My own journey as a Division I goalie and coach has taught me that the ultimate form of mental mastery is achieving a completely blank mind. My entire philosophy is dedicated to getting my mind to be entirely present, rejecting the past, ignoring the future, and focusing only on the lacrosse ball. When I play my best, my mind is empty of all thoughts except one simple objective: stop the ball.

The “BALL, BALL, BALL” Technique

I discovered my most effective tool for focus during a moment of sheer frustration in my junior year of College. Negative self-talk was creeping in as shooters wound up, telling me I wasn’t good enough. Instinctively, I started yelling “BALL, BALL, BALL” out loud because I was so angry that my mind couldn’t focus.

This simple act worked instantly. By occupying every inch of mental space with that mantra, I left no capacity for doubts, the scoreboard, or fear of consequence. It is a powerful way to achieve present-moment focus and force your mind to find the ball and keep it out of the goal.

Strategic Practice Over Aimless Reps

When confidence is low, the only way to regain it is to increase your competence through strategic practice. Too many goalies try to overcome slumps by taking endless, mindless shots. Instead, you must isolate your specific weakness and attack it deliberately.

For example, if you are biting on fakes, have a teammate use tennis balls and mix in hesitations to get you to move early. Fifteen minutes of targeted work is significantly more beneficial than an hour of frustration.

Leading as a Unit

Commanding the crease requires a balance of authority and respect. I prefer to work as a unit with my defense rather than ruling with fear. When something goes wrong, solve the problem through calm conversation and move to the next play immediately. If your teammates do not like playing for you, they will not perform at their highest level.

The Commitment to Excellence

My final advice is to ignore those who choose to cut corners. In every practice, you will see athletes doing the bare minimum. Choose a different path:

• Go all out: Sprint for every ground ball even in simple drills.
• Touch the line: Give one hundred percent effort on every sprint.
• Seek extra reps: Get to work before and after practice.

Understand that most people will not do these things, and that is okay. But if you are serious about being an elite-level lacrosse goalie, do not settle for less than your absolute best. Finish your career knowing you gave everything you had to the game.

Want to learn more? Get a copy of The Fearless Lacrosse Goalie here: http://fearlesslacrosse.adaptivegoaltending.com/