Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope all are enjoying the holiday season, and Santa will treat everyone to copious amounts of joy and happiness!

Consistency is defined in a number of ways, but I like this one the best: “If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.” Think about that for a minute. We all get caught up in the need to work hard, right? Working hard, or having a great work ethic, is a key to success in everything. However, it can also bite back. Persistence is everything from a no-quit attitude, to challenging the status quo, to winning impossible games. But consistency is how you back that up, how you perform on a regular basis. 

I think we’re witnessing a pretty amazing example of consistency with Vikings’ quarterback Case Keenum. Is he flashy? No. Does he run for 50 yards a game? No. Is he big and overpowering? No. But he wins games and makes few mistakes in doing so, and at times is pretty dang amazing. What stands out is that mistake part (or lack thereof). He’s smart, logical, takes what the game gives him and he is over-the-top consistent! 

Let’s dig deeper. Consistent performance has a profound effect on your team. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Your team depends on you! Have you ever noticed when a team is playing well, it coincides with the goalie playing consistent. It’s like a football team going the way of its quarterback, or a baseball team and its pitcher. Give your team a chance to win, and most likely they will do it. I know, there’s a lot more to it than that, but whether or not you truly believe it, you are the on-ice leader. Take that role and run with it!

2. Your team will trust you. A team that trusts its goalie can run the systems without worrying about making a mistake. Some teams run more offensive defensemen. If you’re struggling, they will grip the stick a bit tighter, get fidgety and get conservative – afraid to make mistakes because they don’t feel confident doing otherwise. Even on tight defensive zone teams you will have to stand on your head at times. Your team and your coaches want to lean on you in tight games, and you as a goalie should enjoy that pressure.

3. Hockey teams are built from the net. This is highly debated in hockey circles, but in general, most teams are built from the net out. Yes, they might have prolific scorers or 6-4 defensemen, but unless the goalie is consistent, trustworthy and dependable, it doesn’t matter. Most teams that win the BIG trophies have a goalie to brag about! I’m sure you can name many!

What leads to lack of consistency?

1. Lack of preparation. I’ve talked about preparation before, but being inconsistent about it will lead to inconsistent performances. Do you know what has driven the success you’ve had? If not, you may want to reflect a bit and take an inventory of those things that paid off. Are you still doing them today? This could be basic adjustments in your stance, stick or hand placement, or are you deeper in your net for some reason? Why did you change that? Was it for the better? Do you have a pregame routine? 

2. Plateaus. When you were a young goalie, remember looking up to high school goalies and thinking they were gods? Well, now that might be you, so what’s next? Who’s your new god? What is the next level you seek? Do you have any idea what it takes to get there? Or backtracking a bit, are you doing enough to stay at that level, working toward domination? Getting there is one thing (persistence), but staying or dominating is another (consistency).

3. Lack of confidence. Have you ever been surprised when you win a big game or got a shutout? Those with confidence are not. If you are, then re-read the above! You did it once, but always remember that served you notice that it can be done, so why not do it again? Don’t look at it as “happen by chance” occurrence. I often use the hammer vs. nail analogy. Are you a hammer or a nail? Once in a while, the hammer misses the nail, but most often it doesn’t. Be the hammer, not the nail!

4. Mentally weak. I’ve talked a number of times about being mentally tough. Gaining mental toughness can come from many methods, the primary of which is putting yourself in uncomfortable situations and working through them. I’m not saying you need to start skydiving or jumping motorcycles over the Grand Canyon, but take the tough drills more often, track your success and push yourself to get better. Don’t take the easy road. Easy is, well, easy. Make it hard on yourself! What are your weaknesses? Have you addressed them or does it scare you to do so? Know this, mental toughness is in every one of you. Some have it naturally, some need to dig a little deeper, but trust me, it’s there. Find it!

Ultimately, if you want to be more consistent, you need to address all of these items. And by address, I don’t mean just be aware, but recognize the need to be good at all of them.

Remember these three things about consistency;
• Consistent performance takes hard work.
• Consistent performance calls for you to believe in your ability.
• Consistent performance requires a high level of preparation.

In closing, at this point in your season I’m sure there have been some highs and some lows, which is absolutely normal. The key is to keep from holding on to either and find the middle ground. Don’t celebrate wins too much, don’t overthink the losses. Go to work every day climbing the ladder and building the blocks to success through consistent play. Work hard, but work smart, pay attention to the details and be a master of the simple things!

Photo: Mike Thill