Episode Summary
This week on the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon sits down with Rich Sashian—better known throughout the lacrosse community as Coach Sash.
A former University of Maryland goalie who walked on to one of the top programs in the country during the late 1970s, Coach Sash eventually earned the starting role and helped lead the Terrapins to the 1979 NCAA Championship Game.
Today, he is a longtime Florida lacrosse coach, owner of Deep South Lacrosse, creator of the innovative CL18 goalie head, and a passionate advocate for making lacrosse more affordable and accessible.
This episode covers everything from old-school Maryland lacrosse to modern goalie development, equipment innovation, athletic positioning, mindset, and the future of the game.
In This Episode
- Growing up in Philadelphia lacrosse
- Walking on at the University of Maryland
- Competing against elite players to earn a roster spot
- The importance of ignoring "dream killers"
- Lessons learned from legendary coach John Linehan
- Maryland lacrosse culture in the 1970s
- How goalie play has evolved over four decades
- Reading field conditions and adjusting your arc
- Teaching young goalies confidence and positioning
- Why football mechanics help goalie clearing
- The development of the CL18 goalie head
- Making lacrosse equipment more affordable
- Building Deep South Lacrosse and The Box
- Why youth lacrosse needs to focus more on fun and skill development
- Advice for goalies pursuing college lacrosse
From Walk-On to Maryland Starter
One of the most inspiring parts of Coach Sash's story is that he wasn't heavily recruited.
He simply wanted to play for the best.
After consulting with his high school coach, he decided to walk on at Maryland—a perennial national contender.
His advice for players considering a similar path:
"If you feel that you are the best, stay away from the dream killers."
Rather than listening to people who doubted him, he focused on preparation, confidence, and earning an opportunity.
Eventually, the opportunity came.
The Danger of "Dream Killers"
Coach Sash repeatedly emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with positive influences.
His definition of a dream killer:
- People who tell you what you can't do
- People who focus on limitations
- People who discourage ambition
- People who project their own fears onto your goals
His advice:
Believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who support your vision.
Whether in lacrosse, business, or life, negative voices rarely lead anywhere productive.
Learning the Position
Coach Sash credits much of his development to legendary Philadelphia-area coach John Linehan.
Rather than focusing solely on saves, Linehan emphasized:
- Work ethic
- Discipline
- Positioning
- Fundamentals
- Mental toughness
Under his guidance, Philadelphia produced numerous top collegiate goalies long before the area became known as a national lacrosse powerhouse.
Master the Crease
One of Coach Sash's most interesting concepts is becoming a:
"Surgeon of the crease."
Many goalies focus only on shooters.
Coach Sash teaches goalies to study the field itself:
- Grass vs. turf
- Wet vs. dry conditions
- Hard vs. soft surfaces
- Bounce-shot tendencies
- Crease conditions
The way a ball reacts can drastically affect positioning and decision-making.
His belief:
Elite goalies understand their environment as well as they understand shooters.
Goalie Positioning and Arc Play
Throughout the conversation, Coach Sash discusses how his philosophy differs from some modern techniques.
While many goalies play flatter arcs today, he still teaches:
- Aggressive angle play
- Smothering bounce shots
- Attacking shooters
- Understanding geometry within the crease
His approach emphasizes:
- Understanding the 6x6 goal
- Knowing the crease dimensions
- Using arc positioning efficiently
- Covering maximum space while staying athletic
Coaching Young Goalies
When introducing a new goalie to the position, Coach Sash focuses on comfort and confidence.
Step 1: Remove Fear
He encourages younger goalies to:
- Wear additional protection
- Feel comfortable in the cage
- Learn gradually
Step 2: Develop Athletic Movement
Instead of immediately introducing hard shots, he often begins with:
- Wiffle balls
- Soft-reacting balls
- Hand-eye coordination drills
Step 3: Build Foundations
Before advanced techniques come:
- Positioning
- Body movement
- Rhythm
- Confidence
Why Goalies Should Throw Footballs
One unique drill Coach Sash uses is quarterback training.
He believes goalies and quarterbacks share many similar movement patterns.
Benefits include:
- Better body mechanics
- Improved hip rotation
- More powerful outlet passes
- Cleaner throwing motion
His teaching model closely mirrors the mechanics used by elite quarterbacks.
The CL18 Goalie Head
Coach Sash is also the inventor of the CL18 goalie head, a product developed after years of studying goalie play.
The idea:
Combine characteristics of a field head and a goalie head to create:
- Better ball control
- Stronger structural stability
- Improved clearing performance
- More affordable pricing
The CL18 was designed with one primary goal:
Build a high-performance goalie head without forcing goalies to spend excessive money.
Making Lacrosse More Affordable
One of Coach Sash's biggest passions is reducing the cost barrier associated with lacrosse.
He believes the sport's growth is limited by:
- Expensive equipment
- High entry costs
- Travel expenses
- Youth participation barriers
Through Deep South Lacrosse and other equipment initiatives, he is actively working to make the sport more accessible to new players.
The Box: Growing the Game in Florida
Coach Sash recently expanded Deep South Lacrosse with an indoor training facility called The Box.
The concept focuses on:
- Small-sided games
- Faster touches
- Increased repetitions
- Skill development
- Fun
Young players learn:
- Ground balls
- Passing
- Catching
- Moving without the ball
- Lacrosse IQ
Most importantly, they learn to love playing the game.
