Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, November 14, 2007

RANKIN INLET - Ten young goaltenders in Rankin Inlet received some professional instruction this past week from former Los Angeles Kings goalie consultant Andy Nowicki.

Now with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League, Nowicki spent three days instructing the young keepers with the help of local goalies Steve Faulkner and Eugene Kabluitok.

Former NHL goaltending coach Andy Nowicki watches as goalie Connor Faulkner works through a drill at a goalie instructional camp in Rankin Inlet in November of 2007. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Nowicki has been delivering various hockey programs in the Kivalliq for the past 21 years.

He said the goaltending camp was an initiative both the Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit Minor Hockey Association have been looking to host for a while now.

"The organizations wanted some specialized work done just for their young goalie prospects," said Nowicki.

"The camp is in line with Hockey Canada's coaching-program philosophy, which is to look at specialist clinics for various skill areas in the game.

"We saw Carey Price help lead Team Canada to the world junior championship and now he's tending goal for Montreal in the NHL.

"Canadian goalies have earned their rightful place in this global game of hockey, and are regarded as being among the world's best."

Nowicki said the Rankin camp was special for him because he considers Rankin Inlet to be the hockey capital of Northern Canada.

He said there's an incredible enthusiasm in Rankin for the game and he saw that from each and every goalie in the camp.

"I recently watched Jordin Tootoo blast a puck past Patrick Lalime of the Chicago Blackhawks on TV and that really makes you realize just how close the game is to us.

"I was here in 2000 and Steve (Faulkner) was a co-coach and Eugene Kabluitok was one of our students.

"We divided the goalies into two age groups and delivered a full-skills package primarily focused on skating, mobility, positional play, making saves, rebound control and reading the attack.

"So much of the art of goaltending is properly identifying the attack coming your way and knowing how to respond to it."

Nowicki said the Rankin coaches are doing a great job with their young goalies, and he was honoured to help improve their development program.

He said many programs rotate goalies in the five-to-eight-years-old bracket and he supports that approach.

"The kids aren't standing around for long periods of time waiting for a puck to come their way when you rotate them.

"In fact, goalies should get out with just their gloves and skates and dangle with the puck.

"They should also shoot at another goalie because that provides a new perspective on guarding the goal."

Nowicki said the drills at the Rankin camp were specific to the moves a goalie has to make during a game.

He said many of the routines replicated those moves so they become automatic for a goalie in a game.

"The secret to successful goaltending is attention to detail and lots of repetition and hard work.

"I liked what I saw from the 10 Rankin goalies.

"There's a really good work ethic among the kids here and that's part of the Rankin passion for the game."

Nowicki attended a senior rec game while in Rankin and said it was almost like being at the Calgary (Pengrowth) Saddledome because of the good announcing, great music, superb hockey and large crowd.

He said the officiating has been first class for a number of years now in Rankin, and that sets the stage for good hockey to be played the way it was meant to be.

"The players won't always admit it, but good officiating goes a long way in improving the overall game.

"The Rankin players seem to appreciate how important hockey is to the Canadian identity and they want to do well.

"There's status attached to playing well, there's definitely self-worth involved, and the kids I had on the ice in Rankin also realize it's special to be a goalie."

Nowicki said even though he's now in his third decade coming North, he's always excited to come back.

He said while it's a pleasure and a privilege to be invited to any Kivalliq community, Rankin is special because the town has such a passion for the game.

"The people feel I still have something positive to contribute to their programs and I'm honoured to do so.

"I've got a long way to go and I hope I'm doing this in Kivalliq communities for many more years to come."