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lax28keeper · 07-09-2008, 11:56 AM

I have been a goalie for about a year and a half. I'm good at saving but I'm afraid of the ball. I don't want to get hit with the ball, if you know what I mean. What do I do?

brgoalie36 · 07-11-2008, 11:18 AM

always more practice and during practice or warm ups tell the shooter to take it easy. the warm up for the goalie is not the time for the shooter to practice his shot.

cvlaxgoalie19 · 07-12-2008, 06:57 PM

hey, my first two years i had the same problem. once you see how much getting your body in front of the ball works, then you will defineitly do that more often. good luck.

brgoalie36 · 07-12-2008, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cvlaxgoalie19

hey, my first two years i had the same problem. once you see how much getting your body in front of the ball works, then you will defineitly do that more often. good luck.

that is good but he is saying that he is afraid of the ball. The way that sounds best to work on moving your body into the ball would be having the shooter start easy (shooting) then progressivly getting faster. While you work on stepping to the ball and having your body in front of it. remember 2 things, you still have your stick its not just your body against the ball and doing this exercise doesnt cure your fear in one day of practice you must do it every day of practice.

DRTDVL · 08-20-2008, 03:50 PM

Hey it's my first post... whooo... all the way from new zealand!

Anyways... i've been playing lacrosse as a goalie for about 3 years now, before that i was a catcher in baseball. My old coaches use to have a drill for us to become less afraid of the ball... They would take away our glove make us put our hands behind our backs and then have to drop into the dirt and use our bodies to stop the ball...

As suggested above, get someone to throw the ball at you, (or go play some box using field pads - hehe i did that for a bit here), take the head off your stick so you can't use that or better yet don't use a stick.

Atmosphere · 08-21-2008, 02:03 PM

Like I was saying in a different thread. Make sure your stepping to the ball. It won't hurt as much because you are not relaxed and you are ready for the save.

brgoalie36 · 08-22-2008, 11:54 AM

DRTDVL im sorry but i feel like im talking to the coach on my team that no body liked. He used to threaten to take my stick away and make me stop the ball with my body if i didnt stop flinching (just as u said) But i would like someone to explain the logic behind that because i do not in any way see how having no line of defense to help you stop that ball, makes you less afraid of it. some one care to explain!?!?!

Atmosphere · 08-22-2008, 12:09 PM

I see how it would help. But I personally would not use lacrosse balls. They might be wanting to get your body in front of it. And to make it so you would not be scared to use your body to save a shot.

DRTDVL · 08-22-2008, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brgoalie36

DRTDVL im sorry but i feel like im talking to the coach on my team that no body liked. He used to threaten to take my stick away and make me stop the ball with my body if i didnt stop flinching (just as u said) But i would like someone to explain the logic behind that because i do not in any way see how having no line of defense to help you stop that ball, makes you less afraid of it. some one care to explain!?!?!

It rather simple... The more you get use to something the less afraid you are of it... Body saves in my mind are a big part of the game, no one likes being hit with the ball, but it's part of the position. Unless you can get yourself into a place where you know your going to get hit, and know it might hurt and you fine with it, your not going to be as good as you could be.

You have to remember you are a line of defense not just your stick, your sole purpose on the field is to stop the ball entering the net by anymeans. Sure it's great if you can stick save but it's just as important to bodysave also. It's all about getting your body behind the ball, making feet/arm/leg/head saves if needs be. The drill is basically there to get you use to being hit and getting infront of the ball its not there to make you stop using your stick, but to get you to the feeling.

It was a drill that many baseball coaches used with me, including a very very nice japanise guy who trained me like i was in boot camp... Most people don't like coaches that really push them and make them really work. One drill he loved was he'd hold 7 baseball and stand about mid-distance from the plate to the mound and throw them into the dirt, i'd have to drop to my knees block the ball then back into position to do it all over again, the time between me blocking the ball and him throwing the next one would be able 2-3 seconds in that time i would have to spring back into postion and be ready again... so no resting... we would take a minute break and then do it again. We do this for about 10 - 15 min. It was a insane drill after the 4th run as it was so damm tiring. But it build reactions and quick movement.

You play the ultimate in defensive positions... look at any sport the goalie/catcher always ends up using their body to stop the ball. If you can't handle being hit or doing what it takes to get to the point where you don't fear the ball, i'd suggest moving out of goal. Hesitation and fear will lead to worse injuries...