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	Q: My son is a goalie, presently playing at the Jr. A level. He is not starting, but believes he could be. Because of his age he is up against the clock of opportunities for older, late bloomers. Are there opportunities for him to follow his dream? For example: Schools, Summer Leagues, Show Case Tournments, etc. A: Being relegated as a "back-up" can be one of the hardest things to overcome as a goalie, and it is undoubtedly something every goalie will face at one point or another as they rise through the ranks. More often than not, being a back-up is not an indication of skill. Instead, several factors often fall into play. His goaltending partner may be a four year veteran. Maybe, the other goalie is on a hot streak. Maybe, there is a new, rising-star goalie on your team. Whatever the reason may be, it is important for the back-up to stay mentally strong. The unfortunate tendency of every back-up is to become comfortable in their role. It is too easy to do this, and it won't improve your chances of seeing more ice, or even in the long run, getting a solid reference form your coach.       In your specific case, you mentioned that your son was a late bloomer. Given the fact that your son is closing out his junior eligibility, he may not have been given a significant chance to prove himself. Undoubtedly, this has led to anxiety over what to do next. How can he get seen if he's not given the chance to play? The reality is that he may not get seen. However, on the flip-side, MOST players do not get seen. College coaches only have a limited number of recruiting trips that they can make each year, and quite often, these trips will be scheduled around a few league leading teams or teams that they have regularly recruited from in the past. Coaches will follow the seasons of a limited number of blue-chip players in order to increase the productivity of their recruiting trips. This reality may sound discouraging, but in fact, it is ENcouraging for many talented yet under-scouted players. There are a number of positions that can't get scouted for but need to be filled. On many university teams there are as many as four goaltenders.       The truth is there are success stories at all levels of the game that don't tell the tale of a blue-chip player. Don't get us wrong, every player wants to be a blue-chip player, and every player wants to be recruited. However, it isn't a necessary step for success in this game. Many players have taken charge of their own careers in order to get noticed by schools or professional teams. (A timely example of this fact is Kurt Warner of the Super Bowl Champion St. Louis Rams.) With your help, your son needs to take a proactive step in pushing his career forward. Start by developing a hockey resume and cover letter to send to prospective teams. The fact that your son is playing Jr. A will only help his chances even despite being a back-up. He made the team for a reason, and there are many teams out there that will recognize this fact.       With your son's junior hockey career coming to an end, the next logical step is to make the jump to college hockey. Depending upon your son's career aspirations (outside of hockey), the next step is to draw up a short-list of schools that he might be interested in attending. It is important to keep several factors in mind at this point. Take into consideration funding options. A scholarship to play hockey somewhere is undoubtedly your goal, however it is important to remember that many players at the Division I and III levels play on half scholarships, with the help of bursaries, or with no monetary support at all. If your son has a strong academic standing, he may be open to academic scholarships as well. A strong academic standing will also put him in the "good books" with many coaches. At this level, coaches, teams, and schools make a significant investment in their players, so they want to make sure that prospective students can handle the rigours of hockey and school. Another important consideration is happiness. Seek out schools that your son will be happy attending with or without hockey in the equation.       Once you have your short-list in hand, send a cover letter and resume to each of the coaches for the respective schools. (You can get all the contact information for respective schools in the Leagues & Teams section of our site.) The purpose of this step is to bring your son to the attention of these coaches. With so many talented players to scout, an introduction will help coaches recognize your son's name and may even propel them to come see him play. The important part of this process is gaining that extra bit of familiarity. Nine times out of ten, a coach will go with the player they recognize in a coin toss. After all, this is the same benefit that blue-chip players gain from......in many cases, it is just people recognizing their name.       With regards to showcases, generally, they are a good thing. The opportunity to participate in a showcase will undoubtedly help your son's exposure. It is important to know a little more about the showcase before you go however. Have a good idea of its history, how many coaches typically attend, and how many players have been recruited from it in the past. The one catch with many showcases is that your son may need an invitation. Sending out his resume will help his chances at gaining an invitation to such an event.       Lastly, it is important to have him speak with his coach. Developing a good relationship with his coach is an important part of career building. Even if he may be unhappy with not being played or doesn't like the coach's style, it is still important to develop a strong personal rapport. Have him make the coach aware of his goals. His coach should be able to give him some good advice and help market him to teams. He may even know of certain schools that are looking for goalies. When it comes down to the end, having your junior coach give you a good recommendation will only help your chances.       Through everything, however, it always comes full circle to having a positive attitude. Make the most of practices and games when he gets the chance. Your son will not only improve as a goalie, but he'll gain the admiration of his coach and fellow players.
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