A step closer to GKHeroTV, a sneak preview of a new glove, and news of a fun weekend in the Brain household

This week we’ve received yet more auditions from goalkeepers who want to get involved with GKHeroTV. The volume of interest the project has generated has easily surpassed my expectations, as had the quality of the majority of the videos we’ve received. I’ve been writing some guidance notes for our reviewers and as soon as I’ve got a replacement toner cartridge, these notes will be printed and wil accompany the first batch of reviewers’ products we’re distributing. After exploring a number of options and carefully considering the pros and cons of each, I have decided to launch GKHeroTV as a YouTube Channel, at youtube.com/GKHeroTV, although video reviews will also be accessible directly through Facebook and Twitter.

This week I’ve also been fortunate enough to get a sneak peak of the HPG’s 2012 glove stencil, and I’ll be providing some feedback to the brand’s owner, Tony Caig, in the next couple of days. For those of you who have recently taken advantage of our special offer on their 2011 range and have experienced the quality HPG produce, I know you’ll be blown away by the 2012 release.

A digitally re-mastered version of MINDSi’s Eye on the Ball goalkeeping performance aid is now available this was received by the first of our customers this week.

This weekend has been a really nice one for the Brain household, having witnessed the first birthday of our youngest son, Alex. I often take the opportunity when writing this blog to reflect on how quickly GKHero is growing and developing, but it really does pale into insignificance when compared to witnessing how rapidly a little person not only grows but absorbs everything around them and forms their own view of the world.

Chris

New and half-price gloves, working with us, and how Paul Rachubka might still be Leeds’ first choice but for £15

I’m writing this week’s blog after another busy week (cue the comparison with a broken record) and around a month after the launch of the new and improved GKHero.com.

On the product front, we added F-Line’s Ultima glove to our ever-increasing range, and we slashed the price of WarbyGK’s Legend Knight glove, which is now half price.

We also announced work toward a new and exciting project, in the shape of GKHeroTV. This is a venture I’m personally massively enthusiastic about. GKHeroTV represents the next stage in the development of the business and of the GKHero ‘brand’. Equally importantly, it offers the opportunity for us to get a little closer to you, and also for you to get involved with us. I’ve been overwhelmed by the response and the level of interest this projected has generated across the goalkeeping community. Within hours of the inviting ‘auditions’ I was sat watching the first arrivals, and our inbox has been steadily growing with video after video arriving. If you’ve sent a video to us and we’ve not yet replied please don’t be offended, I will personally be in touch very shortly.

The event that drew the most attention to our special breed this week was undoubtedly Paul Rachubka’s performance for Leeds against Blackpool on Tuesday night. Anyone who’s ever donned the gloves could feel nothing but sympathy for Rachubka after the mental battering he suffered at the hands of his own ‘fans’. Was it the right decision to substitute him at half time? The goalkeeping community seems fairly split on this, and to be honest I can see the case for both camps. But what it does go to prove is just how important confidence is to keepers. Making mistakes is an inevitable and inescapable part of being a keeper, irrespective of what level you play at. What is vital, and often separates the very best keepers from the rest of us, is the ability to mentally recover from a mistake, not by the end of the season, or by even by the time of the next game, but within seconds. Controlling our own mental state is one of the most challenging things we can attempt. There are however some extremely effective and, thankfully, very simple techniques we can use. Many of these techniques are unveiled in Eye On The Ball, a tool produced by MINDSi Sports Performance which is available from GKHero in both CD and MP3 formats. At under £15 it could be the best investment you ever make as a goalkeeper.

Until next time…

Chris