RE[NEW]AL
New Season, New Beginnings
Welcome to the new NHL season!
The hockey vibes are truly a mile high today, as the Colorado Avalanche officially kicked off their 2023-24 training camp this morning in Denver.
I love getting to the rink early on Day 1. It’s always illuminating to watch Avs goalie coach Jussi Parkkila spend some “quality time” with his goalies before everyone else hits the ice, and today was no different.
Here he is guiding his fellow countryman, Justus Annunen.
This week also kicks off my 25th season of playing this great game, so I’m a little more hyped than usual right now. At this point in my goaltending journey, I just love playing and competing for pucks, regardless of the results.
Speaking of the new season and new beginnings, before I formally launch this brand new SubStack, I wanted to quickly re-introduce myself and my mission.
Pitter patter, let’s get at ‘er.
A Quick Intro
My name is Justin Goldman and I’m the founder of The Goalie Guild.
I have worked in and around professional hockey for many years, including five seasons as an NHL emergency goalie (EBUG) for the Avalanche. I’ve written a collection of books on pro goaltending and have traveled to places like Finland and Sweden to conduct and document my own goalie research projects.
Since 2018, I’ve also been exploring a few specific areas of goalie training:
- Coaching Education
- Skill Acquisition
- Learning Design
- Creativity
I love to study these areas and then provide thought leadership and professional development experiences for goalie coaches around the world. Continuing education can be very hard to find in our highly specialized field, so I work hard to create events like the Global Goaltending Retreat to help remove that barrier.
If you’re curious to learn more, you can check out my bio on GitBook.
Why SubStack, Why Now?
Right away, I want you to know that this SubStack is aimed at supporting those who have a passion for studying and teaching the goaltending position.
It’s also a place where I can share my own ideas and personal experiences in a safe and creative way. I need to be able to write about my work — and the work we do together — without traditional constraints, otherwise I fear that my own progress will stagnate.
I also believe that I can build stronger friendships and connections through our mutual passion for goaltending. With this SubStack, I can both give back and receive, which is a gift that keeps on giving.
This is only the beginning, but I already feel like SubStack is going to be a great way to live out that purpose of “sharing is caring” every day.
What Will I Share Here?
This SubStack is a more personalized version of the GGR Online Toolkits. It’s also meant to be a more candid and “laid back” approach to sharing my journey as a goaltending educator and learning designer.
In terms of the actual content itself, if you want to get a better idea of what to expect, check out my GitBook sections on Research and Coaching. This will introduce you to some of the areas of study I mentioned earlier, especially in regards to goalie development and skill acquisition as a whole.
I also created this SubStack to support my upcoming trip to Sweden.
A Trip to Sweden?
Yes, the chance to make my long-awaited return to Sweden has finally come.
The 2024 IIHF World Juniors are being held in Gothenburg, Sweden. During the tournament, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association will be hosting a goalie coaching conference. It’s the first time in 10 years an event like this is taking place in Sweden, so I’ve already committed to making the trip and attending.
This SubStack is where I’ll be documenting the entire journey and experience.
How Can I Support?
Creating this SubStack was the final piece of my big summer project, which included the re-launch of my two websites, The Goalie Guild and Lift The Mask.
Subscribing to a premium membership (monthly or annual) will therefore directly support The Goalie Guild. Every dollar I receive from this SubStack is going right back to the foundation, which helps to keep the lights on.
There’s so much more to share as time goes on, but I figured this was an easy way to re-introduce myself and formally kick things off.
Enjoy the start of the new hockey season, soak in the sights and sounds at the rink, and thanks for reading the first entry in my new SubStack!
~Justin
