When it comes stopping in close shots, a lacrosse goalie can seem pretty naked. But it doesn’t have to be the case. In today’s post, Coach Edwards gives four tips on how to stop in close shots and to improve for future shots.
How To Stop Those In Close Shots
[00:00:04] Hey guys! Coach Edwards here from LacrosseGoalieTips.com and LacrosseGoalieUniversity.com. Welcome to another video. Listen do me a favor when you watch my videos. Leave me a comment below or Send me an email or like it on Facebook or send me a message. You know that’s really the juice that keeps us all going. By all means share it with a goalie or a coach or a parent who needs to hear it. I would sure would appreciate it.
Felix Doesn’t Know Where The Shots Are Going
[00:00:15] Listen this week. Great question from Felix. Felix is in Baldwin Maryland and Felix asks, “I’ve switched to playing lacrosse goalie now on account that our old goalie quit. I can save shots from a distance quite easily but when I have someone running straight at me and they shoot it within five feet, I freeze up because I don’t have a clue where they’re going to go. If you can give me any help I sure would appreciate it. .
My Answer To This Common Problem For Lacrosse Goalies
[00:00:18] Listen, Felix this is not an uncommon question. Stopping shots from in close for lacrosse goalies is really hard, and it’s harder than most every other sport because of the types of sticks that we use in lacrosse. The ability to fake and all those good things. So I’ve got a couple of tips for you to just kind of make the most of it. .
Tip #1: Don’t Get Frustrated
[00:00:18] So tip number one is, know this: There’s nine other players on the field that are supposed to stop that guy before they even get to you. So stopping shots within five feet, all lacrosse goalie, while they are rare, they shouldn’t be common.
[00:01:29] And so a lot of young goalies, when I get e-mails like this from a lot of young or new goalies or goalie’s in new lacrosse programs, you know, they see a lot of these one on one, like basically one-on-the-goalie, situations. More often than most. All right. So number one don’t get discouraged. Realize that you should have defense on your team that shouldn’t be giving up these types of plays. All right. And stay positive, OK, because kind of: tip number 1A is that your responsibility as a lacrosse goalie is to have the the, assumption, the attitude, that you can stop every shot. You may not be able to do it now but you will be able to do it as you get more experience. OK.
[00:02:13] If you watch my three keys to making any save video you’ll see a little bit more of the philosophy I have in this but so it’s super important. OK. So tip #1 just realize you’re not the only player on the field. If you get stuck with a One On 0, that’s rare and while they’re really hard to stop you’ve got to have the attitude that you will be able to stop them at some point.
Tip #2: Most Shooters Are Taught To Fake High And Shoot Low
[00:02:34] Tip number two most shooters are taught to fake high on a lacrosse goalie and then shoot low. The reason they’re taught that is because they’re trying to get the lacrosse goalie to basically get their energy and their momentum up, to basically overcommit to a high shot. The hands go up. They might even jump. And while that goalie is basically unweighted, then it’s an easy fake down below the goalie. So know that a lot of shooters are taught to fake high and then shoot low. So what should you do then don’t commit to the first fake. I do a string drill with all my goalies where I show them, you hey, when a player is in close, the ball can only go like this high above you and so I take a string and I take that string from the crossbar all ...
