Nutrition - Eat to Perform

The goalie position in lacrosse has evolved so much over the past two decades, and one of the BIGGEST areas of change is in the physical demands of the position. The tendency to "put the big kid in the cage" and leave it at that has fallen by the wayside (and rightfully so), and coaches now look to find goalies that non only save the ball but are dynamic play-maker. While maximizing natural athletic gifts combined with hard work in the gym and on the field is the quickest way to expand the realm of our play-making ability and athleticism, the nutrition piece can't be ignored! Too often we work with and talk to goalies who eat very poorly and it without a doubt effects their play (and day-to-day life).

While the natural focus is to make sure you aren't eating too much "bad" food, many young goalies actually have the OPPOSITE issue. While overeating is never good, we need to make sure we fuel our bodies and brains for peak performance. If we undereat, avoid protein, or fall short of the total number of calories our bodies need for fuel, we are selling ourselves, and our game, short.

Make sure you eat protein at all meals, make sure all of your carbs aren't coming from sugar, and focus on eating a complete diet, and EVERYTHING else you do, lacrosse and otherwise, will be much more effective!