Lacrosse season is a few months away and preseason preparations are underway for coaches and players. Some players may still be competing in a winter sport for their school, which is fine. Some players are working out after school with their teammates and some are playing in a weekend indoor league. All of these are great options to prepare for the season. Here are some goalie specific preseason preparation drills and some to do’s prior to the season officially beginning.
Footwork: Time to get the feet moving. Drills include jump rope, ladders, and line jumps. Simple drills that do not take a long time. 10 minutes of jump rope per day = 70 minutes of jump rope a week. These drills can be done at school, home, the gym, or outside (bundle up).
Hand Eye Coordination: Working on hand eye coordination and hand quickness is a great way to get ready without seeing live shots. This can be done without any goalie equipment on as well. Juggling, tossing a ball off the wall, and partner tosses are a few examples.
Live shots: 1-3 times a week. Focus on the fundamentals when making each save. Have a coach or teammate shoot on you. Use this to build confidence going into the season.
Warm up: Before the weekend game make sure you are properly warmed up. Try to have the same person warm you up unless they do not do a good job. Find a warm up that works and take the same warm up into the season.
Stick skills: It’s amazing at all levels how many balls are sailing all over the field on day one of practice. Do not be one of the team members throwing the ball into the bleachers. Continue to hit the wall or throw with a teammate, coach, or friend. Work on throwing different types of passes at different distances.
Sticks: Have two sticks prepared, broken in, and ready to go. Have sticks ready that you are confident with. Too many players come to day one with sticks that are not broken in or properly prepared. Sticks break more in cold weather as well.
Clothes: Have clothing options prepared that keep you warm and you are comfortable moving in.
Mental: Be confident as you head into the season. Clear your mind of all distractions and know that all the work you’ve done will pay off. The season will not be easy. You will have good days and bad days. Refocus mentally and continue to move forward.
Any thoughts, additions, questions, comments, let us know!
