Timestamps

0:32 – Coach Edwards explains the concept of “goalie RAM,” the processing power that helps goalies like Brett Queener figure out what to do with the ball before they get it.
1:23 – The typical thought progression of a lacrosse goalie and coming up with a better plan.
 2:32 – What to do when your team doesn’t have a man-advantage.
 3:18 – Why coaches should let their goalies use their advantage and leave the cage more.
 4:22 – Coach Edwards urges goalies to be a threat on the field.

Introduction

Coach Edwards here at LacrosseGoalieTips.com, and we can call this one, “Why I love Brett Queener Number 2.” But more importantly, I hope you watched that video last week that I posted, if not go back and check out the last post and the “Why I Love Brett Queener” lacrosse video. A bit of a man-crush really. Nothing major.

Goalie Processing Power

Here’s the deal. One of the things I want to talk about is this concept that I’ve kind of coined of a “goalie RAM,” like RAM on your computer – processing power. One thing I noticed in that video is that a lot of times, Brett Queener will make a save and he will just take off. No 4 seconds in the crease, he will just make that save and he’s gone. Why?

Well first off, as any great goalie will do, before the shot is taken, he’s already thinking in advance what he’s going to do with that ball. If you’ve watched some of my videos in the past, I’ve talked about how your first look on a clear should be right back at where the shot was taken from, because if it was done on a dodge, most likely you have a teammate who is just beyond that player.

Figuring Out What To Do With The Ball Before You Get It

Let’s say your main middy gets beat, the middy’s the top or the bottom. Their middy comes down, shoots on you, you make a nice clean save, your middy should take off. Boom,  gone. But you can only get to that bit of mental processing power if you are mentally capable to comprehend everything else that’s going on.

As a new goalie you’re thinking first, “Oh my god, is this going to hurt?” second, “Oh my God, I caught it,” third, “What do I do with it now?” Because you haven’t had time to think about it, and that’s okay. Every goalie goes through that progression, whether you are ten years old or you are 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Every time you make a jump to a better level of player, like a shooter, you come across that.

What I want you to notice in that video, and I’ll repost it below here, is that he’s able to know what he’s going to do before he gets the ball, and you need to come up with that as well. There are certain little basic rules. One I just explained, like where that first shot or pass goes on the clear.

When You Don’t Have A Man Advantage

Second one to think about is you’re a man down, which means when you get a ball on a save, it’s six on six technically. It’s not seven on six clear, so you don’t have a man advantage. So you’ve got to know what you’re going to do. I find that mostly for young goalies, they make mistakes when they have to freelance.

Lacrosse is a team sport, so even when Brett Queener runs out of the cage, his team knows what to do. They’re just treating him like any other player on the team. They’re treating him just like a middy who got the ball in the cage and now he’s busting upfield. Not a goalie.

Use Your Advantage As A Goalie

A lot of high school teams, they’re nervous, their coaches get nervous. They tell their goalie, “Get back in the cage, get back in the cage!” When I hear that it just makes me cringe, because I’m thinking, “Let them go! Figure it out!” That goalie needs to be just as offensive, and when that goalie makes their first pass, don’t just turn around and go back to the cage, keep on going. Be an offensive threat.

If you’re out of the cage and you’re athletic and you can create a 2-1-1 with the middy, and you’re going down the centre of the field, by all means, don’t stop, because now it’s a 1 on 1. Keep going. Be that guy. I remember I had a couple of times in high school and when I got to college age and senior age, where you know what? I crossed the midfield stripe, we got a clear, I’d just keep on going and get it down to attack. Everyone just thinks you just turned around, you can even fake a turnaround, fake like you’re going to go back to the cage, then just keep going down the centre of the box toward the cage and you’re wide open, no one will cover you.

Be A Threat

Be inspired, and be a threat. I keep using that. Be a threat. You don’t want to be a burden when you leave the crease. You don’t want people, everybody around you on the stands, on the bench, your mom, going like, “Oh my god honey, get back in the cage!” No, just go. Worst case scenario, if you drop the ball, fall on it, pin it to the ground, the ref will call withholding. It’s a change of possession, you run back to the cage and you’re done.

Conclusion

Be inspired by Brett Queener and be more that type of goalie. Work on becoming an all-around lacrosse goalie that’s athletic and that’s a threat all over the field, all right? You won’t regret it, your game will improve, and by all means, everyone will think you’re a hero. Especially when you score. Cheers.

Coach Edwards, LacrosseGoalieTips.com. I’m looking forward to your questions, your videos. If you see a video online that you’ve got a question about, send it to me and maybe I’ll do a critique about it down the road or I’ll do a post about it just explaining some stuff whether I like it or not. By all means leave a comment below, Facebook, share it, tweet it, I really appreciate it. Talk to you soon. Bye.

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