Bill Cherry, head coach of Manhasset High School on Long Island, NY shares the defensive system he employs with his perennial NY state contending team.

1. Goal Tending
The Manhasset System

2. Bill Cherry
 B.S.- C.W. Post College-1974
 MA-Adelphi University-1982
 Coaching experience 36 years (31 M.H.S/ 5-Sewanhaka
H.S.)
 Head coach M.H.S.- 5 years
 Record 84-10
 2009/2010 (undefeated) N.Y.S. State Class C Champions
 3X Conference coach of the year
 2009 Nassau County Lacrosse coach ofthe year
 2009/10 Newsday Lacrosse Coach of the year
 Coach 2011 Under Armor H.S. All America team
 Coach 2008 Addidas N.E. Regional team

3. The System
The system, was developed over a period of 34 years by
Bob Rule (Manhasset/Cornell/USA Team), was designed to
make goaltending fun without having too much to think about.
Manhasset has sent numerous goalies to D1 schools year
after year. Names like Cordrey (Princeton), Meyer (Virginia),
Kasselakis (Umass), Kenny (Georgetown), Meyer (Yale),
Healy (Maryland), Murtha (Hopkins), Petracca(Carolina),
and,Morelli (Bucknell), just to name a few. The greatest
aspect of this system, is that it can be used by youth goalies
as well as college goaltenders. Whether it be traditional or
Five hole goalies, the principals are all the relevant.

4. Overview
 Basics
 Communication
 Drills/Warm-up
 Clearing
 Questions

5. Basics
 Holding the Crosse
Top Hand-4-6 inches from throat of
head.
 Bottom Hand-shoulder width apart
from top hand ( can be adjusted to
comfort)
 Arms away from body.
 Relaxed grip. (Tense muscles will
inhibit quickness). Some instructors
put their thumb on the shaft, we do
not.
 Stance:Feet approximately shoulder

6. Basics
Position in the cage: General Rule-1/3 of
cage is covered by the body, 2/3 by the
stick. One step out off goal line.
(explanation)
Steps-We use the step and close method.
Step with the foot to the side of the shot
and then close (bring feet together). We
do this on Air or ground shots (Demo)
Arc-Our goalies are taught an arc to follow
ball movement from 3 O’clock to 9 O’clock
Hug The Pipes- when Att is coming from X,
get to Pipe, Stand Tall, Hold your ground.
As he passes pipe and hits 45 mark, Step

7. Communication
 Our goalies call out the ball, and the
slides and communicate with the
individual defenseman as well as the
team. We feel this is an integral part of
team defense, making sure everyone is
alert to what we are doing. We have the
team echo the calls.
 Call the ball!-Top center/ Top right/Side
right/back right/Back center/Back
Left/Side Left/Top Left.

8. Communication
 Talk to the man on the ball:Your
Good/Drive/Hold/Who’s Hot/ Who’s
two/Find one
 Call slides!
Princeton/Cornell/Maryland/Duke/Blac
k/Red Dog
 Break/Clear-Look for quick outlet, I
not there take ball behind the cage
and run clear.

9. Drills
 Ourdrills are designed to create
muscle memory, focus and
confidence. We try to do all of
these drills everyday in pre-season
and then rotate drills day by day in
season, as not to get boring and
repetitious
 Body Ball-(no stick)-Goalie
assumes his stance with hands
behind his back. Work the arc with
bounce shots. Goalie steps and
closes.

10. Drills
 Lead Hand Drill- Goalie assumes
stance as if he his holding his stick.
Work arc first with bounce shots, then
in the air. Goalie punches and catches
ball while stepping properly
 Middie Stick Drill-Goalie assumes
stance with Middie stick-work arc
bounce shots than in the air

11. Drills
 No Mesh Drill-Goalie assumes stance with
goalie stick with no mesh. Bounce shots, goalie
steps to ball.
 Warm up Drill-Goalie with regular stick assumes
stance. Work arc with bounce shots, then in the
air.
 Take a peek Drill-Goalie assumes stance in goal
with a man screening him. He tries to get a look
at the shooter and holds his mark. Easy shots,
bouncers first, then in the air.
 Wall Ball- Cage about 5 yards from wall, goalie in
cage. Coach stans behind cage and bounces ball
off wall. (Reaction Drill)

12. Drills
 Pepper Drill-Goalie assumes stance- coach quick
sticks shots back to goalie after save. Nice and easy
 Feeder drill- Attackman behind cage feeding shooter.
Goalie turns with ball side feed. Again, nice and easy
 Outlet Drill-goalie assumes stance. Coach shoots at
goalie, and goalie outlets to two middies standing on
corners of the box. Goalie alternates between lob and
rocket outlets.
 Hang Up Drill ,Attack starts behind with D man in front
of cage…. D-Man goes behind forcing Attackman to
weak hand.
 Goalie Wars-2 cages 15 yards apart, goalies shoot on
each other and try to score.

13. Warm-Up
 When warming up a goalie we start slow and
pick up the pace as we go. We finish with a
shooter from the top of the box full throttle.
 Lead Hand
 Middie stick
 Goalie stick
 Pepper
 Feeder
 Shooter
 All Drills are worked on the Arc.

14. Keys to Goal Tending
 Athletic ability
 Technique
 Confidence
 Film Study/Preperation

15. Little Tricks of the trade
 Baiting-after making a save with
posession holding stick down at hip
level, drawing someone to check your
stick and giving you a free clear
 Drawing an interference-You have
an attackman standing directly in front
of you with his stick straight up in the
air. Throw the ball makink contact with
his stick
 Box Fake-Clearing.Fake one way like
you are throwing the ball that way(Box
Fake) and throw it the other way

16. Summary/Questions

17. Acknowledgements
 I would like to thank the Seattle
Chapter of US Lacrosse for inviting
me here today, I am truly honored.
 Thanks to my players, youth coaches,
staff and Manhasset Hall of Fame for
making our program successful.
 Thanks to all the people who have
contributed my coaching education
over the years
 Last but certainly not Least to my
family for allowing me to do what I
love to do!