ST. PAUL, Minn. – Alex Cavallini often asks young goaltenders a simple question whenever she crosses paths with an aspiring member of goalie nation and the topic shifts to how their season is going.
Many times, kids will say their season is simply going Ok.
There is then a window of opportunity for a bigger conversation, says Cavallini.
“Well, did you have fun? Did you learn something? You want to hear them say, ‘Yes, yes, yes!’
“That as a young athlete is so important. Winning is not everything, especially at younger age levels. Don’t get me wrong, I am the most competitive person, but, at the same time, you have to take a step back and be like, ‘How can I be the best I can be, and what can I learn to be better?’”
Cavallini – a two-time Olympian who helped the U.S. Women’s National Team win a gold medal in 2018 and silver in 2022 – spent most of Saturday afternoon meeting one-on-one with various boys and girls, as well as their parents and others involved in the goaltending industry, during USA Hockey’s inaugural National Goaltending Symposium.
