How Do I Stop Those Players Coming From Around The Back of The Cage?

Question: > Hey Jonathan! Just wanted to reply to your email! I tried to get
> lower in tryouts yesterday and it helped. I'm not very tall and I play
> field hockey. I totally forgot about shots coming from behind the cage
> when the attack runs it back and then does a roll around the crease.
> Are there any pointers about that? It seems like they have a way
> bigger chance of getting it in the cage then.

-Abby

Answer:

Hey Abby. Great to hear things went better. Proud of you. Keep it up.

Quick tips on those players coming from the back of the net:

1) Understand what is going through their head. "Oh my GOD I"M ALL ALONE!!!" to "Oh my GOD I"VE GOT TO GET THIS SHOT OFF QUICK!!!" With this in mind, you know that they are excited and that they are going to want to get rid of the ball quickly. So stay close to the pipe with your stick up and a little straighter than your normal stance.

2) The tendency as a goalie is to start to step away from the pipe way too soon. Don't. Work on this in practice with someone walking around the cage. Better yet. You do it as the offensive player and have someone else stand in the cage. Sometimes the best way to work on your game is to act like that offensive player.

3) Instead of stepping OUT at the shooter, step laterally. If you come out from the cage it is very easy to shoot over and around you so don't do it. Same rule applies on one on ones from the top.

4) Because you are vertically challenged like myself the shooter sees a lot of net upstairs as she comes running around the side of the cage. So because she is in a rush that's the first place she's going to look to shoot. If you stay low in your stance, and be prepared to explode up to the ball, you should have a great chance to saving the ball. They will either shoot right in your stick if it is on your near pipe. Or they will try to go far side and you will explode up with the stick. Just try to keep your eyes on the head of their stick and be ready. No blinking.

5) Lastly, if the player is pretty skilled she may try to fake high, and shoo low. By faking high she trys to get you to jump up at the fake. It's very hard to reverse yourself in mid air, so as you are going up, she puts the ball down low. If the skill of your games is high this may happen. But if it's low it probably won't. You'll probably see more girls try and shoot high than shoot low.

Ok. That should do ya. Let me know how it goes, k?

Jonathan - The Goalie Guru

Lacrosse Goalie Wonders, "Is it my goalie stick? Or is it me?"

Question: Hi Jonathan,
I'm a sophomore goalie in Northern California and I play for my girls varsity team. I was the starting goalie last year, but now I am battling a senior for the position. I had a pretty good rookie season last year, but I had a lot of trouble keeping the ball in my stick after making saves. I got a brand new stick halfway through season last year because I broke my first two, and I never had it restrung. I think it is hard mesh, but not knowing much about goalie sticks I don't know. I have three questions: 1) Should I have it restrung (there is literally no pocket), 2) How do I break in my mesh (I've played with it for a season and it still looks like new, I have taken it in the shower, I've stepped in it, I've pounded it, nothing works), and 3) Is there even anything wrong with my stick or is it me?

Thanks

Answer: Ok, answers to your questions in order. Then some comments.

1) Get it restrung. If it has no pocket it's useless for you. Only goalies with incredible hands, and extremely strong hands and forearms can use a shallow pocket and then it's not recommended.

2) I've got a couple of articles at AllExperts.com and on my blog at www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com where I describe how I break in a stick. Sorry to make you search but it's too involved to type here. Short story: You've got to soak the hard mesh prior to putting it in the stick and then stick a weight in it overnight while it dries. This should work wonders for you.

3) Thank you for even admitting the problem might be you! If your stick is that shallow it's definitely not helping you. It's like playing golf with bad clubs. Golf is frustrating enough to play without having bad clubs and that's you right now. The you part is just hand/forearm strength. Most women I've worked with have very weak hands. It's just how you guys are made. Unless you have "man hands" like in that old Sienfeld episode. But even then, most women just don't have the hand strength to hold the stick softly yet firm enough. What ends up happening is that you have to grip the stick so hard so that it doesn't spin when the ball hits your stick. Now that being said, I don't know for sure if that is your problem specifically. As a generality I can recommend that you do what you can to strengthen your hands and forearms. There is a great book called The Mastery of Hand Strength. You can find it at www.Ironmind.com I recommend it to all my goalies. It's cheap and will help you tons. I can tell you this, every woman I have every coached, no matter what the sport, when we worked on their hand strength her whole game improved.

Get two sticks on the go. With pockets you like in both of them. That way you are never without a stick that you don't like. You will always have your "A" stick and your "B" stick but if one goes down you're not scrambling to try and break in a stick while playing in meaningful games.

Good luck! Where do you play? I had a goalie from Novato write me a while back. You playing them this year? I went to Stanford for a summer and have friends in Sausalito. One of our favorite places on the planet. Keep me posted. I love to know how things go for all my goalies.

Jonathan- The Goalie Guru

PS. If this helped you I'd love to get some feedback that I can post on our new website. I'm compiling a list of testimonials and would love to have you guys on there.

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

What Kind of Conditioning Should Lacrosse Goalies Be Doing? Same As The Midfielders?

Question: hey jonathan..my name is (witheld) and i'm a senior starting goalie
> for my hs varsity team. Practice starts Monday, and to be
> completley honest I am not in shape and haven't done much to
> prepare. My coach is sort of inexperienced and likes to kill us
> with a lot of running the first week because she thinks that's
> the way to go, but I strongly disagree. Last season I had shin
> splints that came close to a stress fracture from it and my
> trainer told me I couldn't run for a while, and I that prevented
> me from being able to do quick feet and other important drills
> good for being a goalie. What do you think is the best way for
> me to get in great goalie shape for this season, without an
> overload of running, that is more realistic? What drills should
> I tell her I can do while the midfielders run at practice?

Answer:First: Why are you out of shape? I mean c'mon. You're a senior. Whether you are a captain or not you are THE captain on the field. What kind of shape are you in exactly? Round is a shape. You're starting to worry me.

Now I don't know what your situation is so I don't want to sound harsh where there is some legitimate reason. Perhaps you had a bizarre coyote attack that chewed of your big toe on your left foot and you are finally able to walk. Or perhaps your arm was pinned between a freshman and their locker door as you stuffed them in there and you had to amputate using nothing but the uncovered end of your goalie stick. Whatever the excuse I'm sure you are now recovered and on your way to playing well.

I have to admit though that I am thoroughly impressed that you are looking for alternative solutions. That is outstanding. So because of that I can help you. So smile. My sarcasm gets the best of me sometimes but lets get you going.

First things first: You've got to get your stick in your hand and start throwing. And getting shots. ASAP. That is a given. Get going. No time to waste.

You're lucky because I agree with you on the long distance running stuff. That is a very old school mentality. Quite outdated. Long distance running can actually slow down a goalie who needs to be fast twitch. However, if you, or your teammates are just plain lazy then some hardcore running is probably a good idea.

In light of your shinsplints here is what I would do: Call your trainer and talk to him/her about preventative taping of your shins. Because you had them last season to the degree that you had them it's recommended to tape them now even if they feel ok. It will help you to get through the transition period where your body compensates to the new work load. You can slowly ease off the taping as the season progresses until your legs get into the shape they need to be in. I would also find a golf ball and make sure to roll your feet, the front of your shin (Anterior Tibialis) and your calves to make sure everything is good and loose PRIOR to playing. I would do this every practice. In fact I do do it before every practice. Did it today before a sprint session I had. Extremely helpful. It's a pocket massage therapist. You can talk to your trainer about soft tissue mobilization prior to practice sometimes called self-myofacial release therapy. Very helpful. By releasing the tissue around the shins your lower leg will be more shock absorbing which will relieve some of the stress the shins get. If you wear any type of a shoe with a heel this can really affect the flexibility of your foot and calf which can throw the stress on areas that just aren't ready. So stay loose.

That should give you a little buffer with the shins to get you through the first part of the season. As far as getting into shape I would recommend to your coach that you do sprints, or hill running. (You're going to hate me but it's true.) Every time you step your feet and shins take a multiple of your bodyweight in compressive forces. So if you run for long distances you get thousands of pounding steps on those shins that's just not good. And to be honest there are a lot of body types that just aren't good for running long distances. I would have you do sprints. In sprinting your shins don't take the pounding that they do in normal running because of where your foot hits in relationship to your body. The only place you get a ton of compression is when you decelerate or when you stop sprinting and start running. A better choice I would have you do is uphill running. Many injured athletes will run hills because it really takes away from the pounding on the feet. The other alternative is to run in the pool. Waist high water or higher depending on how much the shins hurt. The water lessens your bodyweight impact on the legs which can get you through those rough stages.

If you want I can totally talk to your coach for you with some suggestions. I do that for a number of goalies if you feel it would help. As a coach I would appreciate if one of my players had sought out information that differed with my thinking. I know not all coaches are like that but let me know if you need that.

To be honest, I used to always get shot on while the midfielders ran. It was a great time to get more appropriate work in. I would do that and have you run hills and you'd be pretty bagged. If you were really out of shape I'd shoot on you, and have you run hills at the end of practice. Nothing crazy. Two hills today. Three tomorrow. Wednesday off. Two hills, three hills. Weekend off. Next week: Three hills and then four, etc.

Meghan I hope that helps you. Let me know if you need any clarification. You're one of my girls now so stay in touch and let me know how it goes. What state do you play in?

Jonathan - The Goalie Guru
www.lacrossegoaltending.com
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com

Soft Mesh of Hard? Cross-Fit or not? Is Playing In Close Quarters Good For Me?

Question: Julia asks Soft mesh or hard? Is Crossfit any good for a goalie? And how do I make the most of playing indoors?


Answer: Hey there Julia. Here you go.

Get it restrung and with hard mesh. Soft mesh is a definite no go anymore. They just turn into tennis rackets. You'll notice a huge difference with hard mesh.

Cross fit is cool but it's not the best for a goalie. Too much endurance work. Women love Cross Fit, but if you look closely there's not a lot that relates to the explosive goalie. You want to lift weights and lift them heavy. This will help you be more explosive in the cage not to mention you will look like a Goddess! You are right, running for 15minutes will not help you. Actualy it will hurt your goaltending game.

If you're getting the stick to the ball it is for sure your pocket. That one change is going to do wonders to your game.

The reason you're not doing so well indoors is because the shots are right on top of you. You're probably getting hit with the ball a ton. Make sure yo'uve got enough equipment on and have the shooters move back. Ask your coach if you can put a stick on the ground where the shooters have to shoot from so you have time to react to the ball and can work on things. If you would like me to email your coach just give them my email address and I will send them a guide to working with goalies that can help you.

Hey make sure you sign up at the forum. If we can do Q and A's through there we will be able to add content and make it grow. I love the emails though so keep it up. Let me know how things go and stay in touch.

Jonathan -

Should I Buy A New Goalie Stick If I'm Not Going To Play In College?

Question: Hey Jonathan thanks so much for all of your feedback. I have one last question though!

Since last year was my first year playing lacrosse, I didn't want to pay a lot for my stick and then end up not liking it. However, I'm wondering whether I should get a whole new stick (like the STX Eclipse) or if my STX Goalmaster with hardmesh will be OK. I probably won't be playing in college unless it's intermural so is it worth it to get a new stick if I'm only playing for the next 2 seasons?

Thanks again!
Julia

Answer: Hey Julia. No problem.

I understand what you're saying about the stick. But I will tell you that investing in a new stick is going to make playing sooo much more fun for you. After talking with you I know that it's going to make a huge difference.

Playing with a good stick is like playing golf with nice clubs. They are so much more forgiving. With bad golf clubs you can make a really nice swing but the clubs just don't do what you want them to do so it is completely frustrating. If you're getting your hands to the ball and the ball is popping out not because of you but because of the stick, that is just a recipe for frustration. With a nice stick (like the Eclipse) with a really nice hard mesh pocket you'll be making saves and not giving up rebounds. You'll be clearing the ball with ease and you'll just be enjoying the game a whole lot more.

As far as playing in college I'll tell you this. You may be going to a school that doesn't have a team but you will find a bunch of girls who have sticks and they will always be looking for a goalie. Now, if you have a crappy stick you won't want to play. But if you have a really nice stick you're going to have that stick for a long time and you're going to want to hop in the cage.

I always tell people that in all my life I've never been to a party and seen guys or girls throw on the old baseball glove and throw around. I've occaisionaly seen a football or two. But I have always seen lacrosse sticks break out and people throw the ball around. Also, as you go past college and beyond you may be in a new city and you will seek out other lacrosse players. It's just how it goes. And they will all need a goalie. Again, if you invest in a really nice stick now you're going to have it for a really long time (barring breakage or theft of something like that) And with a good stick you're going to be more open to playing and having a good time.

So, that's my two cents on getting a better stick. It will change the way you play for the better and you will enjoy the game a whole lot more with good equipment.

That make sense? So if you've got a birthday coming up, or maybe some money burning a hole in your pocket go get an STX Eclipse with a hard mesh pocket. If you can get it strung by someone who knows what they are doing it's better to buy the head and the pocket separately and then have it strung. Better than trying to doctor a pre-strung stick from the factory. My friends at www.comlax.net can do that for you.

Jonathan -

What Muscles Should You Work On If You're A Lacrosse Goalie? How Do You Stay Awake When The Ball Is On The Other End Of The Field?

Question: Hi! I've been a lacrosse goalie for 3 years now (I'm in 10th grade)
The season is going to be starting in a few months and I was
wondering what muscles I should work on building. I'm always fooling
around with my stick in front of the TV and such so I'm not worried
about that. Also, what do you suggest goalies do when the ball is on
attack? I find myself zoning off which really throws off my game.
Thanks!!


Answer: To answer your question the muscles you want to work on are what we call your Posterior Chain. Those are your glutes (butt muscles), hamstrings (back of the leg), and your low back. You will also want to work on your upper body pressing muscles (chest and shoulders) The best way to hit the posterior chain is to squat. And when you squat you want to use a free bar not any sort of machine. For the pressing movements the best way I find to work those for a goalie is to do standing cable presses of all varieties.

If you don't know how to squat properly I would find a qualified strength and conditioning coach either at your school or at a nearby university. In most areas now there will be some sort of strength and conditioning coach geared towards athletes (Especially Football) if you can find one of those guys you'll be in a great place to start.

If you can fall in love with training you will be miles ahead of most women your age. I train a number of female athletes in a couple of sports and when we get them stronger by using squats and other posterior chain moves they absolutely dominate on the field.

As far as zoning out on the other end of the field, this is an acquired skill just like anything else. When I was your age I would start thinking about homework, my parents, the girl in my english class. All sorts of things would sneak into my head while the ball was on the other end of the field. What I did to try and fix that was hard at first but easier over time. All I tried to do was to watch the ball the whole time the ball was on the other end. Not watch the whole play, just the ball. I would try and focus my eyes on the ball just like a camera would zoom in on a far away object. That helped a bit. What really helped me focus was to think of myself, and my defense as a vital part of the offense if they lost track of the ball. I figured that if I was zoning out the other teams players probably were doing that as well. So I started to talk to my defense and keeping them awake as well. I'd say things like " Ball is right side Chris (My defender) Stay awake. Play in front of your man." Things like that. I also moved out of my crease a fair bit to help if there was a pass that went astray and I could help on the clear.

If you are comfortable with your stick you can really view yourself as an extra player on the clear it will keep you more involved in the play because you really feel you can help out. Keep that in mind and it will totally help with your concentration.

Oh I almost forgot. I find that hand and forearm strength are tragically weak in most women. Go get a two liter bottle of soda and tie a string around the top of the bottle. Tie the other end to a shaft of an old stick or a broom handle. Work on wrapping the string around the handle using both hands. You stand up. Bottle is on the floor. Stick is horizontal to the floor. Twist the shaft and wrap the string around the shaft lifting the bottle off the floor all the way up to the shaft. Lower. You'll feel a pump in your forearms like never before.

Good luck Olivia. Kick butt. Tell me how things go and stay in touch. What school do you play for?

Jonathan -

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

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 -

Should I Drop To My Knees Like Bud Petit Does?

Question: I have been playing goalie for six months. I am also 5'10 185. I watched Bud Petit play and noticed that he stopped bounce shots of his chest when he went down to his knees. I would like to know when should i go to my knees for bounce shots? Another question is should i start doing this? How much affect will this have on my game?

Answer: Hey there Trey. Great question. I watched the UVA Syracuse game again last night for you. I only got through the first half, and the overtime and I think I see the saves you were talking about. Here are my thoughts.

Going to your knees is usually not done on purpose. There are rare occaisions but they are really advanced and not something I would necessarily teach to a guy with your level of experience. That being said I'll explain to you why Bud went to his his knees: He didn't do it as his primary action to make the save. His dropping to his knees was actually a byproduct of moving explosively to the ball.

In the first quarter Bud made a save on this crazy pick up by the attack man just off the crease. The TV angle wasn't the best but from what I could make of it the attack picked up the ball and got a quick shot off. Bud kept his stick high but dropped low with his body and the player shot it into him. You don't teach that sort of save. It comes with a ton of experience. He kept his stick high to respect any shot that could come hight but because the player was so tight to the crease he dropped down like a hockey goalie to block the ball with his body. With his defense so close he knows that the attack is going to get checked pretty quickly and that any shot would be either a quick stick or almost a hockey shot off the turf.

Another save Bud made in the first quarter resulted in Bud dropping to his knees but it was the result of him firing his hands so hard to the off stick low side that he just lost his balance. The save was made before he went to his knees but it may have looked to you like he dropped to his knees to make that save. He didn't. It was just the result of moving explosively over a long distance that threw his balance off.

Now a save you may have in mind is that save he made in overtime. There was the feed from behind the crease to that attack out front. In this case Bud saved it with his chest because when he turned to the ball he was in perfect position. The shooter did the best he could but ended up hitting Bud in the chest protector. As Bud rotated from behind he turned and realized that since the shooter was so close one of the only places he can go is five hole. So as Bud sees the stick go down he's going to start to drop. (This mental processing happens in an instant too) So on that save he made the save with his chest and then dropped. It wasn't that he was dropping to his knees to make the save.

Does that make sense? It's easy to think that he was dropping on purpose. That's not the case.

Now I will tell you this. I have always taught lacrosse goalies to act more like a short stop in baseball. Or even a catcher. Get your hands out in front of you and get your body in front of the ball. If you play like that you will stop more shots with your body. Instead of picking the ball out of the air with your stick you're going to bend your knees more and "block" shots. A lot of them will hit you in the chest but that comes more from the style of goaltending than anything. A great drill is to get a hold of a righty and a lefty catchers mitt from the baseball team. Now hop in the cage and stop bounce shots. I guarantee you that you will take on a more aggressive athletic stance. And you will throw your body in front of the ball to stop odd bounces. It's a great way to learn. I find that when goalies put a stick in their hand they tend to lose great body position.

Bud Petit did a phenomenal job in that game and he's a great example of a solid goalie.

Now you asked if you should start doing this. The answer is no. Sort of. You wouldn't actuall practice dropping to your knees. But if you focus on snuffing out low shots like a catcher would in baseball you're going to start to assume the right body position. You may end up on your knees as a byroduct but it's not your primary technique to make the save.

One reason we try not to drop to our knees is that it takes a lot of time to get back up. And in that time a bad rebound can go in as a goal. I'm sure you saw how fast some goals were scored on rebounds during the tournament. IF you're on your knees you don't have a chance, that's why we like to stay on our feet. Also, because you are so tall it will take you even longer to get back up than it would for a shorter goalie.

I hope that helps Trey. This is a fantastic question and a really insightful observation on your part. I can really see that you're dissecting the game and the technique of a great goalie. You're going to go far. Good luck and let me know how things go.

Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com

The Best Lacrosse Goalie Camp For Girls?

Rande Writes: My daughter as a freshman in high school and is the JV goalie, she has been the starting goalie since she played in middle school, to date her and her team have had 1 loss since middle school, she is great and loves the position. I would like to get her in a goalie camp to make her even better. What is the best women goalie camp?

Jonathan Writes:

Rande the best "womens" camp is a "mens" one. Seriously.

I'm not sure of the best womens camp at this point as I tend not to be affiated with. But I can tell you that Rich Barnes runs a camp in upstate New York. He was my coach back in the day and is a fantastic coach. Now my recommendation would be to make it a bit of a family vacation and go up there with your daughter and stay in a hotel.

Your daughter will be challenged by all the shots from the boys and when she goes back to her girls team she'll think it's easy. From a technical perspective there is no difference. If I were to send my daughter to a camp that is what I would do. I haven't yet because she's only nine weeks old but I do have her on a wait list. :)

You may want to search on the NCAA.org site and look at the most recent collegiate all americans and find out what schools they went to. Look for the goalies and see what schools they went to and then search to see if those schools are putting on any camps. Now I don' always feel that a good goalie can be a great coach but your daughter will learn a ton and will be pretty inspired being around such a high quality goalie that a lot of good things are bound to rub off. That would be my recommendation.

Let me know what you decide. I'm curious to what route you take.

Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com

How Should Young Female Lacrosse Goalies String Their Sticks? (Boys should read this too!)

Question: Micaela from Minnesota writes:

Hello...
I'm a high school girls goalie coach and was wondering what stringing style my girls should be using?? I recommended soft mesh because they are both beginners - I used soft mesh myself in high school and college at UWEC and it worked fine for me (I was an All American as well). We're in Minnesota so there aren't many lax places we can go to for stringing - both girls currently have hard mesh which is really hard for them to control at all - don't get me started on clearing! There are two guys in the metro that can restring sticks so that we don't have to send them out east -- one of them won't restring to soft mesh for them - the other wants to know what kind of stringing style they want - what should I tell him? Our season starts in a couple weeks and it only lasts about a month so I'd like to get it done soon. Thanks!

Answer:

Micaela sorry for the delay in the response of this email. We just had a baby and things have been really nuts so I'm a bit backlogged.

You're in a tough situation. I've noticed with girls that one of the limiting factors for stickhandling ability is hand and wrist strength. If you give them a shallow pocket they will be able to throw further but any sort of cradling is iffy at best. Give them a really deep pocket and they can't move the stick well enough to get any distance on the ball.

My experience with soft mesh is that it creates a lot of rebounds because it can be really springy. And once it gets wet it shrinks up like a teaspoon. Being in Minnesota you're going to have some wet days due to late snow unless you're playing inside all the time. But even then, one wet day and you're hooped.

When he asks for stringing "style" I'm not sure what he means by that. He may just mean deep or shallow. Just ask what he means and don't be embarassed. Communication is key in just about everything.

I'm a big believer in having a stick that allows girls to throw a decent distance over being able to cradle with it. My experience has shown me that most girls aren't strong enough to handle a stick with a really deep pocket. If you work with your team on clearing then she should have plenty of time to find the open teammate on the clear with a nice, well thought out pass. If your team is shaky on clearing then you aren't giving them much of a chance to clear anyway.

My suggestion would be to sting up those sticks with hard mesh and slightly shallow. When I say shallow I mean put a deep pocket in it and then tighten up the sidewalls. Leave the string at the throat of the stick as loose as possible without leaving a hole for the ball to go through.

Then have the girls work on upper body strength. I've had great results teaching girls a simple proper push up with great form. If you email me I can tell you more about that. My email is on my blog.

By increasing their upper body strength you are now helping them in a number of areas, not just throwing the ball and handling the stick.

Hopefully that helps Micaela. Email me if you need anything else.

Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com

Big Brother Wants To Help Lil Sis Become A Better Lacrosse Goalie

Intro; Man what a great email I got from Adam in a location in the central US (I'm keeping the exact location a secret to protect the innocent. The short of it is that he wants to help his sister get better but it looks like her coaches are a bit clueless as to how to be a goalie. So I sent him an email back answering all his questions. What I did was pasted my answers back to him through the email he sent me. It's a good read if you can get through it. If anyone else has questions like this please just email so I can help.

Coaches: Make sure you've got your thoughts right before you work with goalies. I know it can be hard, but in this example I think we have some overly confused coaches who may really be hurting their team in general and this goalie in particular. Please send me questions if you need clarification. There is no such thing as a stupid question.


Here's My Response To The Email

Jonathan -

Adam my responses are below. Thanks again for writing. By being your sisters coach you're going to learn a ton yourself. They say that if you want to become an expert in anything you should learn how to teach it. So good on your for becoming a teacher.

----- Original Message -----
From: (Name and email address witheld)
Date: Sunday, March 23, 2008 6:22 pm
Subject: RE: differences between boy's and girl's goalkeeping
To: JONATHAN EDWARDS

>
> Jon
> I play in (City State witheld). normally I wouldn't care and
> would just accept that the girls sport is different, but I know
> that her team is not very good, so I don't trust them.

+++When things are new to people they tend to take whatever they hear and apply it no matter what the source. Also, they might misunderstand things along the way and end up teaching the wrong things even though they think it's right. There is a great saying that I tend to remind myself of and that is this, "The worst position in the World to be in is to think you know that you know, but you really don't know." You might want to read that a couple of times so it sinks in.
>
> first off, they were having her hold her stick at the bottom of
> the shaft instead of at the head. I don't know the logic
> behind it, but they say it works better, I think she just looks
> like a retard. I think I have her convinced to change
> that, but it would be helpful to get confirmation that I'm
> right.

Ok here's a great drill just to test that theory out. Have your sister get in her stance with her hands at the end of the stick. Now take a ball in your hand and hold it. Now take your hand with the ball in it and pretend like it's a shot coming at her. (The ball doesn't leave your hand. Do this in slow motion.) Now take your hand with the ball and have the ball go to her off stick hip. Have her try and catch it with the head of the stick. There is no way she'll get it. Now do that to a bunch of different positions. She'll be able to get the ones to stick side high. And maybe off stick high. Even the low shots. But anything near the body she will have no chance on. This should prove to her that holding the stick down low on the shaft is not a good idea.

As for looking like a retard I can't help her there. Those are bigger issues. But hopefully they are helped by holding the stick at the throat. Just FYI, the top hand goes right to the plastic. The bottom hand should be a shoulders width distance from the top hand. The reason it goes right to the plastic is now it's like a big baseball glove. It's an extension of that top hand and you should always think about getting that top hand to the ball first.

>
> The biggest differences are in stringing and throwing.
> They have her string it like a tennis racket, with almost no
> pocket. She's new so she doesn't know, but there aren't
> pocket depth requirements in girls lax are there?

+++In the girls rule book that you can download for free at NCAA.org it doesn't say anything about depth of stick. It does however talk about depth of stick for any other stick. Her coaches may have it confused but she should have some depth in that stick. Now I'll be honest, I've always assumed you can have depth in a girls stick. If there has been a rule change I don't know about you'll have to double check but I don't think so.++++++++++

but the
> main reason it seems that she is stringing it that way is so she
> can throw it, she's having trouble throwing with the big stick,
> so she flings it with her waist. any ideas on how to get
> her to throw....like a man, the full overhand way you have to
> throw with the big stick.

+++This is a very valid reason. Most girls are simply not strong enough in the wrists and forearms t throw with a deep pocket. Heck, most young guys aren't able to throw with a big pocket so by having a shallower pocket she will be able to throw further but she'll have no control of the ball in the stick.

As far as ideas to get her to throw like a man...strength train. Seriously, get her in the gym. You too. You guys can train together.

One of the best ways to teach anyone how to throw a lacrosse ball with a stick better is to have them throw a ball without the stick. If you guys have some baseball gloves this is what you do, start on your knees facing each other and throw back and forth. By taking the legs out of it you really see how weak you are. Then you lift one leg up so you are on one knee and one foot. (The up leg should be the one opposite your top hand. If you're a righty then your left leg is up bent at ninety degrees.) Then you stand and take a step. By getting the legs into it you'll really notice how far the ball can travel. If she's just throwing with her wrists she's not using a lot of the power that comes from our legs when we throw.++++++++++++++
>
> As far as stepping to and reading shots, we're obviously a long
> way from that, but if there are any tips you can give me as to
> how to teach her to play, I think I have the basic athletic
> stance with her, but does she need to walk an arc or is it just
> like hockey where you square up with the shooter all the
> time. and what are the major rule differences I need to be
> aware of.

++++++++++Ok, as for rules I think it would really help you to read the girls rulebook at NCAA.org. Just go to Spring Sports > Womens Lacrosse> 2008 Rulebook. One major rule to note is that once they leave the crease they are just like any other player.

As far as teaching her to play you are on the right track. My recommendations to most goalies at this stage is to focus on being an athlete first, and a goalie second. If we can make her stronger, and more aggressive then she'll be better. Also, she has to be well protected. She has to feel safe and unafraid of the ball to be able to focus on the ball at all times. If she's fearful and not enjoying herself then she won't be a good goalie as you would if you felt the same way.

She should walk an arc as well. She needs to be square to the shooter of course. The best thing you can do is to shoot on her in a stress free environment and focus on moving properly to the ball. When you shoot on her do this, take all the shots for the whole shooting session at the same place. Every single one. Pick a new spot every day but only shoot to that one spot. This way she can focus on moving properly. What you're doing is wiring in the right moves over and over and over again. That way in a game, when the shot comes, she'll be able to move without thinking.+++++++


Hope that helps Adam. If your sister, or her coaches need any guidance send them to the blog. They can email me any questions they may have. Great to hear from you again and good luck. Stay in touch and let me know how it goes.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Edwards -
www.LacrosseGoaltending.blogspot.com

Question: Molly writes: All the shots that are taken at me are at my knees. Are there any goalie knee pads? Also, how far out of the cage can a goalie go? And should I stand crouched down? Or standing straight up? I've got a ton of questions, is there just a book I can buy that can help me out? Thanks!

Answer: Hey there Molly. Congrats on playing the best position in lacrosse!!

Here are some answers to your questions.

They don't make a goalie knee pad for lacrosse. But what you can do while your learning is to where some baseball catcher shin quards under a pair of sweatpants. This will protect you from the top of the knees down to your feet.

You can also wear football pants under some sweats as well. They have a thigh pad, and a knee pad, but no shin protection.

You can go out as far as you want from the goal. There is no restriction. However, I recommend that you stay roughly a big step off the goal line when the shooter is away from the cage. And then on the goal line when the shooter is in very tight to the goal.

You should take a stance that we call an "athletic" stance. Goalies also call this a "ready" stance. Your ankles knees and hips are all bent. Your shoulders are just infront of your hips and your hands are in front of you. Similar to a basketball player on defense. A baseball player waiting for the hitter to hit the ball to them. Or a tennis player waiting to hit the ball back across the net. (Just to give you a few examples.) This will give you the best chance to move to the ball.

You're going to stop a lot of shots right now with your body. That is why it is very important to have enough padding so that you feel protected and safe if you take one off the body. As you improve you'll catch more balls with your stick.

For more questions answered you can check out my blog at www.LacrosseGoaltending.Blogspot.com. I am also working on an ebook specifically for goalies. If you send me your email address I can send you a couple of early chapters that should help.

Also, when you send me your email address just send me a list of all of your questions too. I probably have most of them answered already and I can send them on to you. Otherwise I'll make sure I cover those questions in my ebook.

Thanks for writing Molly. My email address is jone94@shaw.ca. Talk to you soon!

Jonathan -
www.LacrosseGoaltending.blogspot.com

What Kind of Mesh Should I Use?

I got a question via email recently from a dad whose daughter is going to play D1 ball and he was curious as to what mesh was better for her. 16 Diamond hard mesh? Or 12 diamond hard mesh. Although I don't give a specific answer I'll give you my guidelines for choosing any type of mesh for your stick.



Couple of things first: When we look to string a goalie stick there are two main things we have to consider:

First: We want to be able to catch the hardest of shots and not give up rebounds.

Second: We need to be able to cradle the ball if we have to run out of the net.

Ok, three things: We need to be able to pass the ball.

For all three of these things it's important that we have as light a stick as possible. With technology stick head design has come a long way and heads are getting lighter.

With mesh we now have options for the size and amount of mesh in the pocket (i.e. 16d, 10d etc.) So when we consider what is a better mesh we need to keep this in mind. 16d mesh is fine, but obviously 12d is less "stuff" It therefore is slightly lighter especially in wet conditions. Less mesh means less mesh to soak up water when it gets wet.

So when it comes to actually moving to the ball and making the save it's important to have a light stick so we require less strength to move it quickly.

Now when it comes to catching the ball and cradling, we can string up a super-deep pocket that acts like a lobster trap when any ball hits it. And we can do this with any type of mesh. But the trade off goes with my third point which is passing the ball. We need to find a balance between having a deep enough pocket and having a pocket that allows us to make accurate passes with some distance to them.

This is where I'm going to go a little off course for you. Your daughter has already noticed a difference in her own playing style as she's gotten older. I will make an assumption that she has gotten stronger physically. This is a big deal and something that can affect what type of mesh you go with. Most of my female athletes (I'm a strength and conditioning coach as well) have incredibly weak hands compared to the rest of their body. As your daughters hand and forearm strength improves she will notice that playing with the 16d is easier.

I have incredibly weak hands myself due to some chronic neck injuries so I've always noticed a difference in the mesh I use. 16d is a little tougher to cradle with but easier to pass with. 12d holds the ball better in the pocket while cradling and running out of the cage but it can take more of a wind up to get a good pass off. And if you're running and you need a big wind up to get a pass off you're likely to drop the ball or get checked. But if you've got the hand strength you need less of a wind up. Hopefully that makes sense.

So what I have done personally is string up two sticks. They are both STX Eclipse heads. One has the 16d mesh and the other has the 12d. I've been using this set up now for two years. I find the 16d is easier to throw with, especially long passes. And even though it gets very heavy in the rain I find that the mesh doesn't "bag"out or get really deep and tough to throw with. I then make the trade off for weight oer the ability to make better passes in wet conditions.

The 12d pocket holds the ball really well and I can make huge stick fakes to throw off attakers when we clear the ball. It is a little tougher to throw with because it gets more of a lip at the top of the stick. With strong hands this isn't a problem. But with weaker ones it can be. When the 12d gets wet however the pocket tends to get VERY deep and tough to throw with. So that's when I go with the 16d. I think if I can find a way to adjust that stick fast enough I just might tighten up the pocket and try and use it in the rain. I just haven't had the time or circumstances to test that.

Your say your daughter hasn't tried a stick with wider sidewall lacing but doesn't like them. George that's like not letting her eat brussel sprouts! George Carlin once joked that his mom always said, "How do you know you don't like them if you've never even tried them?" I know what she means though. I don't like them either. Back when I was in high school the only way to get a deep enough pocket in a goalie stick was to have that extra sidewall lacing. So you can let her know that even though she doesn't like the look it may give her a deeper pocket if she needs it.

With todays mesh you can pretty much string it tight to the sidewalls and go with it. Very easy to string. But if you need more depth in the pocket you loosen up the sidewalls to get more depth.

So finally, have her work on her hand and forearm strength. This will really help her with all facets of her game. Saves. Passing. You name it.