RED DEER – Goaltending is one of the most scrutinized positions in sports. Through the Goalie Development Program, Hockey Alberta is providing young goaltenders the tools to succeed at all levels.
This program, led by Hockey Alberta’s Manager of Goalie Development, Matt Weninger, was designed to ensure Alberta’s goaltenders, and their coaches, are properly equipped to reach the next level of performance. Athletes and coaches are provided goaltender specific skills development, consistent coaching, and mental and physical resources that come with playing the position at a high level.
Goaltenders, Erika Lind and Jackson Unger both credit the program for the foundation of their development.
Lind grew up playing in the Edmonton minor hockey system, spending the final two seasons of her minor hockey career with the Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep team. She had a great two years with the Xtreme, including her final season where she played in 21 games, putting up a .932 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against-average. Her suburb play earned her an opportunity to attend Mercyhurst University to play NCAA Division I hockey, where she made her debut between the pipes in the 2023-24 season as a freshman.
“I learned a lot through the Hockey Alberta stream, not only as a player, but life lessons and skills I’m able to use in my life now,” said Lind. “Throughout my years with Hockey Alberta, I’ve had the privilege of participating in quite a few of the elite (goalie development) camps. It gave me the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of the top-end goalie coaches in Alberta and that was always very beneficial to hear constructive feedback from them and get different perspectives.”
Lind’s time with Hockey Alberta’s Goalie Development Program began in 2019. While she’s reached an elite level of play, her foundation is still built on what she learned from the Hockey Alberta stream.
“By taking every piece of constructive feedback and applying it to my game to help develop my skills, I used that as an opportunity to grow as a goaltender, both physically and mentally,” said Lind. “Seeing my progression from my first year, when I was playing at the Alberta Challenge for North Yellow to now … I’m not sure I would’ve seen the growth in my game that I did, if it wasn’t for my time in the (goaltending) program.”
Unger played his minor hockey in Calgary with the Calgary Bisons and Edge U18 Prep team before moving onto the Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors, where he’s spent the last three seasons.
The 2023-24 season marked Unger’s first full season as Moose Jaw’s starter. He went 35-15 with a .908 save percentage in the regular season before going 16-1-2 in 20 playoff games with a .910 save percentage and 2.90 goals-against-average, backstopping Moose Jaw to a WHL Championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup tournament.
Taking part in the Alberta Built Camps as a kid, Unger credits Hockey Alberta’s Goalie Development Program for setting him up for success later in his career.
“There’s nothing (that compares) to the calibre of Hockey Alberta camps, those are the toughest camps I’ve been to,” Unger said. “I’ve been participating in these camps since my U9 or U11 days and they’ve really pushed me the most. Hockey Alberta has the best coaches too. They know what they’re doing, and the program is set up really well to help young goaltenders find success.”
Weninger, who has lead the Goalie Development Program since 2017, first met Unger as a kid at the Hockey Alberta camps. Their relationship has grown throughout the years through Hockey Alberta and Weninger’s position as Moose Jaw’s goaltending coach.
“We’ve known each other for a long time,” Unger said. "I would see him every year through Hockey Alberta camps. Once I got drafted, I started going to his Lethbridge camps that he put on for WHL goalies. He’s developed me a lot and he’s been with me throughout most of my career, so it’s been good.”
Like Lind, Unger credits the Hockey Alberta Goalie Development Program for the development of the foundation of his game.
“One of the things they (Hockey Alberta) taught me was the off-ice mental stuff and all the nutrition,” Unger said. “They went through everything you need to know off the ice as well because that’s equally as important as the on-ice aspects. I still know all the stuff they taught me back then and it’s always in the back of my mind. The big game preparation, having all those tools from those camps is big for sure.”
Unger and Lind are now guest coaches for Hockey Alberta and they are working with Weninger to develop the foundation of the next generation of Alberta goalies.
For more information on the Hockey Alberta Goalie Development Program, visit:
