Using video to look at your game and to learn from it is invaluable. It shocks me how everyone now has a high definition camera in their pocket but very few people actually put it to good use. Why is that? Do you not want to be “That” guy/girl?

In today’s episode, I answer a question from one of the members of our Private Facebook group. “Hey coach, what sort of checklist do you use when breaking down a lacrosse goalie on film?” Film, for those of you to young to know, is also known as video, lol.

Everybody Lacrosse Goalie Has an HD Camera But No One Is Using Them Enough

I’m not sure why it is, but we have more ability to video ourselves but nobody is doing it.  Maybe you don’t want to be THAT guy, or THAT girl, or THAT parent, or THAT coach; but really? Why not?

At the end of the day, the more ability you have to look at your game and learn from it, the better.  So get that camera out, get it on a tripod, and then review it.  And be sure to be using our Lacrosse Goalie Cheat Sheets if you haven’t done so already.

Here’s how I break a lacrosse goalie down on video:

1. Stance: Your ability to make a great save starts with a solid athletic stance.
2. Positioning:  Once a goalie’s stance is ok, are they in the right position to make the save.
3. The Three Keys:  Did you use the Three Keys to know where you’re breaking down?
4. Recovery and Awareness:  Is the goalie learning from that goal that just went in our just sulking about it.

(Watch the video to hear me explain just how I go through each step.)

When you break a goalie down like this you can really pinpoint why they’re not making the save and then you can adjust your practices accordingly.

Be Sure To Grade Every Save Too!

You can grade every save just like you would goals that go in.  A goalie can improve even on the saves he or she makes by asking, “Could I have made that save any better?  Any cleaner?”  That is what a true professional would do and it’s not anything you need to wait to do.  You can start right now. Today.

By using video you can really accelerate your improvement, and I don’t know a single, motivated,  lacrosse goalie who doesn’t want to do that.  But hey, if you want to double the time it takes to get better, go right ahead.

But ultimately, you need to believe that not only can you save every shot, but you can make those saves cleaner and cleaner.

Tell Me What You Decided To Do?

Has this video moved you to make a change in your game?  To add video?  To get a tripod? To not fear being THAT goalie?  Tell me about it in the comments below.