Curtis Sanford is the back-up goalie to Roberto Luongo with the Vancouver Canucks. The 28 year old, 5'10" native of Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada first broke into the NHL in 2002 with the St.Louis Blues. Defying the odds as an undrafted goalie out of the OHL and being a smaller sized goalie, Curtis has earned an NHL career based on hard work and intestinal fortitide.
Here is his entry:
Usually we have game day skates at 10:30 a.m at home and 11:30a.m on the road so I like to wake-up 3 hrs before, have a shower and then eat breakfast - usually oatmeal and yogurt. I get to the rink around 2hrs before practice begins and have coffee with whoever else may be there.
After coffee I do my morning stretching routine which includes leg swings and back exercises. By the time I finish stretching it's time to gear up. Once I hit the ice I will stretch again and then do some crease movement drills before practice starts.
Curtis Sanford - Vancouver Canucks, NHL
For pre-game meal I tend to have soup, salad and chicken with some pasta. After lunch I hang out with my kids if at home or just watch t.v if on the road. Then I will nap for an hour or hour and a half. After nap I have a lite snack and shower again before heading to the rink approx. 3 hrs before start time.
Prior to the game I like to have another coffee with the guys realxing and talking. After, I do the same stretching routine as in the morning but include some raquetball exercises to warm up my eyes. When this is complete it's usually time for the coach's meeting.
After the meeting it's time to really warm-up. I do a dynamic warm-up with alot of running and bounding. I stay away from static stretching because I find it relaxes more than it warms the body. Then it's game time.
Curtis Sanford
