I
f you were to observe a Learn
To Play practice at the Seattle
Kraken Community Iceplex,
you may become overwhelmed
by the sight of stickers adorning
children's hockey helmets. These
stickers aren't just decoration, but
a marker of how many times that
player has played between the pipes.
Julia Takatsuka, the program's
goalie development coach, has curat-
ed a culture where children don't
shy away from the opportunity to
play goalie but instead embrace it.
Takatsuka's passion is palpable to
players and parents alike, and her
ability to both utilize and increase
her resources has created a new kind
of excitement around the position. In
Julia Takatsuka Has Helped Turn Seattle
Into A Hub Of Goaltending Development
TIDES
by
Anna
Miller
Rising
JUNE 2026 // THE GOALIE ISSUE
//
21
PHOTOS BY Getty Images,
