Award for the most fearless goalkeeper

N.B.: please note that this post/article is just a chance to acknowledge the hardiest goalkeepers, not to encourage you to go out and try it yourself in case there are any youngsters reading this (better to stay padded up to be honest!). Definitely not recommended if they shoot at you rather than around you. But I'm considering blogging about this sort of thing and different kit options, just as a means of writing rather than tips, so you can find out some of the set-ups that internationals/national league goalkeepers use. I do think outside the box and do/have done similar, but I think I know what I'm doing, or at least am silly enough to, or maybe I'm just plain stupid or an andrenaline junkie! So please read this with a pinch of salt and ignore the obvious and play the way that suits you; padded up and protected etc. hockey balls can break things, I sat in A&E to find out I'd got scar tissue from a hit once and I thought I'd broken my arm and had to have it x-rayed. So there you have it, sorry for the ramble!

There are many awards for players in sport (a lot in football seemingly!) and other than goalkeeper of the year award, goalkeepers sometimes get awarded them (I think Stephen Mowlam did for a bit; Lloris was awarded player of the year in Lyon but that's footie again!), but I think, within the goalies union, there should be some acknowledgement of the guys who really push the limits (or maybe the opposite, depends on personal opinion!). So I thought this would be a chance to mention them in the halls of heros and mavericks, pushing the limits on the position. Which goes to (drum roll please!), Australia's Leon Hayward.

I know Andrew Isaacs at Havant in the EHL uses a pretty radical set-up for his 'sweeper keeper' and aerial punt style distribution influence on the game, and Tommy Alexander used to use a similar set-up, but the most foolhardy and fearless style of equipment worn by a goalkeeper in hockey these days (they didn't have the luxury back in the day of cane and leather!), probably has to go to Leon Hayward. Thankfully (you do worry about these guys!), he has moved on and gone over to wearing Mazon elbow pads and padded shorts, but his set-up at the Junior World Cup in 2009 has to be the most audacious out of the goalies union in the past however many years since the days of foam and better protection. There are a few who know what he actually wore, but suffice to say it's a bit extreme, so I'd rather allude to it than make it obvious, as stated earlier!

As can be seen here, in action, in the U21's tournament:

http://worldsportpics.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Australia-v-Germany/G00000IzR283PFtc/I0000hppnFQWkk78/C0000rC91UCNbykE

http://worldsportpics.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Penalty-Shootout/G0000lc9Xd6k7J3I/I00006yW7I9U_D3Y/C0000TwshqZc2St8

Which was a little different to the set-up he was using playing previously in the AHL:

 http://www.hockeytas.org.au/gallery/4

http://www.hockeytas.org.au/gallery/7

Leon is supposed to play a more controlled, premeditated style of shot stopping based on being in the right place at the right time, so padding down in an extreme way seems a little abstract to be honest, unless of course it helps him to move around speedily to get in the right place for the right time. Although, he did pretty well as a penalty flicker, beating Germany in a game in the Cup in this way! But then again, he does play very deep in the D, around the goal line, so this is where presumably reaction speeds/reflexes and athleticism come in. And also uses the 'X stance' a little popular 'down under' for increased coverage of the goal and looking to psychologically cover more (i.e. it looks like the room to shoot into is smaller), plus makes it easier to move into shots more quickly with limbs already closer to shots.

You can see him in action here (grey shirt, black Mazon pads for the yellow shirted Australia!!):

Edit: I may remove this post, not sure yet, but if anything his playing style is great to learn from...