Have you ever tackled a completely new challenge head-on? That's exactly what Allison Ohanian did when she traded her field hockey goalie gear for a lacrosse stick and stepped into the goal crease. In an episode that's as much about personal growth as it is about sports, Allison, from Walsh University, shares her experience with this transition, offering insights into her proactive learning style, the mental fortitude required for goalkeeping, and the joys of collegiate lacrosse. Her journey is peppered with lessons from Ohio's club lacrosse scene, advice from professional goalies, and the highs and lows of college recruitment.
When it comes to gearing up, Allison knows what works for her, from her STX Eclipse 2 to the comfort of her ECD Carbon Pro shaft. But beyond the physical equipment, we take a deep dive into the mental health side of athletics, an area Allison is passionate about. Through her advocacy with Morgan's Message, she speaks candidly about managing anxiety and fostering resilience. Listeners are invited to peek inside the personal strategies, such as journaling, that keep Allison grounded both on the field and in her nursing studies.
Rounding out our discussion, we consider the cutting-edge aspects of sports technology, like the use of AI to understand athletes' mental states better. Allison's insights into the goalie community, her attendance at goalie summits, and her love for the game provide a heartfelt conclusion to an episode that will leave goalies and non-goalies alike inspired. Her parting advice? It's all about savoring the moments, enjoying the journey, and the irreplaceable bond with your teammates.
Have you ever tackled a completely new challenge head-on? That's exactly what Allison Ohanian did when she traded her field hockey goalie gear for a lacrosse stick and stepped into the goal crease. In an episode that's as much about personal growth as it is about sports, Allison, from Walsh University, shares her experience with this transition, offering insights into her proactive learning style, the mental fortitude required for goalkeeping, and the joys of collegiate lacrosse. Her journey is peppered with lessons from Ohio's club lacrosse scene, advice from professional goalies, and the highs and lows of college recruitment.
When it comes to gearing up, Allison knows what works for her, from her STX Eclipse 2 to the comfort of her ECD Carbon Pro shaft. But beyond the physical equipment, we take a deep dive into the mental health side of athletics, an area Allison is passionate about. Through her advocacy with Morgan's Message, she speaks candidly about managing anxiety and fostering resilience. Listeners are invited to peek inside the personal strategies, such as journaling, that keep Allison grounded both on the field and in her nursing studies.
Rounding out our discussion, we consider the cutting-edge aspects of sports technology, like the use of AI to understand athletes' mental states better. Allison's insights into the goalie community, her attendance at goalie summits, and her love for the game provide a heartfelt conclusion to an episode that will leave goalies and non-goalies alike inspired. Her parting advice? It's all about savoring the moments, enjoying the journey, and the irreplaceable bond with your teammates.
Awesome Pleasure to welcome to the podcast Allison Ohanian from Walsh University. This is going to be a good one, allison. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2:
Hi, thank you for having me. I'm excited.
Speaker 1:
All right, I like that energy. I'm excited as well. I like to hear the story of when you first jumped into gold. Do you remember that?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, so it was actually my sophomore year of high school. We were in the gym doing tryouts in February because it's too cold outside and I was originally a defender and I was like, why not hop and goal? I'll just give it a try, because I was a goalie for field hockey, so I just wanted to see what the difference would be. So I hopped in there and I ended up loving it and just stayed with it.
Speaker 1:
Awesome, and there's quite some differences, because field hockey goalie I mean your head, your head to toe, your head to toe and big pads, big bulky pads, but there's also probably some similarities. What would you say are some of the similarities between lacrosse, field lacrosse goalie and field hockey goalie and some of the differences?
Speaker 2:
Yeah. So I said some similarities is just watching the ball and um coordination with your hand eye and hand foot and um the step two, because both sports you step to the ball and just attack it. Um, some differences is um the field hockey never really goes above hip, I guess, and lacrosse it is always in the air and on the ground too.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's true, even though the field hockey goal is really tall right Like it's a lot taller than the lacrosse goal. Yeah.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah, it's very big.
Speaker 1:
Definitely bigger than my wingspan, yeah yeah, but it's just with that stick and the ball on the ground, ground it's tougher to lift it up to do those high shots yeah, it's a slower too, I'd say.
Speaker 1:
Lacrosse is definitely a lot faster yeah, it's probably easier too in the sense that, like ice hockey, like the shot is always coming from not always, but like 95 of the time coming from the ground right and so you can, like you know exactly where that shot's going to come from, whereas if I have my the ball in my stick and lacrosse and I go to wind up like at the last second, I could totally change the release point.
Speaker 2:
Right, yeah, yeah, definitely there's a lot more variations that lacrosse can do with the shots. Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, but tracking the ball, I imagine, is like number one. Yeah, yeah. But tracking the ball, I imagine, is like number one, like you're used to something coming at you, tracking it all the way, making the save, what in field hockey? Like, what's the stance? Like, how do I, how do I stand?
Speaker 2:
um, so you stand with your hands out and, um, the feet are the same for lacrosse, shoulder width apart, a little bent, yeah, and I'd say you squat more, though for field hockey yeah, and you just kind of like stand there and then when they shoot, you just react to it and you have like a.
Speaker 1:
Do you have a? Do you have what? Do you have a stick and a glove or what? What is it?
Speaker 2:
yeah, so I have a glove, um, it's kind of like, uh, just a big square foam on the left hand, and then I have an actual field hockey stick in my right hand.
Speaker 1:
I hold hold my ball. Awesome. And then, and then the idea there is like if the ball comes at your feet, like you just kind of kick it with your pad, right yeah.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, you kind of kick it and try and get as far away as you can.
Speaker 1:
All right. Well, we're here to talk about lacrosse goalie, not field hockey goalie, but that's very interesting to me, so thank you. Thank you for sharing that. What, what, um? What then, did you do once you realized oh, this position is for me. What did you do to, uh, learn lacrosse goalie?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, so I just went online and any highlight reels or videos or just like even just articles about lacrosse goalie Um, just learned as much as I could and I found drills online to help me grow my game and I always over slacks. Goalie rat is the first thing that I found and I it was so cool. I was like this is perfect, everything's right there, that I need it. So, yeah, I definitely use that a lot also that's good.
Speaker 1:
That's good. I was gonna say you're right. So, being in college, you're at the age where, definitely, if you searched for lacrosse goalie, anything, you probably came across an article I did or a video that I made. Yeah, so that's cool. What um? Are there any in particular um that stand out to you that like wow, this one really helped, just curious um, I'd say anyone with um just going over the basics and.
Speaker 2:
I think also um like the mental tips, because I have a lot of those like confidence and just like clearing your mind um I think both of those helped, because I didn't really understand the game much at first, so just learning the basics was really helpful.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Yeah, it was. That was like sort of my first wave of articles was the basics and how to make a save and the stance and all this and some drills, right, and then and then I really got into the mental game and studied that quite a bit and I think it's a good progression for goalies as well. So it's kind of cool that you got you got both of that as well.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah, I made a difference too.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, awesome, awesome. What would you say is your favorite thing about being a lacrosse goalie?
Speaker 2:
I'd say just the adrenaline that you get after a save and how much control you have during the game, um, you really can like make a difference in the outcome of it now. So there's a bunch of other factors too, but, um, and the support your teammates always support you so much and I just think it's really cool to have all the love and stuff yeah, that is good.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that that was one of the things that really drew me to the position as well as, like, I saw how the team sort of treated the goalie when he made saves and I was really, I was really drawn to that and so hopefully each team, you know, has that kind of culture. I think that is the standard culture, but I know not all teams have that culture of respecting and really shouting out the goalie.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1:
That's what we're all about here at. Lax Goalie Rat so awesome. What about your least favorite thing?
Speaker 2:
I'd say definitely if well, I don't really mind getting hit much, but if you get hit in the knee or just a bad spot, that kind of isn't the best. Or just letting in a shot when it's a really close game, like just after the fact, just that feeling.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, I hear you Goalies can put a lot of pressure on themselves or really wear those losses hard, and that's kind of the. I mean that's sort of the idea of like having the spotlight on you. You either win and you're the hero, or you lose and you're the butt. But that's what we sign up for, yeah, cool. So you started playing goalie your sophomore year of high school. Right, high sophomore year of of high school. Um, right, high sophomore high school. Yeah. And a lot of goalies might think like, oh, that's a little bit late, like how am I gonna play college if I just started? Um, you know, as a sophomore, what do you? Did you go through that thinking? Or what do you say to those goalies?
Speaker 2:
yeah. So at first I had a little doubt because I never even picked up a lacrosse stick until my sophomore year of high school, and so I definitely had a little doubt. But once I found out how much I love and how much, how quickly you can learn with all the essentials you have online you can learn from, I was like you know, maybe I do have a shot and I just like kept going and used my resources, and my coaches helped a lot too through club oh, yeah, and then yeah I just trust the process is what I'd say yeah, um, there's a lot of, oh, there's a lot of individual work that goalies can put in, you know, and and I think that, like when I was first starting out, I didn't realize that it's like, well, I could take shots, but that kind of requires somebody else.
Speaker 1:
And only now that I realize all the other like stuff that goalies can do and there's a lot right, there's a lot you can do on your own. So what, what about talk to me about Ohio club lacrosse?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, so the main clubs are in Columbus and then there's a few in Cleveland too. It's not as fun as like the East coast, but there's definitely some good big ones there where you can get a lot of action.
Speaker 1:
I know Kyle Bernler trains in that area. Have you worked with? Have you been to any of Kyle's camps?
Speaker 2:
Um, no, but I know my good friends have and they say they always rave about how good it is and how useful.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, um, I've never been, but he's presented at the goalie summits and he's really I mean, he's amazing goalie like out and out there on the pros, but he's also just a really good like coach. So if you ever get the opportunity, I'd highly recommend it. Kb, uh, kb calver and laurie at kb goalie academy, check it out, I think I think they do. I think they're in cleveland but I'm not sure. My, my ohio geography is a little bit rusty I think they're in cleveland, you might.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I think it travels around ohio. Yeah, that would be.
Speaker 1:
That would be. That'd be smart. That'd be smart, All right, what about? So you start in high school, Did you like, and you sort of fall in love with lacrosse? Did you watch games on TV? College games, pro games.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah. So I watched all anything that I could find those on. I just watched it college pro and I went to. I was so close to osu since I'm in columbus, so I went to a lot of their games whenever they played at home.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, just like watched them. Awesome. Um, I sponsored the osu goalie last year reagan I don't know if you've ever watched reagan, alexander, she's really good yeah, yeah, she's awesome, yeah, oh, you do, you do. Yeah, awesome, I was going to ask what goalies that, what goalies you like to watch and kind of what you learn from them.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, so Molly Lallaberti, I learned just how to have fun with the game because she always has so much excitement and just always enjoys herself. I learned the energy from her, from Taylor Moreno, just the basics. She's really the first goalie that I watched. Well, her and Emily Sterling, I watched both of them when I first started learning, so I learned the basics from both of them actually, and just the stance and the certain little tips they always have, like cool little interesting facts.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, I've had all those goalies on the podcast and loaded with cool little interesting facts. It's a good way to put it. What about drills? What kind of drills are you doing right now to improve your game?
Speaker 2:
goalie drills yeah, so I do um the ball against the ball, toss, he was like don't, and then catch it. Uh, different variations of that. I love doing footwork, like ladders, just any type of agility stuff, and um, just cardio, just like on the treadmill, just to get your heart rate going. You know, keep the athleticism on interesting.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I love it. Um, and talk, why did you, uh, you know, talk to me a little bit about walsh university? Um, you know, your your decision to commit there and kind of how the recruiting process went for you.
Speaker 2:
So I like I wanted a school close to home, but not too close, and I think two hours is a perfect length. And so I looked into this and I visited twice. The first time I was like okay, cool, just kept in the back of my mind. And then I originally committed to a different school, actually but in the same conference, finley. And then I realized it, as I, you know, got more into my senior year, that I kind of rushed things a little bit, so I decommitted from Finley and then I started the search process again and I found Walsh again and it was a different coach this time and I just fell in love with her style and just the dynamic she had. Yeah, I just committed there awesome and you are.
Speaker 1:
Uh, let's see. It says you're 2027, so if I do some math, that's your sophomore freshman, all right? Yeah, I'm always confused by these by the year, even in youth lacrosse, when someone goes, oh, I'm a 2032 and I'm like, all right, it's 2024. Add eight years, you're 12?, no, 11. Cool, and then? So how's it going so far? How was your freshman year?
Speaker 2:
Oh, I love it. I'm learning a lot, even more. The girls are awesome. They're always so fun to be around. They are hilarious and funniest people I know and they always want to put in the work. They always want to be in the work, they always want to be there, and I think it's just a cool dynamic to have just always wanting to grow with each other what would you say you've learned uh about with your in terms of your lacrosse goalie game?
Speaker 2:
I take confidence, definitely, um, because when I first came in I was like a little scared and nervous and then I got on or more into season and I was like this isn't bad and yeah, I just learned more of the mental game and how to stay positive.
Speaker 1:
What are some tricks that young goalies can use to stay positive? How does that work for you?
Speaker 2:
So I have a reset. I always reset Like I have a piece of tape on my stick, kind of at the head of neck area, and if I get upset I look down at it, I take a deep breath. If I let in a goal, I always have a post-goal routine where I walk out, I take a breath and then turn around, walk back in and then I just shake it off and reset.
Speaker 1:
And I think just having a clear mind is the key to positivity and just have good self-talk like boost yourself up yeah, I preach the reset routine so much, um, and just kind of having that routine that you can go through when you give up a goal, because it's it's an intense, uh experience. And if you're not like, if you don't have a routine that you can just go into autopilot, you know your mind can start going um. So I think that's a really strong mental game tip. You just gave right there, so um, awesome. And then how did?
Speaker 2:
how did the season end up end up going for you guys um, so for the fall season we had a few scrimmages and they all went really well. Um, we just got more connection each game, I feel like. And, um, you know, we learned a lot too. We always just like how to work with each other. With the last year seniors left and us freshmen coming in and, yeah, getting to know each other more awesome, and are you?
Speaker 1:
uh, would you say now you're like battling for the starting spot, or is there an established goalie or kind of where's your your position, what's your goal with this season?
Speaker 2:
yeah. So, um, our coach likes to mix it up she, she. Each game she'll either have one, two or all three goalies. Play she is. It depends on who our opponent is. Um, I think it's good just to know that you have a chance of going in and, um, just kind of keep you always ready, cause you always have to be ready in case your name gets cold.
Speaker 1:
So I think it helps in that way too. Yeah, that's a good point. Um, do you? Will she tell you like, okay, Allison, you're going to play the second half, or it's just like at halftime. You might go like, Allison, you're in for the second half.
Speaker 2:
So sometimes she'll tell us the, either during warmups or just the night before, but sometimes she also just throws us in and you know, like a spur of the moment type thing also just throws us in and uh, you know, like a spur of the moment type thing, if things aren't going the way she thought then she'll change it up, hopefully interesting.
Speaker 1:
I don't know how I feel about that.
Speaker 1:
I'm gonna be, honest, but I don't know if it works. If it works for you guys, it works for you guys, but maybe I'm more old school in my. I like to have one goalie. Uh, you know, go as long as they can. And yeah, if you have to pull them, you have to pull them, but I don't know. All right, well, cool, what about you know what sort of things are you doing? I guess your guys' season starts pretty soon. Yeah, I mean, what sort of things are you?
Speaker 2:
doing right now to get ready to play? Yeah. So right now we're just having practice. We started, I'd say, about three weeks ago and six days a week, just normal practice, A lot of 7v7 work to get that mindset going. And we have our first scrimmage the 16th of February 16th of February.
Speaker 1:
Okay, first scrimmage in two weeks, all right, and it looks like you guys went. I'm just looking at the. You went 8-0 in the conference last year, right?
Speaker 2:
Yeah it's not bad yeah, I mean, where is there like a division, two tournament, like it kind of seems like the season just ends yeah, so, um, the top few teams out of all division two goes to the ncaa, and we missed it by a spot or two. Really, I think we were even though you won your league championship yeah.
Speaker 1:
What am I missing there?
Speaker 2:
I think they're making a new rule this year where if you win your conference, then you just automatically go instead of there.
Speaker 1:
That'd be a lot better. Yeah, that'd be weird. I've never heard of a team winning the conference championship and then not even making the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I think you'll go into play next year because a lot of people think the same thing. I agree with you there.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and this Tiffin University was ranked number four and you guys crushed them 23-5.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
What about this game? Wow, then, two weeks before that, you played tiffin again, um, and you won one to nothing. Is that right or no? Um?
Speaker 2:
I think so yeah, if I remember correctly.
Speaker 1:
Oh, no, it says they forfeited. All right, never mind, there must have been something going on going on there. I don't think that was the final score.
Speaker 2:
Maybe they couldn't make the game I think there's one game last year with the weather just didn't work out and it was yeah okay, I looked at the score and I was like one to nothing.
Speaker 1:
You gotta tell me about that game. That's unbelievable. I've never seen a lacrosse game and in one, a one to nothing score. But it looks like there's something else going on. Okay, um, well cool, good luck in the upcoming season. Um, is there a way people can watch these games on tv? Are they streamed?
Speaker 2:
um on the our website there's a live stream link at um the walsh university women's lacrosse page yeah, and it should be. Uh, if you got our game schedule, there should be a little icon the bottom okay, yeah, I was.
Speaker 1:
I was like, oh, I see it right there yeah and that'll, that'll take you to, uh, that'll take you, oh, that'll take you to this page.
Speaker 2:
That's all right cool damon university.
Speaker 1:
That's an interesting school name yeah, they're from new york um, awesome, cool. Um, so talk to me. Um, let's see, you got the upcoming season. Uh, what about your sort of style of goalie play? Like, how would you? How would you describe it, allison?
Speaker 2:
yeah, so I am very big on the 45 degree angle step, just because that's what all my coaches drilled into me. So it's just kind of how I play um for the arc. I play more of a middle arc. I don't like high or low, I like a little more in the middle there, um, and I like to play very loose, um, like I play it more like you know how the guy goalies they are more like use their body and move a lot more. I play more toward that style yeah, I like that style I think a lot of girls.
Speaker 1:
I think a lot of girls should adopt that.
Speaker 2:
Hey, it works a little bit better yeah, I think it's easier personally, cool and what?
Speaker 1:
And what about your stick setup? What do you use for that?
Speaker 2:
So I have a E uh STX Eclipse, two for the head, a um ECD carbon pro for the shaft and um for the stringing. I just use string King and I have two shooters along the top.
Speaker 1:
Awesome, uh, that head over my shoulder. That's, that's kind of your, your setup right there. That's an eclipse two with, with sort of two, uh, two shooters across the top right there yep, yeah, that's exactly it all right, uh, and do you string your own heads?
Speaker 2:
um, I have my friend string it. Um, my teammate's dad. He has his own little business. I usually use that, but I'm trying to learn how to string my own, just because I think it'll be more helpful and easier.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's a good skill, that's a good skill to have. But yeah, I know, I know I never, I never, I didn't string my own sticks and I've strung up one and it's okay. I give myself, give myself a c plus passing, passing. Right, that's good not bad not bad. What are you studying at walsh, by the way?
Speaker 1:
I'm studying nursing oh cool, nursing slash, lacrosse, goalie making, making saves on the field and in the hospital, uh cool, um, talk to me. I know you're kind of involved with uh, uh, with morgan's message. Yeah, could you? Could you talk to me about what that is and and you know why that's important to you?
Speaker 2:
yeah. So it's um, a platform that advocates for athletes, mental health and just breaking the stigma of where you have to hide your emotions and where you can just like feel stuff, and I think it's important just because I value that a lot. So I found that I was like this is really cool. I want to help like send the message out, and I know the senior goalie that I was talking about she's also a part of it and I think it's just a really cool platform Platform yeah, have you personally had to battle with some mental health issues?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, to battle with some, some mental health issues. Um, yeah, so I struggled with anxiety which I found lacrosse, or I use lacrosse as a gateway to kind of relax and escape from that and yeah I think it's.
Speaker 1:
This helps a lot to steer away so, so you stay, you, you struggle with anxiety, but like outside of lacrosse, and when you come onto the field, like it, that sort of, that sort of calms it yeah yeah, it's like a totally different world once I step on the field or even just hit the wall with some wall ball.
Speaker 1:
Just anytime I stick my hand yeah, because for a lot of young goalies it's kind of the opposite. Like they are, you know, maybe they have some anxiety in their life, but like the situation on the lacrosse field causes them a lot of anxiety, um, as well, as they worry about, you know, their performance, or they worry about their starting position, or they worry about you know, whatever losing, or this, that and the other. Um, so that's an interesting, interesting experience. So what would you say to, uh, you know, to a goalie who is struggling with anxiety?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I think, just find things that calm you down and just have people to talk to and, I think, some coping mechanisms too, like journaling. I love journaling, I have a little journal I write in every night and it just makes a huge difference. And then, yeah, having certain people you trust enough to talk to and just like rant if you need to and they're always there to help you out. It's a big key.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, talk to me about that journaling, cause I, I, um, I'm a big fan of it as well. How did how do you do it? Is it a stream of conscious writing, or do you got some sort of prompts or what? How do you do it?
Speaker 2:
um, I just write anything that's on my mind, like I uh, how my day went. Just anything I'm thinking in the moment, I just write it down cool.
Speaker 1:
yeah, I think that process of like just getting it out and writing it down um is very therapeutic in in and of itself, right, yeah, um, so yeah, uh cool. I was reading the other day too that now with AI, you know the artificial intelligence you can like you can upload, you know all of your journal entries and like it'll analyze them all and then it'll like give you this like reading of like how you are, like you can ask it questions about yourself. And I was just like, wow, this is getting crazy.
Speaker 2:
That's crazy so anyway.
Speaker 1:
Anyway, we'll talk about ai in another podcast but, um, allison, thank you for coming on the show. Um, anything else you wanted to chat about, I feel like. I feel like that was a good, good range of topics, but I don't know if we missed anything um, I think you hit everything perfectly.
Speaker 2:
I enjoyed it.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for having me yeah, well, thank you for being a fan. I'm glad that you were able to join and I'm glad you learned something from lax goalie rat and um. Have you been to any of the goalie summits, by the way?
Speaker 2:
yes, I have um cool all right since my sophomore year, I've attended all of them uh, really, so you've attended.
Speaker 1:
When were you a sophomore 2021? Um, I think it's either 2020 or 2020 you've, so you've been attending them since the beginning. Yeah, I started them. I started them in 2020, during during covid. But cool allison. Um, if you had to leave the goalies out there with a final piece of advice, what would that be? I?
Speaker 2:
would say just have fun with the game, enjoy it while you have it, because it's not going to last forever. Um, you're, you play it for a reason, so just trust the process and make those connections with your teammates, because they're the ones you're always going to be around and always there for you awesome.