LGR 122: Virginia Goalie James Ireland On Lacrosse in the mid 90s and today

In this episode of the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon Wilson sits down with former University of Virginia goalie James Ireland, who backstopped the Cavaliers to the 1994 NCAA National Championship game. James reflects on his journey from growing up in Garden City, New York, to playing for one of college lacrosse's premier programs. Along the way, he shares lessons on goalie development, confidence, leadership, and the mental resilience required to perform under pressure.

James discusses how goalies learned the position before YouTube and private coaching, the importance of athleticism, why creativity should be encouraged, and how today's young goalies can build strong fundamentals. He also relives Virginia's memorable NCAA Tournament run, including an unforgettable comeback victory over Syracuse after an 0-for-8 start, and shares hilarious stories about legendary high school coach Doc Daugherty.

Whether you're a young goalie, coach, or longtime fan of the game, this episode is packed with timeless advice and entertaining lacrosse history.

Topics Covered

• How James first became a goalie growing up in Garden City
• Learning the position before goalie-specific coaching existed
• The importance of athleticism and multi-sport development
• Recruiting to the University of Virginia
• Transitioning from Coach Jim Adams to Dom Starsia
• How goalie coaching transformed his confidence
• Lessons learned from Virginia legend Rodney Rullman
• Virginia's 1994 NCAA Tournament run
• Recovering mentally after starting 0-for-8 against Syracuse
• Techniques for resetting after giving up goals
• Building confidence through practice
• Coaching philosophy for developing youth goalies
• Favorite goalie drills and training methods
• Leadership from the crease
• Hilarious stories about legendary coach Doc Daugherty
• The mindset every goalie should have: "The next one."

Key Takeaways

• Confidence comes from understanding why you're doing each technique, not just repeating it.
• Great goalies accept responsibility while allowing defenders to play aggressively.
• Mental resets are essential—focus on the next save instead of the previous goal.
• Practice should distinguish between warming up and truly training.
• Athletic development outside of lacrosse can dramatically improve goalie performance.

Quote of the Episode

"Goal goes in? Get the next one. Make a save? Get the next one. Always think about moving forward—you can't change what already happened."

Resources Mentioned

• Lacrosse Goalie Summit
• Rodney Rullman
• Dom Starsia
• Quint Kessenich
• Matt Palumb
• Blaze Riorden

Connect

For more goalie training, coaching resources, and podcast episodes, visit Lax Goalie Rat and join the growing community of lacrosse goalies.