So it’s the “off-season,” you are out of school, and there is not a lot of ice time available. What should you be doing?

First, I’ll tell you what you should not be doing. You are a hockey player, and an athlete, and you should not be like the other “normal” people. More and more of the youngsters I meet in the summer are somewhat overweight, spending more time in central air conditioned homes with Play Station and the internet than ever before.

It used to be that when I would ask a group of 32 goalies at one of my schools how many played organized baseball, the response would be almost 100 percent. Now less than 40 percent play organized baseball.

Athleticism is the No. 1 key trait for a successful goaltender. Guys like Marty Turco, Jose Theodore, Marty Brodeur and Tomas Vokoun are excellent athletes. You cannot be a great athlete sleeping until noon, spending all day on the couch, and not participating in athletic activities.

I remember being a kid (I’m only 47) and playing outside all day in the summers. We’d never even want lunch. Stick ball, baseball, street hockey, basketball, soccer and other made-up
games which involved hand-eye coordination, aerobic training, body flexibility, and the competitive spirit.

I recently went back to my roots in New Jersey. The box on the wall where we all played stick ball was gone. The patch of grass that was always dirt because of a variety of baseball-type games was green and thick. The basketball court had two broken hoops. The parking lots where we played street hockey had a few very young kids messing around. I had no problems finding teens hanging out smoking and drinking after dark. What’s going on here?

Today, you have the opportunity to get the jump on your competition and opponents by preparing yourself right now for next season. Work on strength training if you are 16 years of age or older. . . spend a lot of time on lower body flexibility (the best goalies have it). . . watch your diet, and most importantly, be active.