Popa Goaltending School?

[stollie_the_goalie]

I have the privelege of attending the Stefan Popa Goaltending School at the Troy Sports Center this summer with a friend of mine. My question is: Has anyone ever heard of, or been to, this school? I've heard from many people (a lot of local junior-level kids) that this really is a great school. I went to the website ( http://www.popagoaltending.com ), and it gave a lot of info on it, but I was wondering what everybody else thought of it.

This is also going to be my first real goalie camp (usually I just go to goal scoring camps because they let me in free as a target), so I was also wondering what exactly I can expect.

Also, if anyone else is going to be there, I look forward to seeing you!

[pipetender35]

Hey I went to that camp last year and it was great. I learned a lot about stance and equipment. He alse has a ton of neat things that you can buy to help your game. The one thing that was strange was that we only used pucks for about 20 minutes total! The off-ice part was pretty good but got a little boring after awhile; you learn mostly about equipment and the "horseshoe" and you watch footage from the playoffs that is pretty neat. DON"T BUY THE INTERNET THING THAT HE OFFERS WHERE HE ANALIZES THE GAMES BECUASE I DID AND IT IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY! Overall it was a great camp and I hope you like it.

[ChrisMangano]

Wow, I want to go so badly.

Little story. about 4 years ago when I was playing hockey all the time, this guy I played pick-up hockey with told me about these goaltending tapes he had. He said they were Popa Goaltending. Well, I had never heard of them before but figured I would check them out. They were by far, the best things I had ever seen on goaltending. He has a theory he calls the "horseshoe" which is just were you position yourself depending on where the puck is. He has numbers for different positions of the horseshoe. I started incorporating this horseshoe and my game improved dramatically. I finally had a spot to go to depending on where the puck was, and always knew whether or not I was on the right angle.

Also, his tape was what taught me how to properly play breakaways, and I must say I stop way more than I let in now. Anyways, I talked to him about having a camp in California, so if anyone on here is interested, please email him about it.

spopa@popagoaltending.com

And no, I don't work for him or anything, I just really want him to have a camp out here in Cali!

[stollie_the_goalie]

Well, that's good. Sounds like ti really is a nice camp. Thanks for your replies!

[aagoaliedad]

Stollie: Can you please give us a review of the Popa Goaltending School this past week? I am curious how you thought it went, what kinds of things you did there, etc. Thanks.

[geojedi]

Popa's system. Beautiful and simple. Proven to excel at the college level.
It has been some years since I've heard from Coach Popa. Let me tell my story.
As an adult goalie, it is hard to get quality instruction and learn the position. In high school, I was a left winger and in college as one of two freshman on my dorm floor I was put in net when our goalie got sick during intramurals. We won four straight years.
I ordered his tapes on what goalies should know about angles and positioning in the early 90s. I was one of the first to get the breakaway video. I tried the pilot program of computer instruction in 1999.
For me, the videos worked. I attended a camp in the late 90s and it was mostly the like the videos. Few pucks at all, Popa reasoned that it takes a half a second to make a save and if you see forty shots you only spent twenty seconds making saves. He was big on pre save things. Stance, save selection, A&P. We also discussed why white equipment, stick curves, covering, breakaways, playing the puck, etc.
His sytem takes time to internalize. When I was working on doing it it would rely solely on A&P and not use my reflexes. My fault. I still don't have the breakaway system down today!
Popa's system is well thought and maximizes skating skills. I use this system rather effectively and can tell by it when I am off my game as well as analyze the NHL goals on tv.
Popa is the reason I have white gear, partly my stick selection, my skates a certain way, my successes. This system is tough to internalize; it takes practice. Many people will be shown it and abandon it for difficulty, faith, ability, attitude.
It is a great basis for everyone that can allow you to build later with other tools.
On a bad note, I met Steve Shields and he told me Popa got him to the NHL and Korn kept him there to get a paycheck. He didn't elaborate nor did I press however, I get the feeling the Wolverine goalie coach and he didn't always see eye to eye.

Bottom line: go to the camp and learn something or order the videos. Only you will decide if this system will be yours.

[stollie_the_goalie]

Sorry. It turns out that the camp was full, and I never got to go.