Best Lacrosse Goalie Metrics To Judge Our Performance | Lax Goalie Rat (2024)

By Coach Damon

Posted In: General, Lacrosse Goalie

Best Lacrosse Goalie Metrics To Judge Our Performance | Lax Goalie Rat (1)

Ultimately, lacrosse is a team sport and the only metric that matters is the scoreboard. Did we win or lose?

But it is useful to understand how well our goalie is playing.

And when it comes to judging goalie’s play with metrics, one king reigns supreme: save percentage.

But is this the best lacrosse goalie metric for which to judge our keeper’s play?If one goalie has a save percentage of 60%and another has 50%, is the first goalie always better?

In this post, let’s explore those questions and come up with a metric better suited to judge our play in goal.

Save Percentage – A Flawed Metric

Years ago in a game against Chico St. with our team trailing by a single goal and only 30 seconds left in the game, our coach called timeout.

He drew up the defensive play and it involved the ice hockey equivalent of pulling the goalie (me). By rule, 1 goalie must be on the field so I was assigned with face guarding a middie while we double-teamed the ball with two long poles.

The attacker ended up splitting the double team (doh!) and put the ball in the open goal.

We ended up losing the game which stinks but the reason I bring up the story is to talk about an outdated metric.

You see in that case my save percentagewent down. I was face guarding my man at the top of the box and my save percentage took a hit.

Goalies that play on poor defensive teams often see a very high number of inside shots that are much more difficult to stop than a contested 15-yard piece of popcorn from outside. Is save percentage a fair metric to use to judge a goalie who defense allows nothing but shots on the doorstep?

Unfortunately, save percentage doesn’t tell the whole story.

Goalie Game Score – A New Lacrosse Goalie Metric

Rather than rely on save percentage as the end-all be-all lacrosse goalie metric to judge our performance, I recommend using this system which I learned fromCoach Jon Weston.

I call it the Goalie Game Score (GGS) and my version of the GGS works like this:

Award positive points for good plays:

  • + 1 for a stuff (a save in close or one that you don’t expect him/her to make)
  • + 1 for starting a fast break that results in a uneven number on the other end
  • + 1 for a ground ball, pickoff, run-out or save of a wide shot
  • +3 for >10 saves in a game
  • + 5 for >20 saves in a game

Award minus points for poor plays:

  • -1 for missing a shot he should save (typically I count this as any shot that goes in from outside of 8-10 yards).
  • -1 for a blown clear (poor outlet pass that results in a turnover)
  • -1 for a turnover (goalie loses the ball, or steps back into the crease, etc.)

Add these up for the whole game and you will generally find;

  • Any minus score for the whole game and the goalie had a bad day
  • Any positive score is an ok day
  • + 5 is a good day
  • >+5 the goalie was an impact player and probably led the victory.

I’ll track the Goalie Game Score for each game and plot them game by game.

Best Lacrosse Goalie Metrics To Judge Our Performance | Lax Goalie Rat (2)

Here I’m looking for trends. Is the goalie getting better?

I think when combined with the other lacrosse goalie metrics I’ll discuss below, GGS will help paint a clearer picture as to how our goalies are performing in the cage.

Eliminate Save Percentage?

By no means am I suggesting that we entirely eliminate save percentage. I do feel it is an effective indicator of how the goalie performed.

Calculating save percentage is fairly simple. Take the number of saves / (number of saves + number of goals allowed) and there you have it – lacrosse goalie save percentage.

But it’s an incomplete picture. Like a datingprofile pic from a weird angle that starts at the waist. There’s only so much to learn from it and it’s not enough to evaluate the lacrosse goalie as a complete player.

College coaches still heavily focus on save percentage so it’s also an important metric to track. In this way, save percentage is key.

As a rough guide for youth lacrosse, a save percentage below 50% needs to be improved upon and one over 60% is very good.

This will of course differ depending on your level of play. As shooters get stronger and more accuratein the higher levels, a save percentage doesn’t have to be as high to be considered excellent.

The save % leader in the MLL for the 2015 season was Tyler Fiorito at 60.6%. While the NCAA save percentage leader for the 2014 season was Garret Conaway also with 61.4%.

Similar to GGS, I’ll plot save percentage game by game to ensure our goalies are trending upwards.

Other Useful Charts to Help Goalies

There are some data points which I like to track to help determine how our lacrosse goalie is performing and where he/she might need improvement.

Goal ViewSpread Chart

The first chart I’ll create is a view facing the goal.

For every save, we put an X in the location of the save. Every goal that goes in we’ll put an O. If the shot was a bounce I’ll include a small B next to the X or the O.

This cluster chart will give you a good visual representation of where the goalie is strong and where they might need to improve.

If you see a pattern of many O’s in the off-stick low location, you know you’ll need to step up the drills to work on low shots during practice.

Here is an example of this chart:

Best Lacrosse Goalie Metrics To Judge Our Performance | Lax Goalie Rat (3)

This chart doesn’t factor in where the shot was taken from on the field. Hence the reason we use our second chart.

Field ViewSpread Chart

For this chart, we use an above the field view to determine where on the field shots are coming from.

We’ll use the same system as above, with X’s representing saves, O’s representing goals. For this chart, I also like to include W’s anytime a shot goes wide.

Here is an example:

Best Lacrosse Goalie Metrics To Judge Our Performance | Lax Goalie Rat (4)

Using this chart we can calculate our save percentage from different ranges to0. Under 5 yards, 5-10 yards, 10-15 yards. As the shots get further away we should see the goalie’s save percentage get higher.

This chart is also one that can be used to help analyze the defense in general. Are we giving up too many shots <5 yards? Are too many shots coming from the middle and not the low-angle sides. Graphing shots on this type of chart will help answer these questions.

Tracking Data

If you have a goalie coach, they should be tracking this data during the game. If you don’t have that luxury, then recruit an injured player or a parent to collect stats specifically related to our goalie.

I use the charts above in addition to tracking goalie game score to help gather all the data we need to judge our goalie’s performance and determine what aspects of his game we can work on.

I put together a printable PDF to give the stat tracker to help them keep accurate data. I’ll print out a copy of this before each game.

To download a free copy of this PDF, simply join my email list. I never spam and you can unsubscribe anytime. You’ll also get a copy of my PDF – 41 Defensive Terms that every goalie should use for free.

There is also a version for the female game that you can get for free if you join the email list.

Conclusion

Nowadays, everyone understands how valuable data is when it comes to sports.

As lacrosse goalies and lacrosse goalie coaches, we should be analyzing as much data as possible to help improve our game.

Save percentage as long been the kingpin metric to determininggoalie performance and I agree it is valuable, but we need more.

In addition to save percentage, I encourage you to look at other lacrosse goalie metrics like Goalie Game Score, create a goal and field view scatter charts.

Looking at these metrics will give you a better picture of how you’re playing and also what you need to work on in practice.

Until next time! Coach Damon

How do you use metrics to improve your goalie play? Let me know in the comments.

Best Lacrosse Goalie Metrics To Judge Our Performance | Lax Goalie Rat (2024)

FAQs

How do you track lacrosse goalie stats? ›

Calculating save percentage is fairly simple. Take the number of saves / (number of saves + number of goals allowed) and there you have it – lacrosse goalie save percentage.

What makes a good lacrosse goalie? ›

Lacrosse goalie is a position of leadership. Successful goalies not only make the saves, they also lead their defense. The kid who is comfortable around the others, making jokes, telling stories, and just displaying general leadership signs is often the one you want to select to play in goal.

What is a good GAA in lacrosse? ›

The top goaltenders in the National Lacrosse League however, have a GAA of about 10.00, and the top 2005 Western Lacrosse Association goaltenders had a GAA of about 9.00. At their best, elite NCAA water polo goalies have a GAA between 3.00 and 5.00.

How do you calculate goalie save percentage in lacrosse? ›

In ice hockey and lacrosse, it is a statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops. It is calculated by dividing the number of saves by the total number of shots on goal.

What does SOG mean in lacrosse stats? ›

SOG = Shot on Goal. A shot on goal is saves+goals given up.

What is the most important goalie stat? ›

Save Percentage vs Goals Against Average

For the longest time the most important stat for an NHL goalie was his Goals Against Average (“GAA”), which is simply the average number of goals let in per game.

What do coaches look for in a goalie? ›

Skating ability.

Ability to move on your feet efficiently and with as little effort as possible means that more energy can be spent tracking pucks and making decisions. Build your foot game. Be smooth. Be fast.

What is a good GAA for a goalie? ›

In the NHL, the average GAA varies from 2.00 to 3.00 and has done so for the past 5+ years. Generally speaking, a goalie with a GAA below 2.25 is considered to be an elite goalie at his or her level of play. 2.25 to 2.9 are average GAA statistics, and anything 2.9 and above is considered below average.

What is the most important skill in lacrosse? ›

Catching and throwing are crucial fundamentals of the game. It is so important to develop these skills. One of the best methods used to practice catching/throwing is to go up against a brick wall. It allows a person to work on eye hand coordination, accuracy and consistency through repetition.

What is the most athletic position in lacrosse? ›

MIDFIELD Beginning level midfielders should be taught that they are the horses of the team. There are three midfielders per team in a lacrosse game. They must run up and down the entire field and play both offense and defense. For this reason, midfielders are usually the most athletic players on the lacrosse field.

What is the best save percentage by a goalie? ›

NHL Leaders
RankPlayerSV%
1.Dominik Hasek*.9223
2.Johnny Bower*.9219
3.Ken Dryden*.9215
4.Tuukka Rask.9210
117 more rows

Which goalie has the best save percentage of all time? ›

Highest Save Percentage, Career (Minimum: 100 Games Played)
  • Igor Shesterkin. NYR. 132. 297. 3,689. ...
  • Ilya Sorokin. NYI. 107. 239. 2,924. ...
  • Dominik Hasek. CHI, BUF, DET, OTT. 735. 1,572. ...
  • Ken Dryden. MTL. 397. 870. ...
  • Tuukka Rask. BOS. 564. 1,230. ...
  • Ben Bishop. STL, OTT, TBL, LAK, DAL. 413. 903. ...
  • Tim Thomas. BOS, DAL, FLA. 426. 1,027. ...
  • Juuse Saros. NSH. 254. 620.

What does FOW mean in lacrosse? ›

Faceoffs Won (FOW) Number of Faceoffs Won. Faceoffs Lost (FOL) Number of Faceoffs Lost. Penalty Minutes (PIM)

What does GB mean in lacrosse stats? ›

GB/G Ground Ball per Game This is the average number of ground balls per game during the season. You take the total ground balls and divide it by the number of games played.

What does FP stand for in lacrosse stats? ›

Feed Pass. An offensive play in which one player passes the ball to a cutting teammate for a “quick stick” shot on goal. Flag Down. Tells the offense that a penalty will be called. This means that you should do all that we can to get off a shot without dropping the ball to the ground, which will halt play.

What is the fastest growing sport lacrosse? ›

In fact, in a recent study carried out by the NCAA, college sports' largest governing body, lacrosse, both men's and women's were officially labeled the fastest growing sport in America over the past 15 years and has been the focus of substantial investment at all levels, from the leading national governing bodies all ...

How do you count assists in lacrosse? ›

A player is credited with an assist when he makes, in the opinion of the statistician, a pass contributing directly to a goal. An assist cannot be cred- ited to any player other than the one who had the ball immediately before the player credited with the goal.

How do you record a lacrosse game? ›

  1. Don't expect someone to hold the camera steady for an entire game.
  2. Do use a tripod to keep video stable.
  3. Don't get dizzy zooming in and out.
  4. Do record mid-field from a high vantage point.
  5. Don't stop recording at every dead ball.
  6. Do pause at halftime.
  7. Don't lose your view of the field, athletes and referees.

What is the most important thing a goalie has to do? ›

Quick Reflexes

Having quick reflexes is the most important aspect of all goalies. Having poor reflexes is like jumping into water without knowing how to swim. Reflexes is something that will not come by itself, you have to practice on it often and regularly.

What are stats for goalies? ›

These are the number of wins, losses, ties, and overtime/shootout losses recorded by the goaltender during the season. For every league that I can think of, the current definition of these are the goaltenders in net at the time of the game-winning goal (the N+1th goal, when the losing team scores N goals).

What is the most important component of fitness for a goalkeeper? ›

Speed | Agility | Anaerobic Endurance

The areas of primary concern for goalkeeping are: coordination, agility, speed, and anaerobic endurance, and their constituents of balance, flexibility, core stability and strength.

How are goalies evaluated? ›

With the coaches free to sit and just isolate on each goaltender, the goalies can fairly demonstrate their skill sets throughout a series of targeted drills. This allows each goalie to get an equal amount of time in the net and enables the coaches to see how they handle a variety of situations and circ*mstances.

What are the three 3 skills and qualities that a coach must acquire? ›

3 Key Coaching Skills for Leaders
  • Listen. While it sounds simple, listening is actually a difficult skill to master. ...
  • Ask Questions. Perhaps the most crucial part of coaching is asking questions, because it provokes thought and assessment from the other person. ...
  • Planning Action.
Dec 6, 2018

What are the three key practice habits for goaltenders? ›

Goaltending Practice Plans
  • Foundation Stage – Stance, practice habits, lateral skating, fundamental saves and positioning.
  • Skills Stage – Recovery, puck handling, tracking, box control and controlling rebounds.
  • Game Recognition Stage – Lateral plays, handling traffic in front, post integration, breakaways.

What should you not say to a college coach? ›

12 phrases that college coaches hate to hear during the...
  • 1)"My grades are good. ...
  • 2) "When a coach tells me that a kid is a Division I scholarship guy, and it's November of his Senior year." - A college coach. ...
  • 3) "I'm pretty sure that I run about a 4.4 40" - A recruit.
Jun 6, 2016

Is it hard to go D1 in lacrosse? ›

Division 1: The top 5 percent of men's lacrosse players in the country go on to play at a Division 1 level on scholarship. Competition for Division 1 roster spots is high and requires an athlete to be well-rounded on the field and committed in the classroom.

What is the hardest shot for a goalie to stop? ›

Q: Which shot is the hardest for a goalie to stop? A: Generally speaking, it is one that's low and to the stick side. Some goaltenders overplay to the stick side, presenting a more inviting target on the glove side.

What are the 4 depths a goaltender uses? ›

Break-Down: The 'ABCs of Depth' In Goaltending
  • Goalie at Defensive depth.
  • Goalie at Conservative depth.
  • Goalie at Base Depth.
  • Goalie at Aggressive depth.
Jul 11, 2018

What is the best goalie archetype? ›

Hybrid. The natural choice for a goaltender in NHL 23 is the Hybrid Archetype, with every single goalie in the game being of the Hybrid type (as of October 10).

What are 3 rules of lacrosse? ›

Rules of Lacrosse
  • There are 10 players allowed on the field – 3 attack, 3 middies, 3 defenders and 1 goalie.
  • For each goal in boys lacrosse, the scoring team is awarded one point. ...
  • There can be a maximum of 4 long poles on the field per team.
  • A lacrosse ball may not be touched by a player's hand except by the goalie.

Which state is best at lacrosse? ›

1. New York. New York has long been the host of great lacrosse at all levels.

What city is lacrosse most popular in? ›

New York City – Yes, it may be no surprise the Big Apple makes it to the top of our list. Consider that the state of New York produces more lax players every year than any other state in the U.S. and that may be reason enough, but this is not the only reason NYC reigns supreme.

How do you calculate GAA in lacrosse? ›

The calculation used to determine GAA is the number of goals allowed multiplied by 60 and dividing this by the number of minutes played ((Goals Allowed x 60)/Minutes Played).

Can you check the goalie in lacrosse? ›

Ruling: Legal play. A goalie's stick can be checked if outside the crease and without possession.

What is performance analysis GAA? ›

Introduction to Performance Analysis

Accreditation is based on the individual's experience, their performance analysis competence and most importantly their ability to deliver within the context of the GAA's values and ethos.

What is a good keeper save percentage? ›

The rule of thumb is that you would like to have a goalie's save percentage to be 0.915% or higher. The NHL league average for save percentage is 0.910, but most teams and players are looking to be somewhere higher than average to set themselves apart from their fellow competitors.

What was Rule 27 GAA? ›

Rule 27 of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), also known as "the Ban", was a rule in force from 1905 to 1971 that banned members of the GAA from playing or watching other sports such as rugby, soccer or hockey.

What is a lacrosse goalie called? ›

Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. In field lacrosse, the goaltender (goalie, goalkeeper, or the keeper) is the most important and last line of defense between the opposing offense and the goal. The goaltender's primary roles are to defend the opposing team's shots on goal and to direct the defense.

What checks are illegal in lacrosse? ›

Illegal Body Checks in Lacrosse

Body checking an opponent from behind. Body checking an opponent at or below the waist. Body checking an opponent above the shoulders. No take-out checks (i.e. intent to injure) are allowed.

Who is the best goalkeeper statistically? ›

Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon holds the record for most wins (alongside Manuel Neuer and Iker Casillas).

How do you keep your goalkeeper stats? ›

Your stat keeper should have a stopwatch, and should start the watch with the start of each half. As the game progresses, the stat keeper should note all shots, all goals, all assists, all saves by the goalkeeper, and all defensive blocks. Mark on the field diagram where the shot took place from the field.

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