Rachel writes: hi.so i have a question for you.i am wanting to restring my brine money stick and this would be the first time i have restrung a stick.do you have any links or tips on how to do it.
Thank You
Rachel
Answer: Hey there Rachel. If you like your current string job here's what I'd do. Get a second stick (you should have two on the go at all times) and copy your string job into that second stick. Break it in, then go back and redo the first one.
If you aren't going to get a second stick right now then take some digital photos of the current stick. Get up close to some of the critical points where knots are tied off and lacing is done etc. That way you've got some reference to look at while you're doing that new stick.
Make sure you use hard mesh. This will break in the best long term. I also soak my mesh over night before I string it up. It makes it easy to work with. Then I put some weights in there, or you can use some big soup cans or a jug of milk and put it in the stick over night. That way it dries in the stretched position. Most goalies will string a stick up and then that first time they play in the rain it shrinks up and gets ruined. By getting the mesh wet to start and then letting it dry it saves you a lot of time later.
Hope that helps Rachel. Let me know if you need anything else.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
www.lacrosseGoalieTips.com
Showing posts with label Field Lacrosse Goalie Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Field Lacrosse Goalie Tips. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
What Kind Of Lacrosse Cleats Should I Wear?
Question: Dear Jonathan,
Thanks for your great blog. I am a post-collegiate club lax player who just started playing goalie about a year ago. My old (football) cleats are finally dying, and I need to get new ones. I have read lots of things but can't seem to get a straight and reliable answer. What kinds of cleats can a goalie wear? Can I use baseball ones? Or just soccer and football and lacrosse cleats? Trying to save a buck here, too. Am also concerned about toe protection from shots. Have been lucky in that area so far, but have been hit in the feet a few times.
Thanks!
Mike C.
Answer: Hey Mike. Great question. You can wear anything, typically, as long as they aren't steel. Some baseball cleats fall in that category. If you've got plastic screw in's you're fine. But if they are steel they might go against your league rules. Just double check.
Personally I wear molded football cleats. I find that most fields we play on are really hard under my feet so screw ins don't work because they don't sink into the ground. The molded ones tend to give me more grip and a flatter base to stand on. Also, they tend to work in most conditions and get my by.
I also find that most football cleats have a heavier duty toe on them. You want one that has a solid leather toe. Not one where the upper turns to nylon. Mine have a leather piece that runs right from the toe, to the laces. Hopefully you can visualize that.
You can also wear those football cleats playing baseball so you can save a few bucks.
Hope that helps buddy.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Thanks for your great blog. I am a post-collegiate club lax player who just started playing goalie about a year ago. My old (football) cleats are finally dying, and I need to get new ones. I have read lots of things but can't seem to get a straight and reliable answer. What kinds of cleats can a goalie wear? Can I use baseball ones? Or just soccer and football and lacrosse cleats? Trying to save a buck here, too. Am also concerned about toe protection from shots. Have been lucky in that area so far, but have been hit in the feet a few times.
Thanks!
Mike C.
Answer: Hey Mike. Great question. You can wear anything, typically, as long as they aren't steel. Some baseball cleats fall in that category. If you've got plastic screw in's you're fine. But if they are steel they might go against your league rules. Just double check.
Personally I wear molded football cleats. I find that most fields we play on are really hard under my feet so screw ins don't work because they don't sink into the ground. The molded ones tend to give me more grip and a flatter base to stand on. Also, they tend to work in most conditions and get my by.
I also find that most football cleats have a heavier duty toe on them. You want one that has a solid leather toe. Not one where the upper turns to nylon. Mine have a leather piece that runs right from the toe, to the laces. Hopefully you can visualize that.
You can also wear those football cleats playing baseball so you can save a few bucks.
Hope that helps buddy.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Girls Lacrosse Goalie Getting Thrown in the Fire. Needs Some Help
Question: Hi, I am a junior and the varsity goalie for my high school girl’s lacrosse team and I am having some problems. I was on junior varsity last year, my first time playing lacrosse ever. I didn’t really have anyone teaching me so I just winged it and had some beginners’ luck, now the original varsity goalie is ineligible so they bumped me up and it’s miserable. Everyone expects me to know everything because I’ve played for one season. I’m working hard to step up but I really need some help. My defense just lets the attack wing come running down on the field and take a shot right on the crease. We get up to three yellow cards a game so the other team gets to take repeated shots from the hash line and I am supposed to save them with only one season worth of experience. I’ve read most of your blog and that was tremendous help already, I just want a little more personal of a diagnosis. Thank you
Answer: Hey there Steph. Smile for me, k? Ok let's get this going.
First off, you're NOT supposed to know everything. You can't. I can't. We're always learning and you're being thrown in the fire a bit. Now I want you to step up a bit and get excited for the opportunity. Sure, it's probably a little early but you can handle it. You know how I can tell? You took the time to seek out some information and found me. Not only did you do that you wrote to me directly. So I know that you've got the ability to see this through and to kick ass.
OK, now. You need to remember that this is a team sport. And like I always say, "If your teammates were so damned good they wouldn't need a goalie!" The fact that you are seeing high percentage shots is your defenses fault. And to take it one step further it's your coaches fault for not helping you defense play better. Now I don't know your team. I don't know what you've got to work with as far as players on your defense. You may be on a really crappy team. But that's ok too.
Here's the deal. Your team needs to play better defense and funnel the offensive players to places where they have lower percentage shots. (i.e. further down the wing, or away from the cage.) This is the team part of the game and you can't forget that.
On the other hand you need to get excited about those high percentage shots. These are the ones where you get to really focus on the ball and make some big saves. If the game is moving a little too fast for you right now, don't worry, it will slow down. You just need some shots at the faster pace and you will step up. I know you can.
Spend some quality time visualizing yourself being successful in the cage. See yourself making those saves. The best time to do this is right before you go to bed because your subconcious mind goes to work while you're sleeping. It's a cool trick that I will try to write an article on later.
Also, here's another mental trick. Right after a goal goes in I want you to say to yourself, "Reset!" And then get back into your ready stance and actually visualize the ball coming to you as it just did. Move to the ball as if you were going to make that save. It's really important to replace the negative image in your head (the goal) with a positive image (you making the save.)
Try that kid. You're going to do great. Get to know your defense. And talk to your coach too to see if you can get a feel for why you guys are giving up such high percentage shots.
Last thing. Try to get someone to take stats for you so you can figure out your save percentage. That is the number you should be focusing on. If you lose a game 16-2 but your save percentage is 60% or higher that's a pretty good day for a goalie. Feel proud of that. NOT the score.
Alright Steph. Let me know how it goes. I expect an update in a few weeks.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Answer: Hey there Steph. Smile for me, k? Ok let's get this going.
First off, you're NOT supposed to know everything. You can't. I can't. We're always learning and you're being thrown in the fire a bit. Now I want you to step up a bit and get excited for the opportunity. Sure, it's probably a little early but you can handle it. You know how I can tell? You took the time to seek out some information and found me. Not only did you do that you wrote to me directly. So I know that you've got the ability to see this through and to kick ass.
OK, now. You need to remember that this is a team sport. And like I always say, "If your teammates were so damned good they wouldn't need a goalie!" The fact that you are seeing high percentage shots is your defenses fault. And to take it one step further it's your coaches fault for not helping you defense play better. Now I don't know your team. I don't know what you've got to work with as far as players on your defense. You may be on a really crappy team. But that's ok too.
Here's the deal. Your team needs to play better defense and funnel the offensive players to places where they have lower percentage shots. (i.e. further down the wing, or away from the cage.) This is the team part of the game and you can't forget that.
On the other hand you need to get excited about those high percentage shots. These are the ones where you get to really focus on the ball and make some big saves. If the game is moving a little too fast for you right now, don't worry, it will slow down. You just need some shots at the faster pace and you will step up. I know you can.
Spend some quality time visualizing yourself being successful in the cage. See yourself making those saves. The best time to do this is right before you go to bed because your subconcious mind goes to work while you're sleeping. It's a cool trick that I will try to write an article on later.
Also, here's another mental trick. Right after a goal goes in I want you to say to yourself, "Reset!" And then get back into your ready stance and actually visualize the ball coming to you as it just did. Move to the ball as if you were going to make that save. It's really important to replace the negative image in your head (the goal) with a positive image (you making the save.)
Try that kid. You're going to do great. Get to know your defense. And talk to your coach too to see if you can get a feel for why you guys are giving up such high percentage shots.
Last thing. Try to get someone to take stats for you so you can figure out your save percentage. That is the number you should be focusing on. If you lose a game 16-2 but your save percentage is 60% or higher that's a pretty good day for a goalie. Feel proud of that. NOT the score.
Alright Steph. Let me know how it goes. I expect an update in a few weeks.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Saturday, March 28, 2009
New Lacrosse Goalie Needs Help With His Pocket
Question: Hey Jonathan- I'm new to lacrosse im 5-2 and 120 pounds I love lacrosse and i love your awesome answers you give to people when i got my lacrosse stick the first night i started by grabbing a can of green beans and pounded it for like two hours in all and it was working find the next day for 1 hour but it started to then when i threw the ball it started to go staright down! So can you please tell me if im throwing my ball wrong or if its my head/mesh. Can you also tell me how i can throw the lacrosse goalie ball better.
Answer: Gino, tighten the sidewall laces a bit. Also, make sure the top shooting string is as tight as possible. It should be two diamonds away from the plastic. Then make the next shooting string a little looser. And the third one looser than that. There should be a gentle lip from the mesh to the shooting strings so that the ball releases higher. You'll have to mess around with this a bit as it comes with practice getting to know your stick. You may also have to move the lace at the throat, up a bit. So that the overall pocket is just a bit tighter. This should help.
As far as throwing better, it all comes with practice and strength. The stronger you get in your hands, forearms and legs (ironically) the further your passes will go. It will come with time if you work at it. Also, by fixing the head of your stick the balls will fly further.
Hope that helps buddy. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com (Sign up for the free e-zine!_
www.yourbestlacrosse.blogspot.com
Answer: Gino, tighten the sidewall laces a bit. Also, make sure the top shooting string is as tight as possible. It should be two diamonds away from the plastic. Then make the next shooting string a little looser. And the third one looser than that. There should be a gentle lip from the mesh to the shooting strings so that the ball releases higher. You'll have to mess around with this a bit as it comes with practice getting to know your stick. You may also have to move the lace at the throat, up a bit. So that the overall pocket is just a bit tighter. This should help.
As far as throwing better, it all comes with practice and strength. The stronger you get in your hands, forearms and legs (ironically) the further your passes will go. It will come with time if you work at it. Also, by fixing the head of your stick the balls will fly further.
Hope that helps buddy. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com (Sign up for the free e-zine!_
www.yourbestlacrosse.blogspot.com
Monday, March 9, 2009
Unhappy Lacrosse Goalie Needs Some Tips
Question: Hi Jonathan,
My school just started a new lacrosse team at the start of the this season. Only 1 girl has ever played before, and the team has practiced together for about 4 weeks. There was so much interest that Coach decided to make two teams, a varsity and a JV. I offered to play Goalie, because I had never played any kind of goalie before, and it is, after all, pretty fun. While we are playing established Varsity Teams, our girls are pretty athletic.
Anyway, I guess my question is this: as a brand new varsity goalie, with less than 1 week experience before the first game, having never played before, how many should I be expecting to save? In a typical half, I am taking 20-25 shots on goal, and the other team is scoring 16-18 points. Our typical game score is 16-0. Our team doesn't yet have the ability to complete and score. Some of the team members are claiming that the only reason I made varsity is because no one else wanted to play in the goal. When I remind them to stay out of the crease, they give me a lot of attitude. I am trying my best, but the only "goalie drill" we ever do is to line everyone up and have them take shots on me. Am I just a really bad goalie? At first, I really liked it, but now I am very unsure of my decision to play goalie right now, and I wonder if I made a big mistake.
Any advice you give me is highly appreciated,
A brand new, rather unhappy, goalie.
Answer: Hey there Unhappy. I've attached an article that I think may be of help to you.
Couple things:
1) You guys are all learning. No one is in a position to be criticizing anyone else on your team so my first bit of advice is to not enter into any chatter about how poorly anyone else is doing. Especially you. No one else volunteered. If you'd rather play out go for it. Those girls will either be bummed that you decided not to play goal, OR it may be best for everyone.
2) The great thing about playing goal is that your "grade" isn't the one on the scoreboard. That is everyone elses grade. My favorite saying is that "If your team was so good they wouldn't even need a goalie." So for now, just focus on playing and enjoying the challenge of stopping as many balls as you can.
3) As far as expectations on how many shots you should be saving? That's a little premature to do that now. But I understand that you are on a Varsity team and it's tough not to find out what "good" is. For most goalies a save percentage anywhere between 60-70% is excellent. So I'd say you're right on track.
4) Playing lacrosse is a team game. If all those shots are coming from five yards away from the cage, your defense needs to step it up and play better. If you are letting in goals from 20yards away you'd probably agree that you should have those. So within that save percentage there are "good" goals and "bad" goals. You'll know which ones you should be saving as you gain more experience.
Don't get discouraged. It's a useless feeling and not productive at all. Instead, focus on being better every day. And encouraging others. There is a term the Japanese use called "Kaizen" It means constant, and never ending improvement. You can't expect to be world class right away. But after many days of improvement, world class comes quickly.
Stay positive. Stay focused. Remind yourself of why you wanted to play goal and get back to that.
Let me know how you fare and keep me posted on your progress. Enjoy the article.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
My school just started a new lacrosse team at the start of the this season. Only 1 girl has ever played before, and the team has practiced together for about 4 weeks. There was so much interest that Coach decided to make two teams, a varsity and a JV. I offered to play Goalie, because I had never played any kind of goalie before, and it is, after all, pretty fun. While we are playing established Varsity Teams, our girls are pretty athletic.
Anyway, I guess my question is this: as a brand new varsity goalie, with less than 1 week experience before the first game, having never played before, how many should I be expecting to save? In a typical half, I am taking 20-25 shots on goal, and the other team is scoring 16-18 points. Our typical game score is 16-0. Our team doesn't yet have the ability to complete and score. Some of the team members are claiming that the only reason I made varsity is because no one else wanted to play in the goal. When I remind them to stay out of the crease, they give me a lot of attitude. I am trying my best, but the only "goalie drill" we ever do is to line everyone up and have them take shots on me. Am I just a really bad goalie? At first, I really liked it, but now I am very unsure of my decision to play goalie right now, and I wonder if I made a big mistake.
Any advice you give me is highly appreciated,
A brand new, rather unhappy, goalie.
Answer: Hey there Unhappy. I've attached an article that I think may be of help to you.
Couple things:
1) You guys are all learning. No one is in a position to be criticizing anyone else on your team so my first bit of advice is to not enter into any chatter about how poorly anyone else is doing. Especially you. No one else volunteered. If you'd rather play out go for it. Those girls will either be bummed that you decided not to play goal, OR it may be best for everyone.
2) The great thing about playing goal is that your "grade" isn't the one on the scoreboard. That is everyone elses grade. My favorite saying is that "If your team was so good they wouldn't even need a goalie." So for now, just focus on playing and enjoying the challenge of stopping as many balls as you can.
3) As far as expectations on how many shots you should be saving? That's a little premature to do that now. But I understand that you are on a Varsity team and it's tough not to find out what "good" is. For most goalies a save percentage anywhere between 60-70% is excellent. So I'd say you're right on track.
4) Playing lacrosse is a team game. If all those shots are coming from five yards away from the cage, your defense needs to step it up and play better. If you are letting in goals from 20yards away you'd probably agree that you should have those. So within that save percentage there are "good" goals and "bad" goals. You'll know which ones you should be saving as you gain more experience.
Don't get discouraged. It's a useless feeling and not productive at all. Instead, focus on being better every day. And encouraging others. There is a term the Japanese use called "Kaizen" It means constant, and never ending improvement. You can't expect to be world class right away. But after many days of improvement, world class comes quickly.
Stay positive. Stay focused. Remind yourself of why you wanted to play goal and get back to that.
Let me know how you fare and keep me posted on your progress. Enjoy the article.
Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
