What I Learned at the National Goalie Development Camp

What really separates elite talent

Author

Dr. Jamie Phillips
May 19, 2025

Last week, I had the chance to coach at the USA Hockey National Goalie Development Camp. It’s one of the most elite environments in North America for young goaltenders, with goalies in the NCAA, NTDP, USHL, and WHL.

I was in charge of off ice performance as well as being on the ice with both the men’s and women’s groups.

Everyone there was talented. Everyone could move. Everyone had the physical tools.

But the difference between good and great?

Attention to detail.

What Attention to Detail Really Looks Like

It’s not just a buzzword. At the highest levels, attention to detail becomes a skillset in itself, one that separates goalies who stall out from those who continue to rise.

Here’s what I saw:

1. Warm-Ups Done With Purpose

The best goalies weren’t just stretching, they were activating, breathing, and preparing. Their routines were consistent, and nothing was rushed. It wasn’t about going through the motions. It was about owning the process.

2. Precise Reps, Every Time

The top-tier goalies didn’t waste reps in practice. Every movement had intention—edges were clean, post integrations were exact, eyes were locked on pucks. The goal wasn’t to “survive the drill.” The goal was to build something that holds up under pressure.

Why It Matters

The difference between a .920% save percentage and a .899% save percentage isn’t always about talent. It’s about the accumulation of small decisions—day after day.

Great goalies don’t leave details to chance.

They don’t rely on talent to bail them out.

They control everything they can control, and they do it with precision.

Final Thought

If you want to play at the next level, stop chasing highlight-reel saves and start obsessing over the details:

  • How you show up

  • How you move

  • How you recover

  • How you train when no one is watching

Because at the elite level, there’s no such thing as “just a warm-up,” “just a rep,” or “just one drill.”

Every detail counts.

Dr. Jamie

Ghost Rehab and Performance | Elite Goalie Method