Position guide
Goalie is the most trainable position in lacrosse, because almost all of it is repeatable mechanics: where you stand, how you step, where your top hand goes. Here is how to build it — including work with nothing but a wall and a tennis ball.
Hold your ready stance 45 seconds, 5 rounds. Cue: hands out in front at chest height, weight on the balls of the feet, stick vertical.
Shuffle along the top of the crease arc following an imaginary ball, 6 laps. Cue: stay square to the ball, always at the same distance from the post.
Touch one post, shuffle across, touch the other. 10 rounds. Cue: never cross your feet, never turn your shoulders.
Call a shot location out loud and step to it, top hand leading. 10 each of the four corners. Cue: hands drive to the ball first, feet follow.
20 reps to each bottom corner. Cue: step down and out, don't drop to a knee — bottom corners are lost by collapsing.
60-100 shots per session from 10-12 yards, mixed locations. Cue: reset to stance completely between every shot.
Throw hard against a wall, catch barehanded, 50 reps each hand. Cue: eyes track the ball the entire flight.
Hold two balls at shoulder height, drop one at random and catch before the second bounce. 30 reps. Cue: fast hands, no lean.
In full gear, bounce the ball low off a wall and make a save on the rebound. 40 reps. Cue: attack the ball, don't wait for it.
Make a save, step out and hit a target 25 yards away. 15 reps. Cue: first look is up the field, second is to the wing.
20 clears with your off hand. Cue: goalies who can only clear one way get pressured relentlessly.
Stance holds, arc shuffles, shadow steps and tennis-ball reaction work off a wall cover most of it — no shooter required. Add live shots twice a week when someone is available.
60-100 quality shots with a full reset between each. Rapid-fire barrages past that build bad habits more than reflexes.
Helmet with throat guard, chest protector, cup, goalie gloves, shin guards and a goalie stick. Don't let a young goalie into the cage without a proper chest protector.
The PrivateLaxCoach AI coach turns these drills into a personalized plan for your player's age, position and goals — and you can send a video of any drill for a coach's breakdown with fixes and an action plan.
