Game-Ready Goalies: Drills to Improve Focus, Reaction & Rebound Saves

with Clare Hanson
Benedictine College Women's Lacrosse Head Coach;
2026 NAIA National Champions;
2026 NAIA Women's Lacrosse Coach of the Year;
2025 NAIA National Champions;
2025 IWLCA Staff of the Year;
2025 NAIA Women's Lacrosse Coach of the Year;
The 21-0 2025 season is the new NAIA single-season record for wins and consecutive wins;
2022 NAIA National Champions;
Benedictine College Assistant Coach from 2019 to 2021;
Played college lacrosse for Benedictine College;
First-Team All-Conference Midfielder

Train Mentally Tough, Quick-Reacting Goalies with Innovative, Game-Like Drills
A lacrosse goalie's ability to focus is tested every second of the game. With unpredictable rebounds, constant distractions, and the pressure of making split-second decisions, elite goalies must train their minds as much as their bodies.

In this video, Benedictine College's Clare Hanson provides a groundbreaking approach to goalie training, focusing on mental sharpness, reaction speed, and movement efficiency.

Train the Mind & the Body
Through a series of nine progressive drills, Coach Hanson introduces innovative training methods designed to challenge goalies in realistic, game-like situations. From juggling while tracking shots to reacting to unpredictable rebound plays, each drill builds the tools goalies need to stay sharp under pressure.

Focus, Patience & Precision
A key emphasis of the video is teaching goalies to move based on visual cues, reading the ball, staying patient, and reacting only when the shooter commits. You'll see how to integrate drills that improve tracking, timing, and efficiency of movement to ensure proper positioning every time.

Game-Like Situations & Reaction Training
Rather than relying solely on traditional drills, Coach Hanson puts goalies in situations that mimic the randomness of live play. These include distraction drills, chaotic shot sequences, and multi-task challenges that build mental toughness and decision-making speed.

Sharpen Instincts, Build Confidence
This training is about more than mechanics, it's about developing confident, instinctive goalies who can handle pressure and keep their team in the game. Whether you're working with a new goalie or looking to elevate a veteran's performance, this video delivers a fresh, focused approach to goalie development.

Customer Review: 5 Out of 5 Stars!
"Coach Hanson walks us through some thought-provoking drills that address what I feel is an underserved topic: distractions! Great video all around!"

38 minutes. 2025.