EYE & REFLEX TRAINING
"If you're great at following the puck, you're a better goalie...period"
A goaltender must visually follow the puck in the game over the entire ice surface. Therefore, your eyes must be in optimal shape. We have very small muscles in our eyes. They need to be trained like all other muscles in order to be fast and effective.
Here at CGGC, we've developed some exercises to help you. It is best to do these exercises when you get up in the morning or just before you arrive at the rink to make sure your eyes are reactive and alert.
Please note that in the growing age of computers, smartphones, video games and television, it is not recommended to watch any of these devices for an extended period of time (30 minutes or more). Take a break every now and then if you have to pay attention to screens for a long time.
The light will strain your eyes even if for a short time. And longer times could be detrimental to your eyesight. Even sleeping with a night light that is to bright can make you near sighted. Some of the conditions for too many light-emitting screens are:
-
Eye discomfort
-
Headache
-
Itchy eyes
-
Dry or watery eyes
-
Burn
-
Changes in color perception
-
Blurred vision
-
Difficulty focusing (1, 2, 3)
-
Neck pain
It becomes very difficult to track a puck if you have any of these conditions.
These light-emitting devices allow you to adjust your eyes to a narrow field of vision. A goalie
must have a wide view range to be able to watch the puck and the fast-paced and ever-changing
hockey game, not to mention the tracking of the puck coming at you at 100 miles an hour.