This is a great story about ways of teaching life lessons through coaching lacrosse.
Week 2 started off slow again as Tuesday we had to move practice to the track due to rain. Wednesday we started to implement some of our situational concepts. We worked on Fast Breaks, Face-Off and Wing-Play, and Extra-Man Offense / Man-down defense. We spent much of the night teaching which is difficult because you need to keep a good balance of teaching vs playing. Players get bored quickly and everything you are teaching is lost if they stop paying attention. This brings me to my first major point this week.
1. Don’t over coach! I watched the last portion of another teams practice and they spent 20-30 minutes teaching a concept. THAT IS WAY TOO MUCH TIME. Players pick things up better if you let them do it live and make mistakes that can be corrected. Trying to teach while standing still or doing a a walk through is only good for about 10-15 minutes MAXIMUM. Rather than teaching a large concept all at once teach it in phases. If you are teaching a motion offense that involves many outlets and re-dodges only teach one or two at a time and then let them play. You can correct as they go and it will be much easier for them to pick up.
Saturday and Sunday we played in Tournament in Baltimore. We played in this tourney last season and had a good performance. In our first game we came out of the box slow and even though we won by a few goals the coaches used it as a teaching lesson. (see video) Before our second game Coach Vetter decided to get a laugh out of the players which brings me to my second point of the week.
2. Make it fun for yourself and the players will have fun too! As a coach it is easy to get frustrated and forget to have fun. At the end of the day we have to remember that this is a game and coaches should be having as much fun as the players. If you’re not having fun then make it a point to enjoy it more or consider letting someone else take over. As in any team atmosphere much of the attitude stems from the leadership. So next practice go out and do something silly that the kids will laugh at. It goes a long way.
AYLA PP 1-3
Mar 24
AYLA Midget AA PR1
Mar 17
We had our first on field practice tonight. I can’t believe we are into late March and are just now getting out on the field. We had a good practice tonight but have a lot of work to do to get ready for our season. The enthusiasm was high but guys are lacking in field sense and basic footwork. I was impressed with our 4v3 drill but didn’t see much in the 6v6. We need to focus on teaching the players to make full speed exchanges. It simply does not work to stand in one place if you are passing or catching.
As usual we started by focusing on the little things. Every year we teach guys how to tie their shoes. Sounds crazy but you would be shocked at how many guys show up with shoes untied or tied very lose.
Practice plan and video to come…
IMG Adds Lacrosse Academy
Feb 23
This is an amazing reflection of how quickly the sport of lacrosse is growing. If someone had suggested 10 years ago that IMG would see value in lacrosse we would have thought they were crazy.
The question now is, What does this mean for the potential of the sport? Does this not only reflect upon the growth of the youth game as the article suggests but also reflect upon the College and Pro Levels? If IMG is willing to invest money into the sport and more importantly their reputation, one has to think it means good things for the higher levels of the game and not just the youth level.
Maybe IMG is a few years to early or maybe they see the same potential that Nike and others have seen in recent years. Time will tell if Lacrosse can overcome the hurdles of mass growth at the more elite levels.
http://laxmagazine.prestosports.com/genrel/022210_img_academies_launch_lacrosse_program
Ted Lamade is one of the best writers in the lacrosse world. He hit the nail on the head again with this conversation about profitability.
http://www.lacrosseplayground.com/post/the-next-step-can-mens-lacrosse-join-the-revenue-generating-fraternity/5720/comment-page-1#comment-3442
Check out this interview with Kevin Plank, Founder and CEO of Under Armour. Under Armour has played a special role in the lacrosse community since the company’s beginnings. If you can instill this type of attitude into your players you have achieved more than most coaches could ever imagine.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?id=4846753&sportCat=ncf
Ok, you are having trouble keeping you young guys excited about stick skills. It makes sense. Stick skills are the part of lacrosse that young players really have to work at.
I like to add competitive energy into the mix. Turn you old stick drills into races. Start by having young guys line up face to face with each other and have them do the shuttle run with a stick and ball in their hand, adding in ground balls or passes as players skills improve. (For those that don’t know what that is, its when you place 3 cones in a line 10-15 yards apart from each other. Start the players at the center cone and have them sprint to one end, plant and run to the opposite end, plant and finish back in the middle.) Another great drill is head-to-head suicides (sorry for lack of a better term). I usually do this when I am teaching a new dodge. Have players sprint 5 yards, plant and back peddle to starting line, plant and sprint to an end line 20-30 yards away having them do a dodge at the 5-yard line. For less experienced players simply have them pick up a ground ball at the 5-yard line.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment with your best drills for young players.
Its mid January and your probably asking yourself, “What should my lacrosse player be doing to prepare for the season?” That’s a difficult question to answer. There are many options and even more motivations. Should my child be playing for a “select” club team? Should my child attend all of my local high school coach’s skill sessions? Will my child miss out on an opportunity during the season because he did not attend the proper off-season events?
Three distinctly different options are often available to off-season lacrosse players.
Club Teams: Club Teams that play in off-season tournaments and or summer, fall, and winter leagues are often selected by local youth or high-school coaches and can be a good opportunity for your player to get exposed to a higher level of talent and competition. Too often though, parents feel pressured to have their child play in order to get opportunities during the regular season or with a future high school coach. These teams can also be very time consuming and make it difficult for players to be involved in other sports (which is extremely important for the development of a player especially at the youth level.) Club Teams are best suited for advanced players that are willing to make a substantial time commitment in the off-season. Beginner to mid-level players may get frustrated in this type of environment and should not feel pressured by parents or coaches to participate. If your player is interested in joining a club team be sure that you choose a club that has players of the same caliber and that will focus on player development.
Level: Advanced
Time Commitment: Substantial
Focus: Team Concepts
Cost: $$$$
Example: Crabs Lacrosse (www.baltimorelacrosseclub.net)
Skill Sessions: Often held weekly, bi-monthly or can be a 1 or 2-day clinic. Skill Sessions are typically run by Club Teams or local college / post collegiate players. These sessions are valuable to players of every level as they are often organized according to ability. The off-season is the optimal time of year to make great strides in skill development. The Bayhawk’s youth skill sessions offered through www.Hoganlax.com are a good example. Hogan Lax provides top quality coaching and has recently added new high-speed video technology to break down the players’ movements for critique.
Level: Beginner-Experienced-Advanced
Time Commitment: Minimal
Focus: Individual Player Development
Cost: $$
Example: Bayhawk’s Skill Sessions www.hoganlax.com
Speed, Agility, and strength training: This type of training can be a huge advantage for players of all ages and ability. Sessions are often held 2-3 times a week in workout facilities or gymnasiums. Ideally you will find a facility that incorporates strength training, speed, agility, conditioning and skill development into one program. Athletic Republic in Annapolis Maryland has built a team of highly experienced trainers and coaches providing quality strength and conditioning work as well as skill development. This is a great program for a younger less experienced player.
For the more advanced players, The Lacrosse Institute has developed a lacrosse specific training protocol that aims to advance all aspects of a players ability through strength training, speed, agility and conditioning as well as nutritional guidance, and player skill development. Greg and Brian Vetter have a training protocol that is customized for each player. This type of training can take an above average player and give him the tools to become an elite player; it comes at a price. This type of individualized training is the most expensive and requires the largest time commitment.
Level: Beginner-Experienced-Advanced
Time Commitment: Substantial
Focus: Individual Player Development
Cost: $$$
Example: The Lacrosse Institute (www.thelacrosseinstitute.com ), Athletic Republic Annapolis ( www.athelticrepublicannapolis.com)
Your options are diverse and the benefits can be substantial. Decisions should be based 100% upon the skill level, interest, and time commitment of your player. Youth and high-school players should not feel pressured by coaches to attend any specific off-season workout. Getting into the wrong off-season program may not only be a waste of money and time but it may eventually turn your player off to the sport of lacrosse. Your goal should be to create an atmosphere where your players are challenged to progress yet are provided opportunities for learning and advancing that are fun and motivating.
Spend some time researching your local programs. Ask other parents and players what they think.
-laxcoachusa
The game of lacrosse is one of the fastest growing youth sports in the world. One of the challenges in keeping up with this growth is having quality coaches to teach the proper skills and concepts of the game.
Lacrosse Coach USA.com is building the most comprehensive set of resources ever compiled for teachers of the game. We will continually update text, audio, video, and diagrams demonstrating and discussing individual skills, team concepts and the most valuable drills to teach youth players.
Lacrosse Coach USA.com is designed for the novice parent who wants to get more involved with their son or daughter and for the experienced coach who wants to take their team to the next level.