Hockey: visual preferences for goalies

How important are visual preferences for goalies?

Visual motor preferences are hyper-important in sport, and especially in hockey goalies!

We call this visual preference the "radar".

Some people naturally have a left-hand radar, others a right-hand one.

The body adopts a natural, spontaneous movement.

Profling to determine motor preferences

Here's a short video extract from one of our profiling sessions, with explanations:

These few physical exercises are part of the tests used to establish a personalized profile.

Coaches trained in this Action Types approach can determine the visual preference of athletes or any other person.

In this example, we're talking about an ice hockey player who plays goalie.

As you can see, in this test, the goalkeeper is looking down at coach Benoit Pont's hands.

So left or right radar?

The coach moves his hand up to our keeper's face very quickly, as if he wanted to touch him.

The goalkeeper manages to block the coach's hand spontaneously and naturally when it comes from his right.

This means that he easily grasps what's happening on his right, without effort.

His prioception is good on the right side.

On the other hand, he has more difficulty blocking the coach's hand when it comes from the left.

So he reacts much more quickly when the action is on his right than when it's on his left.

So, if we imagine a median line running between the left and right brain, we see that there's a visual preference for the right.

When the action comes from the left side of the brain, our goaly is a little less faster.

Mind you, this doesn't mean that he's less good on this side, but he's just a little less reactive.

On the other hand, when the action comes from the right brain side, his reactivity is very strong.

This is clearly a strength of his profile.

A strong impact for the player... and the team

What does this mean for the player?

In concrete terms, it means that he won't react in exactly the same way if the shot comes from the left or the right, whether in training, during a match or even on a daily basis.

If the action is coming from the left, it's a good idea for an ice hockey goalie to turn his head to the left to get a better feel for the game, thanks to his right-hand radar.

People with right-hand radar generally react very quickly when the action comes from the right.

That's an advantage for them.

These motor preferences are important to know, as they can have a major impact on the way a player, and the team as a whole, functions.

An asset for coaches and trainers

Coaches and trainers can take this into account to create a positive and effective dynamic within the group.

Once they are aware of them, coaches can use these assets to prepare their team and adjust their strategy.

Profile yourself on Sport Types

Would you like to find out more about your motor skills and profile?

It's so easy! All you have to do is make your own self-profile.

Take the free test to find out about your profile and your strengths.

You might be surprised by what you discover about your motor preferences!