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.