Monday, December 22, 2008
Jonathan Squats 440 Pounds Raw Post Sports Hernia Sugery
Ok so this was my first real heavy squat in over a year so don't pick on me for the depth. It's a little bit high. But it was stll 440 pounds with no belt, no wraps and no briefs. So pretty happy getting that much weight on my back since going through hernia surgery.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
70 Shots a Game? I Feel Bad When We Lose. What Can I Do To Improve?
Question: I have a question regarding my play. I am a goalie starting my third year in the net as a senior. I play for a club out of Wilmington Ohio. but heres my question. i am giving up allot of goals to my non stick side and 5 hole. and when we lose a game i feel like its my fault. which allot of it is, but i also get about an average of 70 shots on the cage a game and save most but i let allot. any recommendations on what i should do to improve my game? him also doing allot of AB and strength workouts in the weight room 4 days a week!
Answer: Zac you shouldn't feel that it's your fault when you guys lose a game. If your team was any good they wouldn't need a goalie. And if they are letting up 70 shots a game that's a player/coaching issue.
The good thing about playing on a bad team is that you are getting a ton of shots to work on. It's better than playing on a good team where you are getting less shots.
It's awesome you are hitting the weight room. Train like a football player would train and you'll be well on your way to becoming a more explosive and talented lacrosse goalie.
Jonathan-
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
Answer: Zac you shouldn't feel that it's your fault when you guys lose a game. If your team was any good they wouldn't need a goalie. And if they are letting up 70 shots a game that's a player/coaching issue.
The good thing about playing on a bad team is that you are getting a ton of shots to work on. It's better than playing on a good team where you are getting less shots.
It's awesome you are hitting the weight room. Train like a football player would train and you'll be well on your way to becoming a more explosive and talented lacrosse goalie.
Jonathan-
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Any Good Lacrosse Goalie Coaches in Mass?
Question: I live in MA and want to further my goalie skills. I'm looking for a place I can go during the off season to get individual goalie instruction. I would like to have my own goalie coach that can give me advice and training but am having trouble finding one in my area.
Answer: Hey there Amanda. I spend some time in Mass but spend most of my time in Canada as my wife is Canadian. I did start coaching kids via video a while ago and that has worked out really well. If you'd like to do that I can help you.
Right now I don't know of anyone I can recommend you to in Mass. There just isn't anyone good enough yet that I would feel confident recommending you to.
If you are willing to travel you should go check out the Shutout Goalie Academy out in New York with my former goalie coach Rich Barnes. That is the ONLY school I recommend right now during the summer.
If you want to try the video coaching just send me an email at jonathan@lacrossegoaltending.com and we'll get in touch that way.
Thanks
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
Answer: Hey there Amanda. I spend some time in Mass but spend most of my time in Canada as my wife is Canadian. I did start coaching kids via video a while ago and that has worked out really well. If you'd like to do that I can help you.
Right now I don't know of anyone I can recommend you to in Mass. There just isn't anyone good enough yet that I would feel confident recommending you to.
If you are willing to travel you should go check out the Shutout Goalie Academy out in New York with my former goalie coach Rich Barnes. That is the ONLY school I recommend right now during the summer.
If you want to try the video coaching just send me an email at jonathan@lacrossegoaltending.com and we'll get in touch that way.
Thanks
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
New York Lacrosse Goalie Needs Some Answers Aboout His Mesh
Question: Jonathon
I am a goalie that is in the winter before the season of my sophomore year. As a freshman, I played well, but noticed a weak point in my game, clearing and stick control. After each save, depending on where i made the save, I normally picked it off the ground and looked for an outlet and if i didn't find it, made my way out the back. I was in my winter league last Saturday with the same routine when I was walking the ball up the field, i started to make progress when i got stick checked and I dropped the ball, i managed to keep the ball out of the net for the rest of the drive, bit in the process, i got nailed in the knee by a stick check. I use monster mesh wish a small pocket, and i think that it is the problem. I have an eclipse also. I was wondering what kind of mesh is great for ball control and the pocket size for that. I wash looking for a mesh that i could bomb the ball down the field with, but also keeping control in a deep pocket. I'm 5'10 180 and i play in New York.
Answer: Hey Bobby. Thanks for the question.
The first thing that sticks out to me has nothing to do with your stick at all. It's getting checked.
You mentioned in this question that you were "walking up the field". Now I can't tell if this was a controlled clear after a save or not. For example, you were unable to make the pass during the four seconds so you went out the back and then were heading up field with it. When you do this your team has the advantage. You have one extra player now that you are in the mix. In order to get checked someone was out of position and/or wasn't open and/or you did a horrible job of not recognizing who to pass to.
Clearing the ball is a team game. And in order for it to be successful everyone needs to know their role and be in position. It doesn't seem that was happening on this clear. So you have to decide what it was and try and fix that first because the type of mesh you have in your stick is irrelevant if you are getting checked on the ride with no one to pass to.
All that said, my take on mesh is this, it's not the mesh that makes the difference...it's your hands. As you get better you will realize that you can play with any stick. With a couple of saves and passes your hands will adjust to whatever stick you are using. Granted, you will have your favorites, and you will pick up sticks that are just garbage, but your hands will adjust to whatever stick you decide to use.
You've got great height and weight for your age. So you will be able to get away with using a deeper pocket. I am NOT a fan of monster mesh unless you are playing indoors or in really dry conditions where it doesn't rain. In New York it can rain and that monster mesh gets really baggy. My recommendation is NOT the Monster, and not the Mini, but the ones in between. I find that it gives you the greatest bang for the buck. It works in most field conditions. I run two sticks. They are both Eclipses. I have one strung with the mini mesh for when it gets really wet because it tends to bag out just enough to be perfect. I have the average mesh in the other which I play with most of the time.
Bombing the ball down field will be mostly based on your strength levels and how much whip you have on the stick. Again, the mesh by itself won't make a difference. In high school I used a very shallow pocket. Wasn't great for dodging but in today's game you shouldn't need to do that much so your primary role for your stick is to make saves and not to give up rebounds. Your shouldn't be stringing your stick to fake or dodge. That should be an afterthought.
Hope that helps Bobby. I've posted this answer on my blog so you can take a look there as well. Stay in touch and let me know how things go.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
I am a goalie that is in the winter before the season of my sophomore year. As a freshman, I played well, but noticed a weak point in my game, clearing and stick control. After each save, depending on where i made the save, I normally picked it off the ground and looked for an outlet and if i didn't find it, made my way out the back. I was in my winter league last Saturday with the same routine when I was walking the ball up the field, i started to make progress when i got stick checked and I dropped the ball, i managed to keep the ball out of the net for the rest of the drive, bit in the process, i got nailed in the knee by a stick check. I use monster mesh wish a small pocket, and i think that it is the problem. I have an eclipse also. I was wondering what kind of mesh is great for ball control and the pocket size for that. I wash looking for a mesh that i could bomb the ball down the field with, but also keeping control in a deep pocket. I'm 5'10 180 and i play in New York.
Answer: Hey Bobby. Thanks for the question.
The first thing that sticks out to me has nothing to do with your stick at all. It's getting checked.
You mentioned in this question that you were "walking up the field". Now I can't tell if this was a controlled clear after a save or not. For example, you were unable to make the pass during the four seconds so you went out the back and then were heading up field with it. When you do this your team has the advantage. You have one extra player now that you are in the mix. In order to get checked someone was out of position and/or wasn't open and/or you did a horrible job of not recognizing who to pass to.
Clearing the ball is a team game. And in order for it to be successful everyone needs to know their role and be in position. It doesn't seem that was happening on this clear. So you have to decide what it was and try and fix that first because the type of mesh you have in your stick is irrelevant if you are getting checked on the ride with no one to pass to.
All that said, my take on mesh is this, it's not the mesh that makes the difference...it's your hands. As you get better you will realize that you can play with any stick. With a couple of saves and passes your hands will adjust to whatever stick you are using. Granted, you will have your favorites, and you will pick up sticks that are just garbage, but your hands will adjust to whatever stick you decide to use.
You've got great height and weight for your age. So you will be able to get away with using a deeper pocket. I am NOT a fan of monster mesh unless you are playing indoors or in really dry conditions where it doesn't rain. In New York it can rain and that monster mesh gets really baggy. My recommendation is NOT the Monster, and not the Mini, but the ones in between. I find that it gives you the greatest bang for the buck. It works in most field conditions. I run two sticks. They are both Eclipses. I have one strung with the mini mesh for when it gets really wet because it tends to bag out just enough to be perfect. I have the average mesh in the other which I play with most of the time.
Bombing the ball down field will be mostly based on your strength levels and how much whip you have on the stick. Again, the mesh by itself won't make a difference. In high school I used a very shallow pocket. Wasn't great for dodging but in today's game you shouldn't need to do that much so your primary role for your stick is to make saves and not to give up rebounds. Your shouldn't be stringing your stick to fake or dodge. That should be an afterthought.
Hope that helps Bobby. I've posted this answer on my blog so you can take a look there as well. Stay in touch and let me know how things go.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
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