Question: Jonathan
I stumbled on your blog today and hope to have some time to
explore it a
little more.
My son started playing goalie in Box Lacrosse last year (Novice
10-11 years
old). Never having played lacrosse other than a little in
High School (and
never goalie), I am at a loss to help him improve. He
seems to have taken
to it and is sucsessful at the basics (As much as I know
anyway). He
attended the Edge Elevate Lacrosse camp in Calgary last year and
had fun,
but petered out a little wearing all the gear in the field and
finished off
playing out (He was the only goalie in that age group anyway).
Hopefully, you may have some tips for us as you have offered up
many on your
blog and via email.
Good drills/excersises for hand eye speed and eye tracking?
Basic drills he can do by himself or with his brother (Tyke,
8 under)
Drills or strategys I can employ in our practices for better
goalie> > development. (I like the suggestion of assigning shot
types and locations
for drill duration to exercise particular saves. I do that
in my Hockey
practices all the time..Doh)
Any other thoughts that you have a few moments to provide.
Thanks in advance...
**** Hugh McKay
Answer: Hey there Hugh. Sorry it's taken so long to get back. I'm getting bombarded by emails being the start of the season in the States.
Most of the frustration with young goalies and all of the problems for goalie at this age stems from them being physically weak due to their age. We all would wish our ten year olds were like high schoolers. Especially in box, with so much equipment. It is easier for a player who plays out to learn the game relative to the goalie who is encumbered by those huge pads. All of the things that you are looking to improve will get better as your son gets older and physically matures. Tracking, eye drills, etc really boil down to focus which is really hard with that age group as you know. As with most things, "He'll grow out of it." And into better things.
As far as drills and ideas there are around 100 posts and articles on my blog. Although most pertain to field lacrosse they are applicable to box as well. (I'm waiting for someone to revolutionize box with a modified non-stick holding glove. I have some ideas too.)
Being a hockey goalie as well I feel the pads for a box goalie are rediculous. The biggest improvements your son will make will be directly related to his strength levels. Get him in love with the gym and training. I always say, "You can make a goalie out of any athlete. You can't turn a goalie into an athlete." Now with time, your young son can turn into an athlete if he is wired for that. Go check out www.ltad.ca for some great info on athlete development. The guy is in Vancouver.
As far as getting the son and the brother playing, just let them play. A shot is a shot no matter who it comes from. Just make sure, as always, that your son feels safe in the cage and is protected. Although they look cool I think the visibility in hockey goalie masks suck for a box goalie. I'm a fan of the Brine Triad style helmets and think they would be perfect for box. Great vision. Way better than the hockey masks.
Hope that helps. Shoot me a note when you're on your way to Calgary. Maybe I can come watch a practice if I'm in the area and not out coaching or speaking. Hopefully he gets some good goalie coaching there specific for box and isn't just target practice.
All the best.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Can You Fix A Soft Mesh Pocket So It Throws Better?
Question:
> Well john, i'm a freshman and i got a goalie question.
>
>
>
> I got a nemesis head with soft mesh (biggest mistake of my life)
> and i need to know how i can work with it. I love how it catches
> honestly, it seems to work well for me, but anytime i throw i
> get a lip. Right now i got three shooters to work with. I'm sure
> you'll say to get hard mesh but i'm working on that and no local
> area place has it. I've tried everything i can think of, from
> placing one on the top diamond and a shooter one diamond down
> from that, but i still seem to get a horrible lip!
>
>
>
> Could you please help me cause my season is starting soon! Thanks!
>
>
>
> PS - I'm strong and i got 6 inch pocket.
>
>
>
> Thanks!
Answer: Oh man. You need hard mesh. Go to www.comlax.net and just order one online. You'll have it in a couple of days.
In the meantime, tighten up the sidewall lacing from the top to about half way down the head. You're going to want to put the pocket more to the bottom of the head. Not the middle. This should help.
Also, space out your shooting strings. Maybe 2 diamonds apart. Keep the top one super tight. The second one about two down from that, and so on.
Lastly. Tighten up the pocket as a whole. So move the string at the throat up a few notches and get rid of the bag.
These will help with your release. But it will drastically change how the pocket works. It will be much shallower. But with a soft mesh pocket there is not much you can do. I've heard kids trying to spray paint. Oil. Etc. Nothing really works. Also, have you gotten it wet yet? Because when that happens it's going to tighten up like a tennis racket. That won't be fun when that happens.
Wish I could give you more advice but it's a tough one you've got to deal with. Good luck and let me know what you do and how it turns out.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
> Well john, i'm a freshman and i got a goalie question.
>
>
>
> I got a nemesis head with soft mesh (biggest mistake of my life)
> and i need to know how i can work with it. I love how it catches
> honestly, it seems to work well for me, but anytime i throw i
> get a lip. Right now i got three shooters to work with. I'm sure
> you'll say to get hard mesh but i'm working on that and no local
> area place has it. I've tried everything i can think of, from
> placing one on the top diamond and a shooter one diamond down
> from that, but i still seem to get a horrible lip!
>
>
>
> Could you please help me cause my season is starting soon! Thanks!
>
>
>
> PS - I'm strong and i got 6 inch pocket.
>
>
>
> Thanks!
Answer: Oh man. You need hard mesh. Go to www.comlax.net and just order one online. You'll have it in a couple of days.
In the meantime, tighten up the sidewall lacing from the top to about half way down the head. You're going to want to put the pocket more to the bottom of the head. Not the middle. This should help.
Also, space out your shooting strings. Maybe 2 diamonds apart. Keep the top one super tight. The second one about two down from that, and so on.
Lastly. Tighten up the pocket as a whole. So move the string at the throat up a few notches and get rid of the bag.
These will help with your release. But it will drastically change how the pocket works. It will be much shallower. But with a soft mesh pocket there is not much you can do. I've heard kids trying to spray paint. Oil. Etc. Nothing really works. Also, have you gotten it wet yet? Because when that happens it's going to tighten up like a tennis racket. That won't be fun when that happens.
Wish I could give you more advice but it's a tough one you've got to deal with. Good luck and let me know what you do and how it turns out.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Help With Inside Shots and Fakes. What Do I Do on One on One's?
Question: I am a Boy that is a laccrose goalie. I play for my school and am pretty good at the sport. It is good to be a goalie in my school because no body else has the balls to step up. My season has just started and i have played for about 2 hard-worked years. At first when i had played, i had an extreme case of beginers luck and continued to have it. The one faithful day came when i actually started to worry about what i was doing, and the luck faded. Know here are the following problems.
1) My Coach is (with all due respect) inexperienced and a little too nonchalant in the intrigue of the sport.
2)As Mr. Bobby said earlier, he had diffuculty with those outsid shots. I am the polar opposite, and shot within 5 feet away from the crease is a garunteed stop. (seriously). but my leauge has a stellar amount of creasers. Unfortunately i cannot percieve balls being thrown at mefrom two feet away. Goal after goal, i grew tired of those creasers, so i would completely mess them up, tuck them, lay them out. However sometimes they managed to draw a fowl.
The Question (finnally): What can i do to focus a little more on the ball and not fall for the fakes and aviod things like between the legs or extremely hard shots from shorts distance way.
Question 2: Because of the lack of adivse from my coach, what can you tell me about generally being a goalie (just incase i missed something)
I can understand if it takes you a while to respond, thanks for your imput. :)
Answer: John, you're brain is getting in the way of what your body knows it can do. That is why you "started to worry, and the luck faded." It wasn't luck. It was just your body reacting to the ball. Once you started to think about it you screwed things up. Have some faith in yourself and your abilities and get back in the cage and don't worry. Worry is a waste of energy. It's a useless thing to do.
You're not alone on the coaches thing. Many coaches are just there to take up space and babysit. But you want to learn. That's why you're here. You can be good with a bad coach. Just focus on your own game.
Not falling for fakes comes with experience, and patience. You really need to have someone who can work with you on stopping fakes. Your goal is to keep your balance, respect the opponents stick with your stick but don't commit the body too soon. Most goalie fall for the first fake and are totally out of position. You don't need to do that. Also, if you're team is bad and the attack man is faking you three or four times before he shoots, you're not supposed to stop those. If you do it's a bonus but where is the defense? One, two fakes and a shot is understandable. You can get some of those. But if he's standing there with all sorts of time, forget it. You need some better defense.
The best advice I can give you for information is to get as much info as you can. Read everything on my blog. Sign up for the forum. And get some instructional videos from ChampionshipProduction.com They've got some great videos that can help. Other than that you want to stay positive. There is no good or bad in the cage. There are just learning experiences.
Good luck and kick butt.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
1) My Coach is (with all due respect) inexperienced and a little too nonchalant in the intrigue of the sport.
2)As Mr. Bobby said earlier, he had diffuculty with those outsid shots. I am the polar opposite, and shot within 5 feet away from the crease is a garunteed stop. (seriously). but my leauge has a stellar amount of creasers. Unfortunately i cannot percieve balls being thrown at mefrom two feet away. Goal after goal, i grew tired of those creasers, so i would completely mess them up, tuck them, lay them out. However sometimes they managed to draw a fowl.
The Question (finnally): What can i do to focus a little more on the ball and not fall for the fakes and aviod things like between the legs or extremely hard shots from shorts distance way.
Question 2: Because of the lack of adivse from my coach, what can you tell me about generally being a goalie (just incase i missed something)
I can understand if it takes you a while to respond, thanks for your imput. :)
Answer: John, you're brain is getting in the way of what your body knows it can do. That is why you "started to worry, and the luck faded." It wasn't luck. It was just your body reacting to the ball. Once you started to think about it you screwed things up. Have some faith in yourself and your abilities and get back in the cage and don't worry. Worry is a waste of energy. It's a useless thing to do.
You're not alone on the coaches thing. Many coaches are just there to take up space and babysit. But you want to learn. That's why you're here. You can be good with a bad coach. Just focus on your own game.
Not falling for fakes comes with experience, and patience. You really need to have someone who can work with you on stopping fakes. Your goal is to keep your balance, respect the opponents stick with your stick but don't commit the body too soon. Most goalie fall for the first fake and are totally out of position. You don't need to do that. Also, if you're team is bad and the attack man is faking you three or four times before he shoots, you're not supposed to stop those. If you do it's a bonus but where is the defense? One, two fakes and a shot is understandable. You can get some of those. But if he's standing there with all sorts of time, forget it. You need some better defense.
The best advice I can give you for information is to get as much info as you can. Read everything on my blog. Sign up for the forum. And get some instructional videos from ChampionshipProduction.com They've got some great videos that can help. Other than that you want to stay positive. There is no good or bad in the cage. There are just learning experiences.
Good luck and kick butt.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Having Trouble on High to Low Shots. Last Minute Tips Before Tryouts
Question: Hi my name is Andrew,
I am a high school goalie and tryouts are just around the corner. I am playing in some games and camps but i want to get an edge on the other goalies. I live in minnesota so its kinda hard to get a lot of shots right now. I seam to strugle with high to low shots more so than any other shots. Do you have any tips or tricks to give me to help me befor tryouts? Any advice would be greatly apreciated.
thank you so much
Answer: Andrew you're on the right track. Shots, shots, and more shots are going to help you at this point so keep that going.
Without seeing you play I'm guessing that when you read the stick you are anticipating the ball going high and are probably either up on your feet or leaning a bit. Your weight is headed upwards, so when the ball actually comes low you've got to now redirect all that weight and get it going down. By then it's too late.
Try to get out the video camera and see what you're doing. Get the shooter in the frame and you in the frame and slow it down. Watch what you're doing just as the ball is released. Are you patient? Leaning? Standing up? Take a look.
The other thing to keep in mind is that you don't need to do too much with the body to save high shots. If you didn't move your body at all you could probably get a hand to the ball to make the save. What this should tell you is that you don't have to be so aggressive to the upper shots. Stay patient.
Last tip. Concentrate on moving OUT to the high shots. Not UP. If you focus on moving out, laterally to the ground, you won't have so far to move if you are in fact guessing and guess wrong.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you need clarification.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
I am a high school goalie and tryouts are just around the corner. I am playing in some games and camps but i want to get an edge on the other goalies. I live in minnesota so its kinda hard to get a lot of shots right now. I seam to strugle with high to low shots more so than any other shots. Do you have any tips or tricks to give me to help me befor tryouts? Any advice would be greatly apreciated.
thank you so much
Answer: Andrew you're on the right track. Shots, shots, and more shots are going to help you at this point so keep that going.
Without seeing you play I'm guessing that when you read the stick you are anticipating the ball going high and are probably either up on your feet or leaning a bit. Your weight is headed upwards, so when the ball actually comes low you've got to now redirect all that weight and get it going down. By then it's too late.
Try to get out the video camera and see what you're doing. Get the shooter in the frame and you in the frame and slow it down. Watch what you're doing just as the ball is released. Are you patient? Leaning? Standing up? Take a look.
The other thing to keep in mind is that you don't need to do too much with the body to save high shots. If you didn't move your body at all you could probably get a hand to the ball to make the save. What this should tell you is that you don't have to be so aggressive to the upper shots. Stay patient.
Last tip. Concentrate on moving OUT to the high shots. Not UP. If you focus on moving out, laterally to the ground, you won't have so far to move if you are in fact guessing and guess wrong.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you need clarification.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Thursday, February 19, 2009
New Eclipse. New Shaft Now Too?
Question: Hi Jonathan,
I bought a STX Eclipse head and it's currently being restrung. However, now I'm wondering whether what I should do (if anything) about my shaft.
Right now I have an AL6000 shaft. I'm debating whether I should upgrade. Now I just spend about $110 on the eclipse head/restringing, so I'd prefer not to pay another $100. Most of the composite sticks are pretty expensive and I'm not really sure if it's necessary. The guy at the store mentioned the Brine 6065 alloy shaft which is about $20ish. It's a men's shaft so it's shorter than the goalie one i already had. is shorter better? i've also heard about the women's goalie shaft, STX elevate which is about $70 - is that worth it?
Anyway, I'd really appreciate your own two cents on the right shaft for a female goalie.
Thanks again,
Julia
Answer: Julia sorry I've taken so long on this. It keeps escaping my brain.
Any shaft is going to be an improvement over that AL6000. I know you spent a bunch on the head already but the shaft is where you're going to save a ton in weight. I always recommend Titanium but you can probably get by with a really light alloy. Because you aren't going to get stick checked you can get by with a lighter but not as strong shaft. You will notice a huge difference in the weight of the stick and that should help you move to the ball better.
Shorter will be fine as long as you are not some amazon woman. Shorter will usually be easier to handle for cradling and passing so by using that mens shaft you should be ok.
Thanks for being patient Julia. Let me know which one you go with.
Jonathan -
I bought a STX Eclipse head and it's currently being restrung. However, now I'm wondering whether what I should do (if anything) about my shaft.
Right now I have an AL6000 shaft. I'm debating whether I should upgrade. Now I just spend about $110 on the eclipse head/restringing, so I'd prefer not to pay another $100. Most of the composite sticks are pretty expensive and I'm not really sure if it's necessary. The guy at the store mentioned the Brine 6065 alloy shaft which is about $20ish. It's a men's shaft so it's shorter than the goalie one i already had. is shorter better? i've also heard about the women's goalie shaft, STX elevate which is about $70 - is that worth it?
Anyway, I'd really appreciate your own two cents on the right shaft for a female goalie.
Thanks again,
Julia
Answer: Julia sorry I've taken so long on this. It keeps escaping my brain.
Any shaft is going to be an improvement over that AL6000. I know you spent a bunch on the head already but the shaft is where you're going to save a ton in weight. I always recommend Titanium but you can probably get by with a really light alloy. Because you aren't going to get stick checked you can get by with a lighter but not as strong shaft. You will notice a huge difference in the weight of the stick and that should help you move to the ball better.
Shorter will be fine as long as you are not some amazon woman. Shorter will usually be easier to handle for cradling and passing so by using that mens shaft you should be ok.
Thanks for being patient Julia. Let me know which one you go with.
Jonathan -
Last Minute Practice Ideas for Lacrosse Goalies
Questions: Hey,
so i'm a freshman, getting ready for lacrosse season, and of course, i'm a goalie.
I haven't played in a long time. like a full year almost. or since like last june.
tryouts are on the 28th. and i'm really nervous.
any last minute practice ideas?
any help would be totally appriciated.
oh, and by the way, what stick do you think i should get?
I need to get a new goalie stick.
thanks,
sarah
Answer: OK. STX Eclipse. Medium mesh. Lightest shaft that you can afford (Titanium is best.)
Get out there and start throwing against a wall. If you've got a school with a big brick wall go there. Or the back of departments stores are good as well. I've got a grocery store near my house with a massive brick wall which I can throw clearing passes against. Very cool.
Try to snag a friend and get throwing. You don't need a net to get shot on really. Any backstop will do. But to start just get throwing. Make a good clearing pass and then get in your stance to catch shots. Super easy really. I do it every year. You'll be surprised how quickly things come back. And that year off will have given your mind a really healthy break. You're going to be a lot better than you were because you've grown a bit and gotten stronger. Mentally you're stronger too but you won't realize that until you are in the cage.
Hope that helps Sarah. What part of the US do you play in?
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
PS. How was that for fast?
so i'm a freshman, getting ready for lacrosse season, and of course, i'm a goalie.
I haven't played in a long time. like a full year almost. or since like last june.
tryouts are on the 28th. and i'm really nervous.
any last minute practice ideas?
any help would be totally appriciated.
oh, and by the way, what stick do you think i should get?
I need to get a new goalie stick.
thanks,
sarah
Answer: OK. STX Eclipse. Medium mesh. Lightest shaft that you can afford (Titanium is best.)
Get out there and start throwing against a wall. If you've got a school with a big brick wall go there. Or the back of departments stores are good as well. I've got a grocery store near my house with a massive brick wall which I can throw clearing passes against. Very cool.
Try to snag a friend and get throwing. You don't need a net to get shot on really. Any backstop will do. But to start just get throwing. Make a good clearing pass and then get in your stance to catch shots. Super easy really. I do it every year. You'll be surprised how quickly things come back. And that year off will have given your mind a really healthy break. You're going to be a lot better than you were because you've grown a bit and gotten stronger. Mentally you're stronger too but you won't realize that until you are in the cage.
Hope that helps Sarah. What part of the US do you play in?
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
PS. How was that for fast?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
How Can A Lacrosse Goalie Improve on His Own?
Question: Johnathan, how can a goalie practice his shot-stopping form on his own?
Answer: First you need to know what good form looks like. So if you've got a handle on that you can use video or just a simple mirror to watch your form. These are the simplest ways to do it. The speed of getting into the right positions is irrelevant at first. You just want to be getting into the proper end position. As you improve you can fine tune on what you need to do to get to the proper final positions.
Answer: First you need to know what good form looks like. So if you've got a handle on that you can use video or just a simple mirror to watch your form. These are the simplest ways to do it. The speed of getting into the right positions is irrelevant at first. You just want to be getting into the proper end position. As you improve you can fine tune on what you need to do to get to the proper final positions.
For the Lacrosse Goalie: Why Playing "Up" Can Make You Better...Or Worse
Question: This question came from a subscriber to the Lacrosse Goaltending Insiders List.
Hey Jonathan, This is my second year playing lacrosse goalie, i just finished my modified season last year as a defenseman, and i played goalie during the summer with a local team. And poeple tell me that im not that bad(yeah for modified) but my freshman year has found me and i am looking for a position on the team as a goalie. Lately i have been playing with this clinic team called Roadhawks (it's in central New York) and i play with the age range 9th to 10th grade. And one of the coaches who is also MY coach has taken me to 2 varsity tournaments during the begining of the year, i dident do to bad, and i accationally practice with the varsity team. And i have still been wondering...if this is my first year as a official goalie, would practicing or even playing with the varsity be making me even better than i already am, because this is my first year? People keep telling me that if i take harder and faster shots and playing with advanced players will make me better. Is this actually true?
From Garrett
Why Playing "Up" Can Make You Better...Or Worse
For many goalies there comes a time where you get the chance to play "up". This usually means that you get to play with an older group, or a better level of lacrosse. (Notice that "older" doesn't necessarily mean "better.") And for most goalies this can be a good thing. But it can also be a bad thing so let me explain.
As a general rule, the chance to play up a level is usually good for you. The faster shots, the quicker pace of the game, usually results in better play for you when you move back down to the level you are accustomed to playing. It's like lifting a heavier weight for a while and then lifting a lighter weight. Your body compensates so that the lighter weight feels really light and you can move it more quickly.
But moving up can also be a bad decison for two main reasons:
One, you get hurt because some retarded shooter decides to wind up and hits you somewhere it hurts. Out you go with an injury or worse, a concussion. Fear sets in and you are never able to recover from it, even when you go back down to play at the lower level.
Two, you get so discouraged because a lot of balls go in the net that you develop a belief that you will never be able to play at that level. As silly as this may sound I've seen it happen to a lot of goalies who had the opportunity to be great.
Now you can make the most of playing up if you do two simple things to keep the bad things from happening:
One: Make sure you're wearing enough equipment. As I mentioned before it takes one stupid player to ruin a career. Make sure you've got enough equipment on so that you are protected. You're going to take more shots off the body than before because you probabably won't be able to catch up with your stick right away. You'll be a bit slow and that is to be expected, so if you're expecting it make sure the rest of you is protected.
Two: Understand that there will be more goals going in than there were when you played down a level. I was always excited to play up a level. Usually the first bunch of shots felt really fast, then I got used to the level of play and quickly adapted. I was fired up to play and you should be too. Now a couple of times I played up I got absolutely schooled. The key here is to walk away knowing that you will be able to play at that level some day but right now it's a bit quick. Stay positive and learn from the experience.
I always played up. In fifth grade I played with the seventh and eighth graders. In eighth grade I played on the high school Junior Varsity that actually played against some other schools varsity. And in the summers I played on a men's team in a summer league. What I noticed along the way was that most of the guys really took to me. They protected me because I was the "young kid" in the cage. After I made a couple big saves they were cheering for me and having a blast. Those older guys tought me a lot at every level.
I took a lot of hard shots though. Some really hurt. Luckily not enough to make me fearful of the ball but I'd seen a lot of kids get really hurt and it really affected their game. Had they had a different attitude and worn enough gear I think they could have gone on to be great goalies.
If you keep your attitude right those older experiences can really help you long term. Seek them out, protect yourself and you too will have a great experience.
Good luck,
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Hey Jonathan, This is my second year playing lacrosse goalie, i just finished my modified season last year as a defenseman, and i played goalie during the summer with a local team. And poeple tell me that im not that bad(yeah for modified) but my freshman year has found me and i am looking for a position on the team as a goalie. Lately i have been playing with this clinic team called Roadhawks (it's in central New York) and i play with the age range 9th to 10th grade. And one of the coaches who is also MY coach has taken me to 2 varsity tournaments during the begining of the year, i dident do to bad, and i accationally practice with the varsity team. And i have still been wondering...if this is my first year as a official goalie, would practicing or even playing with the varsity be making me even better than i already am, because this is my first year? People keep telling me that if i take harder and faster shots and playing with advanced players will make me better. Is this actually true?
From Garrett
Why Playing "Up" Can Make You Better...Or Worse
For many goalies there comes a time where you get the chance to play "up". This usually means that you get to play with an older group, or a better level of lacrosse. (Notice that "older" doesn't necessarily mean "better.") And for most goalies this can be a good thing. But it can also be a bad thing so let me explain.
As a general rule, the chance to play up a level is usually good for you. The faster shots, the quicker pace of the game, usually results in better play for you when you move back down to the level you are accustomed to playing. It's like lifting a heavier weight for a while and then lifting a lighter weight. Your body compensates so that the lighter weight feels really light and you can move it more quickly.
But moving up can also be a bad decison for two main reasons:
One, you get hurt because some retarded shooter decides to wind up and hits you somewhere it hurts. Out you go with an injury or worse, a concussion. Fear sets in and you are never able to recover from it, even when you go back down to play at the lower level.
Two, you get so discouraged because a lot of balls go in the net that you develop a belief that you will never be able to play at that level. As silly as this may sound I've seen it happen to a lot of goalies who had the opportunity to be great.
Now you can make the most of playing up if you do two simple things to keep the bad things from happening:
One: Make sure you're wearing enough equipment. As I mentioned before it takes one stupid player to ruin a career. Make sure you've got enough equipment on so that you are protected. You're going to take more shots off the body than before because you probabably won't be able to catch up with your stick right away. You'll be a bit slow and that is to be expected, so if you're expecting it make sure the rest of you is protected.
Two: Understand that there will be more goals going in than there were when you played down a level. I was always excited to play up a level. Usually the first bunch of shots felt really fast, then I got used to the level of play and quickly adapted. I was fired up to play and you should be too. Now a couple of times I played up I got absolutely schooled. The key here is to walk away knowing that you will be able to play at that level some day but right now it's a bit quick. Stay positive and learn from the experience.
I always played up. In fifth grade I played with the seventh and eighth graders. In eighth grade I played on the high school Junior Varsity that actually played against some other schools varsity. And in the summers I played on a men's team in a summer league. What I noticed along the way was that most of the guys really took to me. They protected me because I was the "young kid" in the cage. After I made a couple big saves they were cheering for me and having a blast. Those older guys tought me a lot at every level.
I took a lot of hard shots though. Some really hurt. Luckily not enough to make me fearful of the ball but I'd seen a lot of kids get really hurt and it really affected their game. Had they had a different attitude and worn enough gear I think they could have gone on to be great goalies.
If you keep your attitude right those older experiences can really help you long term. Seek them out, protect yourself and you too will have a great experience.
Good luck,
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Should I Put Weight On My Stick and My Ankles?
We tend to be a "more is better" society. If a pound is good then two pounds must be better. This is not the case. What happens when things get too heavy is that it affects your technique. The body had to overcompensate and use muscles that aren't intended for the primary purpose. It can also create uneccessary tension in the body that is counterproductive for a goalie.
Here are some guidelines:
How to properly weight your goalie stick. I'm guilty when I was young of filling my shaft with sand. Now I know that wasn't a really good idea. Not only was it too heavy the weighting of the stick was all off and if probably really screwed up my technique. Fishing weights come in ounces. There are sixteen ounces in a pound. Start with two ounces. Don't go any higher than six ounces. You don't want the stick to feel heavy in your hands. The added weight should almost be imperceptible. Go to the fishing tackle store and buy half ounce weights and tape them evenly to your stick from the scoop to the butt-end. Take them off on game day.
If you want to weight your body don't use ankle weights. By weighting your limbs you can really screw up your technique. The best way to do this is to wear a weight vest. There is a great company called X-vest that makes the best weight vests around. If you are in high scool I would recommend the ones that go up to twenty pounds. If you are in college you can do more than that. If you are a woman I wouldn't go higher than twenty pounds.
But Jonathan, you just said that you shouldn't use more than ounces? That's right, on your stick. There is a difference between putting weight on your body and putting it on the thing you are using. Big difference.
By putting weight on your core you are not affecting your technique on how you move to the ball. You will if you put on twenty pounds right away. Start with two pounds. And every week add another pound. On every fourth week take the vest off. Use only in practice and scrimmages. On game day take it off. Wear it all the time if you like.
What about ankle weights?
Unless you want to look like some sort of Eighties aerobics unstructor I wouldn't wear them at all. Wear the X-vest if you like. It's especially fashionable in inner-city schools wear kevlar vests are appropriate. Ankle weights will just screw up your form. Some guys ask me if they should wear ankle weights during the day and then play without them. I'm not a fan. Again, walking with ankle weights is much different than trying to run with them and we don't want to be running with them. The benefits are not there. Don't bother with them.
Here are some guidelines:
How to properly weight your goalie stick. I'm guilty when I was young of filling my shaft with sand. Now I know that wasn't a really good idea. Not only was it too heavy the weighting of the stick was all off and if probably really screwed up my technique. Fishing weights come in ounces. There are sixteen ounces in a pound. Start with two ounces. Don't go any higher than six ounces. You don't want the stick to feel heavy in your hands. The added weight should almost be imperceptible. Go to the fishing tackle store and buy half ounce weights and tape them evenly to your stick from the scoop to the butt-end. Take them off on game day.
If you want to weight your body don't use ankle weights. By weighting your limbs you can really screw up your technique. The best way to do this is to wear a weight vest. There is a great company called X-vest that makes the best weight vests around. If you are in high scool I would recommend the ones that go up to twenty pounds. If you are in college you can do more than that. If you are a woman I wouldn't go higher than twenty pounds.
But Jonathan, you just said that you shouldn't use more than ounces? That's right, on your stick. There is a difference between putting weight on your body and putting it on the thing you are using. Big difference.
By putting weight on your core you are not affecting your technique on how you move to the ball. You will if you put on twenty pounds right away. Start with two pounds. And every week add another pound. On every fourth week take the vest off. Use only in practice and scrimmages. On game day take it off. Wear it all the time if you like.
What about ankle weights?
Unless you want to look like some sort of Eighties aerobics unstructor I wouldn't wear them at all. Wear the X-vest if you like. It's especially fashionable in inner-city schools wear kevlar vests are appropriate. Ankle weights will just screw up your form. Some guys ask me if they should wear ankle weights during the day and then play without them. I'm not a fan. Again, walking with ankle weights is much different than trying to run with them and we don't want to be running with them. The benefits are not there. Don't bother with them.
Why Lacrosse Goalies Hesitate
Why You Hesitate
Many goalies have the problem of hesitating when the ball is shot at them. It's not really a flinch but there is a definite pause when the ball is shot, typically at high speeds. There are only two reasons as to why this happens and I've got two solutions.
1) You are actually afraid of the ball.
Now before you go off and read part two I want you to read this. Some goalies say they aren't afraid of the ball but by their actions I can tell they are. One way to really tell is to put a video camera that videos your face only. Have someone stand to the side while you take shots and video your face. If you blink, or flat out close your eyes and squint, while that shot is taken, you my friend are afraid of the ball.
The fix: Pad up and tell those shooters to back off in practice. You need to rebuild your confidence and the only way you will do that is to get the fear out of your head. This is the equivalent to building a foundation of a house only to have a large crack in it. You need to go back in, peel back all the drywall and the dirt, drill into that crack and then somehow get a sealant in their to fill up the crack. For you, get those shooters to back off. Put on some more equipment to cover the spots you're worried about getting hit. Maybe even have the shooters use tennis balls for a while. This is a major crack in your foundation and we need to fix it. Fast.
Reason #2: You've got wasted motion.
Years ago I had seen a very cool video of two goalies taking shots in practice. The video camera was set up on a tripod about twelve yards off in front of the goal. The shooters shot on the run and were told to release the ball right behind the camera. What you got to see on the video was how the goalies moved to the ball.
Now one of the two goalies right before the shot came, dipped his stick and took a little hop. Almost like a tennis player does prior to moving to the ball. Ok for a tennis player but for a goalie that half step is a killer. The hop isn't as bad as the dipping of the stick and what it means is that the goalie is moving before the shot is really taken.
The Fix: If this is what you're doing you need to find a way to stop it now. The dipping of the stick means that you're guessing. You are reading the shooters stick wrong. If you've got a guy on your doorstep faking you to death you are going to move your stick because you are following his. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about shots from the outside where your stick moves (usually down) just before the shot is released. This is wasted motion.
You need to spend time with a coach working on not moving before shots are taken. Set up a video camera that includes the shooter and you in the frame. This way you can slow the video down and see what you are doing prior to the shooter releasing the shot. Not moving takes a lot of discipline. You really have to break it down and mentally focus on your technique.
Problem #3: You're guessing. This relates a bit to number two. If you are hesitating it means to me that you're just unsure where the ball is going to go.
The Fix: You need to spend time taking shots in a non-stressful situation and work on reading the ball, the stick, and the shooter. There are tendencies that all shooters make when they shoot the ball. You can read these tendencies prior to the ball being released out of the stick. If you are truly hesitating it means that you aren't reading the ball until it is released out of the stick and this is too long. There is a disconnect between what you see the shooter do and what you see the ball doing. This just comes with practice. Again. Get a shooter or two to shoot on you from the distance that gives you issues. Get out the video camera and dissect how you play. It will click. Eventually.
Many goalies have the problem of hesitating when the ball is shot at them. It's not really a flinch but there is a definite pause when the ball is shot, typically at high speeds. There are only two reasons as to why this happens and I've got two solutions.
1) You are actually afraid of the ball.
Now before you go off and read part two I want you to read this. Some goalies say they aren't afraid of the ball but by their actions I can tell they are. One way to really tell is to put a video camera that videos your face only. Have someone stand to the side while you take shots and video your face. If you blink, or flat out close your eyes and squint, while that shot is taken, you my friend are afraid of the ball.
The fix: Pad up and tell those shooters to back off in practice. You need to rebuild your confidence and the only way you will do that is to get the fear out of your head. This is the equivalent to building a foundation of a house only to have a large crack in it. You need to go back in, peel back all the drywall and the dirt, drill into that crack and then somehow get a sealant in their to fill up the crack. For you, get those shooters to back off. Put on some more equipment to cover the spots you're worried about getting hit. Maybe even have the shooters use tennis balls for a while. This is a major crack in your foundation and we need to fix it. Fast.
Reason #2: You've got wasted motion.
Years ago I had seen a very cool video of two goalies taking shots in practice. The video camera was set up on a tripod about twelve yards off in front of the goal. The shooters shot on the run and were told to release the ball right behind the camera. What you got to see on the video was how the goalies moved to the ball.
Now one of the two goalies right before the shot came, dipped his stick and took a little hop. Almost like a tennis player does prior to moving to the ball. Ok for a tennis player but for a goalie that half step is a killer. The hop isn't as bad as the dipping of the stick and what it means is that the goalie is moving before the shot is really taken.
The Fix: If this is what you're doing you need to find a way to stop it now. The dipping of the stick means that you're guessing. You are reading the shooters stick wrong. If you've got a guy on your doorstep faking you to death you are going to move your stick because you are following his. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about shots from the outside where your stick moves (usually down) just before the shot is released. This is wasted motion.
You need to spend time with a coach working on not moving before shots are taken. Set up a video camera that includes the shooter and you in the frame. This way you can slow the video down and see what you are doing prior to the shooter releasing the shot. Not moving takes a lot of discipline. You really have to break it down and mentally focus on your technique.
Problem #3: You're guessing. This relates a bit to number two. If you are hesitating it means to me that you're just unsure where the ball is going to go.
The Fix: You need to spend time taking shots in a non-stressful situation and work on reading the ball, the stick, and the shooter. There are tendencies that all shooters make when they shoot the ball. You can read these tendencies prior to the ball being released out of the stick. If you are truly hesitating it means that you aren't reading the ball until it is released out of the stick and this is too long. There is a disconnect between what you see the shooter do and what you see the ball doing. This just comes with practice. Again. Get a shooter or two to shoot on you from the distance that gives you issues. Get out the video camera and dissect how you play. It will click. Eventually.
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