USA Hockey Magazine

F ew positions in sports have a more direct impact on the outcome of a game than a goaltender in hockey. With that responsibility comes the pressure that can put undue stress on those between the pipes. As Hall of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante said, "How would you like it if, at your job, every time you made the slightest mistake a little red light went on over your head and 18,000 people stood up and screamed at you?" Justin Goldman understands the pressures of the position better than most. Growing up as a goaltender in Texas, he played the position in high school, Junior hockey and eventually at Colorado State University. He even spent several seasons as the emergency backup goalie with the Colorado Avalanche. As the founder of the Goalie Guild, Goldman has created the Lift The Mask campaign to help goaltenders of all ages and skill levels deal with the rigors of playing the position. "As time goes on, it's becoming more and more clear that a mental health program, specifically for goalies, is very much needed," Goldman said. The Lift The Mask program is designed to bridge the gap between goalies, goalie parents and even goalie coaches with licensed mental health providers to provide guidance and counseling to any goalie that needs it. The Goalie Guild not only provides a list of licensed mental health providers in their area, they also donate $100 toward the initial consultation. "Over the years more goalies are being very transparent about some of the struggles and the pressures they face playing at a higher level," Goldman said. "And so a lot of goalies and goalie parents are starting to realize that this is naturally part of the position, but they don't necessarily know where to go to get mental health support." To d a t e , G o l d m a n e s t i m a t e s t h a t h i s foundation has helped connect hundreds of goalies find the help they need and know they're not alone in their struggles. "That's what it's all about," Goldman said. "Just being able to share these stories and let people know that it's normal and it's not anything to be ashamed of. There are a lot of places that you can go to get help whenever you're not feeling good, or you feel like there's something going on that you need to talk to someone else about." To learn more go to thegoalieguild.com B ET W E E N T H E P I P ES P R E S E N T E D B Y JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 17 To raise awareness of the Lift The Mask program, the Goalie Guild held a photo contest where goalies could post their photos on Twitter or Instagram with a message and the #LiftTheMask hashtag. The winner received a swag pack (jersey, shirt and beanie) from October Saves and the runner up received a $50 gift card to their favorite goalie retailer. Lift The Mask Campaign Continues To Help Goalies Deal With Their Mental Health PHOTOS COURTESY OF The Goalie Guild #LIFTTHEMASK One Save At A Time One Save At A Time

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