Lacrosse goalie instruction. Top 10 Lacrosse Goalie Tips: Mastering the Art of Goaltending

How can lacrosse goalies improve their game. What are the most effective tips for becoming a better lacrosse goalie. Which strategies can help goalies enhance their performance on the field.

Enhancing Athletic Performance for Lacrosse Goalies

Athletic prowess is crucial for lacrosse goalies, regardless of gender or experience level. The more athletic you are, the better your performance can be. This is directly related to one of the key elements of making any save: moving in front of the ball. Enhanced athleticism leads to increased explosiveness and faster reactions.

To become more athletic, consider the following strategies:

• Focus on strength training to improve explosiveness
• Prioritize sprints and high-intensity training over long-distance runs
• Improve flexibility to enhance muscle contraction and overall movement
• Maintain a clean diet and limit consumption of energy drinks and fast food

Is strength training really necessary for lacrosse goalies? Absolutely. As a lacrosse goalie, you are arguably the most explosive athlete on the field. Training like a sprinter rather than a marathoner will help you develop the quick, powerful movements required for successful saves.

Developing Explosive Power

To build explosive power, incorporate exercises such as:

1. Broad jumps up hills
2. Short sprints (10-20 yards)
3. Medicine ball tosses
4. Plyometric exercises

These exercises will help you develop the fast-twitch muscle fibers needed for rapid movements and quick reactions in the goal.

Mastering Lacrosse Goalie Stick Skills

Your goalie stick is your most important tool on the field. Mastering it is essential for success. How can you improve your stick skills as a lacrosse goalie?

Optimizing Pocket Depth

Finding the right pocket depth is crucial for balancing control and passing ability. While a deep pocket can help reduce rebounds, it may limit your ability to make long passes. Consider these factors when adjusting your pocket:

• Your strength level
• Passing distance requirements
• Rebound control

For newer goalies or those still developing strength, a slightly shallower pocket may be beneficial. This can help improve passing range and develop soft hands for better rebound control.

Determining the Ideal Stick Length

Gone are the days of excessively long goalie sticks. The trend now favors shorter sticks for improved maneuverability. How do you determine the right length for your lacrosse goalie stick?

A general guideline is to hold the stick with your top hand at the throat, then drop your hand to your side. The butt end of the stick should come up behind your shoulder, with the head pointing to the floor. For optimal control, consider cutting the stick so that the butt end is at or slightly above the top of your shoulder.

Developing Soft Hands for Rebound Control

Rebound control is a critical skill for lacrosse goalies. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the pocket that gives up bad rebounds – it’s the hands. How can you develop soft hands to minimize rebounds?

• Practice with a tighter pocket during warm-ups and training sessions
• Focus on absorbing the ball’s impact rather than deflecting it
• Work on hand-eye coordination drills
• Practice catching and cradling with both hands

By developing soft hands, you’ll be better equipped to control shots and initiate quick clears, giving your team a significant advantage.

Perfecting the Art of Clearing

Effective clearing is a crucial aspect of a lacrosse goalie’s role. How can you improve your clearing abilities?

Outlet Pass Techniques

Mastering various outlet pass techniques can greatly enhance your clearing game. Practice the following types of passes:

1. Overhand passes for distance and accuracy
2. Sidearm passes for quick releases
3. Underhand passes for close-range outlets

Regularly practicing these techniques will help you become more versatile and effective in initiating clears.

Field Vision and Decision Making

Developing strong field vision and quick decision-making skills is essential for successful clears. To improve in these areas:

• Study the field and understand common clearing patterns
• Practice scanning the field quickly after making a save
• Work on communication with your defenders to coordinate clears
• Develop a mental playbook of clearing options for various situations

By honing these skills, you’ll be better prepared to make smart, efficient clears under pressure.

Enhancing Mental Toughness for Lacrosse Goalies

Mental toughness is a crucial attribute for lacrosse goalies. The position demands resilience, focus, and the ability to bounce back from setbacks. How can you develop mental toughness as a lacrosse goalie?

Mindfulness and Visualization Techniques

Incorporating mindfulness and visualization into your training regimen can significantly improve your mental game. Try these techniques:

• Practice mindfulness meditation to improve focus and reduce anxiety
• Visualize successful saves and clears before games and practices
• Develop a pre-game routine to center yourself mentally
• Use positive self-talk to maintain confidence during challenging moments

These mental training techniques can help you stay composed and perform at your best, even in high-pressure situations.

Developing a Short Memory

In lacrosse, goals will be scored against you. It’s an inevitable part of the game. How can you develop the ability to quickly move past mistakes and maintain focus?

1. Acknowledge the goal, but don’t dwell on it
2. Have a reset routine (e.g., tapping your stick on the goal posts)
3. Focus on the next play, not the last one
4. Learn from mistakes in post-game analysis, not during the game

By cultivating a short memory for mistakes and a long memory for successes, you’ll be better equipped to maintain consistent performance throughout the game.

Mastering Positioning and Angles in the Crease

Proper positioning and understanding of angles are fundamental skills for any lacrosse goalie. How can you improve your positioning to increase your save percentage?

Arc Play and Step-Drag Technique

The arc play and step-drag technique are essential for maintaining optimal positioning as shots come from different angles. To master these skills:

• Practice moving along your arc smoothly and efficiently
• Work on quick, precise step-drag movements to adjust your position
• Develop muscle memory for proper stance at different points on the arc
• Use landmarks on the field to help gauge your position

Consistent practice of these techniques will help you maintain proper positioning, even in fast-paced game situations.

Understanding Shooting Angles

A deep understanding of shooting angles can give you a significant advantage in making saves. To improve your angle play:

1. Study common shooting angles from different field positions
2. Practice adjusting your position to take away the most net
3. Work on reading shooters’ body language to anticipate shot direction
4. Develop a feel for when to challenge shooters versus when to stay deep in the crease

By mastering angles, you’ll be able to make more saves with less movement, increasing your efficiency and effectiveness in goal.

Developing Quick Hands and Reaction Time

Quick hands and lightning-fast reaction times are hallmarks of elite lacrosse goalies. How can you improve these crucial skills?

Hand-Eye Coordination Drills

Enhancing your hand-eye coordination can significantly improve your ability to track and stop shots. Try these drills:

• Wall ball exercises with tennis balls or lacrosse balls
• Juggling drills with multiple balls
• Reaction ball drills
• Partner drills with rapid-fire shots from close range

Regular practice of these drills will help you develop the quick hands needed to make difficult saves look easy.

Reaction Time Training

Improving your reaction time can give you the split-second advantage needed to make game-changing saves. To enhance your reaction time:

1. Use online reaction time tests and games
2. Practice with surprise shots from various angles
3. Work on reading shooters’ body language and stick position
4. Incorporate plyometric exercises into your physical training

By consistently working on your reaction time, you’ll be better prepared to handle even the fastest shots from opposing attackers.

As we continue to explore the top 10 lacrosse goalie tips, it’s clear that becoming an elite goalie requires a combination of physical prowess, mental toughness, and technical skill. By focusing on these key areas – athleticism, stick skills, clearing abilities, mental game, positioning, and quick reactions – you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of goaltending in lacrosse.

My Top Ten Lacrosse Goalie Tips – Part 1

Well the lacrosse season is fast approaching, so here are ten lacrosse goalie tips to make this coming season your best ever.

Now it doesn’t matter if you’re a high school lacrosse goalie, or you’re just starting out. These lacrosse goalie tips are fundamental tips that ANY lacrosse goalie needs to apply as soon as possible.  Some of the tips you may know, and others you might not be thinking of.  Read through them all and see how you can improve your game starting today.

Lacrosse Goalie Tip 1 of 10:  Be More Athletic

Doesn’t matter if your male of female,  experienced or brand new, the more athletic you are, the better you can be.

Why is that?  Well, if you’ve read our post on The Three Keys To Making Any Save you’ll know that the third key is Moving In Front Of The Ball.

The more athletic you are, the more explosive you will be and the faster you will be able to move in front of the ball.  It’s simple.

But what does “Be More Athletic” mean?

• Work on getting stronger so you have the ability to be more explosive.  Think “sprinter” and not “marathoner”.  As a lacrosse goalie you are the most explosive athlete on the field so train that way!  Get in the gym.  Find a strength coach you can trust and learn how to lift safely so you can get stronger and learn to love the gym.
• Avoid long runs and use sprints and High Intensity Training instead.  While the rest of your team is running laps, work on broad jumps up hills.  Sprints of ten to twenty yards.  Med ball tosses and other explosive throws and movements are recommended.
• Work on your flexibility.  A tight muscle can’t contract and when you’re looking for explosive movements you need muscles that are relaxed and long.  If flexibility is an issue think of yourself as an athlete running around with a thirty pound back pack on your back. Not good, right?  You can’t out-train bad flexibility.  Work on getting more flexibility and your ability to move is freed up without even hitting the weight room.  Sweet deal!
• Treat your body like a million dollar racehorse.  Eat clean.  Reduce the Red Bulls and the Monster Energy Drinks.  Limit the caffeine.  Reduce the fast foods.  You wouldn’t feed a million dollar racehorse that crap, so why would you feed yourself that crap?

Listen, there’s a ton more I could write here.  These are quick suggestions but one’s I can give to 99% of the goalies out there.  Most goalies I have coached are weak, tight, and poorly conditioned.  And that goes for some of the professional lacrosse goalies I have worked with!  This odd’s are this lacrosse goalie tip will work for you too.

Lacrosse Goalie Tips 2 of 10: Improve Your Stick Skills

Your goalie stick is your tool.  Like a scalpel is to a surgeon, your stick is to you.  It’s the most important piece of equipment you own. Master it.  Think Kung Fu Panda and his expert use of Chopsticks. That’s gotta be you!

So how does a lacrosse goalie improve their stick skills?

Make Sure The Pocket Is Deep Enough For Your Strength Levels

New lacrosse goalies tend to put as big a bag in their stick as possible so they don’t give up rebounds.  That’s great, but they tend not to be able to make a pass past the restraining line.  If you’re really strong in your hands, forearms, wrists, and shoulders, you can probably do that.  But if you’re not that strong you probably need to tighten up the pocket a bit.

Your pocket doesn’t give up bad rebounds, your hands do.  I recommend using a tighter pocket in warm ups and practice to develop soft hands so you learn to not give up rebounds.

A shallower pocket will also help you make longer passes which gives you more options on clears.

“But Coach!  I can’t dodge or fake with a shallow pocket!?”  I get it.  Listen, you’re not a middie playing goalie, you’re a goalie first.  You’re meant to make saves.  Do your best to control the rebounds.  And then make great outlet passes to your teammates so they can go down the field and score.  That’s your primary responsibility.  When you get stronger physically, then you can do all the fancy stuff.  Got it?

Make Sure Your Lacrosse Goalie Stick Is The Right Length

Gone are the days of long lacrosse goalie sticks.  I was a pioneer when it came to short goalie sticks so I’ve seen this for a very long time.

How long should your lacrosse goalie stick be?  Here’s a general guideline…hold your stick with your top hand up by the throat.  Now drop your hand to your side so the head of the stick points to the floor and the butt end comes up behind the shoulder.

This photo is a screenshot from our “All About The Lacrosse Goalie Stick” Module inside the Lacrosse Goalie University Vault. Click the image to learn more about LacrosseGoalieUniversity.

I recommend cutting the stick so that the butt end is at, or slightly above the top of your shoulder.

If you’re a lacrosse goalie who is still growing then leave the shaft a little long.  But if you’re done growing, you can cut it a little shorter.  This length works for most lacrosse goalies and it’s one of my best lacrosse goalie tips I can give to a goalie looking to have better saves and clears.

Hit The Wall…Or The Roof!

You’ve probably heard of wall ball, right?  Well, do it!

It doesn’t have to be a lacrosse ball.  It can be a tennis ball.  A foam ball.  Your sisters stuffy.  I don’t care!!

What you are developing is the strength in your hands and your forearms and shoulders to be able to toss a ball (or anything, for that matter) at a target.  By having a lot of repetition you are developing the fine motor skills in your hands to be able to do that.

I used to shoot tennis balls at my parents kitchen cabinets when they were gone.  (Don’t try this at home kids.  Their cabinets were solid pine.  Yours probably aren’t.  But if you’ve got a foam ball go right ahead!)

I also used to throw tennis balls on the roof and wait for them to bounce down.  This really helped my shoulders as the throwing motion was higher up and was more like a clear.  I  had to reach out to catch balls that took funny bounces off the peak.  So be creative!

Like most things, if you spent just fifteen minutes a day doing this, you’d be an excellent goalie faster than you ever thought possible.  So put down the phone.  Put some music in your ear buds and go hit the wall.

Lacrosse Goalie Tips 3 of 10: Set The Goal To Be a Great Lacrosse Goalie

Can you see yourself being a great goalie?  “Well, no Coach.  I’m just trying to be…better.”

I get it.  But that’s not going to happen until you see yourself as a better goalie.

Most athletes totally mess this up let alone lacrosse goalies.  They’ll start to believe they can be better once they see themselves get better.  They are waiting for proof before they believe.  But belief comes first.  Proof comes later.

You’ll get better once you decide to be a great lacrosse goalie.  Not just a good goalie.  A great lacrosse goalie.  The sooner you decide you want to be a great lacrosse goalie the better.  Once you decide, everything else will fall into place.

Take some time today to set the goal to be a great lacrosse goalie.  You’ll see it happen, when you believe that it will happen. I created our

Lacrosse Goalie Tips 4 of 10: Develop Your “Save Library” By “Wiring” The Goalie

As a lacrosse goalie you are basically the best “catcher” on the team.  No matter what “pass” is sent your way, you’re going to get in front of it.

When you take shots in practice, you’re basically trying to be like a computer.  No matter what key is pressed, you’re going to have the right response.

If the ball is shot, stick-side-high, you’re going to respond with your stick-side-high save.  If the shot is off-stick-low, you’re going to respond with your off-stick-low save.  That’s the right response for the correct input.

The problem comes when a shot is going somewhere and we react with the wrong response.  Or a bad, what I call, “wiring.”  We want our wiring to be correct, efficient, and as fast as possible.

You can do this one of two ways:

• On your own with no shooter.
• With a shooter.

How To Work On Your Own With No Shooter

Most lacrosse goalie tips centre on a lacrosse goalie getting shot on by an actual lacrosse player with a lacrosse ball.  This is really limited thinking!!

The truth is you don’t need anyone to be shooting on you.  You can get just as much “practice” by visualizing getting shot on which I cover in Lacrosse Goalie Tip #XXXXX

Once you get the hang of how you are supposed to move in front of the ball when it’s shot at you, you can spend lots of time (without a shooter) working on how you are supposed to move when the ball is going to a certain spot.

The main shots we tend to work on are:

• Stick side high.

• Off-stick high.

• Stick side hip.

• Off-stick hip (above the belly button. Top hand over the bottom hand.)

• Off-stick hip (below the belly button. Top hand under the bottom hand.)

• Stick side low.

• Off-stick low.

• Five hole.

And for high school goalies and younger:

• Bounce shots to the same spots as above.

You can practice all of these without an actual shooter.  You visualize the shooter taking a shot, and you make the proper movement in front of the ball as you would if it were a real ball.  You are “wiring” in the proper response and by doing it over and over you are teaching the body how to respond as soon as your eyes recognize where the ball is going.  With enough practice your body’s response becomes automatic.

Which leads me to…

Lacrosse Goalie Tips 5 of 10: Develop Your “Shot Library”

When we add a real shooter to the mix we are adding a whole ‘nuther layer to the experience.

An actual shooter can be shooting anything.  A lacrosse ball.  A tennis ball.  A bunch of balled up socks. It doesn’t really matter.  What we are doing now is teaching the eyes and the brain how to recognize what a real shot looks like.  And then the body responds with the proper movement.

Most lacrosse goalies, and lacrosse coaches, think that getting shot on with an actual shooter is best.  This can be true, to a point.

A shooter must be shooting with a stick with a proper pocket.  No “coaches sticks” that have no pocket, or worse, a pocket that is too deep. (unless you’re a box lacrosse goalie of course.)

Why do we want a proper lacrosse stick?  Because the release point of the stick is important.  When we are learning, we want to be shot on by a stick that will shoot like one we will see on game day.  If the release point of the stick is off in practice, it will totally mess with how you respond to a shot on game day.

If the stick is shallow, a shot you think is going stick side high could actually go off stick high.  Or vice-versa depending on the shooter. And that can create a ton of confusion for a new lacrosse goalie.  So an important lacrosse goalie tip…make sure you’re getting shot on by someone with a decent shot and a decent stick.

The sport of lacrosse has gotten so fast that a lacrosse goalie needs to learn what a proper shooting motion looks like.  Because a lacrosse goalie will start to make decisions on where the ball is going before the shot leaves the stick.  It’s important time a lacrosse goalie needs in order for the body to respond with the proper save in front of the ball.

Ok, so that’s it for this post.  Thanks for reading!!  Want the next five tips?  Be sure to be subscribed to our newsletter, or check back in a day or two for the link!

As always, leave me a comment below.  I read them all and want to hear how this helped you!

Goalie tips – LAXPlaybook

There is a coaching adage: “Offense wins games, Defense wins Championships”.  If the best defense is having the ball, the next best thing on defense is to have a capable goalie.

Goalies are the most often unsung and overlooked players on a lacrosse team.  Frequently taken for granted and sometimes forgotten, the goalie is actually left out of some lingo of the game – when coaches and players say “let’s play six on six” everyone assumes there will also be a goalie.

Coaches sometimes assign less athletic players to the goalie position, thinking of it as at least some way the player can participate and that the team can mask and protect them.  This can work and is useful to some purposes, but at higher levels of competition the story is very much the other way around; the game of lacrosse is built toward lots of goal scoring and more often than not it is the goalie who masks, protects, and answers for the weaknesses of the team.  A general rule is that in a goalie dilemma the coach should select the best athlete on the team.

It is the wise coach who recognizes the goalie as the most important player on the field; practical reasons are plentiful:

– Since the “man” the goalie is usually guarding is the 6 x 6 goal he does not have to worry himself with running after his main opponent, so can instead keep his attention on the ball and the game around him.  With this special perspective the goalie is a de facto defense captain and can direct the players on defense to position themselves and take action to prevent shots before they even happen.

– Goalies also often initiate the offense — once the save is made the goalie makes the first decisions on clearing the ball to the offense.   Because of offsides rules, the goalie gives the clearing team a 7 v 6 man-up advantage on the defensive side of the field.

– The 7 v 6 man-up advantage on defense can also be used in regular play during the ride and in settled situations where the defense wants to put more pressure to get the ball.  The goalie is not confined to the area within the crease and can step out to make a play, and while this usually happens only during emergencies it can be a spectacular highlight.

– The best lacrosse offenses focus on the goalie as the player to beat; everyone else on defense is just traffic.  Pressure on goalies can be enormous and when the offense gets through everyone else on defense it is the goalie putting his body and mind on the line to make the save for the team.

– In close 1 or 2 goal games or in overtime every save the goalie made throughout the game becomes the most important save of the game.

Keys To Playing Goalie In Lacrosse.

– See The Ball.  Save percentages increase greatly when goalies have vision of the ball for a full second before a shot.  This is a pretty obvious one but it is still the most important; if you can’t see the ball you (usually) can’t make the save.  Always know where the ball is on the playing field.  Vision is a goalie’s best friend.

– Know your “Ready Position”.  A proper ready position means that your top hand thumb is at eye level, not obstructing your view of the ball, and the top of the stick is level with the cross bar.  Your knees should be bent and your feet should be shoulder width apart.  Finally, in order to have extra give when you stop a shot, your hands should be about 1 1/2 feet out in front of you.

– Vision isn’t only for seeing where or who has the ball – use your vision to look in to the shooter’s eyes.  Nine times out of ten the person shooting the ball is looking directly where he is going to shoot it.  Use this to your advantage to become a better goalie.

– Be able to pass the ball.  Goalies for the most part are given a lot of leeway by coaches and teammates because of the difficulty and the nature of the position, but that leeway goes out the window on the clear.  Nothing will infuriate and demoralize a team more than when a goalie makes a great save and then passes the ball right to the opposing team or throws it out of bounds, which is also a turnover.  You might save every single shot, but a goalie who can’t pass the ball so that his team can play offense is not a good goalie.  Know how to handle the lacrosse ball and take pride in it.  Whether you like it or not, sooner or later you are going to have to come out of the net with the ball, so when that happens be prepared.  Goalies should do wall ball and drills on ground balls and catching and throwing while running like everybody else, and should be just as much of a stick-doctor as anyone else on the team for stringing and keeping their shooting strings maintained to keep the whip correct and their throwing accuracy on.

– When facing a shot a goalie should ALWAYS step to the ball.  I see so many goalies making the error of excluding the step as they TRY to save a shot.  Stepping to the ball allows you to cut off the angle a little bit more, which gives you a slight edge.  It also allows the goalie to go out and attack the bounce shots.  Rather than just waiting for a hard-to-get bounce shot to come at you, you should go to it and smother it.  By attacking the shot you are putting yourself in a better position to save a goal.

– Win The Mental Game.  Goalies endure the most pressure of anyone on the field, are typically highly competitive, and are in the spotlight at the most critical moments of the game.  Sturdy emotional composure is essential for a goalie to learn and develop because (guess what) goals get scored in lacrosse games and goalies need to learn to respond properly to challenge.  “We’ll get the next one” has no greater purpose than to a goalie leading a team after a setback; as the center of attention after a goal his tone, body language, and demeanor will quickly spread to the rest of the team.  If a goalie sees a correction that needs to be made, reminding a teammate that “we’ll get the next one and here’s how” is even better.  It is a great accomplishment for a coach to teach this thinking and leadership to a team.

– BE LOUD!  Goalies should let their defenders know who is cutting, where the ball is, who is passing…  Let them know everything.  Use your big boy outside voice.  You may feel like you sound extremely dumb at practice but at higher levels your coaches and teammates will expect your loud talk to be automatic, and during a game talking will help out your defense and will make the difference in the outcome.  The goalie is the captain of the defense and is in the best position to see what is happening, so let your teammates know what you see, every second of the game.  Goalies who don’t talk seem lazy and sometimes look stupid (not seeing the cutters, or even the shot!).  Talking not only helps out your defense, but is the quickest path to improvement for a goalie because it allows you to be better prepared for the shot; since you are essentially narrating the game you are highly engaged in the flow of the action and better able to anticipate.

Here is a list of things that a goalie can say to help communicate with the defense.  Defensemen should know this list as well because there are things they should say in response.

• “Ball’s Side Right, Top Right, X” – Tells defensemen where the ball is on the field.  This is the most basic talk to start with and should happen every time the ball moves on a pass or a carry.  Defensemen should already be saying “I’ve Got Ball!”.
• “Ball Down” – Any time the ball is on the ground.  Everyone should say this.
• The goalie should occasionally remind the defense of which defensive set they are in, usually with a simple secret code word, i.e. “Aardvaark!” or “We’re in Blue!”.  This is a good idea at the beginning of a defensive stand and also if chaos starts and the goalie wants to remind players to reset, or if there is a reason to switch to a different defense.
• “Mark Up” or “Number Up” or “Get Your Matchups” – Find the player you are guarding.  The defensemen should call out the number of the player they are guarding: “I’ve got 23”, etc.
• “(Teammate’s Name i.e.) Will You’re Hot” – Reminds Will he is the first defender to slide if needed and provide help.  Will should already know this and should already be announcing “I’m Hot!”.  In times of confusion the goalie can also shout “Who’s Hot?”, which is less effective since it is not specific to a player but is sometimes necessary to clarify or just remove doubt.  The defensemen should respond vocally.
• “(Teammate’s Name i.e.) Phil You’re Two” – Reminds Phil he is the “two slide” and will cover for the hot slide (Will) if that first slide goes.  Phil should already be saying “I’m Two!”.
• “Cutter” – Offensive player is cutting to the net looking for a pass.
• “Check” or “Check Sticks” – Defense should check opponents’ sticks because there is a dangerous pass coming.
• “Turn Him” or “Turn” or “Close The Gate” – A defender playing against a player with the ball should position their feet and body to force the opponent to change direction.  Usually this is when the offense is attacking by carrying the ball from X and is to remind a defenseman to stay topside and force the opponent to stay behind the goal line extended (GLE).
• “Slide” – Bring an extra man to the person with the ball.
• “Reset” – Something dynamic like a slide or a contested ground ball or a failed clear has happened, or the defense has chased for possession of a shot, and is out of position.  Making this call prompts the defense to hurry up and be ready to stop the next attack.
• “Sluff In” – The defense is spread out, making the slides too far to be effective, and the goalie wants the defenders to be in tighter to be better able to support each other and cut off passing lanes.
• “Press Out” – The defense is too tightly packed in and the offense has too much freedom to pass or maybe even shoot so the goalie wants the defenders to extend out farther.
• “Clear” – The goalie has the ball so the defense should set up the clear and be looking for a pass.
• “Break” – The goalie has the ball and wants the defense to break up field to get open for a pass on the run.

Clearly not every call will be used in every moment, however in every moment of a defensive stand there should always be lots of loud chatter happening on the field.  The talk should be so loud and constant that people nearby who can’t see the game can hear the goalie calls and know what is going on.

Lastly and very important…. A lacrosse goalie can not be afraid of the ball!  In fact, they want the ball!  My favorite goalies have lots of great self-talk in their mind during play, repeating “Throw the ball to me!  C’mon I want the ball too!  Throw me the ball!”

How To Become A Fearless Lacrosse Goalie

Editor’s Note: Over the past few weeks, we’ve provided you with great training tips for midfielders, longsticks and shooters. Today, we turn our focus to arguably the most important position on the field, goalie. We asked Trevor Tierney, one of the best goalies of all time, to help us solve a major issue for a lot of young keepers: Overcoming fear of the ball! 

Below you will find Trevor’s incredibly insightful response on goalie padding and how YOU can become a great goalie.  Don’t fear the ball!  Make your opponent fear YOU!
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Overcoming Your Fear of the Ball

For younger goalies, overcoming fear of the ball can be a big obstacle.  How can kids get over this fear?  Or is the goalie just a rare creature you must find?  Can a great goalie be created?

Okay, first things first: If you are a young goalie, and you are scared of the ball, then you are a smart man!

It’s a hard rubber ball traveling at an incredibly fast speed, and it is often hitting your body. Speaking from personal experience, I had to retire from a series of concussions, the last of which was suffered on a shot to the dome. Also, last year I had two laser surgeries on my legs because my veins were so damaged due to all the trauma over the years of getting hit by lacrosse balls!

What I am saying is, being scared of the lacrosse ball is a healthy and rational fear. I know this is going to surprise a lot of people, but I think our younger goalies should be wearing more protection out there. It is absolutely insane that we let little guys go out there and get peppered by hard rubber balls. Plus, there is a lot of great sports equipment available now, which was not around when I was a kid. I really think goalies can now protect themselves and still be just as quick in the goal. So, let’s drop the “tough guy” attitude and start being rational.

Here’s a quick run through of all the equipment a young goalie should have:

1. The best helmet money can buy.

You can get concussions from getting hit with shots or getting blind sided around the crease. Trust me, as I had about 12 of them. Protect your head and get a top of the line helmet. And make sure you get a throat guard that covers your entire neck. It is VERY dangerous to play without a throat guard. You do not want to get hit in the larynx.

Definitely wear a good helmet!

2. A hockey goalie cup.

This should probably be number one on my list, come to think of it. Protect your boys down there and get a real cup! Those plastic cups and jocks that you can buy at Sports Authority do not protect well when you get hit in the pebbles by a lacrosse shot! Get a hockey goalie cup from Bauer, or the ToolBox from Warrior. Hockey goalie cups have some extra hip padding and such that you can cut off to make it a little less bulky. I used to wear a pair of spandex, then the hockey goalie cup and then another pair of spandex over that cup to keep it tight to my body. Works like a charm…

3. Soccer shin pads.

Soccer shin pads are light and you can move around quickly in them. I wish that I had worn some when I was younger because now my shins are covered in calcium deposits that hurt to the slightest touch. If you don’t want people to know you are wearing shin pads, just wear sweats over them! Just don’t wear baseball shin pads or anything too bulky as they will actually slow you down.

4. Some of that new Nike Combat gear with padding.

Nike now makes spandex with padding in it for football players. They have spandex with thigh and hip padding and shirts with rib padding. Wear that for an extra layer of protection without too much additional bulk.

5. A good chest protector that you can move in.

Some of these chest protectors have gotten out of control. All you really need is one that protects your heart and chest well. The ones with shoulder and arm protection are hard to move in. The two body parts it is okay to leave exposed are the shoulder and arms. You can get some nice bruises there, but those are the least painful places to get hit, at least for the most part.

Way to pad up, young man!

6. Good goalie gloves with thumb protection.

Warrior’s new Buzzkills are really nice gloves with a lot of protection for the the thumb. One of the most common injuries for goalies is a broken thumb. Somehow in 24 years of playing goalie, it never happened to me, but I was one of the few lucky ones!

Alright, so now that you are all protected, it’s time to go out there and make saves! The most important part about playing goalie is being completely present in the moment and not “thinking”. To be able to do this, you have to have great stick work and all of your fundamentals down pat. Wall ball, practice, and watching the college guys in action are all great ways to make big fundamental strides.

Fundamentals, then fearlessness.

After you have those things down, then it becomes more of a mental game than anything else. When a shooter is winding up on you, your mind has to be completely blank. There can be no fear of the shot going in and no fear of getting hit with the ball. You can not think about where the shooter is trying to place the ball. When you are completely present like this, then you can just react to the ball with your instincts.

One drill that I do to help goalies learn this skill is the “YES” drill.

The “YES” Drill

I was taught this technique by a pro tennis coach and friend. It helped me to develop better reactions when I was facing the hardest shooters in the world in the MLL. It is a pretty simple drill, but very challenging to master at the same time.

In warm-ups, you pretend like there is a big plate of glass about 3 feet in front of you. The plate is the size of the goal. To do this, you have to relax your eyes and not focus on the shooter, his stick, his eyes or the ball in his pocket. Just learn to keep your eyes relaxed on your window. As your coach or teammate shoots on you, you say “YES” as the ball hits that imaginary plane of glass or window. You should be saying “YES” right before the ball hits your pocket.

This drill trains you to be focused on one thing and one thing alone: seeing the ball where you need to save it. This exercise zones out all the fears and other thoughts that you may have as a shooter is winding up at you. It trains you to react to the ball and not to guess, which will make you a more consistent goalie.

Prepare To Be Fearless

So, if you are a young goalie and are scared of the ball, first get yourself the proper equipment and protection. It’s absolutely moronic that we have little goalies out there with very little equipment on. It’s like back in the day when hockey goalies did not wear any face protection… nothing but stupid. Once you’re all padded up and ready to go, then work on the “YES” drill to become a present and focused goalie.

In no time, you will be playing like a fearless goalie who can save anything they throw at you!

Goalie Technique – Top Hand

Lacrosse Tip   | Tagged:
Goalies

Presented by Mike Petrella, Staff

Mike Petrella, founder of BMAALGI Goalie School, discusses top hand technique:

One of the things every lacrosse goalie and goalie coach work on constantly is the “top” hand. Lacrosse goalies use their top hand to guide the head of the stick to “catch” the shot and make saves. We work on hand eye coordination specifically for the top hand. With that, there are countless drills to do that make the top hand better. If you ask goalies and their coaches why, 99.9% of the time the answer is, “the top hand is the most important thing a goalie needs to make saves.” While that is the conventional and correct answer, I would like to give one that is unconventional.

Consider an athlete that plays any sport that requires them to “catch” an object. What is used to make the catch? It is not the top hand, but the bottom hand or the non-dominant hand. For this blog, let’s use baseball players as an example. If a baseball player is right-handed, they catch with the left hand and throw with the right. Or in other words, they catch with their non-dominant hand and throw with their dominant hand. Lacrosse goalies are expected to “catch” high speed shots from every possible angle with their non-dominant hand. Ask an MLB catcher to put a glove on their right hand and catch fastballs from 60’ and you will be told you’re crazy. Ask a lacrosse goalie to catch 80 mph shots from less than 40’ feet that aren’t coming from the same arm slot and you be will be told “ok.”

So, if you are a lacrosse goalie or coach, remember that when working on the top hand you are working on doing something that no other athlete needs to do to be successful. Patience, patience, and more patience is needed with goalies – especially new ones on teaching them to be “unnatural.”

#XcelerateYourGame

Lacrosse Goalie Drills – Step Up Your Goalie Game

A goalie is a specialist position that takes skill, organization, quick reaction time, and a ton of courage. This article takes a brief look at the basics to work on when trying to improve your goalie game. Covering some of the best and most well-known lacrosse goalie drills, these goalie tips are sure to have you blocking with confidence in no time.

How do you improve your lacrosse goalie skills?

While nothing can truly replicate facing live shots with a lacrosse ball in an intense game situation, there are many ways to refine your all-round goalie game. Remember, the goalie is a specialized position and should be treated as such. Far too many coaches treat the goalie as an afterthought and lay the blame on them when they don’t save every shot.

Consider making a lacrosse goalie practice plan by incorporating some of the following lacrosse goalie drills, and take the time needed to become the best shot-stopper you can possibly be.

Lacrosse goalie wall ball drills

Although these drills are normally done against a wall, a lacrosse rebounder is a great way to get even more out of these drills.

Lacrosse agility drills with rebounder can be even more effective at training for the unknown as they can be set to different angles and speeds, allowing you to mix up your goalie training and incorporate more realistic shot situations.

Mystery Shot

This will improve the goalie’s footwork and reaction time because the lacrosse bounce back shots are coming from close range.

• Place a lacrosse goal about 10 feet from a wall, with the goal facing the wall and the goalie standing in the goal.
• Teammates shoot against the wall from behind the goalie, making the ball ricochet unpredictably and giving the goalie good practice at facing shots from a variety of angles.

Doc Drill

This drill practices the basics of making a lacrosse save. You need to move your top hand to the ball, use your feet, and keep a clear vision of the ball.

This is one of the easiest lacrosse drills to do by yourself, needing only a stick, ball, and wall or rebounder.

• Stand about 10 feet away from the wall and throw the ball against it.
• Again, it will ricochet unpredictably and you can treat it like an incoming shot.
• Practice the basic rules of making a save in lacrosse by exploding your top hand to the ball, stepping forward with your lead foot, keeping your eyes on the ball, and finishing in a balanced position, primed to make another save.

Lacrosse goalie drills for high shots

High-to-Low Drill

This lacrosse goalie workout prepares goalies to face real-time, hard, and accurate shots while giving attacking players a chance to practice, too.

This drill could also be included under lacrosse goalie drills for bounce shots, by adding bounce shots as a finisher when the goalie is warmed up and alert.

• Start with two attackers standing to the right and the left and about 15 yards from the goalie.
• The attackers take turns taking shots at the goal, starting at shoulder height and then moving down to ankle level.
• After 10 shots, the attackers then go back up and aim shots from the ankle up to the shoulders, keeping the goalie active and on their toes by keeping the shots quick and frequent.

Lacrosse goalie footwork drills

Pipe Drill

This drill helps to keep you in the right place and encourages a squared-off posture, maximizing your accuracy with wide saves. Clearing and passing is an underappreciated aspect of many goalies’ game and must be practiced as regularly as an outfielder would!

• Start by standing on the goal line with one foot resting against the left goal pipe while attacking players take shots at the goal. The idea is to maintain proper footwork and lead with your hands toward the ball while staying in position against the goal pipe.
• Start by working on the left side before switching positions to the right goal pipe, so both sides get the same practice.
• After each save, you can also practice your distribution by passing the ball back out to the attacker to start the play again.

Lacrosse goalie clearing drills

Passing/clearing Drill

Our final drill works on this vital area of a goalie’s game – outlet passes and clears. It’s not all about blocking and saves! There are two main types of pass you’ll need to practice, the bullet pass and the lob pass.

The bullet pass

• You can mark a target on a wall or rebounder with chalk or tape.
• Standing about 20-25 feet away, practice throwing a bullet pass at the target at about 80% power.
• When your accuracy is consistent, increase your power until you are throwing as hard as you can with perfect placement.

The lob pass

• Set up a large bin about 20-25 feet away and practice lobbing the ball into it.
• Continue until you’re scoring into the bin consistently and you master of the lob pass!

Goalie drills takeaway

So there you have it! These men or girls lacrosse goalie drills are guaranteed to help you to improve your footwork, balance, reaction time, and clearing skills.

When you are truly confident between the pipes, your next step is to become the defensive ‘manager’ and learn how to effectively organize and control the defense in front of you. But first, you need to earn the respect of your teammates by getting the basics right and showing that they can trust you as a goalie.

Use these lacrosse goalie workouts to improve your goalie game, and become a true master of your position!

Bill Pilat’s The Goalie School in Massachusetts For Girls

Due to local and state regulations, we anticipate having to reduce our enrollment numbers significantly this year. You can expect a high demand on these first-come-first-serve camper spots, so please be sure to register early.

This summer, The Goalie School is offering one session of day camp 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the St. Mark’s School, MA. Come see why this goalie camp is filled before any other goalie camp in the country.

A detailed camper registration packet containing check-in location, health/release forms, emergency contact info, and a list of things to bring will be emailed to all registered campers prior to camp. Our health and release forms do not require a doctor’s signature and they will be collected on the first day of camp.

• CHECK-IN: Check-in takes between 9:00-10:00am on Wednesday, June 23rd.
• CHECK-OUT: Check-out takes place at 4:00pm on Friday, June 25th.

DAY CAMPERS

On the first day of camp, all day campers should arrive between 9:00-10:00am for check in. On all other days, the arrival time is 8:45am at the Dorm for attendance. Departure is 4:00pm each day and campers can be picked up at the field.

• Wednesday: Campers check-in between 9:00-10:00am and stay until 4:00pm. Lunch is provided.
• Thursday: Arrival time is 8:45 am and campers stay until 4:00pm. Lunch is provided.
• Friday: Arrival time is 8:45 am and campers stay until 4:00pm. Lunch is provided.
• Daily Schedule: WED-FRI 9AM-4PM

LOCAL ACCOMODATIONS

Some local hotel options listed below:

• Courtyard by Marriott Boston Westborough: 3 Technology Dr, Westborough, MA 01581 – (508) 836-4800
• Hilton Garden Inn Boston/Marlborough: 170 Forest St, Malborough, MA 01752 – (508) 251-6706

Camp Extras

COACH PILAT’S INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS:

Coach Pilat has produced two videos for goalies. Purchase Advanced Techniques (2015) or Basic Techniques (2001), or buy both!

BASIC TECHNIQUES – THE BALL STOPS HERE I: Was produced in 2001 and is still a valuable resource to learn the basics of goaltending as well as a few new tricks. Content Includes – Basic Proper Goalie Warmup, Basics of Stance, Stopping Screened Shots, Stick Skills and Basic Clearing, Stopping One-On-One Shots, Basic Proper Technique for stopping all shots, Unique drills, Goalie Arc Play, Pipe Play, Field Communication. Price: $30

ADVANCED TECHNIQUES – THE BALL STOPS HERE II: Advanced Techniques is designed for goalies and coaches who are ready to move to the next level. Content Includes – TGS Method (Advanced Goalie Routine), Advanced Warmup, Advanced Drills, Mental Strategies, Scouting Opponents (watching film), Advanced Clearing Concepts, Weight Training for Goalies, Stick Repair and Stringing. Price $30

THE BALL STOPS HERE COMBO PACKAGE: Players of all ages can learn from over 90 minutes (combined) of concentrated instruction on both videos and Coach Pilat recommends both videos to any goalie. Order yours today! Price $55

CAMP APPAREL:

Campers have the opportunity to pre-order an TGS Nike t-shirt or hat in the camp registration process through June 1, 2021. You will receive items purchased on the first day at camp check-in.

• TGS Nike T-Shirt – Price $30
• T-Shirt Sizes Available in Adult Small, Medium, Large and X-Large
• TGS Embroidered Nike Baseball Cap – Price $30
• TGS Embroidered Bucket Hat – Price $30

Note: DVD’s and apparel will be HANDED out at camp check in.

PRIVATE COACHING:

PRIVATE COACHING: A 30 minute instructional session with Coach Pilat or with a TGS Senior Coach that can add that little extra specific technique work your Goalie is looking for. Each coach will work with two goalies only during this training session (2 Goalies – 1 Coach). Goalies will get to be evaluated by the coach and also have a “goalies choice” segment where your goalie can ask the coach to observe any aspect of their play that needs attention. The session will take place outside of the regular camp instructional sessions. Training time will be given to camper at check in. There are limited sessions available at each camp and they sell out quickly! Price: $65

Sample Daily Schedule

• 9:00 AM
  Goalies filmed in cage, Coaches Talk, Station work
• Noon
  Lunch in Dining Hall
• 1:30 PM
  Remaining Goalies filmed in cage, Rapid Fire, Agility work
• 2:30 PM
  Clearing stations, Small group Coaches Talk
• 4:00 PM
  Day campers depart

St. Mark’s School

St. Mark’s School is a preparatory school, situated on 250 acres in Southborough, Massachusetts, 25 miles from Boston.

Lacrosse – eCamps LAX

Rachel Vallarelli

Coach Vallarelli is a college coach, club director, and professional lacrosse player in both the Women’s Field Game and the Men’s Box Lacrosse Game. She also runs her own business, RV Lacrosse, which focuses on recruiting advising, lessons, clinics, photography, a podcast, and a blog. She also runs her camps through Gamebreaker since 2019. A current Stringking Pro and Base Performance Sponsored Athlete, Vallarelli loves inspiring the next generation of players, in both the men’s and women’s game as well as in both lacrosse disciplines of field and box.

Vallarelli brings a wealth of coaching and playing experience with her. A 2011 graduate of School of the Holy Child in Rye, N.Y., she starred at goalie for the Gryphons’ lacrosse squad, earning 4 Varsity letters and helping the team to have its first-ever winning record and playoff berths after that. She holds the record for career saves and holds second and third place for Single Season Saves. Her career-high was 24 stops versus Greenwich Academy her Senior Year.

During her time at Holy Child and before she committed to play at UMass, Vallarelli was selected to the US U19 National Team squad and had been in the US System since 2010.

She continued her lacrosse career at the University of Massachusetts, where she started in goal for three seasons, earning numerous accolades along the way. During her goalie days at UMass, Vallarelli registered 48 victories and had a goals-against-average of 6.77 — both of which ranks second in program history. Her career goals-against-average is eighth in NCAA history, her 2015 GAA is 10th in NCAA History and she was the NCAA save-percentage champion in 2015 (.523). She is also a 2 time NCAA GAA Runner Up (6.26 in 2014 and 5.77 in 2015) UMass won four consecutive Atlantic 10 championships and was undefeated in Conference play (with 4 NCAA Tournament Appearances & 2 First Round Wins) while Vallarelli played goalie, which also saw her be selected as the conference’s Defender of the Week seven times and earn the 2015 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year Award.

After playing at UMass, Vallarelli took her lacrosse skills to the professional level, becoming a member of the Baltimore Ride, which is part of the United Women’s Lacrosse League and is a Free Agent in the WPLL. Coach also plays professionally for the New York Athletic Club. Vallarelli has also played some men’s field lacrosse as well and is an alum of the Central California Lacrosse Club.

In the Box Lacrosse realm, Vallarelli was the first woman to ever play and start in the IBLA while playing for the Cambridge Nor’Easters. She was also the first woman ever invited to the NLL US Elite Combine and NLL Toronto Combine in 2019 and is an NLL Free Agent. Vallarelli was selected to the invite-only tryout camp for the New York Riptide of the National Lacrosse League. And was then the first woman drafted into the Canadian Arena Lacrosse League for the Whitby Steelhawks. She also plays for the Boston Blazers of the BBLL and for the Lasersharks Box Lacrosse Club.

College coaching stops for Vallarelli include Purchase College, Fresno State, Villanova University, and Wagner College. She was also the Head Coach for Greenwich HS for the 2019 Season. Along with being the Assistant Coach for Purchase College, Vallarelli plays professionally and provides coaching through GameBreaker Lacrosse Camps along with her own business RV Lacrosse and is the Girls Director for Team 91 Tri-State.

90,000 Kazan residents are preparing for the third “green derby” of the season – Real time

How Kvartalnov’s wards are preparing for the “green derby” in the old Sports Palace

Kazan Hockey Club, before the December pause for the Channel One Cup, began to alternate results: in the last six matches – three wins and three defeats. However, so far this does not affect the leopard’s standing in any way – Dmitry Kvartalnov’s team is the first in the East and in the entire league as a whole, with several games in reserve.However, there are two “green derbies” ahead in one game week. Realnoe Vremya report on how preparations are going for the Ak Bars and Salavat Yulaev retro match, what are the specifics of the game in the old Sports Palace on Moskovskaya Street and whether the Kazan team will have new players before the transfer deadline.

Petrov, Lukoyanov, Fisenko and Pedan were injured

Under Zinetul Bilyaletdinov, Ak Bars went to a short training camp in Dubai, mainly during the February break.The change in the environment before the playoffs has always had a beneficial effect on the psychological state of the team, but not always on the physical. Last year’s departure in the first round from Avangard (0-4 in the series) probably made the new coaching staff think about the plan of preparation for the decisive matches of the season. Under Dmitry Kvartalnov, it was decided to go to the UAE in December.

Upon their return, the leopards moved to the old Sports Palace on Moskovskaya Street until the end of the week – Tatneft Arena is occupied by the Canadian Cirque du Soleil.The atmosphere of the 90s reigns here – everywhere there are pictures of Ak Bars players of those years, everywhere there are narrow wooden doorways. Under a low ceiling in an unusually dim light, Kvartalnov’s wards went out to train in the following composition:

Reds: Tikhonov – Zaripov – Frattin; Yudin – Rukavishnikov.

“Greens”: Azevedo – Cormier – Galuzin; Vikstrand – Lyamkin.

“Yellow”: Kara – Ar. Galimov – Galiev; Yarullin – Henkel.

“Blue”: Glukhov – Tkachev – Em. Galimov; Fazylzyanov – Adamchuk.

“Orange”: Dynyak – Lee – Osnovin, Leshchenko.

Goalkeepers: Reideborn, Bilyalov, Peks.

Upon their return, the leopards moved to the old Sports Palace on Moskovskaya Street until the end of the week – Tatneft Arena is occupied by the Canadian Cirque du Soleil

Thus, they continue to heal their injuries and will miss the upcoming “green derby” Kirill Petrov, Mikhail Fisenko, Artem Lukoyanov and Andrey Pedan.According to Realnoe Vremya, Fisenko and Lukoyanov should be expected to return to service later than everyone else – the former will definitely go out on the ice after the operation in Germany no earlier than the new year, the latter will miss about two weeks. Artem, who rarely missed official matches, is unlucky this season – he was injured for the second season in games against the leaders of the West: first in a home match against CSKA, then in an away meeting against SKA.

In the second part of the training session, Zaripov and Tikhonov put on green shirt-fronts and left with Cormier and Azevedo, Vikstrand was fifth in the line.Ak Bars spent a very long time practicing the game in the majority / minority, which was not in such a number, for example, at the team’s previous open training session in November.

Kvartalnov spoke very loudly, although the audibility in the Sports Palace is such that the usual conversation between ice hockey players is clearly audible even in the middle rows of the central sector.

The happiest Canadian Patrice Cormier looked. He was the first to go out to talk to journalists and smiled quite a lot:

– It was good to rest, to recharge the batteries.I have not been to Dubai with the team, but spent time in Canada with my family. I gained strength. Now I’m glad we’re playing again.

– How do you like the old Sports Palace? Haven’t played in such arenas for a long time?

– The ice is good here, the area is wide, which I especially like. It will be interesting for me to play in this arena. Zaripov said that he scored his first goal here for Ak Bars, gave the first assist. This is a special place for Kazan. You can compare this arena with the one in Novosibirsk.I hope tomorrow it will be as noisy as theirs in Siberia. I would like the fans to like the game.

The ice is good here, the area is wide, which I especially like. It will be interesting for me to play in this arena

– This morning everyone is discussing another goal by Svechnikov in the NHL in the lacrosse style. Can you score like that?

– Can I do this? Have you seen my hands? I could not even think about how to perform such a trick, this requires phenomenal flair and technique.A young guy and so confident in himself – it’s very cool. Who could have scored like this in Ak Bars? I’m not sure. Definitely not Matt Frattin. Probably Danis Zaripov. Maybe Artem Galimov. Here Zaripov tries similar lacrosse-style goals in training, and this makes me delighted.

Kvartalnov: “Salavat Yulaev” will be the favorite in this game “

Dmitry Kvartalnov got a decent tan during the training camp in the UAE and, it seems, even lost weight. The team still has 26 regular season games ahead, one pause in the championship (in February) and the spring playoffs:

– The guys rested during this pause, but not all – several people were in the national teams.Hope we’re ready.

– You have played a lot in the Sports Palace in the past. What are your memories of him?

– It was a long time ago. Of course, there are nostalgic memories. Old palace – the guys are now accustomed to more comfortable conditions. But nothing that is, that is. We will play here: the platform is slightly wider, the rebound from the side is slightly different, the ice is also different. But everyone will be in the same conditions.

– What did you pay attention to when preparing for Salavat Yulaev?

– We watched their game yesterday and they will most likely be the favorites in our match.The Ufa players have already played with Siberia, got a little toned, and we had a long break. But this is a derby, we will build on how we play ourselves. We didn’t play the last match against Avangard. I think it will be an interesting game, we will make some adjustments at home.

Ufa players have already played with Sibir, got a little toned, and we had a long break. But this is a derby, we will build on how we play ourselves

– What can you say about the team’s training camp in Dubai?

– We did it more for the future.In general, we have those who will not play tomorrow. These are Pedan, Fisenko, Petrov, Lukoyanov – these guys continue to be among the injured. We, of course, are waiting for them, these are the players of the first team. But we are ready. I can’t say how long the players have been out, everyone has different degrees of injury.

– Please comment on the signing of Vladimir Galuzin.

– We believe he will strengthen our team. He knows how to play both in the center and on the edge. This is an experienced player.

– Barça defender Kirill Adamchuk trains with the main team.Why did you decide to watch it?

– He will train with us for now, because we have injured players. I don’t even rule out that he will play for us.

– Two weeks left until the end of the transfer deadline. Are there any other acquisitions?

– We would like to improve one of the positions. Working on it.

– Goalkeeper Timur Bilyalov did not play in the Channel One Cup. How is he feeling?

– Tomorrow will start Reideborn, and then we will see.

Galuzin: “I was morally ready to move to Ak Bars.

The main attention at the open training was focused on the newcomer Vladimir Galuzin. His transfer to Ak Bars from Magnitka looks rather unexpected and even strange, considering how many forwards there are in the club’s system. Although at this stage, when there are so many injured in the team, such a versatile hockey player may come in handy. It can be recalled that two years ago at the same time, at the beginning of winter, striker Alexei Potapov joined the team, who became an important “cog” in the team’s championship mechanism that season.It is curious that he, like the current 31-year-old newcomer, is a graduate of the Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo.

This will be a derby and my first match for Kazan. I think emotions will go off scale

– Emotions from the transition are positive. All at the highest level. “Ak Bars” is a top team, there is no need to say a lot, – said Galuzin at the end of the training session.

– Have you already felt some specifics of working with Kvartalnov?

– High speeds, everything is strictly on assignment.There is nothing so complicated.

– You will have to make your debut for Ak Bars in the old Sports Palace. How do you like the arena?

– I already played here as a child, I remember her a little. And so, nothing should stop me. Everything will be fine.

– Today on the ice you worked with legionnaires. How is mutual understanding with foreigners?

– I understand English quite well, but I don’t speak it very well. But I think that there will be no problems with this.

– Was the transfer to Ak Bars a surprise for you?

– I haven’t played in Magnitogorsk lately.I understood that something was going to happen, so I was mentally prepared.

– The first “green derby” for you is ahead. Heard about him?

– Of course I’ve heard. This will be a derby and my first match for Kazan. I think emotions will go off scale.

Yarullin: “It was hard to get to the Sports Palace from Zhilploschadka”

This season there will be six “green derbies”, of which two have already passed in Ufa. The teams won once. It is curious that defender Albert Yarullin scored in both matches.

– You were called to the Russian national team, but in the end you did not go because of an injury.

– Yes, it was necessary to heal, there was a slight damage. Now everything is fine, – said Yarullin.

For me personally, the Sports Palace is a special place. I spent all my childhood here, it’s nice to come back

– How is the preparation for the “green derby” going?

– As a rule, we prepare, as for any strong team, we carry out our task. For me personally, the Sports Palace is a special place.I spent all my childhood here, it’s nice to come back.

– Remember some bright match in this palace?

– I did not particularly attend major matches here – it was difficult to get here from Zhilploshchadka. Maximum – watched on TV.

– Has the pause gone to a plus for the team?

– A pause was needed anyway due to the tight schedule. I had to take a break.

Tkachev: “ We need not sleep the first period ”

Vladimir Tkachev got a concussion in November and left for several weeks.However, in December, he not only recovered, but also received a call to the Russian national team:

– How was your break in the KHL?

– Good, great work. On the whole, the Channel One Cup was good. We lost the first period and lost the entire tournament.

– You started your playing career at the Sports Palace. How pleasant is it for you to come back here?

– We played at the age of 14 and it was in a small arena. Hopefully there will be a full house tomorrow.I think we will have an interesting match. We are waiting for the fans in the stands.

– How do you feel about the new conditions? As ice, as the playground?

– We get used to everything. Therefore, this is a working moment.

We need not oversleep the first period, immediately join the game, without swinging, from the ship to the ball

– Salavat, unlike Ak Bars, has already played one match after a pause. Will this be an advantage for them?

– I don’t know, maybe it won’t be an advantage.But there was such a long pause, and they already managed to feel the rhythm of the game. We need not oversleep the first period, immediately join the game, without swinging, from the ship to the ball.

Ice in the Sports Palace these days is scheduled almost around the clock – the arrival of “Ak Bars” knocked down the schedule. Immediately after the hockey players’ training, first very young skaters came out, then a little older girls. In the stands, meanwhile, preparations for the retro match are in full swing. We have already put up special plates with a retro font, as well as a logo made for this meeting.Also, for the first time in the history of green derbies, three anthems will be played at once before the game: the Russian, the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Andrey Lopata, photo ak-bars.ru

SportHockey Bashkortostan Tatarstan SKP Tatneft Ak BarsZaripov Danis Zinnurovich

FORZA Double Sided Tactical Boards 45 x 30 cm

Reversible magnetic coaching boards 45 x 30 cm for various sports.

A coaching board measuring 45 x 30 cm will help to clearly outline the technique for achieving victory. Coaching whiteboards are available in 10 different sports for a variety of sports with the appropriate markings for a standard playing field: one side of the board shows a general view of the playing field, the back shows key areas of the field for in-depth tactical analysis. Magnetic coaching boards are ideal for use on the training and playing field because have a compact size of 45 x 30 cm.

• Compact portable coaching tactical boards measuring 45 x 30 cm for use during training and matches
• Board options available for Football, Futsal, Netball, Rugby, Baseball, American Football, Lacrosse, Basketball, Field Hockey & Field Hockey
• Double-sided whiteboard in a corrugated frame with a general image of the field on one side and key playing areas on the back
• Aluminum tactical board frame with safety corners for increased durability and bending resistance
• A complete set of magnets, a marker and a sponge, and metal ears for wall mounting are included with each coaching board

Universal coaching boards, thanks to the mobile design and the included metal fittings, allow you to change the tactics of the game at any time.Reliable hardware transforms the whiteboard into a wall-mounted coaching board, allowing you to give tactical instructions right in the locker room. The reversible magnetic tactical board kit includes a complete set of magnets to match the number of players on a team for each sport. This is a great way to reflect your team’s tactics.

This reliable training equipment is designed for a long service life and will be an indispensable training attribute for several seasons.The coaching boards have a robust steel frame and safety corners, which further increase the overall strength of the structure, ensuring the board is resistant to bending. In addition to a complete set of magnets, a marker and a sponge are included with the whiteboard so that the coach can easily make changes to their strategies.

PLEASE NOTE. It is possible to purchase a bag for convenient storage and transportation of all coaching boards measuring 45 x 30 cm.

Net World Sports offers a wide range of tactical coaching boards in different sizes for different sports.

90,000 as Washington away beat New Jersey in the NHL – RT in Russian

The Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 6-3 in the National Hockey League (NHL) regular season … The captain of the guests, Alexander Ovechkin, scored an abandoned puck and an assist. In this meeting, he went on the ice for the 900th time with his teammate Niklas Bekström. Another Russian, defender Dmitry Orlov, chalked up an effective pass.

The next game day of the NHL regular season was marked by a large number of productive meetings. One of them was the match in which the New Jersey Devils hosted the Washington Capitals. The Russians were active in it. Forward Alexander Ovechkin and defender Dmitry Orlov earned three points for two and helped their team win with a score of 6: 3.

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The captain of the capital team is expected to take effective action in every game, so even a short period without earned points causes excitement among the fans. However, this time he managed to interrupt the three-legged goalless streak. In addition, the meeting in New Jersey was the 900th, in which Ovechkin went on the ice along with striker Niklas Bekström in the “Washington”.

The match began with an unpleasant episode for the guests. In the fourth minute, after the lumbago from striker “New Jersey” Kyle Palmieri, Orlov ferried the puck into his own goal, to which goalkeeper Ilya Samsonov could not react.This was followed by a long siege of the last line of the owners, but Mackenzie Blackwood was impenetrable.

Only in the 19th minute, the Capitals managed to level the score. Ovechkin sent the puck into the goal with a spectacular wrist shot from the right after Bekström’s pass. A minute later, the Swede doubled the guests’ lead.

At the beginning of the second period, the guests lost their vigilance for some time and missed a counterattack, the main characters of which were Blake Coleman and Nikita Gusev. Looking ahead, we note that the Russian striker became the only hockey player in the New Jersey lineup to end the meeting with a positive indicator of usefulness (+1).

15 minutes later, one of the key episodes of the match followed. Ovechkin, Bekstrom and Orlov played a one-touch triangle, and Washington took the lead again. This provoked the players so much that they scored three more goals in a row on the courage, bringing the score to a devastating one. The goals were scored by John Carlson, Jonas Siegenthaler and Richard Panik.

The ice owners managed to play only one goal. The final score in the last minutes of the match was set by Miles Wood, one of whose assistants was Gusev.

The current goal for Ovechkin is 346th in NHL away matches. For this indicator, he is ranked sixth, which he shares with a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Marcel Dionne, the famous Canadian center forward. Wayne Gretzky leads this list with 402 goals.

At the moment, the Russian occupies the third place in the list of the best snipers, having 22 goals in his asset. Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnyak remains the leader of the race. He has 28 goals to his credit.

As for Beckström, in his 900th match with Ovechkin, he scored his 900th point in his career.Sharing his impressions of this achievement, the Swede paid tribute to his teammate.

“This is really great. Frankly, I was not hoping for such a result, but sometimes it happens. It’s cool to be a part of this club for so long. I was lucky to play with such a great hockey player like Alex, so I need to enjoy every moment, ”The Washington Post quotes Bekström.

It is worth noting the achievement of the goalkeeper of “Washington” Samsonov, in the game with “New Jersey” reflected 24 shots out of 27.He became the second goalkeeper in NHL history to win his first seven straight away games. Before him, this result was obeyed only by the hockey player “St. Louis Blues” Brent Johnson. In addition, he currently ranks first among the rookies in terms of the percentage of saves and the average number of goals conceded.

Washington head coach Todd Rearden was pleased with his players’ performance.

“We had the opportunity to spend time practicing different aspects of our game.I liked the beginning: although we conceded first, we had a lot of good chances in the first period and the guys did not give up. Then, in the course of the meeting, it bore fruit, ”the official website of the NHL quotes the mentor.

On December 22, Washington will host the Tampa Bay Lightning on their ice.

“We managed to score two points against a young and hardworking team and now we are heading home to sleep and get ready for the fresh Tampa,” Rearden added.

“I’m not going to the NHL to leave at the first difficulties” | Articles

After the early end of the KHL season, many players of Russian teams have already begun to conclude agreements overseas. Although in North America they are still counting on an imminent decline in the coronavirus pandemic, which will allow the resumption and finish of the cups in the NHL and AHL. However, at least already in the next – autumn – season, the audience will see the debuts of a number of hockey players from Russia.

Among them is Sochi forward Andrey Altybarmakyan.The talented ice hockey player signed a one-year rookie contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in April, who drafted him back in 2017. In an interview with Izvestia, the 21-year-old forward told why he decided to go overseas and assessed his prospects in the KHL.

– How are you spending your time now?

– Together with my family I am outside the city, I left St. Petersburg for a village near Lake Peipsi. I am in clean air, so we pass the self-isolation mode quite calmly. So far we have not been able to go fishing or swim, but I think we can still do it.

– Did you quickly agree on the details of the contract with Chicago?

– Yes, my agent promptly negotiated, and it was not difficult to come to an agreement with Chicago. I understood that I wanted to go there and try myself in the NHL. I was determined to do this exactly this year. I knew that the club was also interested in me, so I set myself up for moving to Chicago in advance.

– You went to the Chicago location last summer, didn’t you?

– Yes, at the beginning of June I flew there, talked to the club staff, they gave me a tour of the arena, around the city, told what and how it would be.In general, they prepared me in detail for the future transition. Then I realized that they were counting on me. This further added confidence in the need to go to Chicago at the end of the contract with Sochi.

– Were you able to communicate with the general manager and head coach of Chicago then?

– We talked to both of them. But in principle, communication with them and with the scouts has been established since the moment of the draft, since 2017. As Jeremy Colliton told me (then the head coach of Rockford (the farm club of Chicago), now the head of the main team), he already celebrated me then.And when the club made a choice in the draft, they played for me. And now he says that he has not changed his attitude towards me, he expects that I will open up in the NHL.

– How did you like Chicago during the tour? Was there a particular place you remember?

– Yes, Trump Towers. In general, the city is beautiful and interesting. It’s even somehow difficult to name something specific other than the place I named. The scale of the city is visible, it is in constant motion. However, it was not the first time I was there – I went there both after the draft, and shortly before it.

– Was this some kind of pre-draft interview?

– No, I did not pass it with “Chicago”. But when the season in Russia ended in 2017, I went there at the invitation of the Blackhawks shortly before the draft with a group of players, including Andrey Kuzmenko. At the same time, I had no idea at all that I would be drafted by a local club. Moreover, I was not at all sure that I would be drafted.

– Are you in contact with Andrey Nikolishin, scout of “Chicago”?

– Yes, and I talked to him more than once, and with Barry Smith, who is now working at the club (the former head coach of SKA.- Izvestia), who came to St. Petersburg last year and discussed my future with me. And with Nikolishin we still support the contract. I am very grateful to Andrei Vasilyevich, who constantly explained in detail what awaited me, and contributed to one of my visits to Chicago, when his Russian friends, who had settled there many years ago, showed me the city.

– Vitaly Kravtsov told how, during the last season at Traktor, he received detailed instructions from the New York Rangers on how to prepare himself, how to eat.Did they send you anything like that from Chicago?

– When I arrived at the location of the club, they explained to me that there is a whole list of detailed recommendations on how I should work in order to come ready to the NHL. And they said that if I express a desire, they will forward everything. But the initiative must come from my side. In “Chicago” they made it clear that they believe in my professionalism and that I myself should feel how to prepare. Therefore, I decided to continue working the way I had worked before. Naturally, in the offseason, you need to add well physically.And I understand that. But if we talk about the set of recommendations from the NHL clubs, then in any case, they will look exclusively at the state in which you arrive at training camp before the season. If the “Chicago” considers my condition to be good, then they do not care how I prepared in the summer. It all depends on the personal professionalism of each hockey player.

– Are you ready to start with the AHL?

– Of course. I understand perfectly well that I can be sent to Rockford, where I will have to make my way to the main team.I’m ready for this. If this happens, I will work and prove that I am worthy to get into “Chicago”. And I’m definitely not going to go to North America to come back at the first difficulties.

– Goalkeeper Ivan Nalimov, who played with you last season for Sochi, briefly went to Rockford in March, but never played a single match, as the AHL season was interrupted due to coronavirus. Have you discussed with him what kind of team and place it is?

– No, we haven’t talked to Ivan yet.I want to discuss this with him, although he did not really have time to practice with the “Rockford”.

– By the way, why didn’t you terminate the contract with Sochi in May following his example and didn’t go overseas even then?

– Just after not reaching the playoffs from Sochi and a week off, I have already seen that the situation with coronavirus in the world is heating up. Therefore, I decided not to rush to terminate the contract in Russia, conclude it with “Chicago”, take tickets and make a long flight. I decided to wait it out in case the season was interrupted.As it turned out, this was correct. I wouldn’t even have time to practice with Rockford there. It is better now to calmly prepare yourself at home in Russia and approach the season without unnecessary hassle.

– Why didn’t Sochi make the playoffs last season? Even after the disastrous first half of the season, the team almost caught up with Vityaz and Torpedo, but several times out of the blue lost points and ended up behind.

– It’s hard to say. Indeed, we seemed to gain momentum in the second half of the season, won quite a lot, beat our rivals – Vityaz and Torpedo – in face-to-face meetings.But it means that we did not deserve this exit to the playoffs, since we were behind them.

– In the 2017/18 season, you played 14 matches in the KHL with SKA. Could you gain a foothold in the team?

– Possibly. There are always chances. Personally, I got a lot of experience from my time at SKA. I am grateful to Oleg Valerievich Znark for connecting me to the line-up. But do you remember what the composition was. Such stars as Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk, as well as a dozen top-class strikers – you will tire of listing.Almost all of them won the Olympics that season, so comments are superfluous. Breaking through them and earning more playing time was not easy. I hoped much more to gain a foothold in SKA next season, when many leaders left the club. There was a restructuring, I spent the entire preseason under Ilya Petrovich Vorobyov in the main team, trained at the training camp, played in test matches. But before the start of the regular season, I was informed that I was not going to Kazan – there SKA played with Ak Bars for the first match of the season.This was a signal for me. I realized that they didn’t count on me as much as I expected. And then there was an exchange at Sochi, for which I am very grateful to the SKA management, since I got the opportunity to constantly play at the KHL level, to get practice.