My Coach Wants Me to Run Over the Goalie—What Do I Do?

Hockey is a fast, physical game, but there’s a clear difference between playing tough and playing dirty. If your coach is telling you to run the opposing goalie, you’re in an uncomfortable situation. Not only is this dangerous, but it’s also unethical and can get you or your team in serious trouble. This article will break down how players, parents, and even other coaches should handle this situation, ensuring that safety, integrity, and respect for the game come first.

For Players: How to Handle This Situation

1. Understand the Consequences

Before doing anything, realize that deliberately hitting the goalie in an attempt to injure them is a major penalty and could lead to a suspension or ejection. Depending on the league and the severity of the hit, you might also face additional disciplinary action. It could hurt your reputation as a player, and if you have aspirations to play at a higher level, this kind of behavior could get you blacklisted by scouts and coaches.

2. Speak Up—But Respectfully

If a coach tells you to take out the opposing goalie, it’s okay to push back in a respectful way. You don’t have to make a scene, but you can say something like:

• "Coach, I don’t think that’s the best idea. If I do that, we’ll get a penalty, and it could hurt the team."

• "I’d rather finish my checks and play hard, but I don’t want to put us in a bad spot."

By keeping it about the team rather than personal morals, you make it less about defying authority and more about what’s best for winning the game.

3. Play Hard, Not Dirty

Instead of taking a cheap shot at the goalie, focus on clean, aggressive hockey:

• Crash the net legally—go for rebounds and deflections, but don’t plow into the goalie.

• Finish your checks on defensemen, not the goalie.

• Play with speed and tenacity, but within the rules.

4. Know When to Walk Away

If your coach insists that you do something dangerous or illegal, you need to evaluate whether you want to be part of that team. Hockey is about competing the right way. If your coach is regularly asking you to play dirty, it might be time to find another team with better leadership.

For Parents: How to Support Your Child

As a parent, it’s concerning to hear that a coach is encouraging dangerous or dirty play. You want your child to be competitive, but also safe and respected in the game. Here’s how you can help.

1. Have an Honest Conversation

Ask your child about the situation. Questions like:

• "How did your coach say it? Was it a joke, or was he serious?"

• "Do other players feel uncomfortable with this?"

• "What do you think you should do?"

Let your child process it and come up with their own conclusions. If they feel uncomfortable, support their decision to push back or refuse.

2. Teach the Right Values

Help your child understand that respecting the game is more important than pleasing a coach. Reinforce that playing clean, skilled hockey will get them further than taking cheap shots.

3. Address It with the Coach/General Manager/Association (If Necessary)

If this is an isolated comment, it might not be worth escalating. But if the coach repeatedly encourages dirty play, consider talking to them privately:

• Approach it diplomatically. Say, "I heard that players were encouraged to go after the goalie. I just want to make sure the team is focused on playing the right way."

• If the coach is defensive or dismissive, escalate it to the organization. A good program won’t tolerate dangerous coaching.

4. Consider Changing Teams

If the coach’s behavior is part of a larger problem—such as encouraging headshots, slashes, or excessive fighting—you may need to consider switching teams. Your child's safety and reputation in the game matter more than any one team or season.

For Coaches: What You Should Be Teaching

If you’re a coach, you might think telling a player to “run the goalie” is just part of sending a message or making the game physical. But in reality, this approach is outdated and counterproductive. Here’s how you can build a team that plays tough, but within the rules.

1. Emphasize Legal Physicality

You can teach players to be aggressive and disrupt goalies without playing dirty. Instead of illegal hits, focus on:

• Screening the goalie properly—teach players to stand in front and take away their vision without interference.

• Driving the net hard—players should go for rebounds and fight for space without making unnecessary contact.

• Winning battles in the corners—finishing checks and maintaining puck possession are more effective ways to play physical hockey.

2. Set the Right Example

Players take their cues from their coach. If you’re constantly complaining about referees, calling for retaliation, or asking for dirty play, they’ll think that’s what they need to do. Instead:

• Preach discipline—staying out of the penalty box helps the team win.

• Focus on execution—a well-structured forecheck is more effective than a reckless hit on the goalie.

• Respect the game—instill the mindset that skilled hockey beats goon hockey.

3. Handle Tough Opponents the Right Way

If an opposing goalie is playing the puck a lot or a team is being overly physical, you can counteract it without going dirty:

• Get pucks in deep and make their defense work harder.

• Keep the pressure up so the goalie has to make tough saves.

• Match physicality with legal hits and strong forechecking.

4. Avoid Creating a Reputation

If you develop a reputation as a coach who encourages dirty play, your players will suffer the consequences. Officials will keep a closer eye on your team, other coaches will warn their players about you, and you might even struggle to get coaching opportunities in the future.

Final Thoughts: The Right Way to Play

Hockey is an intense, high-speed sport, but it also has a code of honor. Running a goalie isn’t just a bad idea—it’s reckless, dangerous, and counterproductive.

If you’re a player, respect yourself and the game enough to say no. If you’re a parent, support your child in making the right choices. If you’re a coach, focus on winning through skill and discipline—not cheap shots.

At the end of the day, real hockey players don’t need to take out goalies to win games. They win by being faster, smarter, and better.

Ed Garinger is a seasoned hockey coach, mentor, and educator with over two decades of experience. A native of the Bruce Peninsula, he played minor and junior hockey before earning his BA and BEd from Nipissing University, where he also competed in varsity volleyball and extramural hockey.

Coaching since age 14, Ed has balanced his teaching career with an extensive coaching and development portfolio, working with players at all levels. He has coached in the Provincial Junior Hockey League, led youth and high school teams, and served as a learning facilitator for the OMHA. His experience includes elite programs like the OHL/OHF U15 and U16 camps, U17 Regional Camps, and Hockey Canada’s Skills Academy.

A Hockey Canada HP1-certified coach, USA Hockey-certified coach, and Chartered Professional Coach (ChPC), Ed is committed to ongoing professional development and continually seeks to expand his knowledge to better serve players and coaches. Now based in Orillia, he enjoys passing on his passion for hockey to the next generation.