Exemplary systems, devices, and methods are directed to training goalies, including lacrosse goalies.
In many sports, such as ice, field, floor and roller hockey, ringette, lacrosse or soccer, a goalie is present and tending to an area in order to prevent an opposing team from passing a sport projectile into a goal and scoring. Preventing scoring events is a goalie's main objective and adequate coverage of the goal is desirable in preventing and opposing team from scoring.
The present invention and method relates to an athletic training devices, and more particularly to a device for assisting in the training of a goalie tending a goal. The athletic training device in the present invention is releasably attached to a ridged sport goal frame whereby the device conforms to the entire front planar space with a plethora of open voids for the receiving of/and aggregating of sport projectiles. This invention may be used to train goalies in order to improve their “Saved Shot” percentage in addition of other strategic defense maneuvers.
Other “front-planar-space-like-devices” fail to train the goalie and instead focus on the shooting skills training of the team members who are making shots on the goalie. Other “sport-projectile-aggregating-type-devices” are often affixed to the perimeter of the goal frame and do not conform to the entire front planar surface of the goal. There is therefore a need for training devices that focus on improving a goalie's “Shots Saved” percentages that can also passively provide data feedback allowing goalies and their coaches to finely tune training regimen designed to improve a specific goalies strength, reactions, and muscle memory to better arrest sport projectiles from entering a goal.
In exemplary embodiments there is provided an apparatus for assisting goaltenders in improving their Shots Saved percentage through repetitive statistical analysis of how and where sport projectiles get past a goalie. This is achieved by counting the number of sport projectiles that aggregate within the plethora of catchment voids arranged on a lattice and affixed to the front planar surface of a goal and erected behind the goalie.
Goaltending, as in lacrosse, requires extensive training on part of the Goalie to achieve lightning quick reflexes within a small area in response to various stimuli, ball, puck, or other sport projectile hurling toward them. Achieving muscle memory responses to such stimuli takes years of conditioning; let alone overcoming an innate autonomic response, flinching, ducking, or getting out of the way, of a fast moving projectile hurling at one's self. Thousands of shots at a goalie over time may result in improving a goalie's shots saved percentage and confidence in goal. Shots saved is a unique metric for goalies used to convey prowess and ability to stop a certain percentage of shots; a very coveted metric by all goalies.
In an exemplary embodiment, a goalie training apparatus is comprised of a plurality of catchment voids, where each of the plurality of catchment voids is a square pyramid. The square pyramids have an open base which can receive an item, and a top located at a certain height from the open base. The open base has a first cross-sectional are and the top has a second cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first. At least one fastening means is used to connect the apparatus to at least one side of a goal frame. The apparatus may be fastened such that it is positioned across the opening of a goal frame, and the catchment voids form a grid across the goal frame opening. When objects such as balls cross the opening of the goal frame they may pass into one of the catchment voids. In some embodiments, the tops of the catchment voids are closed or reversibly closed such that balls or other items can be manually retrieved from the catchment voids. In other embodiments, the tops of the catchment voids are open. The catchment voids may be arranged in a 3×3 grid (if there are nine total) or any other grid or pattern desired. In some embodiments, there may only be three catchment voids arranged in a 1×3 column down the center of the goal frame opening. The catchment voids may have the same heights, or they may have differing heights as desired.
In some exemplary embodiments, a support matrix may be used to aid in holding the apparatus in a desired location and keep it from moving during use. The catchment voids may have square borders around their open bases that contain internal sleeves. Straps may be inserted into the internal sleeves through apertures located on the face of the catchment voids. The straps may weave in an and out through the catchment voids and be secured to the goal frame on either end. Because some goal frames such as lacrosse goal frames do not have a bottom rail on their open side, a support anchor may be used in conjunction with the support matrix to hold the apparatus in place. The support anchor may be a rectangular object with a planar top that can be held under the weight of two opposing goal frame legs. The support anchor may have one or more hooks protruding through apertures located in the body of the support anchor. The hooks may connect with loops or other fasteners on the straps of the support matrix and help hold the apparatus in place during use.
In some exemplary embodiments, the apparatus may be comprised of a single catchment void, or multiple catchment voids that can be oriented as desired. The catchment voids may be modular, allowing a user to alter the size of the apparatus and orientation of catchment voids as desired. For example, a user may use nine catchment voids to create a 3×3 grid that covers the entire opening of a goal frame, and then remove six catchment voids to have a 1×3 grid down the middle of the goal.
In exemplary embodiments of a system, the catchment voids may be held in an extended position by being connected to a support pole by cables. A support pole may be inserted into the ground in near proximity to the tops of the catchment voids. Straps connected to the support pole may be fastened to the tops of the catchment voids in a variety of ways, allowing the catchment voids to be extended as desired.
The advantages and other characteristics of the disclosed embodiments will be better understood when attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein identical elements are identified with identical reference numerals and wherein:
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In this embodiment, the device is removably connected to the goal frame 200 through the use of multiple fasteners 16. The fasteners may be bungee cords, ball bungees, Velcro/hook and loop straps, couplings, fabric ties, or anything else that can removably secure the device to the goal frame. Apertures in the device may allow the fasteners to be threaded through the device to help achieve a secure connection with the goal frame that will last while the device is being used.
When in an extended position, each catchment void 12 may be shaped like a horizontally-oriented square pyramid. The open base 14 of each pyramid has a first cross-sectional area (L1×L2) defined by a perimeter 18. The cross-sectional area of each pyramid decreases along the height L5 of the pyramid until the top end of the pyramid 20, which has a second, and smaller cross-sectional area. In an exemplary embodiment, the height of the pyramids may be 3 ft., although the height may vary as desired. In the exemplary embodiment of
The catchment voids 12 may be used to receive one or more objects such as a lacrosse ball, a hockey puck, a soccer ball, field hockey ball that is projected through their open bases 14.
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The catchment voids may be made from netting or mesh made from a variety of materials, including cotton, nylon, polypropylene, or other plastics, or rubber. The netting or mesh may be knotted or knotless, and various mesh sizes may be used as desired. In some embodiments canvas or other fabrics may be used. In some embodiments, the catchment voids may be made from stiff or rigid materials that can hold the pyramidal shape without the need of supports. In other embodiments, the materials used for the catchment voids may not be stiff or rigid enough to hold the pyramidal shape without support. Support may be structural supports located within the catchment voids, or external supports such as cables attached to a nearby support pole or other support structure that can be adjusted to pull the catchment voids in to an extended pyramidal position.
In some embodiments, the goalie training device may be supported across a goal frame through the use of an internal support matrix. Referring to
In this exemplary embodiment of a support matrix 40 there are no support loops 44 located on the bottoms of the two middle vertical straps 42 because there is no corresponding bar on a typical lacrosse goal in this location that the support matrix 40 can be connected to. Of course, in other embodiments where different goals may be used, a support matrix 40 may have support loops 44 located on the bottom as well. It will also be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that in other embodiments the support matrix 40 may be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of goalie training devices and different grids such as 2×2 or 4×4 grids.
The support matrix 40 may be comprised of cable, wire, rope, or chains. In an exemplary embodiment the support matrix 40 is comprised of 1/16 inch cable and the support loops 44 are comprised of the same cable. Cable or wire used may be coated with a vinyl coating or other type of coating to withstand rusting, so that the goalie training device can be used in damp, wet, or inclement weather without compromising the integrity of the support matrix. Although in some embodiments the support matrix may not have any elasticity, in other embodiments the support matrix may have elasticity to aid in providing a taught front face for the goalie training device. In alternative embodiments a variety of other materials may be used as desired for the support matrix 40. In some alternative embodiments the support loops 44 may be separate, pre-formed loops made of metal, rubber, or plastic that are connected to the ends of the horizontal and vertical straps 41, 42.
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The catchment voids of the exemplary embodiments are displayed in an extended position, which may be achieved through the use of cords, ropes, cables, support racks, or other means of pulling the top ends of the catchment voids into extended positions. Referring to
In various embodiments, other forms of supports may be used to keep the catchment voids extended. In some embodiments, the top ends of the catchment voids may have hooks or loops or other features to allow engagement with the end of a strap or cable that is connected to a support pole.
In use, the various catchment voids catch and aggregate balls or any other objects that a goalie in-training is unable to block. In lacrosse settings the catchment voids receive lacrosse balls. Based on how many balls are located in which catchment voids, the goalie, coach, or other trainer can determine how proficient the goalie is at blocking shots made on different areas of the goal. For example, based on a high number of lacrosse balls located in an upper right catchment void, a goalie, coach, or trainer may discover that the goalie is not blocking many shots to the upper right corner of the goal, and needs to focus on that area of the goal more. Or, after a training session a goalie, coach, or trainer may find that the goalie is having difficulty blocking shots coming into the lower part of the goal based on a comparatively large amount of lacrosse balls in the lower row of catchment voids. The goalie, coach, and trainer, can then focus on building up skills that focus the goalie on specific catching drills and skills on those areas, and continue to monitor their progress by counting the balls in various catchment voids during subsequent training sessions. Because the catchment voids allow for the balls to be counted after training sessions in relation to specific areas of the goal, real statistics on “Shots Saved” can be recorded and compared over time. This is beneficial to a coach who may have two or three goalies on a team. Knowing the specific strengths and weaknesses of team goalies may help shape how a coach runs a particular defense at and during a game.
Although in exemplary embodiments the device may be used on lacrosse goals and used to train lacrosse goalies, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that in various embodiments the devices may be adapted for use on hockey goals, soccer goals, and other types of sports devices without departing from the inventive concept.
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In alternative embodiments intended for use with hockey goals, there may be a weighted include plane at the base of the bottom of some or all of the catchment voids.
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a variety of adaptations can be made to the exemplary embodiments herein disclosed without departing from the inventive concept. For example, a Field Hockey embodiment of the apparatus, may be very similar to those used for lacrosse applications as mentioned above, with the exception that a field hockey goal has a front planar surface of approximately 84 square feet. A soccer embodiment of the apparatus, would be very similar to that of the lacrosse goal embodiment, mentioned above, with the exception that a soccer goal has a front planar surface of approximately 192 square feet.
Any embodiment of the present invention may include any of the optional or preferred features of the other embodiments of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. Having shown and described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to the described invention. Many of those variations and modifications will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the claimed invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/433,047, filed on Dec. 12, 2016, and incorporates said application by reference as if fully rewritten herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62433047 | Dec 2016 | US |