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Goaltending Greatness

04/26/2016, 1:45pm MDT
By Kelly Erickson

The Ron DeGregorio Goaltending Excellence Fund aims to develop top American netminders

Goaltending is in Ron DeGregorio’s blood. The former USA Hockey president and current co-chair of the board grew up playing the position through high school, college and for Team USA. Eventually he started coaching and now, through the Ron DeGregorio Goaltending Excellence Fund, he hopes to continue making a difference for American netminders. 

With the fund, DeGregorio hopes to establish a program that develops great goaltending coaches at every level of the game for every team, with the ultimate goal of making sure that American goalies remain part of the elite corps of goaltenders in juniors, NCAA hockey, the NHL and even recreational hockey. 

“Our goal is to make sure that each goaltender playing in the United States gets great coaching and mentoring to be all they can be,” DeGregorio said.

The fund aims to help train and support goaltending development coordinators in each of USA Hockey’s affiliate programs throughout the country. Those chosen for these new roles will become experts in USA Hockey’s goaltending curriculum and share that instruction with coaches and goaltending coaches in their affiliate all the way down to the team and community level. 

The first training hosted for these new coordinators will take place the second week in May, in Plymouth, Michigan. The training will be held in concert with the Warren Strelow National Goaltending Camp, allowing those filling this new role to see the training in practice with some of the top netminders of their age group from around the country. 

“We’re very happy; We’re going to have 20 (new coordinators) at our first session,” DeGregorio said. “Already, we feel very, very comfortable and are pleased with how the affiliates have decided to be a part of this. We’ve had some meetings and webinars with the affiliates on the subject and they’re excited about it.”

DeGregorio emphasized the importance of this program, and his fund backing it, across every level of hockey. Strong goaltenders help elevate the game. The more skilled and difficult it is to play against a goalie, the more it will challenge forwards and defensemen. While the focus here is on the goaltenders, ultimately, it will have a greater impact on the game itself. 

“Having great goaltending up the ladder means the greater the opportunity will be for American forwards and defensemen to develop as well,” DeGregorio said. 

This impact will be felt from local programs to higher levels of the game and, hopefully, recreationally too. DeGregorio noted, for many hockey players, when the high school jersey is retired, they’ll end up in an adult league or some other recreational league, as long as they continue to enjoy playing. Good goaltending is just as important to help make the game challenging and fun for those who have their sights set on their own versions of the Stanley Cup.

“Both from the elite level and the recreational level, whatever we do to have better goaltending and support that position, I think that helps hockey,” DeGregorio said.

“I really do believe that this is something that will help American hockey.”

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