Lacrosse Goalie Tips, Drills, and Advice

A skilled lacrosse coach brings a wealth of knowledge to help goalies build confidence and sharpen their skills. Through expert tips, targeted drills, and insightful guidance, players of all levels can refine their techniques and improve their performance in the net. Whether a beginner is just stepping onto the field or a seasoned player is striving for excellence, this advice is a powerful resource for growth. Let’s dive in!

How to Become a Confident Lacrosse Goalie 

Starting as a lacrosse goalie can be intimidating, but with dedication and the right approach, confidence grows over time. Through consistent practice and a focused mindset, early challenges become stepping stones toward mastery. Here are some key factors that contribute to building confidence in the net.

1. Practice Regularly: I made sure to practice every day. This helped me get better at stopping shots and understanding the game.
2. Learn from Mistakes: Every time I missed a save, I learned something new. Instead of getting upset, I focused on what I could do better next time.
3. Stay Positive: Keeping a positive attitude was crucial. Even when things didn’t go my way, I stayed focused and believed in myself.
4. Watch and Learn: I watched other goalies and learned from their techniques. This gave me new ideas to try in my own game.
5. Work with a Coach: Having a coach to guide me made a big difference. They gave me personalized tips and helped me improve faster.

Goalie Basics 

As a professional lacrosse coach, I’m here to guide you through the essentials of being a lacrosse goalie. This section will cover the basics, including pre warm-up routines and different warm-up variations to get you game-ready.

Pre Warm-Up 

Before you start your main warm-up, it’s important to prepare your body and mind. Here’s what you should do:

1. Stretching: Begin with dynamic stretches to loosen up your muscles. Focus on your legs, arms, and core.
2. Mental Preparation: Take a few minutes to visualize your performance. Imagine making great saves and staying calm under pressure.
3. Light Jogging: A short jog can help increase your heart rate and get your blood flowing.

Warm-Up Variation 

Once you’re prepped, it’s time for the main warm-up. Here are some variations to keep your routine effective and interesting:

1. Hand-Eye Coordination Drills: Use a tennis ball to practice catching and throwing. This helps improve your reflexes.
2. Footwork Drills: Set up cones and practice moving quickly between them. Good footwork is crucial for making saves.
3. Shot Practice: Have a teammate or coach take shots at you from different angles and distances. This simulates game situations and helps you react faster.

Essential Drills 

As a professional lacrosse coach, I’m excited to share some of the best drills to help you improve your game as a goalie. These drills are designed to enhance your skills, reflexes, and overall performance on the field. Let’s dive into 14 excellent lacrosse goalie drills that will take your game to the next level.

14 Excellent Lacrosse Goalie Drills to Improve Your Game

Mystery Shot

This drill helps improve your reaction time and decision-making skills. Have a teammate or coach stand behind the goal and throw balls over the net. You won’t know where the ball is coming from, so you’ll need to react quickly to make the save. For example, if the ball comes from the left, quickly move to your left and make the save.

Doc Drill

Named after legendary goalie coach Doc Dougherty, this drill focuses on positioning and movement. Set up cones in the goal area and practice moving between them while maintaining proper stance and readiness to make a save. For instance, move from the left post to the right post, ensuring you stay low and balanced.

Eye Focus Drill

This drill is all about improving your focus and tracking abilities. Use a small ball, like a tennis ball, and have someone throw it at different speeds and angles. Concentrate on watching the ball all the way into your stick. For example, if the ball is thrown high, track it with your eyes and catch it at the highest point.

Power – Speed – Shot

Combine power, speed, and shot-stopping in this drill. Start by doing a power exercise like push-ups or squats, then sprint to the goal and face a shot. This simulates game conditions where you need to be strong, fast, and ready to make a save. For example, do 10 push-ups, sprint to the goal, and save a shot aimed at the top corner.

Jeter Drill – Low Shot Agility Drill

Inspired by baseball player Derek Jeter, this drill focuses on low shots. Set up cones to create a narrow path and practice moving quickly to save low shots. This helps improve your agility and ability to stop shots aimed at the bottom corners. For instance, move side to side quickly and save shots aimed at your feet.

Pipe to Pipe Explosion Drill

This drill enhances your lateral movement and explosiveness. Start at one goal post (pipe) and quickly move to the other side, simulating a shot coming from the opposite direction. This helps you cover the goal more effectively. For example, start at the left post, explode to the right post, and be ready to save a shot.

“Finish the Save” Drill

Making the initial save is important, but so is controlling the rebound. In this drill, practice making a save and then immediately securing the ball or clearing it to a teammate. This helps you develop the habit of finishing the save. For instance, save a shot, scoop up the rebound, and pass it to a teammate.

Passing / Clearing Drill

A good goalie needs to be able to pass and clear the ball effectively. Practice catching a shot and then making a quick, accurate pass to a teammate. This drill helps improve your ball-handling skills and decision-making under pressure. For example, save a shot, then quickly pass the ball to a midfielder.

Shots with a Feeder

Have a teammate act as a feeder, passing balls to different shooters. This drill simulates game situations where you have to track the ball from the feeder to the shooter and make a save. It helps improve your tracking and reaction skills. For instance, track the ball from the feeder to the shooter and make a save.

Shots with a Rope

Use a rope to create a small target area in the goal. Practice making saves within this area to improve your accuracy and precision. This drill helps you focus on making clean saves and controlling the ball. For example, aim to save shots that are directed within the small target area created by the rope.

Football Toss

This fun drill uses a football to improve your hand-eye coordination and catching skills. Have a teammate throw the football at different angles and speeds, and practice catching it with your lacrosse stick. For instance, catch a high throw with your stick and quickly pass it back.

Tracking Shots with Nerf Ball Shots

Using a Nerf ball, practice tracking and saving shots. The lighter ball moves differently than a regular lacrosse ball, helping you improve your focus and reaction time. For example, track a Nerf ball shot and make a save, focusing on the ball’s movement.

Wall Ball with a Short Stick

Use a short stick to practice throwing and catching against a wall. This drill helps improve your stick skills and hand-eye coordination, which are crucial for making saves and clearing the ball. For instance, throw the ball against the wall and catch it with your short stick, repeating the process.

Monkey In the Middle

This drill involves three players: two passers and one goalie in the middle. The passers throw the ball back and forth while the goalie tries to intercept it. This helps improve your anticipation and quickness. For example, move quickly to intercept a pass and then return to your position.

Being a lacrosse goalie isn’t just about reflexes—it’s about understanding the rhythm and duration of the game. Goalies must stay locked in for every second, especially during high-pressure moments like man-down situations or overtime.

For those looking to take their skills to the next level, knowing the lacrosse season and rules is key. Different leagues (youth, college, pro) have varying shot clocks, crease rules, and equipment regulations that directly impact how a goalie prepares.

Goalie Specific Drills & Tips 

These drills are especially useful for beginners who are just starting to learn the ropes. Let’s get started!

Lacrosse Goalie Drills for Coaching Beginners

Colored Balls Drill

This drill helps improve reaction time and decision-making. Use tennis balls in different colors and place them on cones around the crease. The coach stands in front of the goal with a bucket of colored balls and throws them to different spots in the goal. The goalie must make the save and then toss the ball back to the matching colored cone. For example, if a red ball is thrown, the goalie saves it and then throws it back to the red cone.

Jump Rope Drill

Jumping rope is great for improving foot speed and agility. Incorporate different jump rope exercises into your warm-up routine. For instance, try alternating feet, double-unders, and side-to-side jumps. This will help you move quickly and efficiently in the goal.

Walk the Line Drill

This drill focuses on footwork and positioning. Place a line of cones in a straight line from the goal line to the top of the crease. Practice moving along the line, stepping to each cone while maintaining proper stance and balance. This helps you stay in the right position to make saves.

Egg Toss Drill

This fun drill improves hand-eye coordination and soft hands. Use raw eggs and gently toss them back and forth with a partner. The goal is to catch the egg without breaking it. This drill teaches you to have a soft touch when catching the ball.

Goalie Shuttle Drill

Set up cones in a shuttle run pattern. Practice moving quickly between the cones, focusing on staying low and balanced. This drill helps improve your lateral movement and quickness, which are crucial for making saves.

Wall Ball Drill

Use a wall to practice throwing and catching with your stick. Stand a few feet away from the wall and throw the ball against it, catching it as it bounces back. This drill helps improve your stick skills and hand-eye coordination.

Card Toss Drill

This drill helps improve focus and reaction time. Have a partner stand a few feet away and toss playing cards at you. Try to catch the cards with your stick. This drill teaches you to track small, fast-moving objects, which is similar to tracking a lacrosse ball.

Magic Square Drill

Set up four cones in a square pattern. Practice moving quickly between the cones, focusing on staying low and balanced. This drill helps improve your agility and footwork.

Drills to Avoid 

As a professional lacrosse coach, it’s important to focus on drills that truly enhance your skills and avoid those that don’t provide much benefit. Here are seven drills that are often considered a waste of time for lacrosse goalies:

Static Shot Drills

Standing still and taking repetitive shots from the same spot doesn’t simulate real game conditions. In a game, shots come from various angles and distances, so it’s better to practice with more dynamic and varied shooting drills.

Overemphasis on Long Clears

While it’s important to be able to clear the ball, spending too much time on long clears can take away from practicing more critical skills like shot-stopping and quick passes. Focus on accurate, short clears that are more common in games.

Excessive Conditioning Drills

Conditioning is important, but goalies don’t need the same level of endurance as field players. Instead of spending too much time on running drills, focus on agility and quickness exercises that are more relevant to the goalie position.

Blindfolded Drills

Some coaches use blindfolded drills to improve reaction time, but these can be dangerous and don’t realistically simulate game situations. It’s better to practice with your eyes open and focus on improving your tracking and reaction skills.

Overly Complex Drills

Drills that are too complicated can be confusing and counterproductive, especially for beginners. Stick to simple, effective drills that focus on fundamental skills and gradually increase the difficulty as you improve.

Drills Without Feedback

Practicing without receiving feedback from a coach or teammate can lead to bad habits. Always seek constructive feedback to ensure you’re performing drills correctly and making the necessary adjustments.

Drills That Ignore Mental Preparation

Physical skills are important, but so is mental preparation. Drills that don’t incorporate mental aspects like visualization and focus can leave you unprepared for the pressures of a game. Include mental exercises in your training routine.

Jumping Rope 

Jumping rope is a popular exercise for improving foot speed and agility, which are crucial for lacrosse goalies. However, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks to ensure you stay safe while training.

Jumping Rope Can Be Dangerous

While jumping rope can be a great workout, it can also pose some dangers if not done correctly. Here are a few things to watch out for:

1. Improper Technique: Using the wrong technique can lead to injuries. Make sure to keep your knees slightly bent, land softly on the balls of your feet, and avoid jumping too high. This reduces the impact on your joints.
2. Overuse Injuries: Jumping rope excessively can strain your muscles and joints, leading to overuse injuries like shin splints or tendonitis. It’s important to balance your training with rest and other types of exercises.
3. Inadequate Footwear: Wearing the wrong shoes can increase the risk of injury. Use supportive athletic shoes that provide good cushioning and stability.
4. Hard Surfaces: Jumping on hard surfaces like concrete can increase the impact on your joints. Try to jump on softer surfaces like grass or a gym mat to reduce the risk of injury.
5. Lack of Warm-Up: Jumping rope without a proper warm-up can lead to muscle strains. Always start with a light warm-up to get your muscles ready for the workout.

Soft Toss Ball Drills

The Arguments FOR the Soft Ball Toss

Softball toss drills can be very beneficial for lacrosse goalies. Here are some reasons why:

1. Improves Hand-Eye Coordination: Soft ball toss drills help goalies improve their ability to track and catch the ball. This is crucial for making saves during a game.
2. Enhances Reaction Time: By practicing with a soft ball, goalies can work on their quick reflexes and reaction time, which are essential for stopping fast shots.
3. Builds Confidence: These drills allow goalies to practice in a low-pressure environment, helping them build confidence in their skills.
4. Versatility: Softball toss drills can be done almost anywhere and don’t require a lot of equipment, making them easy to incorporate into regular practice sessions.

Why the Soft Ball Toss Drill is Good for Your Lacrosse Goalie

1. Safe Practice: Using a soft ball reduces the risk of injury, especially for beginners who are still getting used to the speed and impact of a lacrosse ball.
2. Focus on Technique: Without the fear of getting hurt, goalies can focus more on their catching and positioning techniques.
3. Adaptability: Softball toss drills can be adjusted in difficulty by changing the speed and angle of the tosses, allowing goalies to gradually improve their skills.
4. Repetition: These drills allow for a high number of repetitions, which is key for muscle memory and skill development.

Why the Soft Ball Toss Drill is BAD for Your Lacrosse Goalie

1. Lack of Realism: Soft balls don’t mimic the weight and speed of a real lacrosse ball, which can make the transition to game situations more challenging.
2. Overconfidence: Practicing only with soft balls might give goalies a false sense of security, as they may not be fully prepared for the intensity of real game shots.
3. Limited Skill Development: While softball toss drills are great for beginners, more advanced goalies might not benefit as much and could need more challenging drills to continue improving.
4. Inconsistent Feedback: The way a soft ball moves and reacts can be different from a lacrosse ball, leading to inconsistent feedback on technique and performance.

Eye-Hand Coordination Drills

Eye-hand coordination is crucial for lacrosse goalies, as it helps you track the ball and make quick, accurate saves. Here are some effective drills to improve your eye-hand coordination:

Wall Ball Drill

Stand a few feet away from a wall and throw a lacrosse ball against it. Catch the ball as it bounces back. This drill helps improve your reaction time and hand-eye coordination. You can vary the distance and speed of your throws to make the drill more challenging.

Tennis Ball Toss

Have a partner throw tennis balls at you from different angles and speeds. Focus on catching each ball with your lacrosse stick. This drill helps you practice tracking the ball and making quick adjustments to catch it.

Juggling

Juggling is a fun way to improve your hand-eye coordination. Start with two balls and gradually add more as you get better. This drill helps you develop quick reflexes and better control over your hands.

Colored Ball Drill

Use balls of different colors and have a partner call out a color as they throw the ball. You need to catch the ball of the specified color. This drill helps improve your focus and ability to quickly identify and react to different stimuli.

Reaction Ball Drill

Use a reaction ball, which has an irregular shape and bounces unpredictably. Throw it against a wall and try to catch it as it bounces back. This drill helps improve your reaction time and ability to track unpredictable movements.

Soft Toss Drill

Have a partner softly toss balls at you while you stand in the goal. Focus on catching each ball with your stick. This drill helps you practice making saves and improves your hand-eye coordination.

Quick Stick Drill

Stand close to a wall and practice quick stick passes against it. The goal is to catch and throw the ball as quickly as possible. This drill helps improve your hand speed and coordination.

Ball Tracking Drill

Have a partner throw balls at different speeds and angles while you focus on tracking the ball with your eyes. This drill helps improve your ability to follow the ball’s trajectory and make accurate saves.

Advanced Drills

For those looking to take their lacrosse goalie skills to the next level, here are some advanced drills that will challenge you and help you improve your game.

Time and Room Shots from Fifteen Yards

This drill focuses on improving your ability to save long-range shots. Have a shooter take shots from fifteen yards out, giving you time to react and position yourself correctly. This helps you practice reading the shooter’s body language and anticipating the shot. For example, if the shooter winds up for a high shot, prepare to move your stick up quickly to make the save.

Catching Cards Drill

This drill enhances your hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes. Have a partner stand a few feet away and toss playing cards at you. Your goal is to catch the cards with your lacrosse stick. This drill simulates the quick, unpredictable movements of a lacrosse ball and helps you improve your reaction time.

The Wrapping Paper Drill

This fun and creative drill uses a roll of wrapping paper to improve your tracking and catching skills. Have a partner throw the roll of wrapping paper at you from different angles and distances. The irregular shape and movement of the roll will challenge your ability to track and catch it, similar to how you would track a lacrosse ball.

Ladder Drills

Ladder drills are excellent for improving foot speed, agility, and coordination. Set up an agility ladder on the ground and practice different footwork patterns, such as high knees, side steps, and in-and-out movements. These drills help you develop quick, precise footwork, which is essential for moving efficiently in the goal.

Conclusion

In conclusion, becoming a skilled lacrosse goalie requires dedication, practice, and the right techniques. By focusing on fundamental skills, incorporating a variety of effective drills, and avoiding less beneficial exercises, you can significantly improve your performance. Remember to balance physical training with mental preparation, and always seek feedback to refine your skills. With consistent effort and a positive mindset, you’ll develop the confidence and ability to excel in this challenging position. Keep pushing yourself, and you’ll see remarkable progress in your game!