Leg angles & duck feet?

[Jaeger29]

Hello fellow roller goalies...

I've been playing for quite some time, but with no formal instruction. I'd say I'm a decent goalie - I can hold my own with the others in my league - but I want to improve... and I think I know where I can start. 3 questions for you!

(1) When in my ready stance, my legs are more vertical than most goalies. I see others in a deep stance with the pads angled well out - I can't seem to do this comfortably. I think it might be because my feet don't point straight ahead (they're each about 25* off of center). This has been advantageous for skate saves, kicking the puck, and T-pushes, but I can't deepen my stance. Any suggestions?


(2) Butterflying... I cannot seem to get comfortable with loose pads shifting around. I understand that the face moves to provide more blocking area, but the pain of my knees slamming against the concrete usually nullifies any advantage I may have. Any suggestions? Like I said, I seem to be doing okay with the tighter pads ending up underneath me, but I'll take any improvements I can get.

(3) Pads. I currently have a pair of Brown Thunderball pads, circa 1994 or so. I love 'em. I've been patching them up, and they've lasted for 8 years on asphalt, concrete, sport court, wood, and wherever else we could play. I'd love to get a new set of pads, but don't want to give up the plastic knee and inner leg panels that help me slide. Any suggestions?

Thanks so much!

[sloth2946]

I'll address your questions:

1. If your current stance is working for you and you have good lateral movement and not getting beat too much low, then why change??? Lateral movement is hard enough in inline without the problems associated with having a lower, deeper crouch. But if your goal is to get lower in the crouch, try doing some off ice work as in practicing your desired stance at home, or weight lifting, specifically squats and leg press to strengthen your legs to be able to hold that deep, low crouch.

2. If you don't mind the tight pads, then stick to 'em! If you want the benefits of the rotating pads, then you might think of two things, 1. Getting newer pads, or 2. Adding more of a knee lift in there. I am sure one of the guys like Bryan or Chubs can give you directions to add knee lifts.

3. Can't help you there pal!!!!

[big dog daddy]

Jaeger,

1. I agree with sloth on the stance thing. Everybody has to find a comfort level, if yours is more upright so be it.

2. The tight pad s are also personal preference, but it does give an advantage if you get used to it. the knee problem is a pretty easy fix. Get pads that fir under you pads(bauer/vaughn/and many others make them) add that to some knee lifts and the knee problem is solved.

3. Pads like yours are not readily available. I do know that Battram does make a nice roller pad with plastic on it for sliding. The web site is

http://www.execulink.com/~sbattram/

The pads you want to look at are either the roller if you are on a tight bugeet. If not give the new roller cyclones a look. I would have a set if the financial gos smiled on me.

BDD

[WERNER 1]

I tend to fall into the widerstance catagory.

1. It all depends on the siuation. My normal ready stance is fairly upright, but when the shot is about ready to be released I'm in a very wide stance so that all I have to do to get into a wide b/f is drop my knees together, my skates bairly move.....and wah-lah a very wide "pro-fly" save.My suggestion is stick with what you are doing, if it's working for you, but maybe spread out a bit just before the shot for better low coverage in the b/f.

2. Despite what some may say, it does make a difference on what type/brand of pad you use when it comes to pad rotation and knee protection while b/f'n. Example: I used to use a pair of Cooper reactor 3's, and they wouldn't rotate properly at all, and the inner knee protection was almost non-existant. It is impossible to do a "Pro-fly" with these pads, I've tried!! I then bought a pair of Bauer R6's, and these things rotate perfectly. I have the calf and the skate straps fairly snug, and the top two are almost not even attached. Come to think of it, having the top two straps loose is very conductive to pad rotation.

The inner knee protection of the R6's is not very good, so I made some modifications......now it's good.

3. Battram offers some, if your looking for new. I thought THR( Toronto Hockey Repair) offered some add pieces for regular pads. I'm not sure though.

[Chasedog]

The other's have answered 1 & 3 better than me. Here's my solution to 2. When I first started playing I had the cheapest leg pads ever. No knee protection what so ever. I bought a pair of knee pads and wore them covering the sides of my knees. It worked really well. Side note, I eventually bought ice pads that have great knee protection.

[Jaeger29]

Thanks for the tips... I really do appreciate it. I've got a pick-up game tonight, and I'm going to try Chasedog's trick - the kneepads under the goal pads - and see how it goes... obviously, I'll be loosening my upper pad straps. We'll see.

Werner: I think my pads are the pad-rotation problem. The channel's not too deep, and there's no real knee protection or 'landing gear' That's why I'll give the kneepad trick a shot...

and if that doesn't do it for me, I'll be looking for advice on self-installing some knee lifts... (and, yes, as a newbie, I *will* do a search first!)

Thanks again