Episode 5: Charlie Cipriano of the Charlotte Hounds
In this episode of the LAX Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon Wilson sits down with Charlie Cipriano, professional goalie for the Charlotte Hounds and former NCAA All-American at Fairfield University.
Charlie shares how a goalie stick found in a trash can sparked his lacrosse career, why growing up as a multi-sport athlete shaped his success, and how years of patience, hard work, and resilience helped him earn his opportunity at the professional level. He also dives into the technical and mental aspects of the goalie position, offering practical advice that goalies of every age can apply immediately.
In This Episode
Charlie explains why athleticism is one of the greatest advantages a goalie can have and how sports like hockey, baseball, soccer, and wrestling influenced his game. He also discusses the importance of proper stance, seeing thousands of shots, studying film, and building the mental toughness needed to handle the highs and lows of playing goalie.
The conversation also covers goalie training routines, coaching philosophy, common mistakes young goalies make, and what separates good goalies from great ones.
Key Takeaways
Play multiple sports. Charlie believes hockey, baseball, soccer, wrestling, and other sports helped develop the athleticism, hand-eye coordination, and toughness that carried over into lacrosse.
Athletic stance is everything. Staying balanced, keeping your hands out front, and minimizing unnecessary movement puts goalies in the best position to make saves.
Track the ball at all times. Charlie explains how keeping the ball in your "scope" with your top hand helps maintain focus and improves reaction time.
Mental toughness comes from focusing on the next shot. Goalies will give up goals. The key is making positive movements to the ball, learning from mistakes, and immediately resetting.
Film study accelerates improvement. Watching your own game film can reveal small technical habits—like dropping your hands or false stepping—that are difficult to notice during live play.
Be ready for your opportunity. Charlie spent several years backing up elite professional goalies before earning his starting role, using every practice as preparation for when his chance finally came.
Topics Covered
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Charlie's journey from youth lacrosse to the MLL
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Why he chose goalie over baseball
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The benefits of playing multiple sports
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Building an athletic goalie stance
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Proper positioning and arc play
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Weekly goalie training routines
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Weight room and off-season preparation
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Handling backup goalie roles
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Developing mental toughness
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Using film study to improve
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Reading shooters and tracking the ball
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Common mistakes youth goalies make
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Coaching philosophy and goalie development
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Charlie's current stick setup
Memorable Moments
Charlie tells the story of discovering lacrosse after his cousin found an old goalie stick in a trash can and asked him to jump in net while wearing hockey gear.
He shares how losing his starting job in college became one of the biggest turning points of his career, motivating him to outwork the competition and eventually reclaim his spot.
Charlie also explains his "scope" concept for tracking the ball, a simple visualization that helps goalies stay locked in throughout every possession.
Guest
Charlie Cipriano is a professional lacrosse goalie who has played in Major League Lacrosse with the Charlotte Hounds, Denver Outlaws, Florida Launch, and New York Lizards. A former NCAA All-American at Fairfield University, Charlie is also a goalie coach and co-founder of Stonewall Goaltending, where he helps develop the next generation of lacrosse goalies.
Resources Mentioned
Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the LAX Goalie Rat Camp. The online camp includes over 80 instructional videos covering every aspect of the goalie position, plus more than 47 drills designed to improve footwork, positioning, technique, and mental toughness.
Learn more at laxgoalierat.com/goal.
Closing
Charlie's message is simple: become the best athlete you can be, master the fundamentals, stay mentally resilient, and never stop preparing. Whether you're a starter or a backup, every practice is an opportunity to improve and be ready when your moment arrives.
