Owen McElroy on Goalie Positioning, Mental Toughness, and the 1-0 Mentality

Episode Overview

In Episode 103 of the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast, Coach Damon Wilson sits down with Owen McElroy, Georgetown Hoya goaltender and 2021 C. Markland Kelly Award winner, to discuss his journey to becoming one of the top goalies in college lacrosse.

Owen shares how he developed his goaltending style, learned from elite goalies, and adapted to the faster pace of college lacrosse. He also breaks down the importance of positioning, explosive movements, reading shooters, and staying mentally strong through setbacks. From being pulled during a crucial game to helping Georgetown rebuild its lacrosse program, Owen explains how embracing challenges and maintaining a 1-0 mentality helped shape his development.

What You'll Learn

• Why playing multiple positions matters: How developing your skills as an attackman and midfielder can improve your lacrosse IQ, positioning, and understanding of the game.

• How to develop your own goaltending style: Why studying elite goalies can help you improve while still building a stance and technique that feel natural to you.

• The importance of positioning: How a low, athletic stance, a wide base, and small adjustments can help you cover more of the goal.

• How to read shooters: Why watching a shooter's stick, eyes, shoulders, and body language can help you anticipate shots, especially from close range.

• How to handle setbacks: Why being benched or pulled can become an opportunity for growth rather than a reason to lose confidence.

• The 1-0 mentality: How treating every shot, practice, and game as a fresh opportunity can help you stay focused.

• How to train effectively: Why live repetitions, realistic game situations, and consistent practice are essential for developing reaction speed and efficient movements.

• How goalies can contribute to clearing: Why stick skills, decision-making, and confidence with the ball can help your team beat an aggressive ride.

Episode Highlights

1. Learn the Game Before Specialising

Owen didn't commit to playing goalie full-time until his freshman year of high school. Before that, he played several positions, including attack and midfield. He believes those experiences helped him develop a stronger understanding of offensive movement, game flow, and positioning.

His advice is to play as much lacrosse as possible and avoid specializing too early if you are still enjoying learning other positions.

2. Study Great Goalies, but Make Their Techniques Your Own

Owen developed much of his game by watching college and professional goalies, studying their stances, footwork, and hand movements. He credits goalies such as John Galloway and Jack Kelly as influences on his development.

The key is not to copy another goalie completely. Instead, identify techniques that work for you and adapt them to your own strengths.

3. Find a Comfortable, Athletic Stance

Owen describes his current style as a low-arc stance with a wide base and lateral stepping movements. This approach helped him feel more explosive and efficient in the cage.

He explains that comfort is essential. If you are constantly thinking about your feet or worrying about your stance, you lose valuable focus on the ball. Your goal is to find a position that allows you to react naturally and confidently.

4. Positioning Can Make Difficult Shots Easier

Good positioning helps goalies reduce the amount of open net available to a shooter. Owen discusses how staying square to the shooter and making small adjustments can help him cover the cage without unnecessary movement.

He also explains why being set when the shot is released matters. Excessive movement at the wrong moment can make it harder to react effectively.

5. Read the Shooter on Close-Range Shots

When shooters get closer to the crease, Owen pays attention to their eyes, shoulders, stick position, and body language. These clues can help him anticipate where the shot is likely to go.

Rather than guessing blindly, he uses his experience and understanding of shooting tendencies to position himself and react. The goal is to make the shooter second-guess the available space while remaining focused on the ball.

6. Use the 1-0 Mentality to Overcome Adversity

Owen shares how he dealt with being pulled during the Big East Tournament after starting most of the season. Although the experience was difficult, he used it as motivation to improve.

His approach is simple: treat the next shot, next practice, or next game as a fresh opportunity to win. He also stresses the importance of supporting your teammates when another goalie takes your place. The team's success matters more than individual competition.

7. Build Your Game Through Live Repetitions

Owen finds that realistic, live-action practice helps him improve more than simply facing predictable shots. He emphasizes giving every repetition your full effort and approaching drills as if they were game situations.

He also shares several training ideas, including:

• Moving around the arc while taking high, hip-level, and low shots.

• Hand-tossing drills to improve coordination and off-stick hand control.

• Using a wall and unpredictable rebounds to practice reactions.

• Working on footwork, positioning, and hand speed.

• Practicing clearing skills and making quick decisions under pressure.

8. Learn from Game Film

Coach Damon and Owen break down several plays from Georgetown's game against Denver. They discuss positioning, staying set at the moment of release, getting the body behind low shots, making efficient adjustments, and moving the ball quickly after a save.

Owen also explains how a goalie can help counter an aggressive ride by recognizing opportunities to carry the ball and create offence.

9. Find a Bigger Purpose in the Game

For Owen, playing at Georgetown meant more than reaching his dream school. He wanted to help rebuild the program and contribute to its return to national prominence.

He discusses how that purpose, along with support from teammates, coaches, and alumni, helped motivate him through challenging periods.

Owen McElroy's Advice for Young Goalies

Owen encourages young goalies to immerse themselves in the sport. Watch as much lacrosse as you can, study players you admire, practice consistently, and don't be afraid to reach out to experienced goalies for advice.

Keep a stick in your hands, whether it is a goalie stick or a field stick, and remember to enjoy playing the game.

Connect with Owen McElroy

Owen welcomes questions from aspiring goalies and offers private lessons. You can reach him through Instagram at @owen_mac.

About the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast

The Lax Goalie Rat Podcast, hosted by Coach Damon Wilson, is dedicated to helping lacrosse goalies improve their technique, mindset, training, and understanding of the position through conversations with experienced goalies, coaches, and special guests.