, no, if you watch other goalies doing their job you are really in the game and you even don't have to be a fan of the team. A goal can really hurt by wathching it. And beside that you can see a special look in the eye of the goalies when the shake hands or speak with each other after the game. That can be ment positive aswell as negative, but mostly it is the first version. In an American book about icehockeygoalkeepers I discovered an interesting quotation: " The secret society of the goalies is a little wonder/miracle (?) and you can only get a member when you wear pads." The icehockeygoalies have their pads aswell as the soccergoalies have their gloves or the handballkeepers have their long shirt. In my opinion this quotation is correct, becaus outsiders mostly can't neither understand were the fun in doing this job is nor do they know the feeling of being able to take a special status in the team. It is the quite special feeling to stand between the posts.

The reason that my favourite player in a team is mostly the goalie is probably that, that I also stand in the goal. And if you watch a handball-, soccer-, fieldockey- or icehockeygame simply enjoy the saves. Then the question after the "why?" is maybe settled.

different styles:

There are two different kind of styles:

stand-up-goalies:

These goalkeepers wait with a stoical composure for the shot to make the save in the very last moment without moving much. A good position and a certain height are helpful. But to be tall isn't a compelling criterion: There are small stand-ups aswell as tall butterfly-keepers. You won't find a stand-up-goalieon the floor too often, such actions aren't necassery because the goal is mostly covered by the keeper in a standing position.

butterfly-goalies:

They seem more lively and agile than the stand-up-keepers and theyoften throw themselfes down to take the chance of a shot away from the foward very early. If the puck can be passed or played anyway, then there are two possibilities: To stand up very quickly and do the same again or to stay on the floor and try to get an arm or a leg between the puck an the goal. The name "butterfly" comes from a move these goalkeepers often make: The goalie does a little split and stretches the arms out. This figure leads to the picture of a butterfly.

And here is a text which Janine mailed me. It discribes the situation of an icehockey-goalie during a game:

You sit in your skates, 100 pounds of equipment weighing down on you .
Your vision is limited through the steel grates of your mask. You crough,
waiting patiently, filled with anxicty. You are the last line of defense.

A foward makes it through and comes tearing you, his skates grinding the ice
into shavings. The puck tolles against his stick end, that is all you can
see. He swings left, them right, then left again. You move to follow his
actions, comming out of the goal to meet him and off. He moves in close,
drawes his stick back. It slames down, a hard slapshot, right towards the
goal. The puck lifts and flies through the air. you reach out, closing your
eyes, straining to reach it. Your body falls to the ice and bounces. You lie
for what seems like forever, then open your eyes and look in your glove. The
puck rolles out in front of your face. The crowed goes wild, your team
cheers. The foward shakes his head and skates away. you get up to do all over
again.

This is the life of a Goalie. Stationed in the crease for 60 minutes or more.
Responsible for protecting your Team the best you can. And when the best
isn´t good enough, you simply do better!