Hello, I'm Matt Darlow
Experienced goaltending coach, consultant, and educator at all levels of hockey in the UK and worldwide.
"My whole life has been about helping people – I’ve poured my energy into supporting athletes, understanding their challenges, and giving them the tools to thrive."
About me
My life has been built around helping people – it’s why I coach, why I mentor, and why I’ve spent more than three decades supporting goaltenders of all ages and ambitions. Progress starts with clarity, and every athlete deserves a path that makes sense for who they are and where they want to go.
Across 31 years and over 6,000 goaltenders, that focus hasn’t changed. Most come looking for better technique, others for better mindset, confidence, structure, or direction. Whatever they’re searching for, my job is to guide them toward a clearer, stronger version of themselves.
Darlow Goaltending exists to give goaltenders a place where development is honest, supportive, and grounded in genuine human performance, not pseudo-science. Whether it’s a young player finding their feet or a professional athlete chasing higher levels, the goal is always the same: help them grow in a way that lasts.
My journey
A few of the key performance milestones, high-performance accreditations and skills developed over three decades inside and outside the game to ensure the highest level of support for my athletes on and off the ice. This is just a few as there are way too many to list.
Darlow Goaltending
My goaltending coaching business Darlow Goaltending is 31 years in the making. I coach and mentor at every level of the UK game. I'm a specialist in creating ecological, game- coaching and learning environments that maximise goaltenders understanding of their own game.
Best of British Ice Hockey Camps (BOBIHC)
20+ years as Head Goaltending Coach with one of the biggest and most successful hockey camps in Europe. Coaching and mentoring goaltenders who have developed to play at the highest levels.
Leader / Consultant / Coach / Author / App Dev.
Operating Darlow Goaltending™, The Blueprint™, authoring a series of books named 24™, the first of which publishes in 2025, as well as building the achieve!™ app that will revolutionise people's wellbeing and performance, including all the goaltenders I work with.
FCIMSPA (Chartered)
I'll achieve chartered status in the high-performance coach, coach developer, and manager categories, showcasing my years of dedication to coaching.
MSc. Sports Performance Coach
I will qualify from the University of Stirling in 2026 after three years studying alongside some of the finest coaching minds in the world.
NHL Coaches Association
Online attendance at all NHLCA Global Coaches' Clinics since 2020. In-person attendance booked for 2026 in Pittsburgh.
UK Coaching Premium+ Member
Ongoing CPD in high-performance coaching, coach development and child protection with CIMSPA accredited points. Full UK Coaching insurance.
NHL Coaches Association
Online attendance at all Global Coaches' Clinics. In-person attendance booked for 2026.
The Blueprint™
Founded one of the fastest growing wellbeing and performance companies in the world, in the sport, corporate and education sectors.
Goaltender Guru
Founded Goaltender Guru, in response to one of my late friends in hockey Dayle 'Keeno' Keen nicknaming me The Guru over the years.
Qualified as mind-mapping instructor
Trained with the inventor and pioneer of mind-mapping Tony Buzan at Henley Business School and qualified as a Tony Buzan Licensed Instructor (TBLI).
LifeStrength™ mentoring and training
Worked in education mentoring young people with challenging behaviour and barriers to learning, as well as private client work in health, wellbeing and fitness training.
Sport Institute of Finland (Vierumaki)
Proposed by EIHA to be the one of the first UK coaches to attend Vierumaki and complete BSc. Sports and Leisure with emphasis on Ice Hockey Coaching.
Conference / England / Great Britain / Showcase
Multiple roles as Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Goaltending Coach and Mentor Coach over a 20 year period at all levels in the UK.
Sheffield Junior IHC
Strength and conditioning coach (as well as goaltending coach) for SJIHC during a period of massive growth and development for the club. Results of consistent S&C throughout the age groups paid dividends in long-term success of athletes who progressed into the professional game.
Sheffield JuniorIHC Coach / Goaltending Academy
Coached at every age group form Junior to Senior at SJIHC. Founded and operated the first goaltending academy in the UK with extremely successful results in developing goaltenders from junior-professional levels. Affectionately nicknamed 'The Production Line'.
Fitness Training UK™
Level 2 Fitness Trainer, Level 3 Personal Trainer and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist working within ice hockey and all major UK sports, including work with professional athletes, Olympians and Paralympians.
Coaching qualifications
Qualified at Level 2 Coach and then Level 3 Advanced Coach and began coaching and studying, with ongoing CPD to this day.
Coaching journey begins
Officially began coaching aged 18 as a Level 1 coach, although I had been helping out coaching on-ice since age 16.
Ready to bring your goaltending to new heights?
Let's collaborate and build your goaltending skills, your mindset, and your profile as a goaltender.