Nick Harper has transformed SU’s goalie room despite working 3 jobs

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Nick Harper first met the Syracuse women’s ice hockey goalies at a Starbucks. Harper wanted his first meeting with Allie Kelley, Amelia Van Vliet and Bella Gould to be off the ice, creating a bond beyond the game.

“(Harper) got to know us, which I think is good because it’s not just about goaltending,” Van Vliet said. “It’s also about getting to know us as a person and how we respond to certain types of coaching styles.”

In Aug. 2023, Harper, originally from Syracuse, was hired as SU’s goaltenders coach. At the same time, he works as a physical education and health teacher at Onondaga Nation School and is the goaltenders coach for Cortland men’s hockey. Having multiple professional commitments means he can’t attend every Syracuse game. But so far at SU, he’s led a goalie group which has set multiple program records.

“(He brings) consistency every week with our goalies,” Smith said. “We’re extremely lucky to have someone like him who’s as dedicated as he is.”

Harper coaches at weekly goalie sessions and attends as many games as possible that fit with his Cortland schedule. According to head coach Britni Smith, he’s yet to miss a SU home game this season.

“It’s something that doesn’t feel like work,” Harper said. “It’s that feeling of enjoying going to the rink every day and I’m fortunate enough to do it, six or seven days of the week.”

Despite limited in-person coaching, he has been crucial to SU’s preparation. Harper spends most of his week going over film, where he leaves critiques for goalies. Harper sends a list of plays soon after games so they can improve.

“With (Kelley) I like doing both goals against and also the positives,” Harper said. “(I like to) show her what she did well and what we can work on.”

On Tuesdays, Harper holds “goalie skates,” with SU’s goalies and two or three skaters. There, Harper bases the sessions off of the team’s previous games, focusing on goals allowed while perfecting the smaller “nitpick” things, Van Vliet said.

Harper intends to take the goalies through different situations and drills that always have a purpose. He has implemented setting up blockers in front of the goaltenders to simulate screens. Harper said there’s no excuse not to find the puck, so spotting the opponents’ release point through distractions is key.

At the end of goalie sessions, Kelley and the other goalies get to tailor the time toward their personal improvement.

“(Harper) will let me pick the drills that I want to work on,” Kelley said. “We always play out the rebounds and it’s just focused on me, which is nice. I can really ask for anything that I need.”

In each of their first years at SU, Harper helped Kelley set two program records. On Jan. 16, Kelley set the single-game save record with 65 saves against St. Lawrence. Eleven days later, Kelley stamped her name atop the SU single-season saves record, eclipsing the 946 mark set by Lucy Schoedel in 2010 with six games left in the regular season.

“We’ve asked a lot out of (Kelley) and she’s done a phenomenal job,” Harper said. “It’s not always the easiest situation to be in when you’re facing 40-to-45 shots at night, so we asked her to control what she can control. She’s very competitive. She’s out there. She wants to win … She has done an outstanding job.”

Kelley came to Syracuse as a polished goalie, but has still improved, especially on the little details of her game, Smith said. Kelley said Harper’s confidence in her has led to her historic season.

Van Vliet, SU’s backup goaltender, has played in four games this season, highlighted by her shutout against Lindenwood on Nov. 17. Harper’s dialogue-based coaching style has helped her improve, Van Vliet said.

“Whenever we review tape or review stuff, (Harper) is always open to our suggestions and then he will also give his own suggestions,” Van Vliet said. “We work together in tandem. It’s awesome having a goalie coach like (Harper) who is open to our feedback as well. It’s just a very good dynamic.”

Van Vliet has handled the backup role well, despite not knowing when exactly she’ll have to play, Harper said. Gould, the No. 3 goalie, pushes Kelley and Van Vliet at practice, impressing Harper with her questions. Gould and Van Vliet have shown improvement in their lateral quickness and their hands to control rebounds, Harper said.

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On Thursdays ahead of a weekend series, Harper makes and sends his “goalie pre-scout report” to Smith and Kelley, who can then learn from his comments. Smith shares the film with the team, which helps Syracuse prepare for its opponents — specifically, the opposing goalie.

Harper’s impact expands to the skaters on the team, too. In the “puck plan” he brings to practices, the defenders learn the goalie “lingo.” Harper’s oversight gives the Orange cohesive defensive zone coverage and enables them to get clean puck breakouts, Smith said.

His pre-scout helps the entire team understand the weaknesses of the opposing goalie, leading to scoring strategies. When Harper attends games, he helps explain how to exploit the opposing goalie, Smith said.

“As coaches, it’s really helpful to see what he’s talking with our goalies about so we can make sure we’re watching for it and reiterating it,” Smith said. “For goalies to really be able to go back and watch clip for clip and have those points, (it gives them) a focus for the week as well.”