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Recently been having serious issues with the accuracy of my long passes and their arc. Wondered if anyone had links to any videos or articles about improving my long clear?
I've seen the ones on InsideLax but I was after something more to do with mechanics and not reading the field..
Cheers

Not exactly what you're after but has some useful info in it about passing with a goalie stick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os3Plb4x ... DF87213CFA

webby wrote:Not exactly what you're after but has some useful info in it about passing with a goalie stick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os3Plb4x ... DF87213CFA

Webby, I think that IS exactly what their after

Error Correction:
It depends on what the problem is with your long clearing, distance or accuracy?
You mention arc, this is probably one of the hardest passes for a goalie to make, as it is a touch pass where the weight of pass has to be exact to get the ball over a riding attacker/middie and to your breaking middie to him in stride while he is sprinting away from you.

The easiest way to improve is to do the drill in the video with middies breaking out from restrainer.

If you can't hit them, look at restringing your stick or changing your mechanics, so the stick moves through a perpendicular plain to the ground.
You don't have to bring your stick from behind your head as your not trying to deceive anyone, straight back and straight forward.

Perfect mechanics for goalies are the same as perfect mechanics for outfield players passing.
- turn side on to target
- point toe at target & butt-end of stick
- step toward target and follow through with stick
- finish with head of stick pointing at target

Most common error for goalies is that they have huge bucket of a pocket but don't have shooting strings set up to throw outlet passes, if your stick throws down, you need to adjust your shooters (loosen) until you can pass with it.

Another thing to remember when passing is "elbows high, the ball will fly. Elbows low, the ball won't go". Keep your elbows up and away from your body when making the pass.

Like DH said, make sure your stick is strung so you can make the passes consistently, the practice practice practice.

Thanks for the replies guys.

It seems to be the distance, sorry I explained it quite badly. The pass maybe arcs a bit too much I think as it certainly gets the height to beat riding players but then it plummets quite quickly. I'll try elbows further out and see how that goes... It's something I did with a short stick so maybe in the transition to goalie length I forgot it.

Sort of an important thing to fix with a coach who believes 50% of the entire game is clearing

If distance/ power is the problem, then try toning core and arm muscles;
If it's arcing too high, try tilting the stick back a bit less; still pull it right back like a catapult but don't point the butt as high..
If that still doesn't crack it, play around with when you actually release the ball, and again, stringing.. and play around with where your hands are on the stick, you'll be able to feel just by balance and weight when you pull back with the ball in your stick where the right bit is for you Good luck!!

Well assuming you've strung it fine then you just need to wear it in, I find it quite useful to put on your glove and just spend 10-15 minutes punching it in. Also with most goalie pockets when you set it up, you want to get the right balance so that it's not so deep that you can't consistently pass with it, but deep enough that you don't give up loads of rebounds or drop the ball under pressure, and this balance really depends on the player. From what you've said you may want to deepen the pocket a bit, I'd imagine theres loads of videos and tips on youtube and inside lacrosse

Well assuming you've strung it fine then you just need to wear it in, I find it quite useful to put on your glove and just spend 10-15 minutes punching it in. Also with most goalie pockets when you set it up, you want to get the right balance so that it's not so deep that you can't consistently pass with it, but deep enough that you don't give up loads of rebounds or drop the ball under pressure, and this balance really depends on the player. From what you've said you may want to deepen the pocket a bit, I'd imagine theres loads of videos and tips on youtube and inside lacrosse