Lacrosse Goalie Tips

Goalies are the backbone to any athletic team. Lacrosse goalie tips is here to help that all important person on the team.

Perhaps the most intense lacrosse position, goalies take both a mental and physical beating to ensure that your team wins.

Goalies use a semi-long stick, 40 inches for men's lacrosse. The goalie head is much larger than regular player's, with a much deeper pocket.

Goalie Equipment

Goalie Equipment includes:

a. Helmet

b. Stick

c. Gloves

d. Chest Protector

e. Throat Guard

f. and of course... The Cup

(Oh boy is The Cup important! I remember this one time, when I was shooting our goalie before practice. I shot a bounce shot, and it took a funny bounce. The ball nailed him in the balls. Well, I thought it was pretty funny. But he was down for about 20 minutes.)

Anyway... On with the Lacrosse Goalie Tips.

TIP #1) Always where a cup! (see above for example)

TIP #2) Know your "ready position". A proper ready position means that your top hand thumb is at eye level, and the top of the stick is level with the cross bar.

Your knees should be bent, and your feet should be shoulder width apart. Finally, in order to have extra give when you stop a shot, your hands should be about 1 1/2 feet out in front of you.

TIP #3) The second lacrosse goalie tip is to always know where the ball is at on the playing field. Vision is a goalie's best friend. This is a pretty obvious one, but it is still one of the most important. If you can't see the ball, the you (usually) can't make the save.

But vision isn't only for trying to see where/who has the ball. Use your good vision to look into the shooter's eyes. Nine times out of ten, the person shooting the ball is looking directly where he is going to shoot it. Use this to your advantage, and become a better goalie.

TIP #4) Be able to pass the ball. Nothing made me angrier when I was playing defense, when my goalie made a great save and then passed it right to the opposing team! I still get heartburn just thinking about it. You can save every single shot, but if you can't pass the ball, then you are not a good goalie.

Are you having trouble passing the ball well? Try fooling around with your shooting strings to get the whip correct. If that doesn't work, you may have to string a whole new stick.

TIP #5) The fourth lacrosse goalie tip is that a goalie should ALWAYS step to the ball. I see so many goalies making this error as they TRY to save a shot. Stepping to the ball allows you to cut off the angle a little bit more, which gives you a slight edge.

It also allows the goalie to go out and attack the bounce shots. Rather than just waiting for a hard-to-get bounce shot to come to you, you should go to it. By attacking the shot, you are putting yourself in a better position to save a goal.

TIP #6) Another lacrosse goalie tip is to... BE LOUD! Let your defenders know who is cutting, where the ball is, who is passing. Let them know everything. You may sound extremely dumb at practice; but during a game, talking will help out your defense.

You are the captain of the defense. So let them know what you see, every second of that game. Talking not only helps out you defense, but it allows you to be better prepared for the shot. Goalies who don't talk get lazy and stupid (not seeing the cutters, or even the shot!).

Here is a list of things that a goalie can say to help communicate with the defense. It is important that the defense know this list as well.

TIP #7) Lacrosse goalie tip number 6. Be on the lookout for cocky, loud mouthed players. These guys almost always shoot high. I know! I was one of them!

When you spot a player who looks and acts better than everyone else, then odds are he is shooting up high. (After you save the shot, give him a good nod to let him know who is in control)

TIP #8) Know how to handle the lacrosse ball. Whether you like it or not, sooner or later, you are going to have to come out of the net. So, when that happens, be prepared.

I'm not saying that you should be dodging the opposing team or anything. But make sure your cradle is good enough to resist a few stick checks.

TIP #9) Lacrosse goalie tip number 8...Do not be afraid of the ball! Newer goalies often have a tendency to be afraid of the ball hitting them. Umm...Isn't that what you want?

As a goalie, you want the ball to hit you, because that means that you made the save! To get over this fear, just tell all of the players at practice to aim at the goalie and not the goal.

Eventually, and many bruises later, he will be so accustomed to lacrosse balls hitting him, that he won't be afraid any longer. This sounds cynical and cruel, but believe me, it works!