Episode Summary
This week on the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon sits down with Brandon Davis, head coach of the women's lacrosse program at Georgetown College.
Brandon's lacrosse journey is anything but ordinary. After starting as a midfielder and defender, he found himself thrust into the goalie position multiple times throughout his playing career. Those experiences eventually led him into coaching, where he's built successful programs from the ground up and coached multiple All-American goalies.
In this conversation, Brandon shares unique insights into goalie development, leadership, recruiting, women's lacrosse, and the powerful role analytics can play in improving goalie performance.
Whether you're a goalie, coach, or player hoping to compete at the next level, this episode offers a fresh perspective on what it takes to succeed.
In This Episode
- Brandon's unexpected path into the goalie position
- Learning goaltending as a self-taught player
- Studying goalies like Kip Turner and Matt Russell
- The importance of developing an aggressive goalie mindset
- Overcoming fear of the ball and embracing the "bring it" mentality
- Leadership lessons from The Captain Class
- How goalies can hold teammates accountable effectively
- Advice for players navigating the college recruiting process
- What recruits should look for in a college coach and program
- Why game film matters more than highlight reels
- Starting and building successful lacrosse programs
- Coaching women's lacrosse after a men's playing background
- Key differences between men's and women's goalie play
- Why coaches should avoid shooting on female goalies with men's sticks
- Developing goalies based on their natural strengths
- Using stats and analytics to track goalie performance
- Creating individualized goalie warm-up routines
Key Takeaways
Build Around a Goalie's Strengths
Brandon doesn't believe in forcing goalies into a single style.
His coaching philosophy starts by identifying what a goalie naturally does well and then helping them become elite at it.
Some goalies are hand-dominant. Others rely more on footwork and body movement. Great coaching amplifies strengths rather than rebuilding players from scratch.
The "Bring It" Mentality
Every goalie experiences fear and hesitation.
Brandon recalls a pivotal moment in college when he realized that the key wasn't avoiding the ball—it was attacking it.
By adopting a "bring it" mentality, goalies can replace fear with confidence and aggression.
Leadership Isn't About Being Loud
Drawing from The Captain Class, Brandon explains that the best leaders aren't always the most talented players.
Goalies become leaders by:
- Holding teammates accountable
- Encouraging teammates to improve
- Maintaining standards during practice
- Being consistent and dependable
Recruiting Is About More Than Highlights
One of Brandon's strongest recruiting recommendations:
Send full game film, not just highlights.
Coaches want to see:
- Communication
- Body language
- Decision-making
- Clearing ability
- Positioning
- Reactions after goals and saves
A three-minute highlight reel doesn't tell the whole story.
Learn the Entire Game
Brandon believes goalies become better communicators when they understand defensive responsibilities.
For that reason, he often spends time teaching goalies how to play defense and understand slide packages, positioning, and team concepts.
Coaching Women's Goalies
Brandon shares several key differences between coaching men's and women's goalies:
- Most shots occur much closer to the cage
- Reading shoulder positioning becomes extremely important
- Release points differ significantly from men's sticks
- Crease-roll situations require different footwork and decision-making
One of his biggest coaching tips:
"Please don't shoot on a girls' goalie with a boys' stick."
Women's stick mechanics create different release points and shot trajectories, making realistic reps essential for proper development.
Using Analytics to Improve Goalie Performance
Brandon is a strong believer in data-driven coaching.
His staffs track:
- Shot location
- Shot type
- Fast-break opportunities
- Settled offense possessions
- Free-position shots
- Save locations
- Goal locations
- Clearing decisions
By combining statistics with video review, goalies can identify patterns and focus their training on areas that need improvement.
