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
Showing posts with label lacrosse goaltending. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lacrosse goaltending. Show all posts
Monday, March 9, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
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?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
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 -
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 -
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 -
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Bobby's Got Some Bounce Shot Questions. Stepping. Etc.
Question:
Hey Jon, It is Bobby again. I just have a couple more questions. (I asked about
the Mesh, not too long ago). So Im in this winter league and it started off
really well, but recently its been awful, It is much smaller fields, so you can
crank shots from the mid line and still get a goal on a bad goalie. I normally
don't play on turf like this but for this league I do. I was in goal off to a good
start last week. We were playing one of the top Teams Varsity with 3 middies,
2 attacks and three D. (its a 7 v 7 league) with 2 subs. The games are usually
very fast and high scoring. But it was 3-1 us at the half, and then i was in
goal, and this kid threw a crank at me and I suspected it would just bounce
up, but it didn't, it just rolled between my legs and went in. I was in disbelief.
I was so upset with my self, next play, their captain shoots it top left and i
miss completely. And for the next couple plays, they start bouncing them in
front of me (10 feet) and now their bouncing like Crazy. I really have trouble
with those outside shots. And the ones that are right in front of me. (only in
this league). I just have a question on what to do on those far outside shots
because they just bounce over my head.
Also, any tips on how i should be saving low shots (not bounce), because i
don't feel like i am getting low enough, but i cant fix it. Any tips for that.
Also, I don't feel like I am fast enough.60% on a missed shot, i beet the
attack, but a lot of the time i don't. Any tips on speed and power.
One last thing. Any tips on stepping to the ball?
Thanks
My Answer:Hey there Bobby! Man I never got your first question so sorry this took so long.
This is super-easy to fix. You're just not judging those outside shots correctly. Two things:
1) You need to be more aggressive and think of yourself as a catcher in baseball and not a lacrosse goalie. You need to drop the hips. Get your head down and over the ball. And your hands waaay out in front of you. Your goal here is to snuff the ball and not try to pick it clean with your stick. Especially if the turf is a little weird which this sounds like it may be. Does that make sense? Your saves on those shots are going to be ugly so make sure you've got enough padding on you so that you feel confident blocking them with your body just in case.
2) You need more practice on those types of shots. Your next warm up just work on those types of shots. Spend all your time on them. This league doesn't matter for you as much as the real season does so get some work done and work on those shots. If you don't spend a lot of time on that surface don't worry about them too much. You're a good goalie. You'll be fine long-term so don't sweat it.
Ont the low shots...rule #1. Never ever ever say "I can't" Got it? Seriously. If you think you can't guess what? You're right. Think about how you can fix it. By your question I know you already know the answer. Drop your hips. Bend the knees. And read back to #1 above. It's the same answer.
Speed and Power? Get in the gym man. Fall in love with training. Get bigger, faster, and stronger in the gym and you will be a better goalie.
Any tips on stepping to the ball? Yes, it's overrated. Just be agressive and lead with the hands and the head. Where they go the body will follow. By getting stronger in the gym you'll be better at stepping to the ball as well.
Kick ass Bobby. Let me know if you need more help. Get your butt over to the forum too and sign up. www.Lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
I can answer your questions over there as well.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.yourbestlacrosse.blogspot.com
Hey Jon, It is Bobby again. I just have a couple more questions. (I asked about
the Mesh, not too long ago). So Im in this winter league and it started off
really well, but recently its been awful, It is much smaller fields, so you can
crank shots from the mid line and still get a goal on a bad goalie. I normally
don't play on turf like this but for this league I do. I was in goal off to a good
start last week. We were playing one of the top Teams Varsity with 3 middies,
2 attacks and three D. (its a 7 v 7 league) with 2 subs. The games are usually
very fast and high scoring. But it was 3-1 us at the half, and then i was in
goal, and this kid threw a crank at me and I suspected it would just bounce
up, but it didn't, it just rolled between my legs and went in. I was in disbelief.
I was so upset with my self, next play, their captain shoots it top left and i
miss completely. And for the next couple plays, they start bouncing them in
front of me (10 feet) and now their bouncing like Crazy. I really have trouble
with those outside shots. And the ones that are right in front of me. (only in
this league). I just have a question on what to do on those far outside shots
because they just bounce over my head.
Also, any tips on how i should be saving low shots (not bounce), because i
don't feel like i am getting low enough, but i cant fix it. Any tips for that.
Also, I don't feel like I am fast enough.60% on a missed shot, i beet the
attack, but a lot of the time i don't. Any tips on speed and power.
One last thing. Any tips on stepping to the ball?
Thanks
My Answer:Hey there Bobby! Man I never got your first question so sorry this took so long.
This is super-easy to fix. You're just not judging those outside shots correctly. Two things:
1) You need to be more aggressive and think of yourself as a catcher in baseball and not a lacrosse goalie. You need to drop the hips. Get your head down and over the ball. And your hands waaay out in front of you. Your goal here is to snuff the ball and not try to pick it clean with your stick. Especially if the turf is a little weird which this sounds like it may be. Does that make sense? Your saves on those shots are going to be ugly so make sure you've got enough padding on you so that you feel confident blocking them with your body just in case.
2) You need more practice on those types of shots. Your next warm up just work on those types of shots. Spend all your time on them. This league doesn't matter for you as much as the real season does so get some work done and work on those shots. If you don't spend a lot of time on that surface don't worry about them too much. You're a good goalie. You'll be fine long-term so don't sweat it.
Ont the low shots...rule #1. Never ever ever say "I can't" Got it? Seriously. If you think you can't guess what? You're right. Think about how you can fix it. By your question I know you already know the answer. Drop your hips. Bend the knees. And read back to #1 above. It's the same answer.
Speed and Power? Get in the gym man. Fall in love with training. Get bigger, faster, and stronger in the gym and you will be a better goalie.
Any tips on stepping to the ball? Yes, it's overrated. Just be agressive and lead with the hands and the head. Where they go the body will follow. By getting stronger in the gym you'll be better at stepping to the ball as well.
Kick ass Bobby. Let me know if you need more help. Get your butt over to the forum too and sign up. www.Lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
I can answer your questions over there as well.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.yourbestlacrosse.blogspot.com
Is Playing Indoors Hurting My Outdoor Game?
If you play in a northern climate you're probably playing indoors right now and for lacrosse goalies this can be a problem. A couple things to consider.
1) If you are playing box lacrosse and you're wearing all the equipment this can actually be a good thing. By padding up you're now more focused on the ball and the stick of the offensive player than you are on getting hurt with the ball. So I'm a fan of that.
2) I'm not totally a fan of playing in front of a 4'x4' cage. Your stance is really different. Your stick is between your legs. It doesn't have a great carryover to the field game. But back to point #1 I think those benefits can outweigh the negatives of #2.
3) If you are playing in front of a field net indoors you are probably getting shot on from really close range which may NOT be good for you. If you're in a field house you're probably ok. If you're in a hockey rink...probably too close. Remember progression. If the shooters are too close and you're worried about getting hurt probably not the best position to be in. Get on some more equipment if you need tol
4) The advantage of playing indoors is that the players feel like they are right on top of you and the ball seems to move a bit faster indoors. Once you go outside with all that open air you'll notice that you've got more time to react to the ball. Instead of feeling claustrophobic you'll feel more in control.
Good luck and let me know how things are going for you!
1) If you are playing box lacrosse and you're wearing all the equipment this can actually be a good thing. By padding up you're now more focused on the ball and the stick of the offensive player than you are on getting hurt with the ball. So I'm a fan of that.
2) I'm not totally a fan of playing in front of a 4'x4' cage. Your stance is really different. Your stick is between your legs. It doesn't have a great carryover to the field game. But back to point #1 I think those benefits can outweigh the negatives of #2.
3) If you are playing in front of a field net indoors you are probably getting shot on from really close range which may NOT be good for you. If you're in a field house you're probably ok. If you're in a hockey rink...probably too close. Remember progression. If the shooters are too close and you're worried about getting hurt probably not the best position to be in. Get on some more equipment if you need tol
4) The advantage of playing indoors is that the players feel like they are right on top of you and the ball seems to move a bit faster indoors. Once you go outside with all that open air you'll notice that you've got more time to react to the ball. Instead of feeling claustrophobic you'll feel more in control.
Good luck and let me know how things are going for you!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
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 -
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 -
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
Thursday, December 11, 2008
New York Lacrosse Goalie Needs Some Answers Aboout His Mesh
Question: Jonathon
I am a goalie that is in the winter before the season of my sophomore year. As a freshman, I played well, but noticed a weak point in my game, clearing and stick control. After each save, depending on where i made the save, I normally picked it off the ground and looked for an outlet and if i didn't find it, made my way out the back. I was in my winter league last Saturday with the same routine when I was walking the ball up the field, i started to make progress when i got stick checked and I dropped the ball, i managed to keep the ball out of the net for the rest of the drive, bit in the process, i got nailed in the knee by a stick check. I use monster mesh wish a small pocket, and i think that it is the problem. I have an eclipse also. I was wondering what kind of mesh is great for ball control and the pocket size for that. I wash looking for a mesh that i could bomb the ball down the field with, but also keeping control in a deep pocket. I'm 5'10 180 and i play in New York.
Answer: Hey Bobby. Thanks for the question.
The first thing that sticks out to me has nothing to do with your stick at all. It's getting checked.
You mentioned in this question that you were "walking up the field". Now I can't tell if this was a controlled clear after a save or not. For example, you were unable to make the pass during the four seconds so you went out the back and then were heading up field with it. When you do this your team has the advantage. You have one extra player now that you are in the mix. In order to get checked someone was out of position and/or wasn't open and/or you did a horrible job of not recognizing who to pass to.
Clearing the ball is a team game. And in order for it to be successful everyone needs to know their role and be in position. It doesn't seem that was happening on this clear. So you have to decide what it was and try and fix that first because the type of mesh you have in your stick is irrelevant if you are getting checked on the ride with no one to pass to.
All that said, my take on mesh is this, it's not the mesh that makes the difference...it's your hands. As you get better you will realize that you can play with any stick. With a couple of saves and passes your hands will adjust to whatever stick you are using. Granted, you will have your favorites, and you will pick up sticks that are just garbage, but your hands will adjust to whatever stick you decide to use.
You've got great height and weight for your age. So you will be able to get away with using a deeper pocket. I am NOT a fan of monster mesh unless you are playing indoors or in really dry conditions where it doesn't rain. In New York it can rain and that monster mesh gets really baggy. My recommendation is NOT the Monster, and not the Mini, but the ones in between. I find that it gives you the greatest bang for the buck. It works in most field conditions. I run two sticks. They are both Eclipses. I have one strung with the mini mesh for when it gets really wet because it tends to bag out just enough to be perfect. I have the average mesh in the other which I play with most of the time.
Bombing the ball down field will be mostly based on your strength levels and how much whip you have on the stick. Again, the mesh by itself won't make a difference. In high school I used a very shallow pocket. Wasn't great for dodging but in today's game you shouldn't need to do that much so your primary role for your stick is to make saves and not to give up rebounds. Your shouldn't be stringing your stick to fake or dodge. That should be an afterthought.
Hope that helps Bobby. I've posted this answer on my blog so you can take a look there as well. Stay in touch and let me know how things go.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
I am a goalie that is in the winter before the season of my sophomore year. As a freshman, I played well, but noticed a weak point in my game, clearing and stick control. After each save, depending on where i made the save, I normally picked it off the ground and looked for an outlet and if i didn't find it, made my way out the back. I was in my winter league last Saturday with the same routine when I was walking the ball up the field, i started to make progress when i got stick checked and I dropped the ball, i managed to keep the ball out of the net for the rest of the drive, bit in the process, i got nailed in the knee by a stick check. I use monster mesh wish a small pocket, and i think that it is the problem. I have an eclipse also. I was wondering what kind of mesh is great for ball control and the pocket size for that. I wash looking for a mesh that i could bomb the ball down the field with, but also keeping control in a deep pocket. I'm 5'10 180 and i play in New York.
Answer: Hey Bobby. Thanks for the question.
The first thing that sticks out to me has nothing to do with your stick at all. It's getting checked.
You mentioned in this question that you were "walking up the field". Now I can't tell if this was a controlled clear after a save or not. For example, you were unable to make the pass during the four seconds so you went out the back and then were heading up field with it. When you do this your team has the advantage. You have one extra player now that you are in the mix. In order to get checked someone was out of position and/or wasn't open and/or you did a horrible job of not recognizing who to pass to.
Clearing the ball is a team game. And in order for it to be successful everyone needs to know their role and be in position. It doesn't seem that was happening on this clear. So you have to decide what it was and try and fix that first because the type of mesh you have in your stick is irrelevant if you are getting checked on the ride with no one to pass to.
All that said, my take on mesh is this, it's not the mesh that makes the difference...it's your hands. As you get better you will realize that you can play with any stick. With a couple of saves and passes your hands will adjust to whatever stick you are using. Granted, you will have your favorites, and you will pick up sticks that are just garbage, but your hands will adjust to whatever stick you decide to use.
You've got great height and weight for your age. So you will be able to get away with using a deeper pocket. I am NOT a fan of monster mesh unless you are playing indoors or in really dry conditions where it doesn't rain. In New York it can rain and that monster mesh gets really baggy. My recommendation is NOT the Monster, and not the Mini, but the ones in between. I find that it gives you the greatest bang for the buck. It works in most field conditions. I run two sticks. They are both Eclipses. I have one strung with the mini mesh for when it gets really wet because it tends to bag out just enough to be perfect. I have the average mesh in the other which I play with most of the time.
Bombing the ball down field will be mostly based on your strength levels and how much whip you have on the stick. Again, the mesh by itself won't make a difference. In high school I used a very shallow pocket. Wasn't great for dodging but in today's game you shouldn't need to do that much so your primary role for your stick is to make saves and not to give up rebounds. Your shouldn't be stringing your stick to fake or dodge. That should be an afterthought.
Hope that helps Bobby. I've posted this answer on my blog so you can take a look there as well. Stay in touch and let me know how things go.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
www.lacrossegoaltendingforum.com
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Lacrosse Goalie Stick Pocket Is Off-Center. Why?
Question: When I pass or clear the ball my pocket is off centered. Instead of both sides of my mesh sloping one slopes and the other one is at a 90 degree angle. i dont know how to get rid of it. can you help?
Answer: Alex the most common reason for that to happen is that the mesh is actually strung off-center. If you look carefully and follow the diamonds across the mesh from one side to the other you may find that one side of is strung higher than the other. The way you are describing this situation it sounds like that is the problem.
If it's not you may just have some bad mesh. Mesh is woven in big machines and sometimes there is a "splice" where two ends are sewn together. That may be in your mesh too. Ot the mesh just might be off.
Check out those two things and let me know what you find. If it is neither you may just need to go buy some new mesh and string it up again.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
Answer: Alex the most common reason for that to happen is that the mesh is actually strung off-center. If you look carefully and follow the diamonds across the mesh from one side to the other you may find that one side of is strung higher than the other. The way you are describing this situation it sounds like that is the problem.
If it's not you may just have some bad mesh. Mesh is woven in big machines and sometimes there is a "splice" where two ends are sewn together. That may be in your mesh too. Ot the mesh just might be off.
Check out those two things and let me know what you find. If it is neither you may just need to go buy some new mesh and string it up again.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.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 -
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
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
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
Monday, June 9, 2008
Review of UVA Goalie Bud Petit in Semi-Final v. Syracuse
These are my thoughts on the first half saves of Bud Petit for UVA in the Semi's this year.
I'm going to start off by saying that it's always easy to critique a goalie after the fact. There are so many things going on in a game. So many distractions. So it's easy to nitpick when really a great save just isn't possible. I always try to give a goalie the benefit of the doubt.
Some early thoughts: In the first half of the game Bud was simply awesome. I think at the end of the first quarter he had five saves. The Syracuse goalie had one. Syracuse just dominated the faceoffs and had a ton of shots. If it weren't for Bud's great play UVA would have been in a hole. A really deep hole. Like a grave sort of hole.
These times are from the first quarter:
12:35 Bud makes a great save with his right knee or his shin. Wasn't pretty but it doesn't have to be. Get something on the ball. Anything so that it doesn't go in. Great save in my opinion.
9:20 Question mark dodge by Leveille ends up in a goal. Upon review it looks to me like Bud needed to take about a quarter step off the near pipe. He was giving the shooter far side but the shooter had too much to shoot at and Bud couldn't get there fast enough. If he had stepped about a quarter step off the pipe he would have improved his angle without giving up a shot to the near side pipe.
8:23 Another goal. This is a tough one. The ball still went to the far side and Bud just couldn't get there in time. When a shot is coming from so close you need to respect that the ball can go anywhere but you need to know where the percentages are. The odds are the shooter is going to go far side because that is what he sees more of. So you have to play the odds and explode far side. Bud just didn't get there in time but the shot is coming from so close that's hard to do.
5:26 TV angle is tough to tell what really happened here. But it looks to me like Bud made a great body save just trying to get something on the ball. Nice job staying with it.
5:14 Beautiful one on one save. Just stayed patient. Didn't over commit to any fakes and followed the shooter. Got his hands and stick to the ball once the shot was taken. Fantastic save.
4:34 Syracuse hits the pipe. This is always a sign to me that the offensive side is a little snake bit. They are trying to be too perfect and they ring one off the pipe. Bud has made some great saves and now Syracuse is trying to sneak them in just inside the pipe and now they are missing. Shots that hit the pipe are not luck for the goalie, they are a sign that the goalie is good enough to scare the shooters into trying to pick corners. Nice job Bud.
:56 Save. Bud gets down to his knees to make this save but he hits his knees AFTER he gets his hands to the ball. Dropping to his knees is result of moving explosively to the ball with his hands. He does not drop to his knees to make the save, it is the after effects of moving so explosively too the ball.
All in all a fantastic Quarter for Bud Petit. He really kept UVA in the game at this point. One hell of a lacrosse goalie.
I'm going to start off by saying that it's always easy to critique a goalie after the fact. There are so many things going on in a game. So many distractions. So it's easy to nitpick when really a great save just isn't possible. I always try to give a goalie the benefit of the doubt.
Some early thoughts: In the first half of the game Bud was simply awesome. I think at the end of the first quarter he had five saves. The Syracuse goalie had one. Syracuse just dominated the faceoffs and had a ton of shots. If it weren't for Bud's great play UVA would have been in a hole. A really deep hole. Like a grave sort of hole.
These times are from the first quarter:
12:35 Bud makes a great save with his right knee or his shin. Wasn't pretty but it doesn't have to be. Get something on the ball. Anything so that it doesn't go in. Great save in my opinion.
9:20 Question mark dodge by Leveille ends up in a goal. Upon review it looks to me like Bud needed to take about a quarter step off the near pipe. He was giving the shooter far side but the shooter had too much to shoot at and Bud couldn't get there fast enough. If he had stepped about a quarter step off the pipe he would have improved his angle without giving up a shot to the near side pipe.
8:23 Another goal. This is a tough one. The ball still went to the far side and Bud just couldn't get there in time. When a shot is coming from so close you need to respect that the ball can go anywhere but you need to know where the percentages are. The odds are the shooter is going to go far side because that is what he sees more of. So you have to play the odds and explode far side. Bud just didn't get there in time but the shot is coming from so close that's hard to do.
5:26 TV angle is tough to tell what really happened here. But it looks to me like Bud made a great body save just trying to get something on the ball. Nice job staying with it.
5:14 Beautiful one on one save. Just stayed patient. Didn't over commit to any fakes and followed the shooter. Got his hands and stick to the ball once the shot was taken. Fantastic save.
4:34 Syracuse hits the pipe. This is always a sign to me that the offensive side is a little snake bit. They are trying to be too perfect and they ring one off the pipe. Bud has made some great saves and now Syracuse is trying to sneak them in just inside the pipe and now they are missing. Shots that hit the pipe are not luck for the goalie, they are a sign that the goalie is good enough to scare the shooters into trying to pick corners. Nice job Bud.
:56 Save. Bud gets down to his knees to make this save but he hits his knees AFTER he gets his hands to the ball. Dropping to his knees is result of moving explosively to the ball with his hands. He does not drop to his knees to make the save, it is the after effects of moving so explosively too the ball.
All in all a fantastic Quarter for Bud Petit. He really kept UVA in the game at this point. One hell of a lacrosse goalie.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Should I Lotion My Pocket? How Do I Keep My Mesh From Breaking?
Question: Ryan from Virginia writes: Hey I play for a high school in northern Va and I am planning on restringing my eclipse and was wondering what mesh you think is best. I have 12d on now but it broke on the sidewall in my last game. I was thinking about trying hard mesh this time. I've heard putting lotion on hard mesh to soften it and get a large pocket works but i dont want to mess up the mesh, any ideas?
Answer: Hey Ryan. Sorry about UVA this weekend. I used to go to Dom Starsia's camp when he was at Brown so I'm a bit of a closet UVA fan now.
I'd stay with that 12D. You will have much better luck with the hard mesh. No need to soften it with any lotion. Just let it break in and you'll be all set. You'll like the mesh better once it breaks in without the lotion than with the lotion.
As for the sidewall. You probably won't have it wear again with the hard mesh like it did with the soft. You can string it right down the side with one lace OR a more advanced string job goes like this...cut a piece of sidewall lace that is three times the length of the sidewall. Then, take the sidewall lace and weave it up the side of the mesh starting at the bottom and then going all the way to the top. At the top of the mesh bring it over and tie it off on the plastic. Now you should have about a half to two/thirds of the sidewall lace left. String that lace between the plastic and the sidewall lace that you have woven through the mesh. Make sure you are looping it around the lace and NOT the mesh. This will give you an extra bit of give in the pocket and you won't ever bust out the mesh again. In twenty years of playing goal I've never blown out a mesh with this type of string job. It also gives you the ability to get more depth in the pocket but I doubt you'll need it with the 12D hard mesh.
Good luck with that and let me know how it goes. Make sure you check out my goalie blog and sign up for the newsletter. My email is on the front page of the blog.
All the best Ryan. Hey, what school do you play at?
Jonathan-
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
Answer: Hey Ryan. Sorry about UVA this weekend. I used to go to Dom Starsia's camp when he was at Brown so I'm a bit of a closet UVA fan now.
I'd stay with that 12D. You will have much better luck with the hard mesh. No need to soften it with any lotion. Just let it break in and you'll be all set. You'll like the mesh better once it breaks in without the lotion than with the lotion.
As for the sidewall. You probably won't have it wear again with the hard mesh like it did with the soft. You can string it right down the side with one lace OR a more advanced string job goes like this...cut a piece of sidewall lace that is three times the length of the sidewall. Then, take the sidewall lace and weave it up the side of the mesh starting at the bottom and then going all the way to the top. At the top of the mesh bring it over and tie it off on the plastic. Now you should have about a half to two/thirds of the sidewall lace left. String that lace between the plastic and the sidewall lace that you have woven through the mesh. Make sure you are looping it around the lace and NOT the mesh. This will give you an extra bit of give in the pocket and you won't ever bust out the mesh again. In twenty years of playing goal I've never blown out a mesh with this type of string job. It also gives you the ability to get more depth in the pocket but I doubt you'll need it with the 12D hard mesh.
Good luck with that and let me know how it goes. Make sure you check out my goalie blog and sign up for the newsletter. My email is on the front page of the blog.
All the best Ryan. Hey, what school do you play at?
Jonathan-
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Cool Article on Virginia Lacrosse Goalie Bud Petit
Cool article on starting goalie Bud Petit of Virginia at this years final four. He gets a lot of crap about being 24 and finally in his fifth year of college. Personally I don't mind at all and wish more athletes took advantage of the NCAA rules for eligibility. I would have been a 23 year old freshman at Notre Dame after having pursued my Olympic career. Go Bud!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Mom Wants To Know What Lacrosse Stick To Buy For Her New Goalie?
New Lax Mom Writes: Hi, My son is just completing his first season in lacrosse and is in love. He is a goalie and has borrowed his coach's stick this season ( we wanted to make sure he really liked the position before buying another set of lacrosse equipment) and I was hoping to get your suggestions on a shaft and head. I was hoping to spend $150 total since we're also getting him a goal and sending him to lacrosse camp at F&M in Pa. He is tall for his age, about 100 lbs and athletically inclined( he is captain of both his football and lacrosse teams)What should I get him without going overboard but not doing him a disservice? He really wants a custom stringing job in his teams black and red colors which I found at sportsunlimited.Thanks for the help,
A new LAX mom
Answer: Hey there Pam! Welcome to the wonderful world of the goaltending parent. In lacrosse however, the goaltending position is actually cheaper than playing anywhere else ultimately.
My suggestion on the stick is to get an Excalibur head by STX and then go with a very light shaft. I would wait on the goal for this year and buy him a titanium shaft if that is in the budget. It is one of those things where if you spend the money on the titanium now you will never need to buy him another shaft. I STILL have a shaft from high school that I still use. (I'm 36) That's eighteen years of playing with the same shaft. Anything less than titanium and you risk having it break, bend, or crack. Just my thoughts. That would be the ULTIMATE in a stick for your son but then you should never have him asking, "But mooooom (whiny voice) can I puhleeze get (another stick) this year???"
The thing about goalie sticks in general is that they don't change much. Not nearly as much as an attack stick. So if you invest in this stick now you will have to invest less later. The only thing I will warn you about in advance is that he should have two sticks eventually that are identical. That way if he breaks a head or a string in a game he has a back up that is ready to go. I almost feel you would be doing him a disservice with anything else. If you don't want to do the titanium you can buy him a good, inexpensive alloy shaft that will be light but not nearly as durable. The good thing about goalie sticks is that they don't take the abuse as often as other players sticks but if he does get caught out of the cage and gets stick checked then he's fair game for a breakage. I'm trying to save you money in the long run.
So if it's the goal or a cheaper shaft versus a better shaft now and a goal let's say next year then I'd go with the shaft. I would also save on the custom string job and go all white. He'll be bummed but if you have him look at the majority of the best goalies in the country they all have white sticks with white mesh and lacings. I had a custom string job back in high school for about a week untill I broke a lace. Guess what went in the stick? A white lace. Yeah, that looked REALLY cool with my black and orange string job that I spent extra money on. I looked like welfare goalie with the funky string job. If he wants to be a great goalie it starts right now and it starts with a very professional stick. Go all white with the Excalibur head, white hard mesh (10-12diamond) and a titanium shaft. You can do no better now it's up to him to play like a champ. He doesn't need the goal anyway, he's not shooting.
I know what it's like buying equipment for your kids. Will he like it? Will he stick with it? Sounds like your guy is fine and will stick with it. But don't be surprised if your $150 budget is a little low. In the long run you will save a ton of money by spending a little bit more now.
Oh wait. I just read that your son is 11. Skip the titanium for now because he is surely going to grow. Go with an inexpensive alloy that is light. You will be replacing that as he gets taller. Please, please, please don't make the mistake of giving him a long shaft that he can "grow into." That would be a major disservice. You want him to always have a shaft that fits his body. Not seeing him I would recommend a 30-35" shaft on that excalibur head. If he shaft is too long it will affect his play tremendously for the worse. If it's the right length it will help with his throwing mechanics and his movement when making saves.
Hope that helps Pam. Let me know if you need any clarification. My email address is on my blog so please keep me up to date on how your son does. Great job on sending him to a camp. That is one of the best things you can do for him. The more coaching he has at a young age the better he will be. You can always pass my email on to him if he has any question. He can email me directly.
Talk to you soon Pam. And remember, "Goals go in. And if his team was good enough they wouldn't need a goalie." Just some words I like to pass on to the parents.
Best of luck and stay in touch.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
A new LAX mom
Answer: Hey there Pam! Welcome to the wonderful world of the goaltending parent. In lacrosse however, the goaltending position is actually cheaper than playing anywhere else ultimately.
My suggestion on the stick is to get an Excalibur head by STX and then go with a very light shaft. I would wait on the goal for this year and buy him a titanium shaft if that is in the budget. It is one of those things where if you spend the money on the titanium now you will never need to buy him another shaft. I STILL have a shaft from high school that I still use. (I'm 36) That's eighteen years of playing with the same shaft. Anything less than titanium and you risk having it break, bend, or crack. Just my thoughts. That would be the ULTIMATE in a stick for your son but then you should never have him asking, "But mooooom (whiny voice) can I puhleeze get (another stick) this year???"
The thing about goalie sticks in general is that they don't change much. Not nearly as much as an attack stick. So if you invest in this stick now you will have to invest less later. The only thing I will warn you about in advance is that he should have two sticks eventually that are identical. That way if he breaks a head or a string in a game he has a back up that is ready to go. I almost feel you would be doing him a disservice with anything else. If you don't want to do the titanium you can buy him a good, inexpensive alloy shaft that will be light but not nearly as durable. The good thing about goalie sticks is that they don't take the abuse as often as other players sticks but if he does get caught out of the cage and gets stick checked then he's fair game for a breakage. I'm trying to save you money in the long run.
So if it's the goal or a cheaper shaft versus a better shaft now and a goal let's say next year then I'd go with the shaft. I would also save on the custom string job and go all white. He'll be bummed but if you have him look at the majority of the best goalies in the country they all have white sticks with white mesh and lacings. I had a custom string job back in high school for about a week untill I broke a lace. Guess what went in the stick? A white lace. Yeah, that looked REALLY cool with my black and orange string job that I spent extra money on. I looked like welfare goalie with the funky string job. If he wants to be a great goalie it starts right now and it starts with a very professional stick. Go all white with the Excalibur head, white hard mesh (10-12diamond) and a titanium shaft. You can do no better now it's up to him to play like a champ. He doesn't need the goal anyway, he's not shooting.
I know what it's like buying equipment for your kids. Will he like it? Will he stick with it? Sounds like your guy is fine and will stick with it. But don't be surprised if your $150 budget is a little low. In the long run you will save a ton of money by spending a little bit more now.
Oh wait. I just read that your son is 11. Skip the titanium for now because he is surely going to grow. Go with an inexpensive alloy that is light. You will be replacing that as he gets taller. Please, please, please don't make the mistake of giving him a long shaft that he can "grow into." That would be a major disservice. You want him to always have a shaft that fits his body. Not seeing him I would recommend a 30-35" shaft on that excalibur head. If he shaft is too long it will affect his play tremendously for the worse. If it's the right length it will help with his throwing mechanics and his movement when making saves.
Hope that helps Pam. Let me know if you need any clarification. My email address is on my blog so please keep me up to date on how your son does. Great job on sending him to a camp. That is one of the best things you can do for him. The more coaching he has at a young age the better he will be. You can always pass my email on to him if he has any question. He can email me directly.
Talk to you soon Pam. And remember, "Goals go in. And if his team was good enough they wouldn't need a goalie." Just some words I like to pass on to the parents.
Best of luck and stay in touch.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Problems Clearing The Ball for this Lacrosse Goalie. Stick Help
I got a great question the other day from Al. If you're having problems with your clearing this article will help you.
Question: I am a moderately experienced goalie and my recent season has just ended. the entire season i played on jv and felt as if i was a liability because i have serious clearing issues. I can pass well for moderate distance passes but i just cant clear right. Whenever i try to wind up and launch one i cant it either goes straight up or falls out of my stick or i cant get enough distance. can you help me with my clearing mechanics. I have tried man different styles of clearing but i just cant get the distance i want( my clears only go 35-40 yds) and i think it is holding me back from being a goalie that is reliable enough for varsity play.
Answer: Al it sounds to me like you need a completely different string job in your stick. Or your hands are very inconsistent. Let me explain.
Your comment, "Whenever i try to wind up and launch one i cant it either goes straight up or falls out of my stick" That describes two polar extremes. One happens when you get the ball stuck on the shooting strings as you go to throw, the other happens when you bring the stick too far back in your windup and it rolls off the lip of the stick completely.
Also,"or i cant get enough distance" this usually happens because the mesh in your stick is too sloppy and the ball gets stuck on the lowest shooting string. As it gets hung up there the ball has nowhere to go and it will only come out late in your follow through which sends the ball low.
Let's address the inconsitency issue first. This can happen because of two things. First, you're hands are inconsistent. During the act of throwing your hands aren't picking up the feedback from where the ball sits in the stick as you come through with your throw. In this case you're just throwing but each time the ball is in a different place in the pocket so it comes out differently. The only way to fix this issue is with tons of practice. Tons of wall ball. If this is indeed your problem I would recommend wall ball drills with tennis balls. The lighter ball is harder to feel in the pocket and it should make your hands more sensitive to where the ball is in the pocket prior to throwing.
The other main issue you may be having is the stick itself. The whole stick may be too long for you, or not long enough. (Confused yet?) But more of an issue than that is the pocket itself. It may just not be strung correctly. Without seeing the stick that is tough to answer. You can email me some photos if you'd like. Here are a couple things that may help right away.
1) Make the pocket shallower. That will help with the whip problem.
2) Use the sidewall laces to bring the mesh tighter to the plastic. But just on the top half of the pocket. Where the shooting strings are I like to have the mesh pulled tight from sidewall to sidewall. Then you can loosen the sidewalls for the bottom half of the pocket but not too much.
3) Your top shooting string should be very tight. The next one a little looser and a third one looser still. The ball needs to transition from the mesh over the shooting strings rather easily. If it's getting hung up either the mesh is too loose, or the shooting strings are too loose, or both.
Also, the ball needs to move a little bit as you go to throw. What I mean by that is when you bring the ball back in your wind up it needs to be sitting in the center of the mesh and not resting up against the first shooting string. If it's resting there you are just going to throw it in the ground. The ball needs a little momentum to travel from the mesh and over that first shooting string.
The only remedy to all of these problems is strength. The stronger you are physically the easier it is to throw with a bad stick.
Al I'm proud of your for even asking this question. Most guys wouldn't critique their own game like this and call themselves a "liability." But kudos to you for identifying a weak spot in your game that will hold you back if you don't fix it.
If you want to email me some photos, or if you have video of yourself just email me. My email is on my blog.
Let me know how it goes and let me know if you want me to clarify any of this. I guess that once you read this you'll be able to figure out that certain things make sense and certain things just aren't happening. Stay in touch.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoalending.blogspot.com
Question: I am a moderately experienced goalie and my recent season has just ended. the entire season i played on jv and felt as if i was a liability because i have serious clearing issues. I can pass well for moderate distance passes but i just cant clear right. Whenever i try to wind up and launch one i cant it either goes straight up or falls out of my stick or i cant get enough distance. can you help me with my clearing mechanics. I have tried man different styles of clearing but i just cant get the distance i want( my clears only go 35-40 yds) and i think it is holding me back from being a goalie that is reliable enough for varsity play.
Answer: Al it sounds to me like you need a completely different string job in your stick. Or your hands are very inconsistent. Let me explain.
Your comment, "Whenever i try to wind up and launch one i cant it either goes straight up or falls out of my stick" That describes two polar extremes. One happens when you get the ball stuck on the shooting strings as you go to throw, the other happens when you bring the stick too far back in your windup and it rolls off the lip of the stick completely.
Also,"or i cant get enough distance" this usually happens because the mesh in your stick is too sloppy and the ball gets stuck on the lowest shooting string. As it gets hung up there the ball has nowhere to go and it will only come out late in your follow through which sends the ball low.
Let's address the inconsitency issue first. This can happen because of two things. First, you're hands are inconsistent. During the act of throwing your hands aren't picking up the feedback from where the ball sits in the stick as you come through with your throw. In this case you're just throwing but each time the ball is in a different place in the pocket so it comes out differently. The only way to fix this issue is with tons of practice. Tons of wall ball. If this is indeed your problem I would recommend wall ball drills with tennis balls. The lighter ball is harder to feel in the pocket and it should make your hands more sensitive to where the ball is in the pocket prior to throwing.
The other main issue you may be having is the stick itself. The whole stick may be too long for you, or not long enough. (Confused yet?) But more of an issue than that is the pocket itself. It may just not be strung correctly. Without seeing the stick that is tough to answer. You can email me some photos if you'd like. Here are a couple things that may help right away.
1) Make the pocket shallower. That will help with the whip problem.
2) Use the sidewall laces to bring the mesh tighter to the plastic. But just on the top half of the pocket. Where the shooting strings are I like to have the mesh pulled tight from sidewall to sidewall. Then you can loosen the sidewalls for the bottom half of the pocket but not too much.
3) Your top shooting string should be very tight. The next one a little looser and a third one looser still. The ball needs to transition from the mesh over the shooting strings rather easily. If it's getting hung up either the mesh is too loose, or the shooting strings are too loose, or both.
Also, the ball needs to move a little bit as you go to throw. What I mean by that is when you bring the ball back in your wind up it needs to be sitting in the center of the mesh and not resting up against the first shooting string. If it's resting there you are just going to throw it in the ground. The ball needs a little momentum to travel from the mesh and over that first shooting string.
The only remedy to all of these problems is strength. The stronger you are physically the easier it is to throw with a bad stick.
Al I'm proud of your for even asking this question. Most guys wouldn't critique their own game like this and call themselves a "liability." But kudos to you for identifying a weak spot in your game that will hold you back if you don't fix it.
If you want to email me some photos, or if you have video of yourself just email me. My email is on my blog.
Let me know how it goes and let me know if you want me to clarify any of this. I guess that once you read this you'll be able to figure out that certain things make sense and certain things just aren't happening. Stay in touch.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoalending.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Correct Stance? Good drills? What's a Good Save Percentage for the Lacrosse Goalie?
Got this question today from Jenna: I just began playing lacrosse this year. I got to (School Witheld) and play on the varsity team as a freshmen. Our team didn't have a goalie and because I play goalie for hockey I decided I'll give it a shot. And I ended up just sticking with it.
My coach keeps telling me to use the vertical stick feet togethet stance. But I tend to use more of a hockey goalie stance. I tend to get beat up high at times, but I am pretty confident with bounce shots, as I tend to do more of a "butterfly" style hockey save. I am about 5'4. What would you suggest for a stance and stick position??
I have read some things that a goalie is supposed to stop the ball with their stick, but also that it really doesn't matter unless you stop the ball.
My teammates tell me that I am one of the best lacrosse goalies that they have had at my school. But I get really frustrated during games and stuff, because I have the mind set of a hockey goalie. We lost our last game 10-4, but I had 39 saves out of 49 shots. I usually have a 70% to 80% save percentage.
What are tips that you can give to a rookie goalie, regarding stance, stick postition, save type, etc??
Do you have any drills that I can work on myself, with a teammate, or even during practice that can help the whole team??
I've read a lot of things from this site and it has all been a great help!!
Keep up the great work with the site.
Jenna
Here's my answer: Hey there Jenna. Thanks for writing. I was a hockey goalie too at one time and I've watched goalies in hockey evolve over the years since I've played. Lacrosse goalies haven't evolved though so hopefully I can share with you some insight that will help.
Ok...as a hockey goalie with a wide butterfly stance you're not going to be making very "pretty" saves. Your coach has an old style stance in mind for you. The answer is to find a happy medium.
When you're in a wide stance you tend not to step to the ball as much as you should. It's just more difficult to do that. So while you're able to drop and get a lot of those low shots you're probably pretty set on your feet and just rotating your stick down to get them.
You're exactly right though...if you're making a save it's a save. You' just don't want to be giving up any rebounds.
I find that when I play my feet get a bit wide and that lowers me in the cage. I'm 5'8" and you're 5'4". But that's if we are standing straight up with our feet together. So for you, you have 8 inches above your head to the cross bar. If you get into a butterfly stance that drops you even lower so there is a lot of net upstairs to cover. To see just how much you need to move your stick to cover the top of the cage do this little exercise:
Stand on the goal line and turn and face the cage. Now get in your stance. Slowly look up without moving your stick. You can even have your coach take a tape measure and measure how far the top of your stick is to the cross bar. Now, without moving your body, reach your stick to the cross bar. Can you reach it? If the answer is no, you now know that no matter what you do a well placed shot is going to beat you. Try to reach to the off-stick high corner with your stick. So reach across your body. You'll have even more net exposed.
Now stand up a little. Move your feet together and see how far your stick is away from the crossbar. Can you make the save if a ball goes that high?
With all that being said, you never want to get too far from your natural stance. As a hockey goalie you have a stance that you work on daily so you're naturally going to want to get back to that stance. What you need to find is a happy medium between the two. What you want to find is your "athletic stance." Head up, chest up, hips bent, hands out, knees bent, ankles bent, ready to move in any direction. Think short stop in baseball. Think defensive ready position in basketball, or the ready position of a defensive linebacker in football. It's a more upright, more ready to move in any direction type stance. Then you add the stick and bring your top hand up towards your ear without bringing the stick closer to your body. Does that make sense?
If you ever watch Mikka Kiprusoff play for the flames he has two stances almost. He has a wide stance when the puck is in close, but when the puck is out at the point he stands up a bit. His feet come together and he gets nice and tall. That is the stance you want to adopt in the lacrosse goal. If you want to clarify any of this just email me. My email is on the front page of my goalie blog.
Your Coach: Whether or not your coach is a goalie doesn't matter. What he is trying to do is get you to look like all of the other lacrose goalies he has ever seen without truly understanding your height, your hockey background etc. He means well but he's probably just confusing you. I do think you need to stand up a little bit. Just from my experience being a hockey goalie and knowing what the tendencies are I think that's a safe bet. If you have some photos of you in the cage just email them to me and I'll give you a quick critique.
Save Percentage Mentality: Oh Jenna, Jenna, Jenna. I hear your pain on the save percentage thing. Please oh please don't get hung up on it though. The great thing about being a goalie is that we have a stat that no other player on the field has and that is the save percentage. At the end of the day when the scoreboard reads 10-4 and the team thinks they are really bad, we can smile and know that we just played our tail off. Stopping 70-80% of your shots is phenomenal. That's fantastic! 60% average. 65% stellar. 70% you're a stud (studette) 75% take off the princess cape. 80% tiara please. 85% fuggedaboutit. Seriously. From a lacrosse perspective you're doing great. Your team shouldn't be giving up that many shots to begin with. So you're homework is to focus on your save percentage and not the score. You're not going to be pulling down 90% and up like in hockey. The net is too big. The ball comes from all angles. It's just not the same. Got it?
Save Type: Ideally you'd like to catch everything but I think that is over rated. I've posted this on a couple of blogs and I'll repeat it hear: In every sport that has a goalie the goalie never reaches across their body to make a save. Sure, in hockey if someone dumps a puck in from the blue line you may reach across with your glove and pick it out of the air. But for some reason, in lacrosse, we think that should happen all the time and I think that is wrong. The game of lacrosse has gotten so fast that it's just impractical to catch everything with the stick. Over the last couple of years I've experimented with punching my bottom hand at the ball like a blocker in hockey on shots to my off stick hip. It makes no sense to me to try to catch the ball with my stick when I have a perfectly good piece of equipment there (glove) to deflect the ball.
Hockey goalie equipment has evolved over the years. First, pads got wider and were constructed to shut down the five hole. So goalies baited players to shoot there and they dropped to cover the ice. The pads do a lot of the work now. When I was taught to play hockey it was a strictly stand up, kick save style. Which seems really silly now. In fact, you would see goalies get "sloppy" and slip into a butterfly. Intuitively we knew better but coaching habits die hard. A hockey goalie is designed to really block, and deflect the puck. We are taught not to give up rebounds so we try to catch a ton whether that's with our glove or in our shirt. In lacrosse the goalie is basically...well...naked. It seems silly to put a goalie in a bigger goal, with a more active shooter and have him wear less equipment don't you think?
For you as a hockey goalie (and for those reading this who aren't) I think a great exercise would be for you to bring a lacrosse net onto the ice. Get in your hockey equipment and have a shooter with a lacrosse stick. Now get in the cage. Would you get in your butterfly stance? Probably not. Would you stand up with your feet together and your stick straight up and down in front of you? Probably not. Somewhere between the two you find a stance that makes sense for you and the cage that you are now in front of.
Drills: The best drill I can give you is more of a concept to use with you and your team. Here it is: When your shooters shoot in practice have them shoot to a specific spot. If they are working on one on ones have them come off their dodge and shoot stick side high. Or far pipe hip. Pick a place and make every one shoot there. They have to work on their accuracy and you can work on your technique. That's the biggest bang for the buck time saver I can give you. You become a better goalie. And they become better shooters. Also, have them shoot from a distance that you are comfortable with in practice. You don't want to be fearful of the ball at any point in practice. I have a couple blog posts on that topic.
So Jenna I hope this helps you. Please let me know if you have any questions. Shoot me an email and let me know what state you're in and keep me posted on your progress.
Kick butt and have fun. If you'd like your coach to get in touch with me you can pass on my email address to them as well.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
My coach keeps telling me to use the vertical stick feet togethet stance. But I tend to use more of a hockey goalie stance. I tend to get beat up high at times, but I am pretty confident with bounce shots, as I tend to do more of a "butterfly" style hockey save. I am about 5'4. What would you suggest for a stance and stick position??
I have read some things that a goalie is supposed to stop the ball with their stick, but also that it really doesn't matter unless you stop the ball.
My teammates tell me that I am one of the best lacrosse goalies that they have had at my school. But I get really frustrated during games and stuff, because I have the mind set of a hockey goalie. We lost our last game 10-4, but I had 39 saves out of 49 shots. I usually have a 70% to 80% save percentage.
What are tips that you can give to a rookie goalie, regarding stance, stick postition, save type, etc??
Do you have any drills that I can work on myself, with a teammate, or even during practice that can help the whole team??
I've read a lot of things from this site and it has all been a great help!!
Keep up the great work with the site.
Jenna
Here's my answer: Hey there Jenna. Thanks for writing. I was a hockey goalie too at one time and I've watched goalies in hockey evolve over the years since I've played. Lacrosse goalies haven't evolved though so hopefully I can share with you some insight that will help.
Ok...as a hockey goalie with a wide butterfly stance you're not going to be making very "pretty" saves. Your coach has an old style stance in mind for you. The answer is to find a happy medium.
When you're in a wide stance you tend not to step to the ball as much as you should. It's just more difficult to do that. So while you're able to drop and get a lot of those low shots you're probably pretty set on your feet and just rotating your stick down to get them.
You're exactly right though...if you're making a save it's a save. You' just don't want to be giving up any rebounds.
I find that when I play my feet get a bit wide and that lowers me in the cage. I'm 5'8" and you're 5'4". But that's if we are standing straight up with our feet together. So for you, you have 8 inches above your head to the cross bar. If you get into a butterfly stance that drops you even lower so there is a lot of net upstairs to cover. To see just how much you need to move your stick to cover the top of the cage do this little exercise:
Stand on the goal line and turn and face the cage. Now get in your stance. Slowly look up without moving your stick. You can even have your coach take a tape measure and measure how far the top of your stick is to the cross bar. Now, without moving your body, reach your stick to the cross bar. Can you reach it? If the answer is no, you now know that no matter what you do a well placed shot is going to beat you. Try to reach to the off-stick high corner with your stick. So reach across your body. You'll have even more net exposed.
Now stand up a little. Move your feet together and see how far your stick is away from the crossbar. Can you make the save if a ball goes that high?
With all that being said, you never want to get too far from your natural stance. As a hockey goalie you have a stance that you work on daily so you're naturally going to want to get back to that stance. What you need to find is a happy medium between the two. What you want to find is your "athletic stance." Head up, chest up, hips bent, hands out, knees bent, ankles bent, ready to move in any direction. Think short stop in baseball. Think defensive ready position in basketball, or the ready position of a defensive linebacker in football. It's a more upright, more ready to move in any direction type stance. Then you add the stick and bring your top hand up towards your ear without bringing the stick closer to your body. Does that make sense?
If you ever watch Mikka Kiprusoff play for the flames he has two stances almost. He has a wide stance when the puck is in close, but when the puck is out at the point he stands up a bit. His feet come together and he gets nice and tall. That is the stance you want to adopt in the lacrosse goal. If you want to clarify any of this just email me. My email is on the front page of my goalie blog.
Your Coach: Whether or not your coach is a goalie doesn't matter. What he is trying to do is get you to look like all of the other lacrose goalies he has ever seen without truly understanding your height, your hockey background etc. He means well but he's probably just confusing you. I do think you need to stand up a little bit. Just from my experience being a hockey goalie and knowing what the tendencies are I think that's a safe bet. If you have some photos of you in the cage just email them to me and I'll give you a quick critique.
Save Percentage Mentality: Oh Jenna, Jenna, Jenna. I hear your pain on the save percentage thing. Please oh please don't get hung up on it though. The great thing about being a goalie is that we have a stat that no other player on the field has and that is the save percentage. At the end of the day when the scoreboard reads 10-4 and the team thinks they are really bad, we can smile and know that we just played our tail off. Stopping 70-80% of your shots is phenomenal. That's fantastic! 60% average. 65% stellar. 70% you're a stud (studette) 75% take off the princess cape. 80% tiara please. 85% fuggedaboutit. Seriously. From a lacrosse perspective you're doing great. Your team shouldn't be giving up that many shots to begin with. So you're homework is to focus on your save percentage and not the score. You're not going to be pulling down 90% and up like in hockey. The net is too big. The ball comes from all angles. It's just not the same. Got it?
Save Type: Ideally you'd like to catch everything but I think that is over rated. I've posted this on a couple of blogs and I'll repeat it hear: In every sport that has a goalie the goalie never reaches across their body to make a save. Sure, in hockey if someone dumps a puck in from the blue line you may reach across with your glove and pick it out of the air. But for some reason, in lacrosse, we think that should happen all the time and I think that is wrong. The game of lacrosse has gotten so fast that it's just impractical to catch everything with the stick. Over the last couple of years I've experimented with punching my bottom hand at the ball like a blocker in hockey on shots to my off stick hip. It makes no sense to me to try to catch the ball with my stick when I have a perfectly good piece of equipment there (glove) to deflect the ball.
Hockey goalie equipment has evolved over the years. First, pads got wider and were constructed to shut down the five hole. So goalies baited players to shoot there and they dropped to cover the ice. The pads do a lot of the work now. When I was taught to play hockey it was a strictly stand up, kick save style. Which seems really silly now. In fact, you would see goalies get "sloppy" and slip into a butterfly. Intuitively we knew better but coaching habits die hard. A hockey goalie is designed to really block, and deflect the puck. We are taught not to give up rebounds so we try to catch a ton whether that's with our glove or in our shirt. In lacrosse the goalie is basically...well...naked. It seems silly to put a goalie in a bigger goal, with a more active shooter and have him wear less equipment don't you think?
For you as a hockey goalie (and for those reading this who aren't) I think a great exercise would be for you to bring a lacrosse net onto the ice. Get in your hockey equipment and have a shooter with a lacrosse stick. Now get in the cage. Would you get in your butterfly stance? Probably not. Would you stand up with your feet together and your stick straight up and down in front of you? Probably not. Somewhere between the two you find a stance that makes sense for you and the cage that you are now in front of.
Drills: The best drill I can give you is more of a concept to use with you and your team. Here it is: When your shooters shoot in practice have them shoot to a specific spot. If they are working on one on ones have them come off their dodge and shoot stick side high. Or far pipe hip. Pick a place and make every one shoot there. They have to work on their accuracy and you can work on your technique. That's the biggest bang for the buck time saver I can give you. You become a better goalie. And they become better shooters. Also, have them shoot from a distance that you are comfortable with in practice. You don't want to be fearful of the ball at any point in practice. I have a couple blog posts on that topic.
So Jenna I hope this helps you. Please let me know if you have any questions. Shoot me an email and let me know what state you're in and keep me posted on your progress.
Kick butt and have fun. If you'd like your coach to get in touch with me you can pass on my email address to them as well.
Jonathan -
www.lacrossegoaltending.blogspot.com
Friday, April 25, 2008
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
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
Friday, April 11, 2008
Lacrosse Goale Wants To Know How To Stop Flinching
Marshall from Laramie, Wyoming writes:Hey my name is Marshall and I live in Laramie WY. We started our season about a month ago. Our team needs two goalies so I volunteered, but I have a hard time following the ball and not flinching. I was wondered if you had any tips that would dramatically help me.
This was my response: Marshall buddy. Flinching is just a natural response to anything that you are unsure about. The reason you flinch when the ball comes at you is because your brain knows that if it hits you hard enough in the right spot you could die. So here's the deal...
1) Make sure you are wearing enough equipment so that when you do get hit with the ball you won't get injured. As you get better at stopping the ball you can shed some of the extra gear. But while you are getting started wear more than enough so you feel confident you won't get hurt.
2) Get shot on in practice from a distance you feel comfortable. If that means the best guy on the team shoots from twenty yards and the worst guy on your team shoots from ten yards that's ok. Just make sure that in practice you feel safe, that way you can work on your technique and can focus on moving to the ball properly.
3) Game pain is "pain with a purpose." Many goalies find that they don't mind getting hit a couple times when they make a save in a game. It's getting hit with a ball in practice that sucks. So minimize the chances of getting hit in practice or wear more equipment so you don't worry about getting hit.
As I mentioned above you don't have to be like this forever. Just wear enough equipment so your confident. Big confidence is the best thing you can have that will dramatically help you.
When your brain isn't fearful of getting hit it will focus on the ball better. Right now it doesn't want to focus on the ball because it knows naturally that it's going to hurt like hell when it hits you.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Jonathan Edwards-
www.LacrosseGoaltending.blogspot.com
This was my response: Marshall buddy. Flinching is just a natural response to anything that you are unsure about. The reason you flinch when the ball comes at you is because your brain knows that if it hits you hard enough in the right spot you could die. So here's the deal...
1) Make sure you are wearing enough equipment so that when you do get hit with the ball you won't get injured. As you get better at stopping the ball you can shed some of the extra gear. But while you are getting started wear more than enough so you feel confident you won't get hurt.
2) Get shot on in practice from a distance you feel comfortable. If that means the best guy on the team shoots from twenty yards and the worst guy on your team shoots from ten yards that's ok. Just make sure that in practice you feel safe, that way you can work on your technique and can focus on moving to the ball properly.
3) Game pain is "pain with a purpose." Many goalies find that they don't mind getting hit a couple times when they make a save in a game. It's getting hit with a ball in practice that sucks. So minimize the chances of getting hit in practice or wear more equipment so you don't worry about getting hit.
As I mentioned above you don't have to be like this forever. Just wear enough equipment so your confident. Big confidence is the best thing you can have that will dramatically help you.
When your brain isn't fearful of getting hit it will focus on the ball better. Right now it doesn't want to focus on the ball because it knows naturally that it's going to hurt like hell when it hits you.
Good luck and let me know how it goes.
Jonathan Edwards-
www.LacrosseGoaltending.blogspot.com
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