To say that Shari (Vogt) Dickerman was a mentally strong goaltender would be an understatement. The Richmond, Minnesota native set a state high school record with 83 saves in a single game for River Lakes in 1998. In four seasons at Minnesota State University she set team records for both career saves (3,590, a total that’s been passed just twice nationally) and save percentage (.916) and was named a second-team All-American.

The key to goaltending, said Dickerman, who is beginning her ninth season as an assistant coach at Minnesota State is having “thick skin and a bad memory.” “You have to be able to let things roll off you,” she said. “It’s not always going to go well, and you need to realize that.”

Here are a some tips for staying strong between the pipes:

Emphasis on skating

“Being a good skater helps tremendously in the position,” Dickerman said. “It helps with your balance and being powerful when moving. If your team’s skating circles, skate the circles and work on your edges. It’s hard to skate in goalie skates and big pads, but I think it’s important.”

Eyes on the puck

“Anytime our goalies work with doing movement drills, I want their stick in a good position and I want their eyes going where they’re moving into a save,” Dickerman said. “Having your eyes on the puck gives you an opportunity to make a save, even if you’re out of position. The reason goalies are able to scramble and reach back and make a paddle save is because their eyes are on the puck. They know where the puck is, so they give themselves a chance to make those saves.”

Game time!

All goaltenders have different routines, but visualization can be helpful.

“You might sit in your stall before the game and mentally picture yourself making saves, watching the puck into your glove or off your stick over the glass for a whistle,” she said. “Picture different situations—how things might happen and where you will be—and picture yourself being successful.”

Manage your emotions

“Anyone who plays the position gets upset when they give up a goal,” she said. “The biggest thing is to not show that. Don’t slam your stick. Don’t show your emotion because then everyone on the other team is like, ‘All right, we’re in her head. Let’s go,’ and they’re going to come at you harder. You just have to focus on the next puck.”

That goes for a goalie’s own mistakes as well as her or his teammates.

“I always figured the more calm and in control I seemed—whether I was or not—the more calm my team was.”

Move on from mistakes

Practice is the time to work on your skills and to make adjustments and changes in the way you play. There’s little time for those things during games.

“If you make a mistake, know what it was and how you can correct it and then just forget about it,” Dickerman said. “Deal with that in your next practice or the next time you have open ice. Mid-game is not the time or place for that. Some goalies take a skate to the boards and back. Maybe they get a drink of water, take a deep breath, say, ‘That’s over,’ and try not to think about it anymore.’ Get back and get ready for the puck to drop again.”