Blog

Congratulations to Maria Manuel, a U12A goalie from Delano, Minnesota, who was selected to win a customized set of gloves from Brian’s Custom Sports.

Manuel was fitted for her GNETiK 8.0 gloves during the 2017 Let’s Play Hockey Expo held in mid-March in St. Paul.

Her name was chosen from the hundreds of goalies who had their shutouts posted on the Carroll Goalie School/Brian’s Custom Sports Shutout Wall and each week in Let’s Play Hockey Newspaper.

Brian’s Custom Sports sponsors the Carroll Goalie School.

We are getting ready for our 23rd season of helping goalies improve their skills, consistency, confidence and overall game performance at our popular weekend camps that will be held throughout Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Check out our 2017 schedule.

This year, CGS will offer four different skill development programs: Intro to goaltending, intermediate skills, advanced skills and tryout tune-up. Ice times are at night and on weekends at Braemar Arena (Edina), Eagan Civic Center, Richfield Arena, Schwan Super Rink (Blaine)

In 2016, goalies from throughout Minnesota and five other states (Alaska, California, Iowa, North Dakota, Wisconsin) joined us for a weekend of skill development.

Goalie parents like the variety of programs we offer because they realize that training under the watchful eye of Director Steve Carroll and his staff can make a significant impact in the development of their kids.

Here is what some last year’s participants said about their CGS experience.

“CGS has improved our son’s goalie skills tremendously the past two years. Coach Carroll and his staff always treat the goalies with respect and you can tell they love what they do.”
Megan A., Woodbury, Minnesota

“Is it a coincidence; five years with Carroll and five winning seasons?
Logan C., Lakeville, Minnesota

“Our son learned a lot about goaltending and had a blast doing it. We will be back for more camps for sure.”
Steve F., Mason City, Iowa

“This is our second time with Steve Carroll. We love the camp, from the good price/value, coaching, ice time, and skills that are developed. Once again we highly recommend Steve’s camp/clinics. He is very knowledgeable, has a great heart, and truly loves helping the kids. Thank you Steve and coaches for another great, successful camp, which our son Ethan Kalafatich truly enjoyed!”
Brian K., Mahtomedi, Minnesota

“Ty made some big improvements in his skating. Namely shuffles and c-cuts. I would highly recommend this school just for skating instruction alone. Coach Carroll was also very approachable and helpful with his answers to my questions. Great job!”
Chad S., International Falls, Minnesota

“Coaches are very knowledgeable and pushed my daughter beyond her comfort zone.”
Joshua S., Delano, Minnesota

“My son wanted the weekend to be longer!!!”
Kristi B, St. Paul, Minnesota

“Really friendly instructors who care about everyone and made it fun and helpful.”
Brandon B, Sartell, Minnesota

“Great camp and a good learning experience for my son. He came off the ice with a smile on his face everyday!”
Mark U., Duluth, Minnesota

As the goalie coach for the Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team, Coach Steve Carroll had the wonderful opportunity to visit Switzerland, Austria and Italy over the holiday break.

We flew into Zurich, Switzerland and spent the day touring downtown. From there we headed by bus to Bolzano, Italy. On the next day, we were off to the resort town of Kitzbuhel, Austria. Even though it was early January, they did not have any snow on the ground. The ski hills were open thanks to snowmaking machines.

On day three, we visited downtown Bolzano and all the Christmas markets that were still open and very festive. Then we were off to Milan, Italy, the financial and fashion hub of the country. There were tons of people there and that place was something else.

After that, we moved on to Como, Italy. More Christmas markets were open and they also had an outdoor skating rink nearby that was filled with locals. We returned later that night for a New Year’s eve celebration. Many of the buildings in the courtyard area had colorful winter scenes projected on the walls, which made for a spectacular setting. At midnight, there was a huge fireworks show over Lake Como.

On our last full day, we journeyed to Lugano, Switzerland and toured that wonderful city on a lake. Besides all the spectacular places we visited, the squad posted a 3-0 record in the exhibition games.  Overall, it was an awesome and memorable trip.

 

Minnesota Hockey and USA Hockey have announced they will cooperatively host a High Performance Goaltending Coaching Workshop from 1:30-8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18 at the Brooklyn Park Community Center. The workshop is designed to teach youth hockey coaches of all skill levels how to effectively work with and develop goalies.

The clinic will include a series of classroom presentations as well as an on-ice session where participants will observe demonstration stations and get a chance to try various goalie-specific skating movements.  Coaches should bring skates and gloves and must wear a helmet during
the on-ice session.

Scheduled presenters include:

• Phil Osaer, USA Hockey’s ADM Goaltending Manager
• Mike MacMillan, USA Hockey’s National Coach-in-Chief
• Steve Carroll, Minnesota Hockey’s Goalie Development Coordinator
• Justin Johnson, goalie coach for the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team.

The workshop is open to registered USA Hockey coaches of all skill levels.

REGISTER NOW
Click here to download the paper registration form. Pre-registration is required.

The High Performance Goaltending Coach Clinic is the latest in the series of initiatives focused on boosting the recruitment and development of goaltenders in Minnesota.

This summer Minnesota Hockey purchased 300 sets of the newly released QuickChange goalie pads, which are designed to introduce more players to the position.

Then, Goalie Development Coordinator Steve Carroll hosted eight goalie skill sessions in September. This coaching clinic brings the initiatives full circle by providing coaches throughout Minnesota with the tools and resources to help young goalies reach their potential.

This October, I begin my 16th season as an assistant coach of the Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team. I primarily work with the goalies but also assist with recruiting future student-athletes.

My older brother Mike is the team’s head coach, while a younger brother, Pat, serves as a volunteer assistant.

I usually make it to practice on Wednesday nights. During that time, I work with the three goalies as a group and also get one-on-one time with each of them.

I then rejoin the team on weekends and am on the bench during games.

During our the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule, we face-off against St. Thomas, Augsburg, Saint Benedict’s, St. Catherine’s, St. Olaf, Concordia, Saint Mary’s, Bethel and Hamline.

Our non-conference games are against UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, UW-River Falls, UW-Superior and St. Norbert’s.

Also this year, we are going to Europe and will have the opportunity to play a handful of exhibition games.

I am looking forward to another exciting season of coaching the Gusties.

 

It was really fun to host a goalie clinic in August at Braemar Arena in Edina. It was the first time we held a weekend clinic in that building since we started 22 years ago.

There is so much hockey history at Braemar and of course its home to the Hornets, which have won 12 state high school hockey championships.

It’s also the rink where I learned to play the game. I grew up in Edina and started out as a forward. I first strapped on the leg pads as a second year peewee, after a coach saw me playing goalie for our neighborhood floor hockey team and asked if I was interested in trying to stop pucks with skates on.

I accepted his invitation and was selected to be one of that coach’s two goalies on the Edina Peewee “A” team. We a lot of talent up front on that squad and we went on the win the state championship, in a game that was played at the old Met Center in Bloomington. Not a bad way to start a career!

After two seasons of bantam “A” hockey, I selected to play on the Edina-East High School varsity team.

That was quite the experience, something I will never forget. I remember playing our home games before standing room only crowds. The atmosphere was electric – with the school band playing and the student section cheering loudly. And every high school team brought their “A” game, which made for some tremendous battles.

We reached the section finals all three years I was on the team. We got knocked off by Hopkins Lindbergh as sophomores, by Richfield as juniors before beating cross-town rival Edina-West to advance to the state tournament as seniors.

In St. Paul, we defeated Roseau and Grand Rapids before falling to Rochester John Marshall in the championship game. A disappointing end to an otherwise memorable career.

Already looking forward to returning to coach more goalies at Braemar in 2017.