Episode 305: Logan McNaney on Goalie Positioning, Mental Toughness, and Playing to Your Strengths

Episode Overview

What does it take to become an elite lacrosse goalie? In Episode 305 of the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon sits down with professional goalie Logan McNaney to discuss his journey from Maryland lacrosse to the professional level with the Denver Outlaws.

Logan shares how he developed his game, improved his positioning, and learned to use his strengths as a 5'8" goalie. He breaks down the importance of lateral movement, clean saves, stick skills, and becoming a reliable part of the team's clearing game.

The conversation also explores the mental side of goaltending, including Logan's recovery from a torn ACL, handling difficult stretches of games, and building confidence through visualization and preparation. Logan also discusses his experience with Coach John Tillman at Maryland, his favorite career moments, and his thoughts on the Maverik goalie head.

Whether you're a young goalie, an experienced player, or a coach looking to help your goalies improve, this episode offers practical lessons on technique, athletic development, and maintaining the right mindset.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Finding your style as a goalie: Why there is no single correct way to play the position and why you should adapt your technique to your strengths.

• Improving goalie positioning: How Logan refined his positioning at Maryland, including using a string drill to understand angles and avoid getting to the pipes too early.

• Making the most of a smaller frame: How smaller goalies can use agility, quickness, and athleticism to their advantage.

• Learning from teammates: Why communicating with shooters and understanding how they think can improve your reads and decision-making.

• Developing a stronger clearing game: Why goalies should take pride in their stick skills, practice with both hands, and work on transitioning quickly from a save to a pass.

• Building better movement: Logan's approach to lateral movement and why efficient footwork can help goalies cover more of the goal.

• Controlling rebounds: How consistent catching practice, hand-eye coordination, and a well-suited pocket can help produce cleaner saves.

• Recovering from a major injury: Logan's experience with a torn ACL, additional injuries, and the mental challenges of returning to the field.

• Building confidence during difficult stretches: How visualization, remembering successful performances, and trusting your preparation can help you bounce back.

• Learning from great coaches: What Logan learned from Maryland coach John Tillman and his individualized approach to coaching goalies.

• Balancing confidence and perspective: Why goalies need to believe in themselves while remembering to enjoy the game.

Key Takeaways for Lacrosse Goalies

1. Find What Works for You

Every goalie is different. Your body type, movement, and natural tendencies should influence your technique. Learn from other goalies, but adapt what you see to fit your own game.

2. Make Positioning a Priority

Good positioning helps you make saves without relying entirely on reaction speed. Work on your angles, stay balanced, and avoid moving too far ahead of the ball.

3. Become an Asset in the Clear

Your job doesn't end when you make a save. Develop reliable stick skills, practice passing with both hands, and learn to prepare your body for the next pass as you make the save.

4. Train Your Athleticism

Strength, lateral movement, balance, and goalie-specific training can make a significant difference. Logan's experience showed him how much his movement improved when he began focusing more deliberately on athletic development.

5. Take Recovery One Day at a Time

Injury recovery can be mentally demanding. Focus on what you can control each day, trust the process, and recognize small improvements along the way.

6. Build Confidence Through Preparation

Visualize successful saves, remember how you felt during strong performances, and keep putting in the work. Confidence grows when you learn to trust your abilities and preparation.

7. Remember to Have Fun

Getting scored on is part of being a goalie. Don't let one goal or one difficult stretch define you. Stay positive, learn from the experience, and remember why you started playing.

About Logan McNaney

Logan McNaney is a professional lacrosse goalie who played collegiate lacrosse at the University of Maryland, where he helped the Terrapins win a national championship during a perfect 18–0 season. He later competed professionally with the Denver Outlaws, reaching back-to-back championship games.

Known for his agility, positioning, clearing ability, and strong performances in the crease, Logan offers valuable insight into the technical and mental demands of elite-level goaltending.

Resources Mentioned

• Lax Goalie Rat Academy: Get access to more than 130 hours of goalie training, drills, technique breakdowns, mental game resources, and coaching content. Join for $40 for your first month at https://www.laxgoalierat.com/camp

• ThighPro Protection: Explore lightweight thigh protection for lacrosse goalies and use the code LGR for 10% off at https://thighpro.com/lgr

• Thinking Inside the Crease: The book Logan mentioned receiving from his mentor, Danny Dolan.

• BrainHQ: The brain-training app Logan discussed in relation to visual processing and hand-eye coordination.

Final Thoughts

Logan McNaney's journey shows that becoming a better goalie involves much more than stopping shots. It means understanding your positioning, developing your athleticism, taking pride in your clearing game, and learning how to respond when things get difficult.

His most important advice is simple: have fun, stay positive, and don't beat yourself up over goals. Keep learning, trust your preparation, and focus on making the next save.

Listen to the full episode for more insights from Logan on the techniques, experiences, and mindset that have shaped his career as a lacrosse goalie.