How to train a goalie

[Helix_Composite]

Hi all, I couldn't find a different thread on this so here goes:

I'm going to begin to form a lacrosse team from the girls I am currently coaching, but no one has really had any goaltending experience. Moreover, none of them have ever even worn goalie pads!
I was wondering whether anyone had any tips on how to train/teach a female player to play goaltender? Is it any different to teaching a male goalie?

Thanks :bye:

[ques]

First off the goalie pads that you reffer to are nothing more than soccer or field hockey shin guards, or baseball if they want them, No biggie. The only thing I would suggest is to get some of the better athelets on the team to play goal. It is no different than training a male goalie.

[Helix_Composite]

Thanks dude, now I know that I can teach her properly and from experience, because I've had some goalie experience.

Now it's just a case of not shooting too hard, or getting her not to flinch :chuckle:

[lilaxgurl23]

Also, just from a GK's point of view who has had some experience, I would strongly suggest you shoot on her with a wlax stick. It won't kill her if you use a mlax stick, but come game day, using an mlax stick can really mess her up if she's not use to it. The two different release points of the different pockets are extremely noticable in a game.

Other than that, all of the techniques are really the same. The only thing different is the type of shots she sees. Make sure you work close, on the run shots a lot. Almost every single shot she sees will be with in a few yards of her (no cranks from outside), so while shots aren't as hard as mlax speed wise, she'll still need to be on top of her reaction time and know where she is on her arc at all times.

[Helix_Composite]

So, taking your info into account, can I play fake shots on her, or would that be too much? How about from behind the goal?
Would it be possible to take some of my female players not as advanced as myself to get the goaltender more used to wlax shooting (rather than my mlax shot - I pack quite a punch!) and have the added benefit of building up game situations around the arc (in addition to the improvement of shooting techniques) through drills?

BTW thanks for your tips they are really helping me :worship:

[lilaxgurl23]

Oh, yeah. You can definitely put fakes on her, in fact I recommend it, and can even rip some mlax shots on her (my coach does it to me all the time), however I was just suggesting you use a wlax stick while doing it. If you use a mlax stick while warming her up before a game, she might actually be slower and not ready for the game because of the different release points (granted all it takes a few shots to get her ready, but that's a few shots you don't want to gamble).

Basically I would just do whatever it is that you would do to teach a guy. Get her fundamentals, stepping, clearing and all of that stuff down, and then the only difference is that I would focus a lot more on those game situations inside the 8-meter while actually practicing. It's basically just catering to the fact that that's where all of her shots are going to be coming from, but don't leave out other types of shots. Sometimes you just ripping shots on from the 8 or 12 will definitely help a goalie, but I was just making sure that you also include a lot of movement within the 8 and shots right on top of her, because that's what happens during games. It's a rare occasion to see a shot beyond 6-7 meters out.

[meestagoaliemon]

Ok, through my experiences treat them as you would treat them a regular boys goalie, just don't scare them out of net. If they're just starting, first warm them up with by taking light shots at every spot. Go down the line like stick high, then off high, stick-side hip, off hip, etc.
Then, I'm not sure what drill it's called, but have them stand about ten feet away from a wall, and you stand behind them. Take shots on the wall as if you were playing wall ball, and have them try to make the save. If she is being scared of shots, have her stand in net and shoot on her with tennis balls, but shoot pretty hard so that she can expect more of that, and overtime gradually start to replace those tennis balls with lacrosse balls.

Another important thing you have to emphasize with really any goalie is stepping to the ball. For me, this came well through practicing my form. So have her find a line and go down it while doing the form, while stepping forward with every save. Also, another drill that works is dealing with both shooting and stepping. Have her go in net and put a lacrosse stick about a foot or two in front of her. With every shot you take, she has to cross over the stick everytime she makes a save.

one very important thing you must do, is make her feel comfortable in net. Make her feel like she is unstoppable, untouchable, nothing can get past her, and frequently tell her that. Do whatever it takes to build up her confidence. The more confident and comfortable she is in net, the better she will do about being a leader on the field. Plus, with confidence comes bravery, which means overtime, she will not be so scared of the ball. Also, when she lets up a goal, tell her that stuff like that will happen. "A Goal past is a goal forgotten." emphacize that. Make sure that she is able to shrug off a goal and not let that confidence level go down. unfortunately, this is more of a mental thing rather than something that can be coached, so just frequently remind her to just shake off that goal, and get back in the game.

Communication is key in a lacrosse game. Make sure she knows that. Also, make sure she knows that she has to be the most vocal player on the field. Her voice has to be louder than anyone elses. Have her call out where the ball is on the field. Teach her what to say wherever the ball is, like if the ball is up top, "ball's center". "Ball's X" and so on. Also, when someone is taking a shot, have her scream, SHOT!!! to alert the defense that a shot is going down. And when she does make that save, have her yell, BREAK!!! to let everyone know that she made the save, and now she has to get rid of it.

Passing wise, make sure that when she is passing with someone, have them be more than 20 yards apart so she can get used to making those long throws to her middies, or quick stick with her from about ten yards apart so that she can get used to thrwoing those in-close ones to her defense. Run around when your passing too, so she can get used to thrwoing lead passes.

Hope this helps, and good luck

P.S. MY bad, I didn't realize I wrote that much.

[elveelax]

To prevent me from flinching my coach (and my mom) had me put in the goal without a stick and each of the players throw a ball at me. If i flinched once they did it again. It only took a couple rounds for me to not flinch. Then during practice for the rest of the season, if i ever ducked/flinched we went through that again. Also to prevent me from closing my eyes when a balls flying at my face, at home my mom/coach would have me put on my helmet and she would throw tennis balls at my face (remember i'm wearing a helmet) and that helped a lot!