Lax Goalie Rat Podcast: Episode Summary

Guest: Madison Doucette (Starting Goalie, Northwestern University)

Host: Coach Damon Wilson

## Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways

1. From Kansas City to the Big Stage

• First Time in Net: Grew up in Kansas City (a non-traditional lacrosse market). At age 11, playing up on a U15 team, she stepped into the cage when the starting goalie struggled. After winning the championship, she was hooked.

• Making it Official: When she reached high school, her coach Lisa Aikman told her to "throw away her field stick" and commit fully to the goalie position.

• Fearless Mindset: Having grown up playing physical sports like ice hockey with boys and her younger brother, Madison was never afraid of the ball—a crucial trait that made her an ideal fit for the cage.

2. The Ice Hockey Advantage

• The Skating Connection: Madison was a high-level center in ice hockey. The explosive, lateral, and 45-degree pushing movements required in skating perfectly translated to her lateral explosion and stepping mechanics as a lacrosse goalie.

• The "Knee Drop" Habit: Her style carries a slight hockey influence, occasionally incorporating a "knee drop" or butterfly-style save, which works seamlessly with her athletic frame.

3. An Athletic, Unorthodox Style

• In-Game Adjustments: Madison doesn't rely on a strict arc or static hands. She is highly reactive, athletic, and willing to adjust her hand position, stick angle, and depth mid-game depending on what the opposing shooters are doing.

• The 45-Degree Step: She focuses on exploding out at a 45-degree angle to cut down shooting space, maintaining a high level of flexibility and strength.

4. Choosing Northwestern and Embracing the Blue-Collar Culture

• The Gym Class Discovery: Coming from Kansas City, Madison was unfamiliar with the D1 recruiting process. While in high school gym class, she checked her phone to find that Northwestern had viewed her profile and highlights, leading to a call with then-assistant coach Tim McCormack.

• Why Northwestern?: She fell in love with the blue-collar, hard-working culture of the team. During her visit, she saw the team's relentless work ethic firsthand—everyone, regardless of seniority, was picking up cones and fighting together.

5. Balancing D1 Lacrosse with an Engineering Major

• Rigorous Schedule: As an engineering major, Madison balances intensive labs, group projects, and demanding academic work with division one athletics.

• Time Management: Her secret is extreme transparency with coaches and advisors, utilizing every free block of time, and being willing to put in late hours to get both jobs done.

• Diversity in STEM: She highlights the positive gender diversity within Northwestern's engineering program and discusses how her leadership skills from lacrosse help her thrive in collaborative, group-driven environments.

## Madison's Goalie Coaching & Training Tips

• Conversation, Not a Lecture: Madison believes goalie coaching should be collaborative. Try new techniques, keep what works for your body type, and discard what doesn't.

• Solo Training Drill — "Save the Pipe": Face the net backward, explode to the corners to finish in the proper position, and wrap around. It trains muscle memory, power, and hand placement without needing a shooter.

• Dealing with Slumps: Simplify everything. Focus entirely on "seeing the ball" and making the next save rather than overthinking mechanics.

## Top Quotes from Madison

"I liked the combination of just being a cerebral athlete and then also just being able to be physically powerful."

"I’m not trying to change your style; I’m trying to make your style better for you."

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