Finding Your Style, Owning the Mental Game & Thriving as the Only Goalie with Mackenzie Porter
What happens when you're the only goalie on a college roster?
In Episode 204 of the LAX Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon sits down with Mackenzie Porter, a fifth-year goalie at Missouri Western State University (returning for a sixth season thanks to an extra year of eligibility). Mackenzie shares her unique journey from being told she was "too small" to play goalie as a second grader to becoming a 400+ career save collegiate goalkeeper.
The conversation dives into developing your own goalie style, transferring from Rutgers to Missouri Western, overcoming mental slumps, and the unique challenges of carrying the entire goalie position by yourself.
Whether you're a youth goalie, college athlete, or goalie parent, this episode is packed with practical mental game advice and reminders that the best goalies never stop evolving.
In This Episode
- Why Mackenzie knew she wanted to be a goalie from the beginning
- How her dad taught himself the goalie position to help her improve
- Finding her own aggressive goalie style by learning from every coach
- Why she loves interceptions, ground balls, and playing as an "eighth defender"
- Starting varsity as a seventh grader and building confidence against older players
- The value of playing field positions as a goalie
- Her recruiting journey from Rutgers to Missouri Western
- Why transferring was the right decision for her development
- Adjusting to the speed of college lacrosse
- What it's like being the only goalie on an NCAA roster
- Managing practice reps without a backup goalie
- Developing routines to stay mentally fresh throughout practice
- How her younger sister became an important part of her support system
- The power of positive self-talk and her "Track and Attack" mindset
- Creating signals with teammates to reset after mistakes
- Her detailed pregame routine—from straightening her hair to tennis ball warm-ups
- Why having fun remains the key to playing your best in lacrosse
Key Takeaways
Your style should evolve
Mackenzie explains how her game has changed every year. Rather than copying one coach or one goalie, she took pieces from everyone she learned from before creating a style that fits her strengths.
Aggressive goalies impact games beyond saves
She loves challenging shooters, picking off passes, collecting ground balls, and becoming another defender—not just stopping shots.
The mental game is never "finished"
Even after hundreds of college saves, Mackenzie still battles negative thoughts. Her biggest weapon is replacing them immediately with positive cues like:
"Track and Attack."
Being the only goalie isn't always an advantage
While many assume it's easier because you're guaranteed to play, Mackenzie shares the hidden challenges:
- No backup during practice
- Double the reps
- No goalie partner to lean on
- Learning when it's okay to step away and mentally reset
Play because you love it
The biggest lesson from this episode is also the simplest.
When pressure builds, recruiting gets stressful, or mistakes start piling up, remember why you started playing in the first place.
Have fun.
Favorite Quote
"I play this sport because I love it. I'm not going to play lacrosse forever, so I need to live in the moment, have fun, and do what I know how to do."
Connect
Want more goalie coaching, drills, and mental game training?
Visit the LAX Goalie Rat Academy for virtual coaching, training videos, and a community of lacrosse goalies working to improve every day.
