Nerves and totally sucking

[C4ND1_R4V3R]

This is my first year playing for my HS team, but I've been playing for two years now and I'm a pretty good goalie. But when it comes to shooting drills, I miss 9/10 shots. I can't focus and my body refuses to move the stick to the ball. I end up trying to use my body to block it.

I've tried shaking it off, telling myself I'll get the next one, etc. but nothing works. I walk the line whenever I'm not in the net or doing something, drill the stick positions into my head as much as possible, but whenever someone on my team is ready to shoot on me, its like there's a wall in my brain I just can't get past. Is there anything that actually works to calm you down before taking shots?

[utkdave]

You're problem is simple to fix, RELAX. Just relax man I guarantee you if you calm down in cage and not over think things you will play to your ability. I use to do this at certain points in the game, but take your mind off of the game go somewhere else, think about school, your girlfriend, what you're going to do after the game. Just anything that helps you relax.

[montylax6]

I have that same problem sometimes. Usually I just think in my head all of the goalie basics (stepping to the ball, positioning, etc.). Sometimes what works is in your head you can just tell yourself it was a fluke or it was someone else's fault.

[C4ND1_R4V3R]

Thats what I'm doing, is trying to relax when there's no attack pressure. But when one's got the ball, all I'm thinking is "step to the ball, I'm here so he's gonna probably shoot there (which is bad, I know, but usually I predict right), if he shoots there my stick moves like that" etc.

Should I seriously get my mind off the game while I'm in it? That makes no sense, imo.

[RelicDavis]

I had my coach try and take a few shots in front of the team, and stop all 5, then i got some confidence and more relaxed and ended up going from 9/10 misses to 2/10

[EricL]

This season when I transitioned from indoor into outdoor, I was also having a tough time adjusting. The more shots you take the more you will begin to adapt. You also definitely need warm ups to help stir your brain up a little bit. As the more practices you have and the more shots you will take you will slowly begin to get rid of the habit of choking. Also stay calm and have fun.

[W.E.Lax]

is it just during practice? cause i am having the same problem, but come game time...i am so pumped up that i distract my team mates from line drills because they are all looking at me. dont worry too much about it during practice, there isnt much to get the adrenaline pumping.but once it starts pumping, there will be a change in performance

[ATK.19.90]

Last year my team was having a bit of a goalie problem, where all we had was one goalie and he got injusred all the time so he had to miss practices. Being my first year, my coach asked me to step in net and i had the same problem as you. One thing that really helped me, although it sounds stupid, was talking to myself and kind of taunting the attackmen so that only i could hear it. For me at least it somewhat boosted my confidence and got me more prepared for the shot because i was more focused on blocking it then the possible consequences of missing.

[unholygoalie10]

look man 1st off it happens to everyone
there is another easy fix other than just saying relax
get one of ur buddies who can shoot and just get him to work with u a lot focus on doing everything right with him then eventually u will get muscle memory and u will naturally put ur stick on the ball and get ur body behind it
just practice practice practice and ur body will do the rest

[C4ND1_R4V3R]

I practice for ungodly amounts of time, but it really doesn't help me in practice. When I play pickup games with people I don't really know, I don't have this problem though..

[Sjrlax69]

TIMEEEEE keep practicing it will come to you eventully! and don't worry about sucking in practice, imo alot of the practice is set up for the offense to score anyway. Don't lose your confidence from practice i have this problem, you just gota shake it off.

[zandermeister]

it comes and goes ive had amazing saves right after terrible saves the biggest thing {for me} is making sure im in position then all that is left is the "cone of focus" {as pilat said}. when the ball is not a threat keep up the talk and try to tell your defense what the offense is doing and how they are moving, but when you see someone starting a shot completely "narrow the cone" of focus to just you and the shooter's crosse. no worries mate youll get your swagger back soon enough

[HUBBS]

Try to push yourself mentally to focus on the ball. Just really focus.


also something i just found that helped me was playing those oldschool videogames like pong and brick, cuz it helps ur hand-eye