good to great goal tending
TRANSCRIPT
GOOD TO GREAT GOALTENDING
By Adam Platzer
2
3
Table of Contents
Introduction 5 Goaltender Techniques 13 Shadow Goaltending 39 Mind & Body 53 Perception 63 Reaction 73 Movement 95 Conclusion 107
4
5
INTRO
Lacrosse goaltenders have one of the hardest jobs in all of
sports. The position requires them to stop a small ball -
traveling at speeds up to 100 miles per hour - from going
in a 36 square-foot goal. Meanwhile, goaltenders have
little in the way of equipment to help them make a save.
Further proof into the difficulty of this position is
represented by the save percentages of collegiate
goaltenders. The best save percentages of Division I
goaltenders is usually just over 50 percent. This means at
6
the top level of lacrosse, the best goaltenders are saving
just over half the balls shot on goal. The 2008 Division I
Goaltender of the Year, Joey Kemp of Notre Dame, had a
save percentage of 63%. It is safe to say that lacrosse
goaltenders have a tough task at hand.
To become GOOD at this daunting position, goaltenders
must first master all the essential techniques that come
with job. These are techniques such as the ready position,
communication skills, top hand movement, stepping to the
ball, positioning in the crease and clearing the ball.
To become GREAT at this position, goaltenders must also
be able to enhance their all around speed. While many
consider speed to be defined by how fast they can run,
goaltenders must consider how fast they react to make a
save. This book will provide you with both the essential
goaltender techniques that will make you good, as well as
the unique speed training drills that will make you great.
These unique drills are centered on training the four
human elements that help make a lacrosse save:
mind/body, eye perception, reaction time and movement
speed.
7
In researching speed training for lacrosse goaltenders, a
large variety of drills can actually be derived from the
martial arts. The same skills used for making a goaltender
save, hold true with the martial arts. Due to its defensive
nature, the martial arts involve waiting for an attack and
then quickly reacting, to stop the offensive. Furthermore,
the punching motion is very similar to a movement that
goaltenders perform when making a save. When
goaltenders begin a save, their top hand leads to the
oncoming ball in a punching motion.
The martial arts have been around for over 4,000 years,
each art perfecting its craft with various training
techniques (Lawler, 03). Most sports have evolved over
the past 100 years and associated training techniques have
developed in the last 50 years. With over 4,000 years of
refining and perfecting its techniques, it is imperative that
athletes and trainers refer to specific martial arts and see
how the skills apply to lacrosse goaltenders. However, not
all the training techniques in this book come from the
martial arts. The ones derived from the martial arts are
unique and have been modified to fit into a lacrosse
8
goaltender style of training. So do not think that this book
is filled with trainings that will have you punching and
kicking to become a better goaltender. Instead this book is
filled with essential goaltending techniques and creative
trainings that you have never seen before and that will
make you a great goaltender.
Elements of Speed
There are four specific human elements that contribute to
the speed of great lacrosse goaltenders (Christensen 96).
These include:
1. MIND & BODY: The mind/body must be focused
and healthy for any of the other three elements of
speed to work effectively.
2. PERCEPTION: The quickness of your eyes to first
sense a movement. In the case of goaltenders, this
would be seeing the movement of the lacrosse ball.
3. REACTION: This is the amount of time it takes the
mind to select the correct defensive movement.
Goaltenders have a repertoire of various save
movements from which they must select.
9
4. MOVEMENT: Once the goaltender has selected the
save movement, this is the amount of time it takes to
actuate the movement.
The purpose of this book is to further elaborate on these
four elements, and to provide training techniques to
enhance each area resulting in increased speed.
Trainings
Throughout this book there are a lot of training techniques
that will help you become a faster and more efficient
goaltender. To make the most of these trainings, three
important factors must be kept in mind:
1. Separation: Goaltenders must separate “practice
time” from “game time.” Practice time is when
goaltenders are actually completing these trainings
and focusing on how to improve their techniques.
Game time is when goaltenders are only focusing on
the ball and making the saves. If you are thinking
about all the different ways to improve your
goaltending techniques during a game, you will not
be as effective to your team.
2. Isolation: During practice time, it is essential that
you are concentrating on only the training at hand
10
(Barnes, 2005). Clear your mind of everything else
going on in your life and focus on the exercises. You
must eliminate all of the distractions in your
surrounding environment; turn your cell phone off
and make sure that people are not around to divert
your attention. If you do not commit 100% of your
mind, you are compromising the effectiveness of the
drills.
3. Stretching: Flexibility is very important for lacrosse
goaltenders. Many saves require quick movements
that push the limits of muscles in the body. It is
important that goaltenders properly stretch all
muscles before training and playing in games. Make
sure to stretch out the legs, arms, back and neck
muscles which all play an important role for
goaltenders.
Important: While reading this book, you will come
across the small goaltender icon to the right. The
icon signifies a key concept that will help you
achieve great goaltending.
11
Collaboration
The drills and exercises in this book will help goaltenders
become more effective. Keep in mind, these drills can be
altered to fit different goaltender’s needs and additional
drills can be added. This is where your feedback is
essential. If everybody who tries these techniques
provides feedback about them, all goaltenders can learn
from each other and become even better. Mass
collaboration is when large numbers of people work on a
single project independently. The result is obvious; more
minds can create better ideas than just one. As you read
this book and execute the trainings, please visit the
website below and input feedback on the different drills.
Furthermore, while on the website, read the comments
from other people who are doing the same drills. With
everybody’s help we can learn from each other and
maximize our goaltender skills.
To help collaborate and become a great goaltender, visit
www.primesportstraining.com and click the Good to
Great Goaltending link located under “Collaborations.”
12
13
GOALTENDER TECHNIQUES
Before getting into the drills that will make you a great
goaltender, we must first look at the basic techniques to
the position. Without these techniques in place,
goaltending can be a very frustrating position. These
techniques include: ready position, communication skills,
positioning in the crease, top hand movement, stepping to
the ball and clearing. It is important that each one of these
14
techniques is completed and practiced. If one area is
neglected, it will affect the overall play of the goaltender.
1. Ready Position – The ready position is the
stance that a goaltender should be in while waiting
to make a save. It is very similar to the athletic
position for many sports. Goaltender success begins with
the ready position. The more goaltenders are in the ready
position, the more effective they will be at making a save.
The following factors should be in place for an effective
ready position (Letters below correspond to the letters in
Figure 1).
a. Eyes focused on ball.
b. Top hand gripping bottom plastic of the stick
head.
c. Arms out away from the body; top hand close
to center of chest.
d. Stick held parallel to your body.
e. Hands about eight inches apart on the stick.
f. Knees slightly bent.
g. Feet shoulder-width apart.
h. Slightly on your toes.
15
The most important part of the ready position is making
sure the top hand is close to the center of your chest
without the stick head blocking your vision. The top
hand is going to lead towards the ball to make the
save. Therefore, the closer it is to the middle of your
body, the more efficient it is to make a save anywhere
around your body.
16
Figure 1 “Ready Position”
AB C
D E
F
G H
17
2. Communication – Goaltenders need to be the vocal
leaders for their team on the defensive end of the
field. Due to their vantage point, they can see the
field effectively and therefore must communicate
to their defense what is taking place at all times.
Communication is a skill that goaltenders can
immediately improve upon to help their team - they just
have to be more vocal. Some of the important calls that a
goaltender should make during game play include:
a. Ball Location: This call is to let teammates know
where the ball is on the field. The defense has to
keep an eye on the opponent they are guarding and
cannot constantly see where the ball is located.
Looking at Figure 2, you can see all the areas on
the field that should be communicated. This is a
call that should take place at all times when the ball
is on the defensive end of the field.
b. Check Stick: Call this out anytime a pass is made to
an opponent in front of the goal. It lets your
defense know a pass is coming so that they can
lock up the player they are guarding. This call can
18
help prevent these opponents from catching a pass
that results in a close shot.
c. Hold Call: When an opponent has the ball behind
the goal, the defender is unable to see when they
are past the goal line extended. Goal line extended
is an imaginary line that extends out from the pipes
on either side of the cage (See Figure 3 for Goal
Line Extended). This is important because once
past this point, the opponent has an angle to shoot
on goal. Hearing this call, the defender will push
the opponent back behind the goal line extended as
to not allow a shot.
d. Offensive & Man-Up Formations: Goaltenders
should communicate the offensive and man-up
formations that the opposition is in during all game
situations. This helps the defense know which
formation they should be in to counter the
offensive set. Goaltenders can learn these
formations from their coaches.
e. Clearing: When a goaltender makes a save, they
should yell out, “Clear!” This is so your teammates
know they have the ball and should get in a
clearing formation.
19
f. Leadership: Goaltenders need to be the glue that
keeps the defense together. They must motivate
and keep their teammates focused. If a goal is
scored, the goaltender should gather the defense
together to reassure them that everything is all
right.
Figure 2 “Ball Locations”
20
Figure 3 “Goal Line Extended”
21
3. Positioning – Positioning refers to where the
goaltender should be standing in the crease area as the ball
moves around the field. Goaltenders should always
be in the optimal position so that the opponent does
not have a good angle to shoot at the goal. The most
efficient way to navigate the crease area to always be in
the optimal position is a technique called the five step arc.
The arc has five different locations where goaltenders
should stand that form a semi-circle from each pipe
(Figure 4). Using this type of arc has two main benefits.
One is that the five locations are sufficient to cut down an
opponent’s shooting angle from anywhere on the field.
Secondly, using only five steps keeps the goaltender in the
ready position the most amount of time. An arc with more
steps is a mistake that has the goaltender moving too
much and not in the ready position enough. An arc with
only three step arc presents the problem of being in an
awkward position as the legs get too spread apart with the
large steps.
Goaltenders must know the most effective time to move
to the next spot on the arc to cut down the open area that
opponents can score on goal. An effective technique for
22
moving around the arc is called the shoulder method. As
the ball moves from a goaltender’s left to right, the
goaltender should move to the next spot on the arc when
the ball passes their right shoulder. As the ball moves
from a goaltender’s right to left, the goaltender should
move to the next spot on the arc when the ball passes their
left shoulder. Looking at the example in Figure 5 gives a
better idea of how this works. As the ball starts to move
(Figure 5-A) towards the goaltender’s right, you must
wait to move to the next spot on the arc until the ball
passes your right shoulder line (Figure 5-B). Once on your
shoulder line (Figure 5-C) the goaltender begins to move
to the next spot on the arc (Figure 5-D).
Positioning is also important when the ball is behind the
goal. The goaltender needs to be in a position to see
the opponent with the ball and potential offensive
threats in front of the goal. Figure 6-A shows how
goaltenders should stand on the opposite side of goal from
where the ball is behind the goal line extended. This is so
your line of vision can see both the ball and these
potential threats. Then, if a pass comes to the opponent in
front of the goal, the goaltender will know where the play
23
is going and be able to get in the optimal position to make
a save. As the ball moves behind the net (Figures 6-B
through 6-C), goaltenders should still utilize the five step
arc, but on the opposite side of the goal from the
opponent. Once the opponent with the ball gets close to
the goal line extended, the goaltender should assume the
position pipe side (Figure 6-D).
Figure 4 “Five Step Arc”
24
Figure 5-A “Timing the Arc”
Figure 5-B “Timing the Arc”
25
Figure 5-C “Timing the Arc”
Figure 5-D “Timing the Arc”
26
Figure 6-A “Ball Behind the Goal”
Figure 6-B “Ball Behind the Goal”
27
Figure 6-C “Ball Behind the Goal”
Figure 6-D “Ball Behind the Goal”
28
4. Top Hand to the Ball/Straight Line Movements –
The save movement always begins with the top hand
leading to the ball. Top hand refers to the hand that is on
top of your goaltending stick. With the top hand leading
the way, the actual movement of this hand should be as
simple as possible (Christensen 96). As the old
adage indicates: the quickest way from point A to B
is a straight line. Streamline your movements to
make them as simple and efficient as possible. The start of
the straight line movement is where the top hand waits in
the ready position (Figure 7, Position A). The end of the
straight line is where the ball is going (Figure 7, Position
B).
29
Figure 7 “Top Hand to the Ball”
30
5. Stepping – With the top hand moving to the ball, the
body should be following behind with an aggressive step.
This step should be towards the ball, and come out
from the goal at an angle. Coming out cuts off some
of the angle of the ball approaching the goal. The
foot on the side of where the ball is going should be the
lead foot when stepping (Figure 8, Step 2). The other foot
should start as a plant foot and then follow behind. After
making the save, the goaltender should then end in the
same ready position that they started in (Figure 8, Step 3).
A common mistake by goaltenders is that they step out
towards the opponent shooting. The problem with
stepping out towards the opponent is that your momentum
is moving forward. If the ball is then shot to either side of
the goaltender, the forward momentum will make it
difficult to change direction and stop the shot. That is why
goaltenders should always step to the ball, not the
opponent.
31
Figure 8 “Stepping to the Ball”
32
6. Clearing the Ball – After a save is made or a turn
over takes place, goaltenders must help their team clear
the ball to the other end of the field. Immediately
after the save, goaltenders have a unique
opportunity to help their team gain a fast break. A
fast break is when the team with the ball comes down to
the offensive end of the field with more players.
Goaltenders can help start a fast break after making a save
with a quick up field pass. When the save is made, the
goaltender should first look up field for any teammates
who have broken free towards the other end of the field
that could start a fast break.
One suggestion for a fast break pass is for goaltenders to
look at where the shot came from after making the save.
Since a teammate got beat on defense, that player may be
open now since the opponent they were guarding broke
free. Figures 9-A through 9-D represent how this situation
takes place for a potential up field fast break pass. Figure
9-B shows the opponent beating your defensive teammate.
The opponent then takes a shot with the goaltender
making the save in figure 9-C. Then, the teammate who
got beat is open for a fast break pass represented in 9-D.
33
This is just one of the ways to look for a fast break pass
after a save is made.
If nothing is open up field for a fast break pass or a
turnover has taken place in the defensive end, the
goaltender’s team will set up in a clearing formation.
Your coach will let you know what clearing formation
your team will implement. No matter the formation, the
team clearing the ball has an extra player on the defensive
end of the field - the goaltender. This creates a seven on
six advantage in players so goaltenders should look for a
two on one somewhere on the field. This takes place
where there are two players clearing the ball against one
opponent trying to stop this clear. Goaltenders should
draw the opponent towards them (Figure 10-B) and then
pass to the open teammate (Figure 10-C). As mentioned
before, your team will have a set clearing formation but
this two on one strategy can be used in any formation.
Throwing a good clearing pass is an under utilized
skill that can really help bring a goaltender’s play to
the next level. Goaltenders should practice long
passes, making sure they are hard and accurate. If you can
34
throw a good outlet pass that starts offensive fast breaks,
you have an important skill that will help your team
immensely.
Figure 9-A “Fast break Pass”
35
Figure 9-B “Fast break Pass”
Figure 9-C “Fast break Pass”
36
Figure 9-D “Fast break Pass”
Figure 10-A “Draw the 2 on 1”
37
Figure 10-B “Draw the 2 on 1”
Figure 10-C “Draw the 2 on 1”
38
GOALTENDER TECHNIQUES CONCLUSION
Utilizing the correct techniques is essential to being a
successful lacrosse goaltender. These techniques must be
continually practiced and perfected to help your game
play. With the basic techniques explained, we can now
move on to some drills that will bring your goaltender
play to the next level.
For a more in-depth explanation of these techniques
through video, visit the Prime Sports Training You Tube
page. These videos cover all the techniques previously
mentioned and allow you to comment and ask questions.
Visit the following link:
www.youtube.com/primesportstraining.
39
SHADOW
GOALTENDING
Throughout this book, some of the training drills will
reference the term shadow goaltending. Shadow
goaltending describes the technique of a goaltender
practicing different save motions without having someone
shooting a ball at them. This technique is similar to how a
boxer practices shadow boxing; throwing punches without
actually hitting anyone or anything. There should be
exact, fluid movements for saves to lacrosse shots going
to all areas of the goal. The purpose of shadow
goaltending is to “program a response” (Christensen 96).
40
Programming a response involves repeating an action so
many times that you can instinctively complete the action
in a short period of time without thinking about it. As a
child you learned how to tie your shoes using a specific
technique. In the beginning, it probably took you a little
while to go through the process. But today you have tied
your shoes so many times that you can now quickly and
efficiently accomplish this task. The reason being is for
years you programmed a response for tying your shoes.
With shadow goaltending, you complete specific save
motions over and over with the correct technique.
Then, over time you will begin completing these
motions quickly, because you will have eliminated
the thinking involved in the process.
Before a goaltender begins shadow goaltending, they
should thoroughly analyze their movements to ensure
proper speed and technique. The techniques discussed in
the last chapter should always be implemented in shadow
goaltending. Some of those techniques are important and
should be emphasized while shadow goaltending. Those
include:
41
a. Ready Position: Start in the ready position before
every save movement executed.
b. Top Hand to the Ball: Hand movements should
always be a straight line, with the top hand leading
the way.
c. Stepping: Step aggressively and end up back in the
ready position.
Along with the techniques mentioned above, there are two
other tactics that should be incorporated when practicing
shadow goaltending. These include using less movement
choices and visualizing the ball.
Less Movement Choices – As the number of options for
your goaltender movements increase, the response time
also increases making you slower (Christensen, 96).
This means the less save movements your mind has
to think about, the quicker you can make this
decision and make the save. As a lacrosse goaltender, you
should have a limited set of movements for when the ball
comes to certain areas around the net. Try to narrow down
the number of movement options that you have. Rather
than having five different movements for a shot that goes
42
to the upper left corner of the net – you only need one.
Each goaltender should have a complete movement for
the following save shots: Upper Left, Upper Right, Waist
Right, Waist Left, Lower Right, Lower Left and Lower
Middle (Figures 11-A through 11-G). It is important that
the top hand leads these movements followed with the
body stepping behind.
43
Figure 11-A “Upper Left”
44
Figure 11-B “Upper Right”
45
Figure 11-C “Waist Left”
46
Figure 11-D “Waist Right”
47
Figure 11-E “Lower Left”
48
Figure 11-F “Lower Right”
49
Figure 11-G “Lower Middle”
50
Visualize the Ball – As you are shadow goaltending, you
should visualize the ball coming out of the opponent’s
stick towards you. Picture the ball going all the way into
your goaltenders stick as you make the save. Your eyes
and head should end up looking directly into your stick to
complete the save.
Now that you know the elements of shadow goaltending
to make it most effective, it is time to start practicing the
technique. The first few times you practice, do so in front
of a mirror to make sure the technique is correct.
Complete each of the save motions numerous times until
they are done correctly.
The great thing about shadow goaltending is that you can
do it in many different places. During practice,
goaltenders are often not utilized in different drills. This a
great time to conduct your shadow goaltending
techniques. Another good time is when the ball is at the
other end of the field during a scrimmage or even a game.
Overall, shadow goaltending is one of the most important
drills a goaltender can do, no matter what the skill level of
51
the athlete; beginner or professional. It is an often over
looked drill due to the monotony of going through the
different save motions. Throughout this book you will be
introduced to different drills that utilize shadow
goaltending and help make it more exciting. The fact is,
the more you practice shadow goaltending, the easier it
becomes to execute save movements with the correct and
efficient technique. Then you will be able to complete
these movements quicker and without thinking about
them, which is the overall goal toward achieving
maximum lacrosse goaltender speed.
Now that we know the essentials to shadow goaltending,
we can move on to speed training drills for the four
human elements that help make a save: Mind/Body,
Perception, Reaction and Movement.
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
An in-depth video with instructions on the correct
methods for shadow goaltending can be viewed on the
Prime Sports Training YouTube site:
www.youtube.com/primesportstraining.
52
53
MIND & BODY
A much overlooked area of training for goaltenders is
ensuring that their mind and body are fully prepared. If a
goaltender’s mind is not focused on saving the ball, they
will not play to their full ability. Goaltenders will
sometimes comment on a bad game they had by
mentioning, “My head wasn’t in it today.” This means
they were not concentrating on saving the ball. Their head
was filled with multiple thoughts unrelated to making a
54
save which led to their bad play. A goaltender must be
focused, and have a clear mind to be effective.
As well as the mind, it is essential that the body be in the
right state. If a goaltender’s body is extremely
tense, they will be unable to maximize their
quickness. Therefore, a goaltender needs to be
relaxed while waiting for their chance to make a save.
There are many drills in the later parts of this book that
will help make a goaltender faster. However, first and
foremost, a goaltender must be focused and have a relaxed
body to be effective. The trainings below will help
achieve this valuable state of mind and body.
RELAXING THE BODY
When a goaltender makes a movement for a save, a
muscle must contract to complete this action. If a
goaltender is tense, muscles are already contracted which
makes it difficult to make this muscle execute another
motion. According to Speed Training by Loren
Christensen:
55
When you are mentally and physically tense, a
roadblock goes up because the muscles will already
be in a partly or totally contracted state. Then when
you command them (muscles) to move quickly, which
is really telling them to contract for you, they can’t
because your tension has already beat you to it. But
when your muscles are relaxed, meaning there are
few muscles in the contracted state, you are able to
move faster because you can call into play more
muscle fibers to contract.
This is why it is important for goaltenders to learn how to
be relaxed while in game play.
There are many different ways to practice relaxing that
can carry over to your play on the field. One is as simple
as taking a hot bath. Another way is to sit in a comfortable
position, slowly inhaling and exhaling until you are in a
relaxed state. These are both simple and effective, but one
of the best ways is through a technique called progressive
relaxation. While lying down in a relaxed position,
progressive relaxation involves working various muscles
56
by tightening the muscles for three-four seconds and then
releasing the tension.
It would be best to purchase a progressive relaxation
technique CD that features a professional physician who
will take you through the process in a relaxing voice. One
suggestion is “Progressive Muscle Relaxation: 20 Minutes
to Total Relaxation” by Dr. Beth Salcedo. This CD is
quick, easy to understand and the narrative voice is very
relaxing. Once you pick a relaxation technique, it should
be practiced once or twice a day.
Before starting any relaxation technique it is important to
say a “keyword” to yourself right before beginning.
A good keyword to use is, “focus.” Utilizing the
keyword before beginning a relaxation exercise is
very important so that the body can be later “conditioned”
to become relaxed. This can best be illustrated through the
“conditioning” studies that famous Russian physiologist
Ivan Pavlov conducted with dogs. Pavlov did a study
where he would ring a bell, put food down in front of a
dog and the dog would salivate. After doing this many
times, Pavlov would just ring the bell and the dog would
57
salivate even without any food being present. This was
because the dog’s mind was conditioned to know that the
bell meant food was coming. Using the keyword while
continually practicing the relaxation techniques conditions
your body to become relaxed. That way, when you are
tense, you can say the keyword and become relaxed
without going through your relaxation techniques.
Overall, utilizing relaxation techniques on a regular basis
can help goaltenders become more relaxed in general.
Furthermore, if you are not in a relaxed state, saying your
“keyword” will help bring your body towards the relaxed
state. Think about the times before lacrosse games when
you were extremely tense and nervous. This tension can
be lowered with the work of relaxation techniques to
make you more effective.
FOCUSING THE MIND
To be a successful goaltender the mind must be focused
on one main objective; saving the ball. If the goaltender
has numerous thoughts swirling through their head, they
will have trouble executing their saves. Two important
58
training techniques can be used regularly that will help
maintain a focused mind; self-suggestion and visualizing.
Self-suggestion is the process whereby you tell
yourself over and over that you are becoming a
faster goaltender (Christensen 96). According to
Speed Training by Loren Christensen:
By vocalizing positive thoughts, the subconscious
mind is fed information it believes is true. In time,
your subconscious will begin to direct your body to
act as it has been programmed: to move fast.
With this in mind, as you are going through your daily
activities, you should say positive phrases to yourself. If
you are alone, say them out loud and if you are among
other people, say them to yourself. These self-suggestions
should be specific and said in the present tense. For
example:
“I am relaxed and focused waiting to make a save.”
“My movements are quick and fluid as I make a save.”
59
An optimum time to complete self-suggestion is after you
are in a relaxed state from the relaxation techniques.
To take this exercise to the next level, begin visualizing
yourself as a quick and effective goaltender while using
your self-suggestion. Imagine yourself completing
numerous types of saves while utilizing flawless
techniques. These positive thoughts and phrases will
breed self-confidence, which is very important for
goaltenders. Believing that you are capable of making
saves is one of the first steps towards actually doing so.
Negative Thoughts and Actions
To keep a focused mind and relaxed body, negative
thoughts and actions cannot take place. Negativity
hinders goaltenders because all confidence is lost.
Goaltenders then start thinking about how to, “not
let in another goal” when they should be focusing on
saving the next shot. Furthermore, many goaltenders get
angered after a goal is scored on them; cursing or even
throwing down their stick. This is a horrible way to react
– it will only cause you to lose your concentration and
will ultimately lead to allowing more goals to be scored.
60
One way to stay away from this negativity is to practice
getting back to your focused state of mind after a goal is
scored. During practice when you get scored on, say your
keyword from the progressive relaxation techniques. Then
take three deep breaths and refocus yourself on making
the next save. Visualize making the next save and use
your self-suggestion phrases. Complete this activity every
time you get scored on in practice. Eventually, this
routine will lead you to becoming less angered after being
scored on and carry over to game situations.
MIND AND BODY CONCLUSION
In cannot be overstated how important is to work on
training the mind and body for goaltender effectiveness.
Many times goaltenders will balk at these techniques due
to them not being widely used. Progressive relaxation,
self-suggestion and visualization can seem ridiculous, but
in reality they are important to building a foundation
towards better goaltending. With these techniques in
place, completing the exercises in the later parts of this
book will come much easier. Good times to practice these
mind and body techniques are before you go to bed or
when you first wake up. These are exercises that should
61
be done on a daily basis. Also, as with many of the
trainings in this book, they can be done while shadow
goaltending.
62
63
PERCEPTION
Perception is the quickness of your eyes to sense
movement. In lacrosse, the ball moves around the field at
high speeds with shots reaching up to 100 miles per hour.
Because of this, goaltenders must be able to track the ball
with their eyes at all times. The eyes are actually muscles,
so like other parts of the body, these too can be trained to
be more effective.
64
Goaltenders who have a poor game sometimes comment,
“I couldn’t focus on the ball today.” This means
their eye perception muscles were not working at
their top level. The two areas that we will look at
for perception training are object focus and peripheral
vision. Object focus is your ability to concentrate your
eyes on the lacrosse ball as it moves around at high
speeds. Peripheral vision is the ability to see other
activities taking place around the field while focusing on
the main object; the lacrosse ball.
Before moving on, below is an overall drill to both
strengthen your eyes and warm them up prior to
completing the other perception drills (Barnes 05).
1. UP/DOWN: Facing straight ahead look up as far as
possible without moving your head. Hold this for
about five seconds. Now do the same thing looking
down. Repeat the entire exercise 15 times.
2. LEFT/RIGHT: Facing straight ahead look to the right
as far as possible without moving your head. Hold
this for about five seconds. Now do the same thing
looking left. Repeat the entire exercise 15 times.
65
3. SQUARE: Imagine there is a square in front of you.
Without moving your head, look to the upper right
corner, then down to the lower right corner, then
repeat the exercise in the opposite direction. Repeat
the entire exercise 15 times.
4. CIRCLE: Imagine a large clock in front of you. Roll
your eyes in complete circles around the clock in the
clockwise position. Repeat in the other direction.
Repeat the entire exercise 15 times.
5. STARE: With both eyes, stare at the tip of your nose.
Hold the position as long as you can. Try this 10
times.
OBJECT FOCUS
Object focus is your ability to track and focus on the ball
as it moves around the field. These drills will help you
quickly focus and maintain a concentrated effort on the
lacrosse ball.
DISTANCE STARE
Distance stare is a drill that will help your eyes refocus
quicker on objects that are located at various distances.
When you are outside, find a landscape with specific
66
objects that are at the following distances away from you:
1 mile, 25 yards, 100 yards, and over a mile. Stare at the
first object that is a mile away for five seconds. Then do
the same for the other three objects for the same time
period. Try to do this several times a day.
This can also be done indoors with a magazine (Little 01).
Place one magazine close to you and another at the other
end of the room. Focus your eyes on the magazine close
to you. Then refocus your eyes towards the far magazine.
Go back and forth for about five minutes. Both of these
exercises will help your eyes adjust to objects at different
distances. The lacrosse field is 110 yards long and the ball
can be at any point on the field. Your eyes must be able to
quickly adjust to the ball at many different distances.
MOVEMENT STARE
The following exercises will help focus your eyes on a
moving object. All of these drills are excellent to
incorporate while shadow goaltending.
Watch the Ticker: If you watch ESPN, stock market
channels, or news on T.V. there is a ticker that goes along
67
the bottom of the screen showing scores, news or stock
prices. The ticker runs across at a decent speed and can be
great to focus on to help your perception. Choose one
word as it comes out of the right side of the screen, focus
deeply on that word, repeating it as it goes across the
screen. After it goes off the left side of the screen, find
another word coming in from the right and repeat. This
drill helps you maintain focus on a moving object.
Screensavers
Most computers come with some standard screensavers
that can be great for perception training. To access them,
right click on your desk top and click on “Properties.” A
menu should appear with tabs. Pick the tab labeled
“Screensaver.” There should be a pull-down menu with
various options for your Screensaver mentioned below.
• Bouncing logo: This screensaver has a logo that
bounces around your computer screen. Intensely
focus on this logo as it bounces around the screen
while completing your shadow goaltending. Try it
from a further distance for more of a challenge.
68
• Marquee: The marquee is a screensaver with text
that comes out of random parts of the screen. Input
your self-suggestion phrases and start shadow
goaltending. As the words come across the screen,
focus on them, reading them as many times as
possible as they cross the screen. The speed of the
words can be increased on the screensaver options
for more of a challenge.
• Starfield: This screensaver has an all black screen
with white dots shooting out at the viewer. Within
the options you can select how many stars come out
and at what pace. Start with ten stars at a slow
speed. As you are shadow goaltending, stare at one
star in particular as it comes out towards you. Once
it leaves the screen, select a new one and intensely
stare at. Add more stars and increase the speed for
more of a challenge.
FOCUS STARE
Another important aspect to goaltender perception is the
ability to maintain an intense focus on the lacrosse ball.
There are other activities taking place on the field during a
game but the focus must be totally on the ball for long
69
periods at a time. For this drill you will need a piece of
paper to draw about 10-20 small dots on (Barnes 05).
Tape this sheet of paper to a wall and stand a couple yards
away. Start shadow goaltending while staring at just one
of the dots on the sheet. Do not focus on any of the other
dots. To make this more difficult place more dots on the
paper.
PERIPHERAL VISION
A goaltender’s first job is to focus on the ball, but there
are other activities taking place on the field that you
should be aware of. Goaltenders need to be the eyes
for the defense, making sure they are in the right
formation while calling out where the ball is on the
field. Furthermore, a goaltender should be able to see
where potential shooters are on the field. This is so that
when the ball is passed to a potential shooter, the
goaltender can get into the right position to make the save.
All of this is accomplished with strong peripheral vision;
seeing other objects out of the corners of your eyes while
maintaining focus on the lacrosse ball. These three drills
will help work the peripheral eye muscles:
70
Number Call
This exercise can be done during lacrosse practice, when
you are scrimmaging or doing any game situation drills.
While the play is happening in front of you, focus on the
ball but try to see players at your sides, using your
peripheral vision. To yourself, say the jersey numbers of
these players. The key is to remain focused on the
lacrosse ball at all times while seeing the numbers out of
the corners of your eyes.
Driving Drill
This is a drill you can do anytime you are driving your car
on a two lane road. As you are focused on the road ahead,
try to call out the color of the car that passes you in the
other lane without looking directly over at it. Always stay
focused on the road ahead to be safe.
Warm Up Name Call
As you are taking warm up shots by a coach, have two of
your teammates stand to the far right and left of the coach
who is shooting. As the coach is shooting on you, the
teammates to the sides should randomly raise their hands.
As they raise their hands, the goaltender should call out
71
the name of the person with the raised hands while
focusing on the ball in front of them.
PERCEPTION CONCLUSION
Due to the nature of perception drills, they can be easily
worked into your daily routine. This could be in your car,
on your computer, while watching television and, of
course, during your shadow goaltending training.
Perception drills should be done every day to make sure
that the eyes are working at their maximum ability.
Remember, your eyes are muscles and should be trained
like other muscles in your body to be effective.
72
73
REACTION
After your eyes have perceived the lacrosse ball coming
towards you, the mind must select the appropriate action
to complete the save. The time it takes the mind to make
this save decision is called your reaction time. With the
ball moving at high speeds, goaltenders only have a split-
second to make this decision.
74
In the Shadow Goaltending chapter we mentioned that a
low number of save movements should be practiced so
that the mind can quickly decide on the correct course of
action. That is why only seven save movements are
practiced while shadow goaltending. Any more
movements above seven would slow goaltenders
down because the mind would have too many options to
choose from. Focusing on just the seven save motions
helps the reaction drills have more of an impact.
Reaction exercises are effective because they help
goaltenders to not “guess.” Guessing is a problem
with goaltenders when they become over-anxious in
trying to make a save. What happens is they start
their save motion before the ball begins its flight towards
goal. The result is the goaltender’s momentum begins
moving in one direction before the shot is taken. Then, the
goaltender must adjust their movement to where the shot
actually is going. This adjustment takes time that hinders
the ability to make the save.
Reaction drills make the goaltender wait for a specific
signal and then react making the correct save movement.
75
The drills below will help decrease goaltender guessing
and make this decision process in the mind much quicker.
BALL TOSS
Ball toss drills simply involve throwing a ball and
reacting to it. Although simple, ball toss drills can be one
of the most effective drills a goaltender can practice. They
can be done solo or with a training partner.
Solo
The goaltender should begin in the ready position and
stand in front of a wall that will allow the ball to bounce
back. You do not need to wear any equipment or use a
stick for this drill. The hand that holds the bottom of your
stick should be placed behind your back. Place
your top hand where it normally is located when
you are in the ready position. Keeping the bottom
hand behind your back will help reinforce getting your top
hand to the ball. Bounce the lacrosse ball off the wall so it
comes back to different areas around you. When the ball
bounces back, catch it with your top hand, followed by an
aggressive step and ending back in the ready position
(Figure 12).
76
The solo ball toss can be made more difficult in the
following ways: increasing your velocity, standing closer
to the wall, and progressing to smaller balls. For even
more of a challenge start facing away from the wall. Then
throw the ball over your shoulder and quickly turn around
to make the save. "Reaction" balls are also a great training
tool. These are odd, uneven bouncing balls that can go in
any direction. The reaction ball is very effective because it
is so random, requiring a quicker reaction time. Throw the
reaction ball off the wall and try to react to its
unpredictable bounce.
Partner
Using a partner is similar to the solo ball toss but instead
of a wall you will need a training partner (Figure 13). The
training partner should stand face to face about eight feet
in front of the goaltender. With the goaltender in the ready
position, the partner should throw the ball to different
areas as the goaltender makes the save with the top
hand. Having a partner throw the ball is much more
effective than doing the drill alone. This is because
you do not know where the ball is going to be thrown.
Therefore you are required to focus more on waiting and
77
reacting. For more of a challenge, have the goaltender
face a wall as the trainer stands behind, throwing the ball
off the wall. Make the goaltender stand closer to the wall
for even more of a challenge.
Reaction balls are also very effective with a partner. For
this drill, goaltenders should face each other, both in the
ready position with their top hands ready. Then, the two
can hit the ball back and forth to each other off the
ground. As the ball hits the ground, it goes in
unpredictable locations and the recipient must react to the
ball. As the ball comes up they should hit it back to the
ground towards the partner.
Overall, the ball toss drills are simple and very effective
in improving reaction time. A good time to do this
exercise is during practice when goaltenders are not
needed for a drill.
78
Figure 12 “Solo Ball Toss”
79
Figure 13 “Partner Ball Toss”
80
FOCUS GLOVES/STICK TRAINING
Focus gloves are a very popular training tool within the
martial arts (Barnes 05). A trainer wears the gloves on
each hand and randomly holds out one of the gloves for
the student to strike. These can be useful for lacrosse
goaltenders as well. Goaltenders should stand in their
ready position without any equipment or stick. Like with
the ball toss, your top hand should be up and the bottom
hand behind your back. Your training partner should be
wearing the focus gloves and then randomly hold out a
glove to the seven different areas from your shadow
goaltending movements. Then, the goaltender must touch
the glove with the top hand followed by an aggressive
step (Figure 14). The key to focus glove training is
driving through the glove hard with your top hand. This
helps work the muscles needed for a quick top hand
movement.
To bring this drill to the next level of speed, stick training
can be employed (Barnes 05). Within the martial arts,
stick training helps increase speed because the trainer just
flicks their wrist, sending the stick at high speeds. Some
stick training has reached over 150 miles per hour, which
81
is much higher than speeds a lacrosse ball can reach.
Instead of sticks though, goaltenders can use bass drum
sticks. Bass drum sticks have one end that is round and
cushioned. That is the end the goaltender is to strike. The
trainer, facing the goaltender, then just flicks their wrist to
put the stick at different areas for the goaltender to hit the
soft end with their top hand (Figure 15).
Figure 14 “Focus Gloves”
82
POWERPOINT DRILL
Microsoft PowerPoint can be used for an extremely
effective reaction training drill. Open up Microsoft
PowerPoint and create slides that are all black with a
white circle at various points in the corners and sides
(Figures 16-A through 16-G). You can also use a realistic
background picture related to lacrosse (Figure 16-H).
There should be seven pictures in which the white circle
Figure 15 “Stick Training”
83
corresponds to the save you complete if the ball was going
to that area of the net. After you have created the seven
slides, you will want to go to the Slide Sorter option under
“View.” Once in the slide sorter, copy and paste all the
slides numerous times in a completely random order. Next
you will want slides with just the background and no
white circles. These should be placed in between each of
the slides with white circles. Looking at your slides, every
other slide should not have a white circle in it.
Next, right click on any slide and choose “Slide
Transition.” With this open, select “Automatically” and
choose a three second slide duration. Make sure that you
also click on “Apply to all Slides.” This allows the slides
to advance automatically after three seconds. Now for
each individual slide with no white circle, go to this same
option and input different times that you want the slides to
advance. Randomly select times from 2 to 5 seconds for
each slide. The random times make you wait for the
white circle to appear, not knowing when it will
come up.
84
Goaltenders should clear out an area in front of their
computer with enough space to complete their shadow
goaltending saves. During the slide presentation, the white
circle will appear in different areas of the screen. As this
happens, the goaltender should make their shadow
goaltending movements towards the location of the white
circle. If the circle appears in the upper left corner, the
goaltender should perform the save movement for a shot
going to their upper left corner.
For step-by-step instructions on how to create this
PowerPoint presentation, visit the below You Tube page
and click on the Goaltender PowerPoint Drill video.
www.yourtube.com/primesportstraining
85
Figure 16-A “Upper Left Slide”
Figure 16-B “Upper Right Slide”
86
Figure 16-C “Waist Left Slide”
Figure 16-D “Waist Right Slide”
87
Figure 16-E “Lower Left Slide”
Figure 16-F “Lower Right Slide”
88
Figure 16-G “Lower Middle Slide”
Figure 16-H “Realistic Background”
89
TV/WEBSITE/VIDEO GAME RESPONSE
Televisions, computer web pages and video games can
provide an excellent compliment to your shadow
goaltending exercises that will help improve reaction
time. The object is to wait for a specific signal and then
make one of your seven save motions after the signal
appears. The signal has to be something that appears at a
random time. This makes the goaltender wait in their
ready position, perceive the signal and then react with a
save movement.
Television
The television provides several different opportunities for
reaction training while shadow goaltending. The first can
be a change in the camera shot (Barnes 05). A camera
shot change is when the camera goes from one perspective
to the next. When this change occurs, goaltenders can then
execute one of their save movements. For more of a
challenge, watch an action movie that contains numerous,
quick camera changes. Make sure the sound is off so you
are only concentrating on the camera changing.
90
The second TV signal that can be utilized is commercials
in between your favorite shows. When a commercial
begins, grab your lacrosse stick and get in your ready
position. Make of one of your seven save movements as
soon as one commercial ends and the next one begins.
The third signal that can be used on the television is the
news ticker located at the bottom of the screen on ESPN,
CCN or stock channels. Pick a specific word or letter that
regularly crosses the screen. Then, wait in your ready
position for that word or letter to come out from the right
side of the screen. When it comes out, execute one of your
shadow goaltending save motions. To make it more of a
challenge, choose words or letters that appear more
frequently.
Websites
Websites can also be used for reaction training by waiting
for a random signal from which you will execute one of
your seven save movements. Visit a website that carries
news with the top stories rotating on the home page. Then,
wait in your ready position for the news story to change
over to execute your save. MTV.com is a good example
91
of website with rotating news stories. The homepage has a
lead story with pictures that rotate from time to time. This
allows you to practice shadow goaltending while getting
updated on recent news.
Another signal to be used on the internet is website banner
ads. Banner ads are rectangular advertisements for various
companies that change randomly. My Space is a web site
that contains banner ads that continually change. As the
ad changes over to the next company, implement one of
your seven saves.
Video Games
Video games can also be utilized as a trigger to execute
your shadow goaltending. While someone else is playing,
find a reoccurring, but random display that you can react
to with a save motion. Many video games have a score
located on the screen. Save motions can be completed
every time the score reaches certain point totals. The
game Guitar Hero is great for this example due to its fast
play and scoring system.
92
All of these drills require that you wait for a specific
signal and then react. Furthermore, these exercises are
done in collaboration with activities you are probably
doing on a daily basis. These drills will help build your
discipline for waiting for a shot to happen and then
quickly decide on the appropriate action.
TEXT YOURSELF
Another signal that can be utilized for reaction training is
sending a text message to yourself. Take your cell phone,
go to New Text Message and input your own phone
number for the recipient. Then, set the cell phone down so
the screen is facing you. Quickly grab your stick and get
into your ready position. Wait until the text message is
received and carry out one of your shadow goaltending
movements. Make sure you have unlimited text plan or
this could get expensive.
REACTION CONCLUSION
Reaction drills are effective because they quicken
response times in making a save. Goaltenders must have
the discipline to wait until the ball comes out of the
opponent’s stick to make their save movement. As
93
mentioned before, too many goaltenders are starting their
save movement before the ball is even shot. The result is
the goaltender is not in the best position to make the save.
These reaction drills help build discipline in waiting and
then reacting to make the save.
Good times to practice reaction drills are at home or
during your lacrosse practice. At home this can take place
while watching TV or on the computer. During lacrosse
practices, two goaltenders can get together and do some of
these drills while the rest of the team practices a drill in
which goaltenders are not needed.
94
95
MOVEMENT
After your mind decides which movement to perform, the
muscles must complete this action with explosive speed
towards the ball. This action begins with the top hand
moving towards the ball followed by an aggressive
stepping motion that allows the body to follow
behind. Remember, the top hand movement should
be a straight line. The start of the straight line
movement is where the top hand waits in the ready
96
position. The end of the straight line is where the ball is
going.
The following drills will help increase the explosiveness a
goaltender employs while physically making a save. With
only seconds to complete, goaltenders need to narrow
down the time it takes to complete the save action.
SHADOW SPEED DRILL
The shadow speed drill requires you to choose one of the
seven movements and complete this movement as many
times as possible in one minute’s time. Although your
goal is to see how many motions can be finished, do not
sacrifice good form. Complete the save motion with the
correct technique and then get back into the ready position
to start over again. After the minute has gone by, count up
how many times you completed this save. After
continually doing this exercise, you will find that you can
complete more saves every time you do it. The shadow
speed drill should be done for all seven of the save
motions.
97
Besides being an excellent work-out, the muscles for your
save movements are really pushed to their limits in the
shadow speed drill. By pushing these limits you are
building those essential muscles used for making a save.
WRIST/ANKLE WEIGHTS
Using wrist and ankle weights during a specific activity
provides a resistance that helps build muscles utilized
during that activity. This is due to the muscle force that
must be applied to overcome the heavier masses. Wearing
wrist and ankle weights while doing your shadow
goaltending techniques will help build the necessary
muscles needed to make a save.
While doing this drill, be cautionary about how much
strain is being put on your joints. Start with the lightest
weights possible and move at a moderate speed before
progressing to the heavier weights. Any weight training
should be consulted by a certified trainer.
FIST PRESS
There is a popular exercise within the martial arts that
involves pressing your fist up against a wall that
98
dramatically increases punching power (Little, 01).
Throwing a punch is a similar motion to a goaltender’s
top hand moving to the ball to make a save. These
similarities show that the fist press drill can be effective
for goaltenders as well.
For this exercise place a pillow or cushion against a wall.
Then press your fist against the pillow from three
different ranges: long, medium, and short (Figures 17-A
through 17-C). Do not lean against the target; just hold at
each of the positions, pressing against the pillow, tensing
the whole body. The tension should be so extreme that
your arm should be shaking. Hold the tension at each
range for a minute. Complete this with both hands, but
focus more on the top hand since it is the dominate hand
when making saves.
99
Figure 17-A “Long Fist Press”
Figure 17-B “Medium Fist Press”
100
FOOT AGILITY DRILLS
Foot speed and agility are essential for every goaltender to
be successful. Stepping to the ball after the top hand leads
is important to finishing a save. Many times the stick does
not make the save, so the body must be there for back up.
The following drills will help goaltender foot speed and
overall agility.
Speed Ladder: A rope ladder is needed for this drill that is
laid on the ground. Then, the goaltender should step
Figure 17-C “Short Fist Press”
101
through the rungs at different patterns. When you step
through the patterns, the leg motions are repeated multiple
times. This repetition works the lower body muscles
which will help increase foot speed and agility. Some tips
while completing the speed ladder include:
• Use the balls of your feet, not your toes
• Elbows at 90 degree angle
• Arms and shoulders relaxed while head is still
A great online resource for speed ladder is through a
company called Sports Fitness Advisor. They have a web
page dedicated to speed ladders. There are directions with
pictures to show you the most optimal patterns to work on
with the ladder. The link for this is:
www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/ladder-agility-drills.html.
Jump Rope: Jumping rope combines the athletic skills of
coordination, timing and agility. All three of these
elements are very important for goaltender effectiveness.
Some overall tips for jumping rope include:
• Rope should reach your arm pits when you stand in
the middle of it
• Look straight a head
• Knees slightly bent
102
RED-LINE DRILL
The red-line drill originates from a martial arts training
technique that pushes goaltenders to reach further and
further for their maximum speed in making saves
(Christensen 96). Like with the shadow speed drill,
choose one of your save movements. With this one save
movement, go through the following steps:
1. Complete your movement at a medium speed ten
times. Doing the movement at medium speed helps
ensure that the correct technique is taking place.
2. Carry out the same movement at the speed with
which it is normally performed. Make sure that your
proper form is being utilized.
3. Now complete this movement faster than you ever
thought you could reach. Your technique may not be
at its best, but for this step that’s OK.
4. Finally, repeat step 2, carrying out the movements at
your normal speed ensuring the correct form is in
use.
These four steps should be done for all seven of the save
movements from your shadow goaltending. Step three
pushes a goaltender’s limits to determine their maximum
speed. This in turn helps increase overall speed because
103
every time this drill is completed, that maximum speed is
pushed forward.
WEIGHT TRAINING
Some experts will say that building up too much muscle
mass will take away from flexibility which a goaltender
needs. But the fact is speed is directly related to physical
strength and because of this some weight training could
be beneficial to lacrosse goaltenders. Below are some
suggested exercises.
Upper Body: The upper body muscles used for a save
movement are located throughout the arms and shoulders.
Lifts that focus on these muscles include: military press,
lateral raise, tricep extension, and bicep curl. Furthermore,
below are lifts in particular which are effective for
goaltenders.
• Lateral Press: This lift utilizes the pulley system
seen on Nautilus machines. Use your top hand to
pull the cable across you body, mimicking the save
movement of your top hand.
• Wrist Rolls: Perform this exercise with a stick that
has a rope attached to the middle, and a weight
104
attached to the other end of the rope. Holding your
arms straight out, roll the rope around the stick until
the weight reaches the stick, and then roll the rope
off the stick until the weight reaches the floor.
Lower Body: Lifting weights for the lower body, in
particular the legs, will help improve your speed for
stepping to the ball. These lifts include the squat, leg
press, lunge, dead lift, leg curl and calf raise.
Always consult with a certified trainer when lifting
weights.
MOVEMENT CONCLUSION
Movement exercises are the final piece to improving
goaltender speed. The muscles used to make a save are
pushed to their limits in all of these drills. By pushing
these limits, goaltenders are building up their muscle
which allows them to explode faster towards the
oncoming ball.
Continual improvement and goal setting is essential when
working on movement drills. This means you should try
105
to reach higher levels each time you complete a drill. For
example, with the Shadow Speed Drill, you should try to
get a higher count on the movement repetitions you can
accomplish in the minute’s time. Another example is the
Red-Line Drill. Goaltenders should become faster on the
third step when trying to go past their maximum speed.
By reaching these goals on a continual basis, goaltenders
will see immediate results in their quickness.
106
107
CONCLUSION
To be effective, lacrosse goaltenders must first master the
essential techniques of the position. For goaltenders
to become great they need to have a focused mind,
excellent eye perception, quick reaction time and
swift movement speed. This book has equipped
goaltenders with both the essential goaltender techniques
and the proper drills to help increase the speed of each of
the four human elements required to make a save. It is
108
important to note that goaltenders must complete drills
from each of the four areas to maximize their
effectiveness. If one area is neglected, all the other areas
will suffer and not reach their full potential. This is
because each of the elements builds off the next.
Looking at the diagram above (Figure 18), you see at the
bottom that the mind and body must be fine tuned before
any of the other elements will work effectively. Once the
MOVEMENT
REACTION
PERCEPTION
MIND & BODY
GREAT GOALTENDER
Figure 18 “Goaltender Pyramid”
109
mind and body are in place, the goaltender must be able to
track the ball well through their perception skills. Without
being able to see the ball well, reaction and movement
skills are useless. With perception in place, reaction skills
can then be developed so that the mind can quickly make
the right decision. Once a quick decision is made,
movement skills can be applied to build up the muscles
that actually make the save. As you can see all four speed
elements build off of each other to create an effective
goaltender.
This book has also taught you the importance of shadow
goaltending, which helps program an automatic response
that goaltenders need for overall effectiveness. This
involves repeating an action over and over so that it
is instinctively completed on demand. Goaltenders
can then complete a save motion in a short period of
time without thinking about it. It cannot be understated
how important it is to complete your shadow goaltending
drills on a regular basis to reach your full potential as a
goaltender.
110
Hopefully this book has equipped you with many tools
that will help you to become a great goaltender. The
question is: are you committed to putting in the time and
effort required to become a great goaltender? Goaltenders
must definitively decide they want to become better and
be willing to set aside time to make this happen.
Collaboration
Now that you have finished reading this book, we would
like your feedback on the drills you tried. If everybody
who tried these techniques inputs feedback, all
goaltenders can learn from each other and become even
better. Mass collaboration is when large numbers of
people work on a single project independently. The result
is obvious; more minds can create better ideas than just
one. So please input your thoughts and read other people’s
comments. With everybody’s help we can learn from each
other and become superior goaltenders.
To help collaborate and become a better goaltender, visit
www.primesportstraining.com and click the Good to
Great Goaltending link located under “Collaborations”.
111
112
113
REFERENCES
Barnes, J. Speed Training for Martial Arts. United States: Fitness Lifestyle, 2005. Christensen, Loren. Speed Training. Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press, 1996. Iedwab, Claudio and Roxanne Standefer. Martial Arts Mind & Body. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2000. Lawler, Jennifer. Martial Arts for Dummies. New York: Wiley Publishing, 2003. Little, John R. and Curtis F. Wong. Ultimate Training for the Martial Arts. New York: McGraw Hill, 2001.
114
115
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Good to Great Goaltending author, Adam Platzer, was a
standout goalie for the Rochester Institute of Technology
(RIT) from 1997-2000. Platzer was a four year starter and
two-time All-American for the Tigers, helping them make
the NCAA Tournament in 1999 and 2000. He currently
holds the RIT records for career saves, season saves and
career save percentage. He also played professionally for
the Rochester Rattlers and has coached collegiate lacrosse
at RIT and Geneseo State University. Through coaching
and working various lacrosse camps, Platzer has spent
countless hours working with goaltenders of all ages and
skill levels. He also operates Prime Sports Training, LLC,
a small business that provides goaltenders with individual
training as well as a camp prior to the spring lacrosse
season. For more information about Prime Sports Training
visit www.primesportstraining.com.