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?
Showing posts with label Confidence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Confidence. Show all posts
Thursday, February 19, 2009
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
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Lacrosse Goalies Throwing and Making Saves With Both Hands. When? Where?
Warning: The topics discussed in this post may cause you to think a bit. I'm all for talking about new topics and this is one of them. You might not agree with it, but it brings it up for discussion. If you've got a thought on this please comment so we can discuss.
Question: This lacrosse parent writes to tell me that his son is ambidextrous (can play with both hands) and wonders when the best time to switch hands in the cage would be. As you'll see from my response I feel that being able to play with both hands is a huge advantage especially when throwing and clearing. It is also an advantage when used as a surprise tactic when making saves (although this is a VERY advanced tactic) I'd mess around with this in practice before trying it in games.
Answer:
Andy I think that the most advantageous use of the other hand is when it is a surprise. This would happen:
1) When the offensive player is in a tight dodging situation (roll dodge) and shoots on the goalie thinking that the goalie is holding the stick in a certain hand.
2) When the player is mid shot from outside.
I've messed around with both, and while I feel it could be a tactic used by good goalies it needs to be tried in practice first. When I get shot on from the outside I will lower my stance which leaves a lot of net exposed up top. And while the shooter is winding up I will switch hands. The shooter (usually) is aiming off-stick high and is committed to that space while he is winding up. A shooter can't always adjust in mid shot so you tend to get a couple good saves out of this.
You are weighing your goalies ability to make the save to the off stick side versus switching hands and catching it (now) on the stick side. I think the move has merit at certain levels of the game. The goalie still needs to be in a ready position after the switch is made and before the shot is released. It wouldn't be good to be switching hands while the ball is in flight.
It's great your son is ambidextrous. Huge advantage really. Especially when he is throwing and clearing the ball up field. He would use the outside hand while being chased by an attacker. So if he's going up the left side of the field with an attacker on his right he'd be using his left hand no matter where he throws.
Let me know how that works for him or if you need clarification. Where does your son play?
Jonathan -
Question: This lacrosse parent writes to tell me that his son is ambidextrous (can play with both hands) and wonders when the best time to switch hands in the cage would be. As you'll see from my response I feel that being able to play with both hands is a huge advantage especially when throwing and clearing. It is also an advantage when used as a surprise tactic when making saves (although this is a VERY advanced tactic) I'd mess around with this in practice before trying it in games.
Answer:
Andy I think that the most advantageous use of the other hand is when it is a surprise. This would happen:
1) When the offensive player is in a tight dodging situation (roll dodge) and shoots on the goalie thinking that the goalie is holding the stick in a certain hand.
2) When the player is mid shot from outside.
I've messed around with both, and while I feel it could be a tactic used by good goalies it needs to be tried in practice first. When I get shot on from the outside I will lower my stance which leaves a lot of net exposed up top. And while the shooter is winding up I will switch hands. The shooter (usually) is aiming off-stick high and is committed to that space while he is winding up. A shooter can't always adjust in mid shot so you tend to get a couple good saves out of this.
You are weighing your goalies ability to make the save to the off stick side versus switching hands and catching it (now) on the stick side. I think the move has merit at certain levels of the game. The goalie still needs to be in a ready position after the switch is made and before the shot is released. It wouldn't be good to be switching hands while the ball is in flight.
It's great your son is ambidextrous. Huge advantage really. Especially when he is throwing and clearing the ball up field. He would use the outside hand while being chased by an attacker. So if he's going up the left side of the field with an attacker on his right he'd be using his left hand no matter where he throws.
Let me know how that works for him or if you need clarification. Where does your son play?
Jonathan -
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tom Brady Is My Hero
In the same interview, Brady said, "I think it's a feeling like I've got it all figured out. There's nothing that can shock me anymore. There's nothing I haven't anticipated; so at that point, there is a calmness."
This was a quote taken from an ESPN.com article on Tom Brady, Quarterback of the New England Patriots. As I write this the Patriots are four days from becoming the best team in football history. And Tom Brady is the leader.
The story of Tom Brady is pretty cool. A good athlete through high school he was barely noticed by college coaches. Somehow he landed at one of the top football schools in the country. After college he was drafted almost as an afterthought by the Patriots in the sixth round. That year, seven other quarterbacks were drafted before him. And now he is considered one of the best quarterbacks of all time with four super bowl rings and now an MVP of the league in 2007.
But that quote above pretty much tells you why he's there at this point in his career.
He is prepared.
And he works harder than anyone else to be prepared so that he isn't surprised. Ever.
Parents. Coaches. And goalies all ask me "What can we do so that our goalie has more confidence?"
Help them prepare. Spend the time. Get the shots. Get a variety of shots. Help them feel safe. Give them the tools. Watch game film. Do it all.
And then do it again.
And again.
And again.
Fear only comes from a lack of information. And a lack of information comes from a lack of preparation.
There is no excuse for that. Laziness is an excuse.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/columns/story?id=3219092&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1
Go check out the article and get inspired.
Goalies read it to see what preparation can do for you. That dot drill is amazing by the way.
Parents read it so that you can help your kids believe that they can, and will, be good. Someday. If they work hard enough.
Coaches read it and learn not to ever give up on a kid. Think past that athletes success on your team if they aren't getting good fast enough. Think about their long term athletic development and help them succeed long term.
Shoot me some comments or emails at jone94@shaw.ca
This was a quote taken from an ESPN.com article on Tom Brady, Quarterback of the New England Patriots. As I write this the Patriots are four days from becoming the best team in football history. And Tom Brady is the leader.
The story of Tom Brady is pretty cool. A good athlete through high school he was barely noticed by college coaches. Somehow he landed at one of the top football schools in the country. After college he was drafted almost as an afterthought by the Patriots in the sixth round. That year, seven other quarterbacks were drafted before him. And now he is considered one of the best quarterbacks of all time with four super bowl rings and now an MVP of the league in 2007.
But that quote above pretty much tells you why he's there at this point in his career.
He is prepared.
And he works harder than anyone else to be prepared so that he isn't surprised. Ever.
Parents. Coaches. And goalies all ask me "What can we do so that our goalie has more confidence?"
Help them prepare. Spend the time. Get the shots. Get a variety of shots. Help them feel safe. Give them the tools. Watch game film. Do it all.
And then do it again.
And again.
And again.
Fear only comes from a lack of information. And a lack of information comes from a lack of preparation.
There is no excuse for that. Laziness is an excuse.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/columns/story?id=3219092&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1
Go check out the article and get inspired.
Goalies read it to see what preparation can do for you. That dot drill is amazing by the way.
Parents read it so that you can help your kids believe that they can, and will, be good. Someday. If they work hard enough.
Coaches read it and learn not to ever give up on a kid. Think past that athletes success on your team if they aren't getting good fast enough. Think about their long term athletic development and help them succeed long term.
Shoot me some comments or emails at jone94@shaw.ca
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