Gunnar Garn on Goalie Fundamentals, Mental Toughness, and Becoming a Better Teammate
Episode Overview
In Episode 65 of the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon Wilson sits down with Gunnar Garn, a former University of Michigan lacrosse goalie who helped the program during its transition to Division I. Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Gunnar shares his journey from a young goalie in Southern California to competing at the college level and coaching the next generation of lacrosse goalies.
Gunnar discusses the importance of mastering the fundamentals, developing a consistent stance, improving positioning and explosiveness, and building confidence through deliberate practice. He also shares lessons from spending three and a half years as a backup goalie at Michigan, explaining how supporting teammates and preparing every day helped him make the most of his opportunity to start.
The conversation also covers mental toughness, resetting after allowing a goal, communicating effectively with the defense, and using drills that improve hand speed, positioning, mobility, and visualization.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
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Mastering goalie fundamentals: Why a consistent stance is essential for making saves and how practicing it regularly can improve performance.
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Finding your positioning: How understanding your arc and maintaining proper positioning help you take away shooting angles.
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Preparing for pressure: Why treating every practice and every shot like a game-winning opportunity can help goalies perform when it matters most.
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Learning from the backup role: How Gunnar used three and a half years as a backup at Michigan to become a better teammate, develop his skills, and prepare for his opportunity to start.
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Resetting after a goal: How taking a deep breath and slowing down your heart rate can help you refocus on the next shot.
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Developing hand speed and awareness: How the Uncle Leo drill and eyes-closed positioning exercises help goalies improve their reactions and awareness of the net.
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Improving mobility: Why stretching, yoga, and hip mobility can help goalies move more freely and explosively.
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Building leadership and confidence: How goalies can hold themselves accountable, earn their teammates' trust, and communicate defensive responsibilities clearly.
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Choosing the right college: Why Gunnar recommends considering whether a school is still the right fit if lacrosse is no longer part of the picture.
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Creating a winning team culture: What Gunnar learned from Michigan's coaches about accountability, positivity, and putting the team ahead of individual success.
Key Takeaways
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A consistent stance can lead to more consistent saves.
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Every practice is an opportunity to prepare for the pressure of a real game.
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Being a backup does not mean you cannot make a meaningful contribution to the team.
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Allowing a goal is part of playing goalie. Reset, breathe, and focus on the next shot.
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Effective communication means giving defenders clear instructions using their names and specific commands.
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Confidence grows through preparation, accountability, and trust in your abilities.
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Strong goalies help their teams improve by supporting their teammates and taking responsibility for their role.
About Gunnar Garn
Gunnar Garn played lacrosse at the University of Michigan from 2015 to 2019, experiencing the program's development as a Division I team. After graduating, he began coaching goalies in the San Francisco Bay Area through Big Guns Lacrosse, helping young athletes develop their fundamentals, positioning, confidence, and leadership skills.
Gunnar focuses on helping goalies improve through individualized training, group sessions, and goalie-specific drills.
Connect with Gunnar:
Resources Mentioned
Thanks for listening to the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast. Keep working on your fundamentals, support your teammates, and prepare for every shot as if it matters.
