Goalie Lacrosse Drills
11 drills tagged with "Goalie". Use these in your practice plans to build focused, effective sessions.
Clearing Relay
Players line up in all four corners of the box with goalies at both sides in between the lines . At the same time, players to the left of each goalie sprint upfield and receive an outlet pass from the goalie over the shoulder and sprint through the other side and get in line. Drill moves continuously with goalies throwing back and forth. Emphasize catching on the run, crisp outlet passes, quick ball movement, and catching over the shoulder..
Goalie Warm up
Have goalie receive shots on goal and clears
Quick Hands
Develop goalie hand-eye coordination without a stick. Goalie in ready position, no stick. Coach stands 4-5 feet away and tosses balls at the cage. Goalie makes saves mimicking stick movements but catches with the top hand. Work all shot positions. Variation: Bounce the ball and have the goalie save it using only the chest protector.
Hit Spots
Develop goalie hand-eye coordination through progressive distance shooting. Goalie in ready position. Coach starts 2-3 yards away, lightly tossing balls while moving in an arc around the goal. Goalie saves and quickly returns the ball. Hit all shot positions twice, then back up to 5-7 yards and repeat, then 10-12 yards. Increase shot speed with distance. Vary release points so the goalie sees different angles. Variation: Bounce shots. Rapid fire sequences. Goalie makes outlet passes after saves.
Goalie Footwork
Develop goalie footwork, quickness, and ready-position discipline. Lateral Hops: Hop side to side over a shaft, staying in ready position (30 sec) Front to Back: Hop forward and back over a shaft in ready position (30 sec) 2-Step: Take 2 steps right or left over a shaft, maintaining ready position (30 sec) 4 Squares: Work a 4-hop pattern over 2 intersecting shafts (30 sec) Variation: Randomly toss a ball during any drill for a save. Run diagonal patterns on 4 Squares.
Goalie Clear Passes
Develop clearing passes from the goalie through all levels of the field. Goalie starts with a ball. Outlet pass to the defenseman breaking up the left side. Defender passes to M1 breaking back to the ball. M1 turns and finds M2 breaking on the opposite side. M2 catches, turns, and feeds the attackman in the corner. Attackman turns into the middle for a 10-yard shot. Drill restarts after a save or reset. Variation: Set up multiple goals and run several groups. Allow the defender to play the ball after making the initial outlet.
Save To Clear Warm Up
Warm up the goalie's save-to-clear transition. Goalie in the cage. Coach shoots from about 10 yards. 2 players or coaches roam between midfield and the attack zone. Goalie makes the save, then immediately clears long to one of the targets. Alternate clearing targets each rep. Move targets around to vary clearing distances. Variation: Change shot locations. Add targets like trash cans in the midfield for the goalie to hit.
Rapid Toss Warm Up
Warm up the goalie with rapid toss shots to develop quick footwork and reactions. Goalie in the cage. Coach stands about 5 yards away with 25 balls. On the whistle, toss balls at the goalie in rapid fire, varying locations. Goalie makes a save and drops the ball behind them. Continue until balls are gone or need to clear balls from the crease. Watch for balls underfoot. Variation: Change the angle of the toss shots.
Rapid Fire Warm Up
Get your goalie a high volume of shots from multiple angles in a short time. Goalie starts on the right post. Set up 5 cones at 10-15 yards from the goal in an arc. On the whistle, the first player at each cone shoots one at a time, moving from right to left. Call out shot locations for shooters. Go through as many rounds as needed. Variation: Move cone positions and have shooters vary their shot types.
Grip it and Rip it
Develop goalie reactions to shots from multiple locations and distances. Goalie in the crease. A coach receives a pass from anywhere in the attack area and immediately shoots. Both passer and shooter move continuously. Farther shots should be harder; closer shots should emphasize placement. Work all save areas. Variation: Bounce shots. Rapid fire sequences. Goalie makes outlet passes after saves. Multiple passes between coaches before the shot. Up close, use fakes and non-traditional releases.
Rebound Wall
This drill sharpens goalie reactions, tracking, and positioning when shots come from unpredictable angles. Set the goal 3–5 yards off a solid wall so that shots bounce back toward the net. The coach stands behind the goal and fires balls at the wall, creating unpredictable rebounds. The goalie must track the ball off the wall, step properly, and make the save. Focus on maintaining consistent positioning, staying low and balanced, and reacting quickly with proper hand-eye coordination. To challenge the goalie further, vary shot speed, angles, and timing so rebounds aren’t predictable. The drill builds reflexes and improves confidence handling shots from unexpected locations.
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