LGR 039: PLL Chaos Goalie Blaze Riorden

Podcast Show Notes — LAX Goalie Rat Podcast: Blaze Riorden Episode 

🎙️ Episode Overview

This week, Coach Damon Wilson sits down with Blaze Riorden — PLL goalie, NLL forward, freak athlete, and one of the most unique dual‑threat lacrosse players in the world. Blaze shares his origin story, training philosophy, mental approach, and the lessons he’s learned from legends of the game.

“I called the time out to run off the field and cry in the woods so I wouldn’t be crying on the field.” “Keep your stick high and your head higher.”

🧠 Key Topics & Takeaways

Blaze’s Origin Story

• Started as an offensive player.

• Broke his youth team’s goalie’s hand — his dad made him finish the season in net.

• First tournament: took a hard shot, called timeout, ran into the woods to cry so he wouldn’t break his dad’s “no crying on the field” rule.

• From that moment on, he became a goalie.

Natural Instincts & Style

• Describes his style as unorthodox.

• Left‑handed goalie, stands tall, keeps stick near his ear.

• Plays a four‑step arc, shading differently because of his lefty stance.

• Relies heavily on instincts and fast hands.

Training Philosophy

Blaze focuses on three pillars:

• Saving

• Clearing

• Field awareness

Favorite drills:

• Footy — stepping to rolled balls to train footwork.

• Arc spots — calling out numbered arc positions for muscle memory.

• Touch passing — throwing over one net into another to develop clearing touch.

Stick Skills Matter

He insists goalies must have offensive‑level stick skills because they initiate the clear and often have only a one‑second window to hit a breaking midfielder.

Mental Game & Confidence

• Confidence comes from preparation: lifting, shooting, conditioning, eating healthy.

• Every goalie has bad games — even the greats.

• You never see the same shot twice; you must react, not overthink.

Leadership

Leadership = being the best teammate, sacrificing “me” for “we,” and earning trust through effort and example.

Youth Goalie Advice

• Don’t get stuck thinking one coach’s way is the only way.

• Be open‑minded and experiment.

• Most importantly: have fun — without joy, you won’t grow.

🥍 Blaze’s Favorite Part of Being a Goalie

Making the big save — even more than scoring goals in the NLL. He loves being the last line of defense and the adrenaline of facing 100+ mph shots.

🔧 Blaze’s Current Stick Setup

• Head: Eclipse II

• Mesh: Grizzly Mesh

• Shaft: StringKing

📣 Sponsor Mention

Coach Damon’s Online LAX Goalie Rat Camp — a complete video‑based training system covering technique, physical training, mental toughness, and lacrosse IQ for goalies anywhere in the world.

🔗 Connect With Blaze

Follow him on Instagram: @blaiseriorden Website coming soon (linked through his IG).

⭐ Episode Closing

Coach Damon wraps with encouragement to get out, train, and enjoy the upcoming lacrosse season — and a reminder of Blaze’s signature advice:

“Keep your stick high and your head higher.”