Another year is in the books and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on all the great things that happened this year with Lax Goalie Rat.
I’ll also give you a few thoughts as to what 2019 holds for this site.
First I want to thank everyone who reads my site and even more thanks to those who put my words in action. The emails I get from players, coaches, and parents are my motivation to keep on trucking so I thank you.
2018 was a big year for me in terms of this site. I launched 3 major projects:
I have a goal to make a full-time living off of my passion for lacrosse and coaching goalies.
While there’s still a long ways to go, this year was a big step in the right direction and I’m hopeful I can accomplish this goal in 2019.
Here is the 2018 year in review.
Lax Goalie Rat Podcast
The idea for a lacrosse goalie podcast was something that was kicking around in my head for a long time.
But I never pulled the trigger. I don’t have great pro contacts, how could I ever get enough guests to pull off a podcast dedicated to only lacrosse goalies? Amazing the excuses we tell ourselves, right?
Then Ryan LePlante hit me up wanting to use one of the goalie save video edits for his company’s site. I decided to go for it.
I interviewed Ryan for episode #1 and then he introduced me to a few other top goalies like Dillon Ward, Johnny Rodriguez, and Austin Geisler. It exploded from there.
At the end of 2018 we’re 30 episodes deep. With another 6-7 interviews recorded that I still have to edit.
Not to be too much of a tease, but I’ve got some absolutely amazing interviews with top professionals like Drew Adams, Jack Concannon, Blaze Riorden, and Gunnar Waldt. I can’t wait to share.
I’ve learned a little about podcasting, editing, and interviewing. I even bought a USB microphone so the quality sounds better than my iPhone earbuds.
More importantly, I’ve learned quite a bit about the position of goalie from interviewing the top goalies in our sport.
What a better way to learn this position then interview the goalies who have reached the pinnacle of our sport?
With each interview, I’m able to absorb a little of what makes these top goalies elite and put it into my own coaching game.
If I’m struggling with an article or a question a young reader has sent in I just ask them to get their take.
A lot of great advice gets repeated but that just goes to show what’s really important.
And then at least once per show, a goalie will drop a quote that’s just pure gold leading me to say on air – hang on, I gotta write that down!
Many people have written in expressing their gratitude for putting together this podcast. Others have written me thanking me for turning them onto a particular guest. It’s all amazing!
I honestly think each episode is great but here are my favorites:
The podcast is something I plan on continuing into 2019.
Besides learning a ton, chatting with other goalies is just plain fun. Hopefully that comes out in the shows!
Lax Goalie Rat Online Camp
Parents from all over who’ve stumbled upon the site ask if I’m ever coming to {insert city name} because they get no lacrosse goalie coaches out there.
The answer is no. I have a full-time job which doesn’t really allow a schedule of traveling the globe to put on lacrosse goalie training camps.
But this is the next best thing. I’ve broken down the position into a simple, easy to follow formula and I teach that via videos.
The online camp is cheaper than live camps and if your kid is just getting into the position I’d argue this format is much better as they can come back and revisit the videos anytime they want. Can’t do that with live instruction.
The camp is also perfect for parents who want to learn what this position is all about. It allows you to help teach and coach your son or daughter even if you didn’t play lacrosse.
I’m glad this coaching is able to reach goalies, parents, coaches across the world.
But more importantly is the great things parents and goalies say about the camp. The way it helped them. The way they learned the position and felt more motivated than ever. Check out the camp testimonials.
That’s the goal with the Lax Goalie Rat online camp.
In 2019 I’ll be filming even more drills, technique, and mental training videos to add to the camp. Existing camp members get those for free of course.
In fact I just recently added 2 new training videos:
I enjoy a lot of business podcasts and one thing they discuss heavily in entrepreneurship is the importance of mentors.
As I think back to my mentors – both on and off the lacrosse field – they’re some of my most treasured relationships. The power of mentors cannot be understated.
While at the gym one day I had a thought occur to me.
From those in the Lax Goalie Rat audience, I wanted to pair up goalie mentors.
I know there are a lot of parents on my email list with young goalies who would really benefit having a high school or college (or even recent grad) goalie as a mentor.
Someone to chat with on a regular basis and get motivation, encouragement, and goalie tips.
I also know there are high school and college goalies on this list who would benefit being a mentor to a young keeper.
When you mentor someone – you grow. Both as a person and also as a goalie. Trying to teach someone something is the ultimate way to learn it better yourself.
It was an instant hit with over 100 goalies and mentors signing up. Meaning we’ve planted the seed for 50 goalie/mentor relationships.
Will they all succeed? No way. But out of those 50 I look forward to hearing some great success stories a few months down the road.
I had to close the Goalie Mentor program as it ended up taking a ton of my time to form these relationships and make sure the little buds start to flower.
The program will reopen again in January of 2019 and make sure you’re on the email list to be notified.
Blog Posts
A few months back another lacrosse coach emailed me. He coaches mostly offense and wanted to start something similar to Lax Goalie Rat for attackman and he wanted my tips.
It’s no secret. What I advise aspiring sports bloggers is the same thing I tell goalies who want to get better – put in the work.
Publish a blog post every single week for 3 years.
In 2018 I published 53 blog posts – not even counting the 30 individual posts for each podcast episode.
Here are some of my favorite posts from the year –
We’re 3 years into the blog and each year I think I’m going to run out of topics to write about.
But then I get an idea or receive a question for a topic I haven’t covered and I’m off working.
Writing the posts and researching the content is one of my favorite things to do so I don’t envision giving that up in 2019.
My 1st Viral Post?
The topic of lacrosse goalies is so small that nothing I write goes viral in the modern sense of the word. I’m never going to get a million or even hundreds of thousands of shares like other broader sites.
That’s 100% fine with me by the way.
But this year for our small niche I definitely had what I would call a viral post. Check out the daily visitors –
It all goes back to a joke me and my college buddies would always make.
Wouldn’t goalie be easier if you could put a goalie head on each side of the stick? Then attach that stick to another stick perpendicularly and spin the whole thing like a pinwheel?
While I’ll probably never have a post as viral as the kayak goalie stick, I will continue posting into 2019.
As I mentioned before I always think I’m going to run out of material to write but never seem to. Will this be the year? Haha we’ll see.
Conclusion
The Lax Goalie Rat site was born September 21, 2015 the day I published my very first blog post.
As we enter the site’s 3rd year of existence it really was a great one in terms of getting the gospel of solid lacrosse goalie coaching into the eyes, ears, feet, and hands of the goalies, parents, and coaches who desperately need this material.
With my site, YouTube, Instagram – gone are days when goalies could say that no solid goalie coaching exists online.
For this site 2018 featured the birth of 3 incredible projects for me –
Lax Goalie Rat Podcast
Online Lax Goalie Rat Camp
The Goalie Mentor Program
In addition to the continuation of weekly blog posts on various lacrosse goalie topics throughout the year. I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish this year.
What will 2019 hold? We’ll see!
Until next time! Coach Damon
Goalies! How did your 2018 go? What are your goals for 2019?
P.S. - Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
1.Lax Goalie Rat Academy - The Lax Goalie Rat Academy is a premier membership program that gives you the tools and skillset to level up your goalie game. Technique, drills, mental game, lacrosse IQ and direct coaching from Coach Damon to turn your goalie into a leader and a confident save machine. Join 400+ goalies inside.
2.Lacrosse Goalie Super Mom/Dad - Some call lacrosse goalie the hardest position in sports. That's not true. It's the goalie Mom or Dad. I put together this course specially for the parents who know nothing about lacrosse but still want to help their son or daughter be the best they can be. Learn how to train them but more importantly learn how to support them on this emotional rollercoaster.
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2 thoughts on “Lax Goalie Rat 2018: Year In Review”
Damon—As a parent of a new 10yr old goalie (evolving/switching from attack), your Online Camp, Blog Posts, Podcasts (and timely responses to email questions!) have been extremely helpful. My son has improved a TON with your help and more importantly, he seems to be really embracing the position more and more (as a 10yr old, he still wants to play some attack).
So thank you for all your hard work and efforts….it is making a real difference for my son (and for me working with him everyday in the cage). Happy New Year and looking forward to 2019!!
Lacrosse is my passion! The game has given me so much and this blog is my way of giving back to the lax community. Specifically the most bad a$$ part of that community - the goalies! After learning to play goalie from scratch, I wanted to create a site where I could share what I learned with others so they too can become champions in the crease and in life. Learn more about Coach Damon.
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Damon—As a parent of a new 10yr old goalie (evolving/switching from attack), your Online Camp, Blog Posts, Podcasts (and timely responses to email questions!) have been extremely helpful. My son has improved a TON with your help and more importantly, he seems to be really embracing the position more and more (as a 10yr old, he still wants to play some attack).
So thank you for all your hard work and efforts….it is making a real difference for my son (and for me working with him everyday in the cage). Happy New Year and looking forward to 2019!!
Thanks Tim! Really appreciate that! And I’m glad my content was able to help you and your son! Here’s to him kicking butt in 2019! Happy New Year!