DYHA/IceCats Goaltending Development Program
Pete Alfano-Director of Goaltending
Pete Alfano is a former goaltender for Canisius College, Notre Dame West Haven High School, and West Haven Youth Hockey. He has coached the Staples High School Girls’ Hockey Team, was a coach and Director of Goaltending for the CT Riverhawks, and for over 10 years was a goaltending instructor for All East Goaltending School. He has been instructing goaltenders in the DYHA program for over 5 years with a focus on fundamental skills, technique, and the goaltenders “level of compete”, both in practice and games alike. In addition, he is a Level 4 Certified USA Hockey Coach, and has been a USA Hockey Official for over 30 years, including 10 years at the Collegiate ECAC level.
In the sport of hockey, goaltending is a very technical position. It involves a specific skill set as well as athleticism - strength, fitness, agility, mobility, and coordination to constantly respond and adapt to an ever changing on-ice environment. The foundation of successful goaltending is built on 5 key concepts: seeing the puck (find the puck), being set on the puck (movement and position), and stopping the puck (save selection). DYHA and the IceCats are committed to the development of our goaltenders according to these 5 concepts through a continuum of skills developed and refined from mites through midgets.
The DYHA/IceCat goaltending development program focuses on a continuum of technical skills necessary for our goaltenders to be successful and continue their development throughout their DYHA/IceCat hockey career. The “Pyramid of Success” starts with a strong foundation of basic skills while fostering a mental mindset of advanced perceptual skills, to eventually interpret and anticipate scoring plays developing a goaltender’s hockey sense.
DYHA/IceCat Goaltending Philosophy
The DYHA/IceCat goaltending development program focuses on a continuum of fundamental technical skills necessary for our goaltenders to be successful and continue their development throughout their DYHA/IceCat hockey career and beyond.
The DYHA/IceCat objective is for all goaltenders to achieve the maximum level of proficiency at their highest possible level given their athleticism, effort, and attention to detail. We achieve this through....
- the repetition of fundamental skills leading to consistency in execution and puck control through movement, puck tracking, and positioning
- the attention to details and specifics: glove, stick, body position, movement, and recovery
- instilling work ethic and competitiveness
- holding goaltenders accountable-no quit, no excuses-learn from mistakes
- cultivating a positive mental mindset-the goalie as part of a whole
- creating a fun and interactive learning environment
DYHA/IceCat Goaltending Development Program Highlights
- Skill-set profile created for each travel goaltender
- Individualized travel goalie practice plans to be implemented by DYHA goalie director and/or procrease instructors
- Home game evaluations
- Video analysis with player and parent
