Blog

CGS goalies continue to excel

· Steve Carroll

We are now in our 21st year of helping goalies of all skill levels achieve success between the pipes. And once again, CGS students and coaches had excellent hockey seasons in 2014-15.

Here is a sampling of accomplishments:

  • Coach Steve Carroll recently finished his 14th season as goalie coach for the Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team. The Gusties won the regular season title for the 10th time in 11 years with a 15-2-1 record, 19-5-2 overall. The team’s starting goalie earned All-Conference honors and led the league with .92 goals against average and a .948 save percentage.
  • Adam Wilcox, South St. Paul, Minn., University of Minnesota, signed professional contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Wilcox leaves Minnesota as the school’s all-time leader in career save percentage (.922) and career goals against average (2.09) while he is tied for the program’s career shutout record (13). The netminder’s 73 career wins are the most among active NCAA goalies and are tied for third all-time at Minnesota. Wilcox ends his college career with a 73-26-14 record (.710) while posting 22 or more wins in each of his three years with the Maroon & Gold. He trained with the Carroll Goalie School for a season during his youth hockey days when CGS was hired by the South St. Paul Youth Hockey Association to provide a series of in-season goalie clinics.
  • John McLean, Eagan, Minn., Gustavus Adolphus College. Named MIAC Men’s All-Conference Honorable Mention Team. Signed professional contract with Pensacola Ice Flyers in Southern Professional Hockey League. Invited to Vancouver Canucks Prospects Development camp in July. Trained with CGS during years we ran goalie clinics for Eagan Hockey Association.
  • Emma May, Cretin Derham Hall. Named top five finalist for Let’s Play Hockey Senior Goalie of the Year Award. Named to USA Today’s ALL-USA Girls High School Hockey team. Went 19-4-3 with a 1.63 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage this season. Had 59 career wins and was all-conference all four years. Plans to play for University of Minnesota next season. Here is an article about Emma. www.gophersports.com/sports/w-hockey/spec-rel/062115aaa.html. She trained with CGS during years we ran goalie clinics for Eagan Hockey Association and during private lessons.
  • Lindsey Brown, Mounds View, Minn., was named American Hockey Coaches Association Second Team All-American following her senior season at Saint Anselm College. Trained at CGS early in her goaltending career.
  • Jenna Traut, St. Cloud, Minn., College of St. Benedict. The senior was named to MIAC Women’s All-Conference Team. Trained at CGS camp during high school.
  • Will Swanson, Mahtomedi High School. Selected to Minnesota Hockey’s NIT High Performance 18 team. Led Zephyrs to third place finish at 2015 State Boys High School Hockey Tournament. One of 36 goalies nationwide invited to participate in USA Hockey’s Warren Strelow Goalie Camp in Ann Arbor, Michigan in May. Trained at CGS camp and during one-on-one training sessions when playing youth hockey.
  • Jake Begley, Hill-Murray High School. The sophomore helped Pioneers reach the 2015 State Boys High School Hockey Tournament. Invited to tryout for USA Hockey’s National Development program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  One of 36 goalies nationwide invited to participate in USA Hockey’s Warren Strelow Goalie Camp in Ann Arbor, Michigan in May. Trained at CGS camp  and during one-on-one training sessions when playing youth hockey.
  • Dyllan Lubbesmeyer, Burnsville High School. Selected as winner of Frank Brimsek Award, presented to top senior goalie in boys high school hockey. Trained with CGS during years we ran in-season goalie clinics for Burnsville Hockey Club.
  • Lauren Bench, Burnsville High School. The junior announced her commitment to play Division I hockey at Bemidji State University. Trained with CGS during years we ran in-season goalie clinics for Burnsville Hockey Club.
  • Jacob Brown, Burnsville Bantam B2. He had 17-6 record with eight shutouts and two assists. He won a free blocker and catch glove from Brian’s Custom Sports for being among the hundreds of goalies who submitted shutouts to the Carroll Goalie School/Brian’s Shutout Wall that appeared weekly in Let’s Play Hockey Newspaper. Trained with CGS during years we ran in-season goalie clinics for Burnsville Hockey Club. Trains at the CGS Advanced Skills Camp we offer in September.
  • Kaitlyn Pellicci, Eastview High School. Led Lightning to 2015 State Girls High School Hockey Tournament. Trained with CGS during years we ran goalie clinics for the REV hockey program.
  • Jake Kielly, Eden Prairie, plays for the Austin Bruins. One of the top goalies in the North American Hockey League. Trained at CGS camp during his youth hockey days.

 

2015 schedule now available

· Steve Carroll

Our 2015 schedule is posted on our website and registration is now open for all nine sessions. You can learn more and register online now at www.carrollgs.com. I encourage you to register early for best selection.

This is our 21st year of offering our popular skill development programs for boys and girls, ages 6-15.

2015 highlights include:

  • NEW and improved drills.
  • NEW – Spring session in April
  • NEW – Intro to Goaltending session in June.
  • NEW – Advanced session in August.
  • Weekend and evening ice hours.
  • Camps in spring, summer and fall.
  • Five convenient locations – Blaine (Schwan Super Rink), Eagan, Lakeville Ames, Richfield, White Bear Lake.
  • Free jersey.

We look forward to helping your goalie achieve success between the pipes.

Sincerely,

Steve Carroll
Carroll Goalie School

Do you believe in miracles?

· Steve Carroll

Hard to believe, but it was 35 years ago this month that the U. S. Olympic hockey team captured the gold medal in the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York. Every hockey fan remembers where they were during those Miracle on Ice moments. I recall watching the games from my college dorm room at Minnesota State, Mankato.

And it was quite a thrill for me to actually meet one of the heroes from that game. I had the opportunity to meet and have my picture taken with goalie Jim Craig when he was in town recently.

Coach Carroll and Jim Craig during visit to Minneapolis.
Coach Carroll and Jim Craig during visit to Minneapolis.

Do you know that in March of 1979, USA Hockey actually held open tryouts for the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team? Even though most people felt Coach Brooks knew who he wanted on his team and had a very good idea of where those players would be coming from. Highly unlikely that Coach Brooks would gamble on taking a random player from an open tryout.

None the less, me and some of my Minnesota State hockey teammates thought it would be cool to say we tried out for the Olympic team. Open tryouts were held in Minneapolis, Detroit and Boston.

A bunch of us registered for the tryouts in Minneapolis. Turns out, our team qualified for the NCAA Division II National Tournament, which was held about the same time as the tryout in Minneapolis. We contactedorganizers and asked if we could switch to the Detroit location.

They told us no, but said they would have scouts at the national tournament. If anyone caught their eye, they would be receive a special invite.

At the national tournament I made 59 saves in our semifinal game and another 42 in the championship game. 101 saves in two games. Not bad, but guess what, not good enough to win the national championship or to get a special invite to the open tryouts in Motown.

Not that I figured I had a shot at making the team, but it would have been fun to say that I at least had a chance to tryout for the club.

CGS helmet on display at new Wild Restaurant

· Steve Carroll

A new restaurant opened Dec. 10 in Terminal 2 of the Minneapolis-St. Paul international Airport and it has a hockey theme.

Included in the Minnesota Wild restaurant is a goalie helmet display, which features a helmet painted with a Carroll Goalie School logo, an Edina Hornet logo and a Minnesota State, Mankato logo, two schools I played goalie for. How cool is this? It is one of eight helmets on display at the restaurant.

CGS helmet in display at Wild restaurant.
CGS helmet in display at Wild Restaurant.

How did this happen? A few months ago, I was contacted by a friend who works for the Minnesota Wild. He asked if I had a goalie helmet I could loan to them for the display.

I told them I had two helmets available, but they both were decorated with a CGS logo. They were fine with that, so I gave them my helmet to display for two years.

The other helmets that are part of the display include two worn by former North Star Goalie Don Beaupre and one worn by current Minnesota Wild goalie coach Bob Mason.

Look for the goalie helmet display when flying in and out of Terminal 2.

New York trip

· Steve Carroll

The day after Thanksgiving, the Gustavus women’s hockey boarded a plane for a trip to Montreal, Canada and a van ride to Plattsburgh State to play in a four-team tournament.

Upon arriving in Canada, we encountered a few travel issues. First, some of the luggage didn’t make it to Montreal right away. It would ultimately be delivered to our hotel in the next 36 hours.

Gustavus, Elmira, Plattsburgh, Middlebury played in the tournament.
Gustavus, Elmira, Plattsburgh, Middlebury played in the tournament.

The next issue we had to do with making the 90-minute van ride to Plattsburgh State. I was driving one of the five team vans. Shortly after leaving the airport, i realized we were lost. The traffic signs were in French and we were traveling during a busy rush hour.

At that point, I pulled into a gas station in downtown Montreal. The workers at the station were not interested in giving us directions, I think mainly because they didn’t speak english very well.

However, some of the customers in the store were much more willing to help us out and gave us the proper directions to get to Plattsburgh.

The following night we played number one ranked Plattsburgh State. After trailing 4-1 late in the third period, the Gusties put together an incredible rally and scored three times in the final seven minutes to force overtime. We played a scoreless extra session and lost in the fourth round of a shootout.

The next day we played Middlebury. Again, the Gusties battled to tie the game late and force overtime. This time, they beat us in the overtime by the score of 3-2.

Overall it was a great experience, one that should help us down the road and as we resume conference play.

Helping the Hornets

· Steve Carroll

As many of you know, I played youth and high school hockey in Edina. And because of that, it is always fun to be involved helping the Hornets.

Once again this year, I was invited back to be one of the evalators during the association’s goalie tryouts. There is an abundance of talented goalies in this program and I enjoy seeing the progress from year to year.

Great to be back on the ice at Braemar Arena in Edina.
Great to be back on the ice at Braemar Arena in Edina.

In addition to helping grade the goalies, I am also doing private lessons for some Edina netminders this season.

I am working with some of the goalies during their team practices while others are choosing to train during private ice rentals.

The one-on-one sessions are really helping with the individual skill development of these goalies. And their hard work is paying off for their teams as they are off to a fast start.

College season begins

· Steve Carroll

Today, I am excited to begin my 15th season as goalie coach for the Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team. I work for my older brother Mike, who is entering his 16th season behind the bench as the team’s head coach. Going into the season, Mike has a career record of 331-78-25 for a .791 winning percentage.

Coach Steve Carroll at practice in St. Peter.
Coach Steve Carroll at practice in St. Peter.

During the season, I usually make it down to St. Peter once a week for a two-hour goalie development session. I then rejoin the team on weekends to be on the bench for the games. We have three goalies on the team this season.

In addition to our competitive Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule, we also play a challenging non-conference schedule against some of the top teams in NCAA Division III women’s hockey.

The non-conference schedule includes a trip to New York in late November to face-off against the defending National Champions from Plattsburgh State.

We also play UW-River Falls and UW-Stevens Point which also played in the National Tournament last season.

I am looking forward to a good season for the Gusties.

Goalie presentation at USA Hockey Clinic

· Steve Carroll

In early September, I gave an hour-long presentation on goalie development at USA Hockey’s Level 4 Coaching Clinic in Bloomington. There were more than 220 coaches in attendance.

I was invited to speak at the clinic, because in addition to my goalie school and coaching duties with Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team, I also serve as USA Hockey’s Minnesota District Goalie Coach-in-Chief.Screen Shot 2014-09-13 at 1.14.02 PM

My message to the coaches was clear. They need to change the way they currently work with their goalies, so goalie development becomes a priority instead of an after thought.

I explained ways they can help their goalies during practices and showed them video clips of some of the skating/movement techniques used by today’s goalies.

The coaches did a good job of paying attention and asking good follow-up questions. Most of them realize that goalie development is the weakest part of their coaching portfolio and they want to become better overall coaches.

I hope I was able to provide them with a better understanding of goalie development so they feel more confident coaching the most important players on their team.

Is your goalie ready for tryouts?

· Steve Carroll

Now that it is September, it’s just about time for tryouts. Is your goalie going to be ready? Do they feel good about their game?

At CGS, we help goalies of all abilities take their game to new levels by building individual skills, techniques, athleticism, consistency and self-confidence. This is our 20th year of helping goalies. I invite your goalie to join us at one of our remaining weekend camps to experience first hand what the CGS program is all about.

Goalies who attend a CGS camp gain a competitive edge and thrive in our positive and fun learning environment.

“You could see a big improvement in my son’s skills from the first day to the third day – he got better,” explained Steve Debus from Northfield. “The coaching is done in an environment where I think it’s fun. I thought your camp was terrific.”

Our coaches are passionate about goaltending and do an excellent job of explaining, demonstrating and reinforcing the proper techniques used in today’s game.

“I can’t thank you enough for all you have done for my daughter,” said Julie Charles of Maple Grove. “You have made a night and day difference in her confidence, skills and overall approach to the game. She is so excited about being a goalie and can’t wait to train with you again.”

Watch our video to learn more.

Convenient online registration is available at www.carrollgs.com.

CGS is sponsored by Brian’s Custom Sports.

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