Coach Jonathan Edwards reflects on what the Division 1 Lacrosse Finals prove to him – the evolution of the game of lacrosse is leaving goalies behind. As technology for shooters becomes more advanced and shots get faster and faster, Coach breaches the controversial subject of better protection for goalies and a change in the way lacrosse goalies approach the game.
0:24 – Coach Edwards observes the game of lacrosse getting faster with bigger, more accurate shooters every year.
0:54 – Lacrosse goalies are the only ones that try to catch the ball across their bodies.
1:52 – The point when the ball is just too fast for a goalie to save.
2:18 – The controversial truth – lacrosse goalies are under-protected.
3:04 – Goalies aren’t evolving enough to keep up with today’s technology.
Introduction
Coach Edwards here with LacrosseGoalieUniversity.com and LacrosseGoalieTips.com, and I just wanted to give my thoughts on the 2014 Division 1 Lacrosse Finals. I’m doing this as an audio in my truck because I drive today. I’ll probably do a blog post as well as a video, so you might see this twice but it will be a little different each time.
Bigger, Faster, Stronger
My thoughts on the lacrosse championships every year is, “Man, the game of lacrosse is getting faster and faster and faster, and the shooters are getting bigger and stronger and more accurate, and the lacrosse goalie is not evolving accordingly.
The Only Goalies
As lacrosse goalies, traditionally we wear very little equipment and we play one-handed, basically, we play with a stick in our one hand. If you’ve heard me talk before about this, it kind of blows my mind. We’re the only goalie in any sport that tries to catch the ball or puck or whatever, across his or her body. We’re basically saying, “I’ve got my stick in my right hand,” or whatever it is, “My stick’s in my left hand,” and let’s say my stick’s in my right hand, and that shot is to the left side of my body. The goalies are trying to reach across to make a save, and it rarely happens.
Reaching Across the Body
So many goals this year are taken from 12, 15 yard shots, 80, 90, 100 miles an hour, and they’re going off-stick high and the goalie is trying to reach across their body to make a save and they’re just not getting there, and I hate that save. Or if the shot is above off-stick hip, the goalie’s trying to rotate the stick across to make the save.
When the Ball Moves Too Fast
When you learn how to play the game, you’re going to learn how to make this save. But one thing I’m realizing as I’m watching the Division 1 finals is that there’s a point, and I’ve known this for a long time and I’ve shared this with our readers and our listeners, there’s a point when the ball is moving too fast that you cannot move effectively. You cannot move that top hand to the ball. However, you’ve got a bottom hand and you’ve got a hip and knee, and off-stick foot to to make that save, and goalies aren’t making them because they’re not protected enough.
Lacrosse Goalies Are Under-Protected
What I’m saying and what I want people to start to think about is that lacrosse goalies are under-protected to make saves against the shots they’re facing now. It’s just plain and simple. Goalies need to stop playing straight up, they need to take a half-step to their off-stick side. They need to start playing both-handed in my opinion. If they’re standing with their left foot on the left pipe then their stick needs to be in their right hand.
The Controversy
If they’re standing with their right foot on their right pipe, that stick needs to be in their left hand. No more of this, “I’m going to try to rotate the stick across.” It just doesn’t work anymore. I think I’m one of the first people to talk about this. It’s a little controversial but I’m not one to shy away from controversy.
Goalies Aren’t Evolving With The Technology
I want you to think about that. The Division 1 Lacrosse Final 2014 made me more aware of the fact that the balls are getting even faster than I thought. They’re getting faster all the way down to high school level. Kids are stronger now than they ever were. Sticks are lighter now than they ever were. Technology and pockets, kids have more control and goalies have not evolved. I think one of my goals as kind of a leader in this position is to help people learn how to evolve their goalies to better succeed.
Conclusion
Tell me what you thought about this year’s Division 1 Final. What did you think about it? Leave your comment below. Feel free to email me at CoachEdwards@LacrosseGoalieTips.com. Find me on Facebook at JonathanEdwardsLacrosseGoalieGuru@facebook.com/lacrossegoalieguru and leave me your comments, I’d be happy to get them. I always appreciate everybody’s questions. Talk to you soon. Bye.
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