The position of goalie in lacrosse is perhaps one of the most challenging positions in all of sports. It requires a combination of athleticism, intelligence, and intestinal fortitude.
Beyond the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of being a lacrosse goalie, many goalies rarely receive the necessary attention to improve their skill set. Even with teams that are lucky enough to have more than one coach on staff, rarely does that staff have enough experience with the position to be useful in developing their goalie(s).
It's not just a tough position to play, it's quite a challenge to coach as well. I've spent nearly two decades as a goalie and goalie coach, and I'd like to share with you some thoughts to help improve one of the most critical parts of your team.
I will start with some overall concepts and philosophies to help re-frame how you look at the position, and later posts will dig down deeper into drills, technique, and specific skill development activities.