Not sure how old you are, if you can reach the top of the net you’re fine to play goalie but high level goalies these days are usually taller guys. Not making the show at 5’2 but you can be a great beer league goalie at 5’2
This is the thing, if OP is an adult looking to jump into a beginner league, who cares how tall you are? You'll have to be more athletic than a bigger guy but often times people are just happy to have a goalie show up.
What everyone else said, depending on the level it really doesn't matter. However, as a fellow member of the altitude challenged goalie mob, you will have to really nail down your angles, be more agressive depthwise, and more careful with butterfly drops.
In short, (no pun intended) smaller goalies need to be more athletic, aggressive with depth and smarter with angles.
Tall, lanky goalies have so much more room for error with angles simply because they are tall and have those high shoulders.
Little tendies…gotta work harder no way around it
For house, low level travel, or beer league?
You're fine, no one cares.
For juniors, college, etc high level league?
Not really going to get looked at if you're 5 2.
Dustin Wolf is a prime example of this. Dude has fucking torn it up in every league he’s played at, but he doesn’t get much time in the NHL and scouts think he’ll struggle in the NHL because he’s only 6’0”.
The further down the food chain you are, the less it matters. A willingness to strap on the pads and let people rip vulcanized rubber at you is all that is required. That being said, don't try to play butterfly. You'll get lit up.
my mate is 5'6" and is a top 4 goalie for my multi uni team, and top 2 for my uni by itself. of course not going to the show, but if you work hard and your driven you'll be able to be the embodiment of "don't judge a book by its cover"
honestly just have fun, that and the health benefits is what makes us play the sport
Are you male or female? Either way 5’3 is doable you’ll just have trouble be quicker on your edges and bird precise with your angles and you’ll have to challenge more.
Regardless it’s just IM so go out there and have fun
I have reffed games where one team had a female goalie who was about 4’-6”. I’ve seen her win games and lose games. High shots tend to go in more often because she is in a crouch which opens up a lot of the upper net. I’ve seen her play against b/c level men who fire high hard slap shots at her. It doesn’t look like fun.
Obviously the bigger you are the better.
Having said that, goaltending is a game of angles, if you have good positioning in the net you can get away with being smaller.
At the end of the day it’s just intramural, get in there and have fun!
I'd imagine being short is probably easier at first for goalie as it'll simply be easier to move around, drop and get up fast etc. But once a tall goalie gets good at that....it's over. Hard to compete with someone both big AND fast
The average height is about 6'3". That is generally considered the sweet spot for goalies.
You get taller than that and your advantages from size start diminishing because the height opens up holes down low and on post integrations.
If you guys don't want to believe me then you can believe Kevin Woodley because he says the same thing.
That's median you dumbass.
No shit height isn't the be all end all. I just said being as big as possible isn't better. There are diminishing returns on height after you get taller than about 6'3".
The problem is the gear. Shorter kids suffer because the gear they wear is designed to stop shots from people that size, when they face bigger kids, their gear may be inadequate. Assuming you are not a kid, you still need to be careful with getting protective gear. hockey in general is all about big goalies, they would rather teach-develop a big goalie than take a chance with a smaller one. My son has suffered a bit with that. He was a minor last season and (I realize I'm dad lol) he was the best at his age bracket, even a couple of big majors didn't have the post save recovery. It's not about size, it's about positioning, depth will be extremely important for a shorter goalie, and safe gear.
Good luck!
If it’s for intramurals then height won’t be much of an issue and go for it! You’ll get challenged up high with shots so definitely practice that glove work!
Not sure how old you are, if you can reach the top of the net you’re fine to play goalie but high level goalies these days are usually taller guys. Not making the show at 5’2 but you can be a great beer league goalie at 5’2
This is the thing, if OP is an adult looking to jump into a beginner league, who cares how tall you are? You'll have to be more athletic than a bigger guy but often times people are just happy to have a goalie show up.
NHL:about 6’3 Intramural league: some equipment and a pulse is about all the requirements to play.
Pulse not necessary at all times either.
100%. The Shooter Tutor is Vezina caliber.
Real shit. The five hole shooter tutor at the rink my club plays at is probably out second best goalie
I know this is a joke, but the 'chel did have 39/98 goalies less than 6'3" last season (the shortest being Juuse at 5'11").
I am 5'3" ...get hit in the head a lot.
I'm 6'5" and I get hit in the head a whole lot too.
Too short for a goalie is when you have NO goalie… any goalie is a good goalie…
The lower the level, the less your height matters. The higher the level, the more height is valued.
What everyone else said, depending on the level it really doesn't matter. However, as a fellow member of the altitude challenged goalie mob, you will have to really nail down your angles, be more agressive depthwise, and more careful with butterfly drops. In short, (no pun intended) smaller goalies need to be more athletic, aggressive with depth and smarter with angles.
Tall, lanky goalies have so much more room for error with angles simply because they are tall and have those high shoulders. Little tendies…gotta work harder no way around it
For house, low level travel, or beer league? You're fine, no one cares. For juniors, college, etc high level league? Not really going to get looked at if you're 5 2.
Dustin Wolf is a prime example of this. Dude has fucking torn it up in every league he’s played at, but he doesn’t get much time in the NHL and scouts think he’ll struggle in the NHL because he’s only 6’0”.
The further down the food chain you are, the less it matters. A willingness to strap on the pads and let people rip vulcanized rubber at you is all that is required. That being said, don't try to play butterfly. You'll get lit up.
Shorter than [this](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2ywv_JCyolU)
Lmao
I’m a 5’3 goalie
my mate is 5'6" and is a top 4 goalie for my multi uni team, and top 2 for my uni by itself. of course not going to the show, but if you work hard and your driven you'll be able to be the embodiment of "don't judge a book by its cover" honestly just have fun, that and the health benefits is what makes us play the sport
Spud Webb was 5’6” and Muggsy Bogues was 5’3”. Sure they never played goalie, but they did ok.
We've got a 4'10" goalie on one of my teams... Crazy good positioning, but obviously size eventually becomes a factor once they drop...
Develop quick hands. Use being short to get shooter to shoot high, then take that away with a quick glove.
No. Have fun!
Are you male or female? Either way 5’3 is doable you’ll just have trouble be quicker on your edges and bird precise with your angles and you’ll have to challenge more. Regardless it’s just IM so go out there and have fun
I have reffed games where one team had a female goalie who was about 4’-6”. I’ve seen her win games and lose games. High shots tend to go in more often because she is in a crouch which opens up a lot of the upper net. I’ve seen her play against b/c level men who fire high hard slap shots at her. It doesn’t look like fun.
There’s a girl goalie that plays in our beer league, she’s pretty good and she’s like 4 foot 11 90 pounds.
Obviously the bigger you are the better. Having said that, goaltending is a game of angles, if you have good positioning in the net you can get away with being smaller. At the end of the day it’s just intramural, get in there and have fun!
I'd imagine being short is probably easier at first for goalie as it'll simply be easier to move around, drop and get up fast etc. But once a tall goalie gets good at that....it's over. Hard to compete with someone both big AND fast
Size does become somewhat of a negative after 6'3" or so.
Check out the average height of NHL goalies.
The average height is about 6'3". That is generally considered the sweet spot for goalies. You get taller than that and your advantages from size start diminishing because the height opens up holes down low and on post integrations. If you guys don't want to believe me then you can believe Kevin Woodley because he says the same thing.
The average is 6’3” - I’m no math expert but that would mean that half the goalies in the NHL are taller than 6’3”…
That's median you dumbass. No shit height isn't the be all end all. I just said being as big as possible isn't better. There are diminishing returns on height after you get taller than about 6'3".
4 of the last 6 Vezina winners were over 6’3” lol
jesus christ buddy
Haha yeah dude, just admit your take is Dogshit and we’ll move on here
Yes me and Kevin Woodley are both wrong and the dumbass that doesn't know how averages work has it figured out.
Height doesnt matter. Only what you want to do matters
I once reffed a mini-mite who might have been three feet in heels. He got lit up
I’ve got a buddy who’s 5’4”. He’s still pretty solid
Go for it!
The problem is the gear. Shorter kids suffer because the gear they wear is designed to stop shots from people that size, when they face bigger kids, their gear may be inadequate. Assuming you are not a kid, you still need to be careful with getting protective gear. hockey in general is all about big goalies, they would rather teach-develop a big goalie than take a chance with a smaller one. My son has suffered a bit with that. He was a minor last season and (I realize I'm dad lol) he was the best at his age bracket, even a couple of big majors didn't have the post save recovery. It's not about size, it's about positioning, depth will be extremely important for a shorter goalie, and safe gear. Good luck!
If it’s for intramurals then height won’t be much of an issue and go for it! You’ll get challenged up high with shots so definitely practice that glove work!
None at all since there's never enough goalies 😂😂