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18 // JUNE/JULY 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOS BY Steve Thompson; Kevin Reiter 51 in 30 Becoming a world-leading goalie develop- ment nation is more than just words. It's a belief that percolates down from the very top of the organization with USA Hockey 's Chairman of the Board Ron DeGregorio, a former goalie who rarely misses an opportu- nity to tout the importance of the position. When DeGregorio and a handful of others launched the initiative, they wanted to create a goal to shoot at. That target was to have American goaltenders playing 51 percent of the minutes in the NHL and women's Div. I college hockey by the year 2030. It's become the battle cry of the campaign ever since. To get there USA Hockey has surveyed what's being done at other federations to develop their g oalies and cherry picked some of the best practices and brought them together into a melting pot of ideas to suit American netminders. "The reason why we set those goals and why I felt so confident and comfortable sharing those goals with coaches and goalies and parents, whether it was at a try goalie day or at our NTDP tryout camp, was because I believe wholeheartedly in encouraging kids to chase their dreams," said Osaer, who has since left his position with USA Hockey for a new role of goaltending scouting and devel- opment with the Detroit Red Wings. "We knew that putting the goal that high was a bit of a daunting target, but we also knew that by empowering kids to chase their dream, that we would hopefully develop intrinsic motiva- tion in some of them to work hard to do it." Quick Change Goalie Pads Becoming world leading doesn't start at the top. As legendary U.S. coach Herb Brooks liked to say, the wider the base the higher the pyramid. And to build the base of goal- tenders at the grassroots level, USA Hockey has teamed up with its partners and others in the manufacturing sector to create quick change goalie pads. These easy-on, easy-off pads allow any youngster the opportunity to try playing the position for even a fraction of a practice. Equipment fits comfortably over regular protective gear, allowing for less bulk and less drama. Where it might typically take a young skater several minutes, and a few pairs of helping hands, to put on traditional goalie gear, the quick change pads are designed to take less than 60 seconds to take on and off, giving youngsters more time to enjoy playing the position. "It's great to have that tool in our bag, so to speak, because it gives everyone an opportunity to try and enjoy it without the commitment that it sometimes takes with the equipment," said DeGregorio, who served as USA Hockey's president for 12 years. The move not only allows skaters to try the position, it allows them to see the game from a different perspective, which creates better understanding of the game along with a little more empathy for those tasked with stopping pucks. "Sometimes it's good to be in the other person shoes," DeGregorio said. RAISING THE BAR The Quick Change goalie equipment system is specifically designed to make it easy for a coach or parent to convert a skater into a goalie. Within one minute, you can have your skater ready to play between the pipes. VIDEO GIVING BUTTERFLY A TRY