LGR 106: On Perfecting His (and others) goalie game with Kris Alleyne

 Kris Alleyne — Building Confidence, Embracing the Goalie Mindset, and Growing the Game

In this episode of the LAX Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon Wilson sits down with Kris Alleyne, former Rutgers University standout goalie, MLL player, coach, and director of Goalie Factory. Kris shares his journey from becoming a goalie because his older brother needed someone to shoot on, to becoming one of Rutgers’ top goalies and continuing to impact the position through coaching.

Kris talks about the importance of building a strong foundation as a young goalie, why there is no single “right” way to play the position, and how goalies can find the style that works best for them. He also shares lessons from his college career, including dealing with confidence struggles, losing playing time, and learning how to reset mentally when things weren’t going his way.

A major theme of the conversation is the mental side of goaltending. Kris explains how working with sports psychologist Wally Bzdell helped him simplify the position and develop his TRR (Track, React, Refocus) mindset to stay present and avoid getting stuck thinking about past goals or future shots.

Coach Damon and Kris also discuss:

• Kris’ journey from backyard goalie to Rutgers standout

• Learning the position through great goalie coaches and mentors

• Why keeping goalie training simple is so important for young players

• Developing consistency and athleticism at the college level

• Handling recruiting pressure and avoiding comparisons

• The difference between confidence and being cocky

• Learning from struggles and becoming a better teammate

• Playing professional lacrosse in the MLL

• His experience coaching the Puerto Rican national team

• How to train goalies more effectively with shorter, game-realistic reps

• Advice for young goalies hoping to play college lacrosse

• Increasing diversity and inclusion within the lacrosse community

Kris also shares a powerful reminder for goalies everywhere: enjoy the game, stay present, and remember why you started playing in the first place.

Whether you’re a young goalie, a parent, a coach, or someone who loves the position, this episode is packed with lessons on skill development, leadership, confidence, and the mindset needed to succeed in the crease.

Topics Covered:

00:00 – Intro and Khris Alleyne’s goalie journey
04:30 – Learning the position and early goalie development
10:00 – Building a foundation for young goalies
15:00 – Kris’ playing style and athletic approach
21:00 – Becoming a full-time goalie
25:00 – Recruiting, Rutgers, and finding the right fit
33:00 – Developing at the college level
40:00 – Confidence struggles and overcoming adversity
48:00 – Sports psychology and the TRR mindset
56:00 – Goalies Chris looked up to
1:02:00 – Playing professional lacrosse in the MLL
1:08:00 – Coaching Team Puerto Rico
1:15:00 – Advice for aspiring college goalies
1:22:00 – Goalie training philosophy
1:28:00 – Diversity and growth in lacrosse
1:36:00 – Final advice for goalies