LGR 134: Denver Alum and Big East Goalie of the Year Amelia Cole

⭐ Episode Overview

Coach Damon sits down with Amelia Cole, former Denver Pioneers goalie and 2021 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year. Amelia shares her journey from following her sister into the crease, to becoming a leader at Denver, to embracing the “weird goalie” identity. She opens up about camps, recruiting, confidence struggles, and how she grew into her role as a starter and team leader.

“It was more so, like, I was doing the work outside of making saves—clearing, directing defense. The saves are big, but there are also these tiny little pieces you need to do well.”

🧠 Key Topics & Takeaways

Origin Story

• Inspired by her older sister Olivia, a goalie at Florida.

• Started in 4th grade, wearing softball shin pads and old Cascade helmet.

• Loved the lacrosse community and friendships it brought.

Favorite Part of Being a Goalie

• Embraces being the “weird one” on the team.

• Loves the unique bond among goalies.

• Sees herself as the backbone—building up teammates even when down by 10.

Learning the Position

• Attended camps like Bill Pilat’s and Between the Pipes with Megan Huether.

• Camps provided exponential growth and inspiration.

• Later returned to coach at those same clinics, passing knowledge forward.

Style of Play

• Height: 5’10” — uses size to her advantage.

• Stance: bent over, thumb behind screw of head, tracking ball with head and hands.

• Arc: varied—higher on 8m shots, sits back on crease rolls then explodes forward.

• Developed habit of getting head behind shots for better tracking.

High School Success

• Starter from sophomore year onward.

• Won multiple conference and state championships at Bishop Ireton HS.

• Built confidence with clutch saves in championship games.

Recruiting Journey

• Began sending emails sophomore year.

• Initially looked at Vanderbilt, Duke, Northwestern.

• Denver reached out after seeing her at President’s Cup in Orlando.

• Fell in love with DU on her visit—committed sophomore fall.

• Chose Denver for coaches, culture, and academics.

College Transition

• Shocked by speed of college game.

• Coaches encouraged experimentation—eventually adopted dropping to knees/lunge saves.

• Learned to explode low then spring up for rebounds and high shots.

• Built conditioning and flexibility through goalie coach Britney Reed’s drills.

Leadership & Confidence

• Early struggles: ineligible freshman year, confidence issues.

• Senior year: embraced leadership, directed defense, demanded accountability.

• Denver’s aggressive “Hot Pink” zone defense required constant communication.

• Built trust and spark with defenders, becoming a vocal leader.

Advice for Young Goalies

• Have fun—confidence grows when you enjoy the game.

• Don’t fear being the “weird one.”

• Direct your defense with energy, even if they don’t listen at first.

• Build trust off the field to strengthen on‑field communication.

🎧 Sponsor Mention

Tillman Johnson Virtual Goalie Coaching Mini Camp

• Fundamentals broken down by the 2003 NCAA champion.

• Includes annotated video, live Q&A, and proceeds benefit the National MS Society.

• Tickets: $49 at laxgoalierat.com/tillman.

🔚 Episode Closing

Amelia’s story is about resilience, leadership, and embracing the goalie identity. From camps to championships to Big East honors, she shows how confidence and fun can transform a goalie’s game.