Drills to Develop A Complete Goaltender

with John Galloway,
University of Jacksonville Head Coach; former Providence College Assistant Coach;
Team USA Co-Captain; Goalie - 2018 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) Men's World Championship (Gold medal);
Chrome Lacrosse Club goalie (PLL);
Dallas Rattlers Goalie (2011 - present); 3x Goaltender of the Year Award (2014, 2016 & in 2018 shared the award with Niko Amato):
2x First Team All-American Goalie at Syracuse University, Goalie on 2008 & 2009 NCAA Championship teams (Syracuse);
2x Ensign C. Markland Kelly Jr. Award winner (nation's best goalkeeper), Galloway is the second goalkeeper in history to be named a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy; recorded most wins for a goalie in NCAA history (59), ranks seventh in the NCAA history in goals against average (7.33)

In today's game, a successful goaltender needs to do more than just stop shots. They need to initiate the clearing game, become an offensive trigger and even step out as a seventh defensive player.

This video featuring Jacksonville's head coach John Galloway takes you right onto the field and begins building up the skills required to become a 60-minute goaltender. He begins literally from the ground up, introducing the foundations of a proper stance, from the goaltender's feet to their hands. From there, Galloway shifts to an extensive warm-up routine that does so much more than just get a goaltender's body ready for a game.

Through a progressive series of drills Galloway develops all of the skills necessary to become an elite goaltender, from making kick saves to suffocating the ball and controlling rebounds. Not content with just a shot-stopping goaltender, Coach Galloway introduces a drill designed to turn a goaltender into a seventh defender who jumps into passing lanes and ends possessions before a shot is even taken.

Building a Foundation

Warming up a goalie isn't as simple as calling out a corner and taking a shot. Through a series of 10 drills, Coach Galloway teaches you how to not only properly warm up a goaltender, but also build up their skill and technique along the way.

Starting with Footie, a drill designed to teach a goalie to get their hips through a save in order to control the ball, Galloway begins every warm-up below the goaltender's waist, first rolling balls at the feet and then shooting low corners in the Corners drill. Each drill in the warm-up period is designed to get a different part of the goaltender's body prepared to make a save, ultimately working in unison.

Footwork and Mobility

Of course, for the goaltender to be able to explode to the ball, make the save and control the rebound, they must have excellent footwork and hip mobility. This next series of drills is all about explosiveness and preparing the body to reset before each shot and then explode to the ball, first with the hands, then the feet, and then the hips. Each drill is designed to eliminate false steps and help the goaltender learn to attack the ball.

More Than Just a Shot Stopper

Finally, recognizing the potential for the goaltender to be an aggressive and disruptive force, Coach Galloway demonstrates how a goaltender can become another defender and shut down an offense before it can even take a shot. Acknowledging the risk but appreciating the potential reward, he teaches a goaltender how to determine whether a ball carrier intends to shoot or pass and then jump out into pass lanes when appropriate to stymie the opponent's attack.

This video from Coach Galloway will teach you exactly what it takes to become a championship goaltender as well as how to train elite goalies yourself!

56 minutes. 2019.