Lacrosse Goalie University – The Online Coaching Vault

Since 1992 I’ve been coaching lacrosse goalies at every level of the game.  And over the years I’ve created coaching courses, DVD’s, goalie critiques and a lot of other coaching material.

I’ve realized one thing:  No matter where you are as a goalie, parent or coach, you need to know a lot…in a hurry.

That’s why I created Lacrosse Goalie University.

Lacrosse Goalie University is a vault of videos (at last check over fourteen hours worth of footage).  From things as simple as how long your stick should be to how to run a clear to how to communicate with your defense.

It’s all in there.

And the information applies to both men and women’s lacrosse goalies.

It’s important to understand that what you learn inside Lacrosse Goalie University will make EVERYTHING you do in lacrosse more valuable.

What good is a new stick, or a pocket, or a new chest protector if you don’t know why you have it or what you need it for?  You’ll learn that here.

How should you move to the ball to make more saves?  You’ll learn that here.

Going to a goalie camp?  You’ll learn why you might need one and what to get out of it.

I could go on.

By going through the information in Lacrosse Goalie University you will be the most knowledgeable goalie on your team and that will give you an advantage over every other goalie you come up against.  (That’s if they aren’t already a Lacrosse Goalie University member!)

So here’s a list of just some of what you’ll have access to.  It’s a rather long list but it’s worth the read.

Now, if you’re a women’s goalie, or a coach or parent of young goalies, everything in Lacrosse Goalie University works for both of those demographics.  So don’t think that there’s nothing in here for you.

You’ll get access to the LGU “vault” which is full of over twelve hours of lacrosse goalie specific coaching videos on the following:

Module 1: Introduction to the Lacrosse Goalie Position: Lacrosse Goalie Fundamentals (30Min)

• How to have the right mindset to have success as a lacrosse goalie.
• Why on earth, you should listen to what I have to say.
• Why promising young goalies often get forced out of the game.

Module 2: Your Best Lacrosse Goalie Equipment (40min)

• Important concepts about protecting yourself.
• All about your cleats.
• All about helmets.
• All about lacrosse goalie gloves.
• What lacrosse gloves you should NOT buy.
• All about your chest protector.
• All about shafts and which ones should you be using.
• How to protect your pelvic area (girls and boys)
• Protecting your thighs.
• How to protect your knees.
• What you should be using to protect your lower legs for maximum effectiveness.

Module 3:  Movement Preparation for Lacrosse Goalies:  How to get ready to move before you move. (35min)

As a high performance athlete, the lacrosse goalie should be one of the most explosive players on the team.  And because of that concept, a lacrosse goalie needs to take special care to getting their body prepared to move explosively.  In this section I cover:

• Why Movement Prep is so important to having great ball-stopping ability.
• An overview to the critical concepts behind Movement Prep and when to do Movement Prep.
• The twelve (or so) moves that you can do anywhere, at any time, to become a more flexible, more explosive, more injury-resistant lacrosse goalie.
• The exact program I have used to train athletes across multiple sports to become more reactive.
• And much more…don’t let the lack of bullet points in this Module under-represent the incredible impact this one Module can have on your success.

Module 4: Moving To The Ball: The critical concepts to stopping more balls. (46min)

• How to find your Athletic Stance in the cage and why it is exclusive to you.
• Why your Athletic Stance is the foundation to all of your lacrosse ball stopping ability.
• Why some goalies have wide stances and others have narrow stances.
• The muscles that affect your Athletic Stance and what you need to do to strengthen them.
• Why “moving” to the ball is a more important concept than “stepping” to the ball.
• Why “stepping to the ball” is wrong.
• The stepping concept I learned that created multiple All-World lacrosse goalies.
• How to step “through” the ball.
• Why balance is critical to the lacrosse goalie and how to develop it.
• How working without your stick just might be the most important work you do to be a better lacrosse goalie.
• When to start working with a stick and how it affects your positioning in the cage.
• How to get the most out of working with a short stick. (Not your goalie stick).
• The “layering” concept of using your hands, your head, and your feet to make more saves and to give up less rebounds.
• Sprinters stance vs. Vertical stance and how a small adjustment in your stance will help you make more saves.
• The “Eye. Hand. Ball” concept and how most lacrosse goalies screw it up.
• How to stop low shots and how to give up less rebounds.
• Why the positioning of your bottom is critical to making more saves on low shots.
• A great drill for goalies who are not stepping.
• Critical concepts for stopping bounce shots.
• And much more…

Module 5: All About Lacrosse Goalie Sticks: From heads to shafts to butt ends.  What you need to know (1hr 03min)

Most goalies spend more time worrying about thier equipment than they do about their technique.  Here’s answers to your most technical questions:

• First off…a thorough overview of the importance of a great goalie stick.
• How long should your lacrosse goalie stick be?
• The story of the stuck-up, pompous, lacrosse goalie coach from Long Island who I respectfully told to “Stick IT!” 🙂
• All about shafts and the different types of construction techniques for shafts.
• My recommendation for the only shaft you will ever need.
• Even more information about shafts!  (You’ve probably never thought about it even THIS much!)
• All about the mesh in your stick and how it affects the saves you make and the rebounds you give up.
• How to string your shooting strings for better outlet passing and less rebounds.
• What types of string you should use for optimal performance and low maintenance.
• The importance of improving your stick handling ability.
• How to choose the perfect head for your goalie stick.
• My recommendations for the best lacrosse goalie heads on the market.
• What lacrosse goalie head you should use at your age and ability.
• All about your butt end.  (Not THAT one!)
• How to tape your goalie stick.  (Yes, it really is THAT important.)
• And much more…

Module 6: How To Warm Up A Lacrosse Goalie: A video of a complete goalie warm up. (37min)

The warm up is obviously an important part of every goalies development.  And in this module I take you through a warm up with me in the cage to see just what a goalie should look like.  In this module I cover shots to:

• Shots to stick side high.
• Shots to off-stick high.
• Shots to stick-side hip.
• Shots to off-stick-hip, above the belly button.
• Shots to stick side low.
• Shots to off-stick-hip, below the belly button.
• Low bounce shots.
• Low bounce shots at the feet.
• Shots on the run from fifteen yards.
• Clearing passes with a goose from behind the crease.
• Dodges from X with passes across the crease.
• Dodges from X with a pass over the cage.
• Crease fight drills.

Module 7: The Goalie Communication DVD:  How to talk to your defence to give up less shots. (1hr 09min)

Goalie communication is one of the most under-talked about abilities that a great goalie has to have.  The ability to direct your defence and to be a threat to the offence is critical and it all comes down to the lacrosse goalie.  In this segment I lay out everything a lacrosse goalie needs to know, do, and understand about communication with his team.

In this Module I cover:

• Why goalie communication is so important and what you can do to be a better communicator in the cage.
• What is “calling the ball” and why we do it.
• Who calls the ball, and when. Why the timing of your calls can mean a strip and a takeaway or a ball in the back of the cage.
• When to call where the ball is on the field and why that matters.
• Understanding the critical concepts of calling the position of the ball and how it affects your defence and the opportunities the offence has to score. Part 1
• Understanding the critical concepts of calling the position of the ball and how it affects your defence and the opportunities the offence has to score. Part 2
• The successful implementation of the “Fast Break!” call. How to turn a bad situation into an offensive opportunity.
• How to utilize the “Clear!” call for better offence and more fast breaks going the other way.
• Why making your “Clear!” call before you make the save could lead to more goals for your team.
• The “Check!” call and how to work with your defence to make the offence pay dearly and think twice about attacking the cage again.
• How the “Lift!” call makes your defender like an extension of you in the cage.  The lift is a technique I saw one defender use all the way to All-American status.
• The “Slide!” call. When to call it.  How to call it.  Why to call it. And why your defence should listen to you when you do call it.
• The “Your Good! and the “Hold!” call and why they are so important to you team.
• The “Turn Him! (or her) call and how it results in less shots, and more shots wide, than you could imagine.
• The “Walk him out!” call and how to use it so the ref doesn’t throw the flag on your defence.
• Calling who is “Hot” and who is “Helping” for faster slides, more balls on the ground, and a frustrated offence who will start shooting from outside just because you guys are so damned good!
• And much, much more…

Module 8: Lacrosse Goalie Clearing Fundamentals: How to have more success clearing the ball after making a save. (1hr 20min)

It’s one thing to stop the ball, it’s another thing to get the ball up the field.  It’s another thing to consider yourself an offensive threat after you make a save!

In this Module, I lay out pretty much everything you need to know about clearing the ball.  Here’s just some of what I cover…

• The fundamentals of clearing the ball.  What you need to understand to have the best chance of success when getting the ball out of your end of the field.
• The one “know-this-and-every-clear-will-be-easy” concept that will make every clear you make a piece of cake.
• More fundamentals to keep the ball out of your end.
• How to clear effectively off of any save. Part 1
• How to clear effectively off of any save. Part 2
• How to clear off of any save with the attack in your face on a hard ride.
• How to clear off of any save with a midfielder in your face. (It’s rare, but when it happens you can really make them pay that price.)
• How to clear when the ball goes off the endline and you’ve won the race to get there.
• How to get everyone in position so you don’t get jumped without someone to pass the ball to.  This is a really common mistake and I give you a bunch of tips on how to keep it from happening.
• How to use your crease to get open, or create an opening for your defence when you are trying to clear the ball.
• Where to position yourself on sideline clears to create fast breaks for your offence.
• How to clear the ball when the ball is on the sideline below the restraining line.
• How to clear the ball when it goes out of bounds between the restraining line and the midfield stripe.
• When you want to take yourself out of the sideline clear to give your team a better chance to get the ball into the offensive half.
• What to do when your team has no confidence in your clearing ability.
• How to clear the ball when you are down a man.  It’s not easy, but it can be highly effective.
• And much, much more…

Module 9: Lacrosse Goalie Critiques (Content time varies)

Ever wonder what it’s like to have an expert goalie coach critique your game?  Well, in this section you get to find out.

This is one of my favourite sections.  I’m constantly adding new Goalie Critiques.  These are video critiques of photos or videos of high school, college, sometimes Pro, and even sometimes goalies in other sports.

These vary in length, but what I do with them is point out flaws and give coaching advice on goalies.  By the way, as a Lacrosse Goalie University Gold Member, I will do a Goalie Critique for you for free. As part of your membership you get one of these (a $97 value).

Module 10:  The Perfect Lacrosse Goalie Warm Up DVD’s (1hr 57min)

In this three DVD set that I produced a few years ago, I take a relatively new goalie through Movement Prep, Moving to the Ball, and a Warm Up.  It’s almost two hours long, but you’ll get to hear me coaching a goalie through all of it.

There is a ton of value in this Module alone and you could literally go over it again and again.  It’s like you eavesdropping in on a coaching session.

We shot this one afternoon after a school day.  By the end of it our goalie was exhausted and in need of some sleep.  But we covered a number of concepts that you will find extremely valuable:

• How to get ready for practice even before you get to the field.
• Why when you get dressed has an affect on how you play.
• Why warming up without your equipment might be one of the best tricks you ever use.
• How to get your body ready even before you get shot on.
• And much, much more…

I’ll walk you through a full warm up without the ball, and one with the ball.  We will also go into stick positioning and equipment considerations for new and experienced goalies.

I’m mic’d up for the entire session so you’ll get to hear some solid coaching until we run out of sunlight.

Module 11: The Lacrosse Goalie Mental Training DVD’s Volume 1 and 2 (1hr 40min)

You can go to Home Depot and buy all the stuff you need to build a house.  But if you don’t buy the nails, the glue, and all the other adhesives you need to put all that stuff together you’re house is going to fall over.

That is why this Module may just be THE most important module in the whole Lacrosse Goalie University.

Mental Training Volumes 1 and 2 is an in-depth Master Class by an Olympic athlete (me) on how I compete at the highest level and how you can apply it to your lacrosse game.  This section alone is worth ten times the price of your Silver Membership.

I can teach you all the X’s and O’s.  I can tell you what to do and when to do it.  But if I don’t teach you how to be mentally strong and resilient then I wouldn’t be a very good coach.

Listen, you can spend $300 on a new stick for this season, or you can invest in Lacrosse Goalie University.

So what does a Silver Membership cost?

Well, if I charged for each individual module as if I were going to sell them as DVD’s,it would look something like this…let’s add it up:

Module 1: An Introduction To Lacrosse Goaltending…$39
Module 2: Your Lacrosse Goalie Equipment…$39
Module 3: Movement Prep DVD and workbook…$59
Module 4: The Moving to the Ball DVD…$49
Module 5: All About Lacrosse Goalie Sticks…$39
Module 6: The Lacrosse Goalie Warm Up…$39
Module 7: The Lacrosse Goalie Communication DVD Set…$79
Module 8:  The Lacrosse Goalie Clearing Fundamentals DVD Set…$97
Module 9: The Goalie Critique Fly on the Wall DVD’s…$39
Module 10: The Perfect Lacrosse Goalie Warm Up DVD set…$97
Module 11: The Lacrosse Goalie Mental Training DVD’s Volume 1 and 2…$97

But wait…there’s more!

As part of your Lacrosse Goalie University Silver Membership you also get a free Goalie Critique of your play.

Send me video of you in the cage.  Could be a warm up.  Could be shooting around with your buddies.  Could be edited game footage.  Whatever you got, I’ll take a look at it and send you back a video coaching session of that footage just like you and I would if I was standing behind the cage watching you play.  This is a $127 value by itself.

So what does this all add up to?

With all the modules…and the Goalie Critique…it would be a grand total of…

$800!

That is a well spent investment on your lacrosse goalie future…and to be totally honest, most people spend hundreds more on camps, travel teams, and equipment and don’t get half the value you will get inside Lacrosse Goalie University.

But here’s the deal…I’m not going to make you pay $800

You see, I put everything inside Lacrosse Goalie University so that it was in a much more affordable format and that way I can have more people take advantage of my coaching and my experience.

So all you need to do to take advantage of all the great content inside Lacrosse Goalie University and become a Silver Member is a measly…

$19 per month.

That’s it. Oh…and it’ fully guaranteed.

That’s right, if for someone reason you don’t feel that I’ve given you ANY new information.  If you feel like you’re so smart that there isn’t anything inside Lacrosse Goalie University that can help you…just let me know and I will happily refund your money.

But wait…I almost forgot…you’ll also have access to the monthly “Office Hours” where you can call me and ask me anything you’d like.

I post a schedule of when Office Hours will be each and every month and you can mark it on your calendar.

In addition to Office Hours you also get Priority Email Access to me for your immediate questions.

Each month…all you will pay is $19.  Use the site for as long as you need it.  Take advantage of the Goalie Critique. And then when you’re ready to move on just let me know and you can cancel, no questions asked.

So if you’re ready to take the leap.