Three Steps for Better Positioning From Lacrosse Goalie Drew Adams
Goaltending is a geometry problem. The deeper you play in goal, the more openings a shooter has when aiming for the net. The solution is to cut off the angles by coming farther out of the net to challenge the shooter, leaving very little open net.
A regulation lacrosse net is six feet tall, six feet wide and seven feet deep. You might be six feet tall [if you’re lucky] with a wingspan of equal proportion. But that just means you must play bigger than your size to stop shots.
Here to help you with positioning is Major League Lacrosse’s Drew Adams, First Team All-Pro with the Long Island Lizards and three-time All-American at Penn State. Adams is this week’s guest instructor for Maverik U, an instructional video series to help you step up your lacrosse game. His three-step advice:
Get into ready position
“If the ball’s getting banged around on the backside and the attacker skips it across, my step is going to be across the cage as fast as I can. I’m going to square myself to the shooter as quickly as possible and get into my ready position.”
Focus on shooter’s stick
“Once you’re in position, you want to see the shooter’s stick right away. Not the shooter’s eyes, hands or feet. Lock in on the shooter’s stick. Focus in on the ball and be ready to attack [it] once it’s released.”
Watch the ball
“Watch the ball leave the shooter’s stick, and watch it come in toward you on the cage. You want to have your eyes set on the ball as soon as it leaves the stick and into your [own stick].”
Photo: maveriklacrosse.com
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Three Steps for Better Positioning From Lacrosse Goalie Drew Adams
Goaltending is a geometry problem. The deeper you play in goal, the more openings a shooter has when aiming for the net. The solution is to cut off the angles by coming farther out of the net to challenge the shooter, leaving very little open net.
A regulation lacrosse net is six feet tall, six feet wide and seven feet deep. You might be six feet tall [if you’re lucky] with a wingspan of equal proportion. But that just means you must play bigger than your size to stop shots.
Here to help you with positioning is Major League Lacrosse’s Drew Adams, First Team All-Pro with the Long Island Lizards and three-time All-American at Penn State. Adams is this week’s guest instructor for Maverik U, an instructional video series to help you step up your lacrosse game. His three-step advice:
Get into ready position
“If the ball’s getting banged around on the backside and the attacker skips it across, my step is going to be across the cage as fast as I can. I’m going to square myself to the shooter as quickly as possible and get into my ready position.”
Focus on shooter’s stick
“Once you’re in position, you want to see the shooter’s stick right away. Not the shooter’s eyes, hands or feet. Lock in on the shooter’s stick. Focus in on the ball and be ready to attack [it] once it’s released.”
Watch the ball
“Watch the ball leave the shooter’s stick, and watch it come in toward you on the cage. You want to have your eyes set on the ball as soon as it leaves the stick and into your [own stick].”
Photo: maveriklacrosse.com