Q: I am a new (but learning) goalie coach for girls' lacrosse. Can you recommend a good resource for coaches that focuses on girls goaltending. Most of the resources I have found are centered on boys lacrosse goaltending. Although the basics are similar, the girls' game presents situations not typical of the boys' game. For example, for the girls, goalies seem to have to contend with a lot more shots from close to the goal circle because of the lack of body checking in the game. There must be strategies for addressing these types of shots.
Jonathan writes: Hey there Tony. I'm your resource. I'll be honest I haven't found any great resource for goalies period. That's what I'm trying to become so if I can help you just email me at jone94@ shaw.ca and we'll help you as much as possible.
I tend to view the skills for being a goalie the same for both. Whether there is a girl in front of the cage or a boy it doesn't really matter. You still have a variety of shots, coming from a variety of spots on the field at a variety of speeds.
You are correct that in the girls game shots come from in close more often but that is the same on the men's side when the defense is horrible. I still have to teach the goalies the same way.
There is a point where a goalies job is to get someting in front of the ball. Anything, whether that's the stick or a foot or a knee, whatever can get there is what needs to stop the ball. This is where equipment comes into play. Girls are smart and tend to where more equipment and I think that is a great idea. I teach my male goalies to play like a shortstop might play in baseball when the ball gets in tight. They need to get their body in front of the ball and their hands to the ball. The stops won't always be pretty but I've never met a coach who wanted a pretty save over a goal ever.
As the shooter gets closer the goalies job is to keep their hands out away from the body and mirror the head of the shooters stick. A great drill for this is to tie a piece of string between the goalies top hand and the coaches hand. The goal is for the goalie to keep slack in the string while the coach moves his hand around. If the string goes tight the goalie hasn't moved fast enough. You can also do that with some string with some velcro. If the goalie can't keep up the velcro comes apart.
Shots from in close are very tough. Baiting comes into play as well. This is where the goalie gives the shooter a spot to shoot at and when the shooter goes for it the goalie tries to explode that area of the cage to make the save.
If you need some more help with this Tony just email. Let me know what your goalies are having trouble with and we'll talk it over. Sometimes here it's hard to write enough. We can always talk over the phone too if you'd like. I talk to coaches and goalies all over North America so don't hesitate. It helps me too as I'm working on a goalie book as well.
Check out my goalie blog and I'll talk to you soon,
Good luck to your goalies,
Jonathan -
www.LacrosseGoaltending.blogspot.com
