Coaching Lacrosse For Dummies E-Book

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 587

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

Thinking about volunteering as a lacrosse coach? Even if you've never done it before, you can lead your team to a safe and exciting season. Coaching Lacrosse For Dummies shows you the fun and easy way to get the score on coaching youth lacrosse with loads of tips and plenty of offensive and defensive drills. This friendly guide helps you grasp the basics and take charge on the field. You'll get lots of expert advice on teaching essential skills to different age groups, determining positions for each player, promoting teamwork, keeping kids healthy and injury-free, helping struggling players improve their skills and encouraging your best players to make the most of their talents, and leading your team effectively during a game. Discover how to: * Recognize your behind-the-scenes responsibilities * Get a handle on rules and terms * Plan and execute practices * Teach basic lacrosse skills * Identify players' strengths and weaknesses * Juggle the dual roles of coach and parent * Develop a lacrosse coaching philosophy * Motivate all of your players * Make practice and skill-building fun * Understand the league your coaching * Make sure your team has all the right equipment * Take different approaches to coaching girls and boys * Assign players to positions * Motivate players on game day It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Make yourself the perfect somebody with a little help from Coaching Lacrosse For Dummies.

Leseprobe

Coaching Lacrosse For Dummies®

by National Alliance For Youth Sports with Greg Bach

Coaching Lacrosse For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2007943298

ISBN: 978-0-470-22699-5

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the Authors

The National Alliance For Youth Sports has been America’s leading advocate for positive and safe sports for children for more than 25 years. It serves volunteer coaches, parents with children involved in organized sports, game officials, youth sports administrators, league directors, and the youngsters who participate in organized sports. The Alliance’s programs are utilized in more than 3,000 communities nationwide by parks and recreation departments, Boys & Girls Clubs, Police Athletic Leagues, YMCAs/YWCAs, and various independent youth service groups, as well as on military installations worldwide. For more information on the Alliance’s programs, which are listed below, visit www.nays.org.

National Youth Sports Coaches Association — More than two million volunteer coaches have been trained through NYSCA, which provides training, support, and continuing education.

Parents Association for Youth Sports — Parents gain a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in youth sports through this sportsmanship training program, which is utilized in more than 500 communities nationwide.

Academy for Youth Sports Administrators — More than 1,500 administrators worldwide have gone through the Academy, which is a 20-hour certification program that raises the professionalism of those delivering youth sport services. A professional faculty presents the information, and participants earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

National Youth Sports Administrators Association — The program provides training, information, and resources for volunteer administrators responsible for the planning and implementation of out-of-school sports programs.

National Youth Sports Officials Association — Officials who go through this certification program gain valuable knowledge on skills, fundamentals, and the characteristics that every good official must possess.

Start Smart Sports Development Program — This proven instructional program prepares children for the world of organized sports without the threat of competition or the fear of getting hurt through an innovative approach that promotes parent-child bonding.

Hook A Kid On Golf — Thousands of children of all ages and skill levels tee it up every year in the nation’s most comprehensive junior golf development program, which features an array of instructional clinics and tournaments to choose from.

Game On! Youth Sports — This worldwide effort introduces children to actual game experience by giving them the freedom to create and play on their own.

Greg Bach is the communications director for the National Alliance For Youth Sports (NAYS), a position he has held since 1993. Before joining NAYS, he worked as the sports editor of the Huron Daily Tribune in Bad Axe, Michigan, where he captured numerous writing awards from the Associated Press, Michigan Press Association, and the Hearst Corporation. He has a journalism degree from Michigan State University, which he earned in 1989, and is a devoted follower of his beloved Spartans in all sports. He’s also the author of Coaching Soccer For Dummies,Coaching Football For Dummies,Coaching Basketball For Dummies, and Coaching Baseball For Dummies.

Dedication

This one’s for Jeff and Jodie. Even though they cheer for the wrong team they’re still the best brother and sister-in-law around. — Greg Bach

This book is dedicated to all the volunteer lacrosse coaches who give up countless hours of their free time to work with children and ensure that they have positive, safe, and rewarding experiences. We applaud their efforts and commend them for making a difference in the lives of youngsters everywhere. — National Alliance For Youth Sports

Authors’ Acknowledgments

A successful youth lacrosse program doesn’t just happen. It takes a lot of work and a real commitment from not only dedicated volunteer coaches, but also parents who understand their roles and responsibilities, and league directors and administrators who ensure that every child who steps on the field in their community has a safe, fun, and rewarding experience. Lacrosse plays an important role in the lives of many children. It provides an opportunity to learn the skills of the game and the chance to develop emotionally and physically as individuals. The National Alliance For Youth Sports extends a heartfelt thank you to everyone who makes a positive difference through lacrosse in the life of a child.

First, a big thank you to Stacy Kennedy, whose efforts behind the scenes in working with the National Alliance For Youth Sports has resulted in this, the fifth book in a series for youth coaches; Kathy Simpson and Tracy Brown Collins made a huge difference in the quality of every page of this book; and the wonderful illustrations put together by Joni Burns, Shane Johnson, Shelley Norris, and Rashell Smith to supplement many of the techniques and drills covered; and John Clarke, who was a terrific asset with all of his in-depth knowledge about every aspect of the sport.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editors: Kathy Simpson and Tracy Brown Collins

Acquisitions Editor: Stacy Kennedy

Copy Editor: Kathy Simpson

Technical Editor: John Clarke

Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker

Editorial Supervisor and Reprint Editor: Carmen Krikorian

Editorial Assistants: David Lutton and Leeann Harney

Cover Photos: Ed Bock/CORBIS

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Katie Key

Layout and Graphics: Reuben W. Davis, Melissa K. Jester, Shane Johnson, Stephanie D. Jumper, Ronald Terry, Christine Williams

Proofreaders: Caitie Kelly,Toni Settle

Indexer: Broccoli Information Management

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies

Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

Kathleen Nebenhaus, Vice President and Executive Publisher, Consumer Dummies, Lifestyles, Pets, Education Publishing for Technology Dummies

Composition Services

Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Contents

Title

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

What You’re Not to Read

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: : Gearing Up to Coach Lacrosse

Chapter 1: Teaching Lacrosse to Children

Recognizing Your Behind-the- Scenes Responsibilities

Stepping onto the Field

Juggling the Dual Roles of Coach and Parent

Preparing for All Kinds of Obstacles

Chapter 2: Setting the Stage for a Successful Season

Developing a Lacrosse Coaching Philosophy

Understanding the League You’re Coaching In

Getting on Schedule

Getting in Gear: Lacrosse Equipment

Chapter 3: Covering Basic Lacrosse Rules

Playing the Field

Knowing the Rules of the Game

Speaking Lacrosse Lingo

Taking Up Positions

Chapter 4: Parental Guidance: Meeting Your Players’ Parents

Planning the Preseason Parents’ Meeting

Explaining Your Coaching Philosophy

Managing Paperwork Parents Need to Fill Out

Recruiting Parents to Help on the Sidelines

Meeting Players’ Special Needs

Concluding Your Meeting with Q & A

Part II: : Fielding a Lacrosse Team

Chapter 5: Managing Your Team

Teaching Basic Lacrosse Skills

Sizing Up the Players

Choosing a Starting Lineup

Working with All Kinds of Kids

Chapter 6: Conducting Fun-Filled Practices

Beginning the Season: First Practice

Creating Fun Practices for the Whole Season

Getting the Most out of Practice Time

Wrapping Up on a Positive Note

Chapter 7: Getting with the Drills

Warming Up Right

Going on the Offensive

Drilling on Defense

Putting It All Together: Sample Practice Plans

Chapter 8: Making Game Day Memorable — For the Right Reasons

Taking Care of Pregame Business

Getting Their Game On: The Pregame Team Meeting

Coaching a Great Game

Pumping Them Up: The Halftime Speech

Being a Good Sport

Sending Them Home Happy: The Postgame Talk

Part III: : Basic Training: Teaching Lacrosse Skills

Chapter 9: Scoring with Offensive Fundamentals

Focusing Your Approach for First-Timers

Mastering the Basics

Cradling

Passing

Catching

Shooting

Facing Off

Scooping Up Loose Balls

Helping a Child Who Just Can’t Catch On

Chapter 10: Setting Defensive Fundamentals

Stressing the Importance of Defense

Mastering the Basics of Defense

Teaching Checking Techniques

Training in Goaltending Techniques

Chapter 11: Playing Lacrosse Offense

Revving Up the Offense

Shoring Up Shooting Skills

Focusing on Face-Offs

Chapter 12: Playing Lacrosse Defense

Determining the Defense

Polishing Individual Techniques

Making Saves

Part IV: : Net Gains: Advanced Lacrosse Coaching

Chapter 13: Refining Your Coaching Strategies

Adjusting to Changing Team Dynamics

Conducting the Midseason Review

Keeping Parents in the Game

Chapter 14: Taking Your Drills to the Next Level

Upgrading the Offense

Dialing Up the Defense

Putting It All Together: Sample Practice Sessions

Chapter 15: Stepping Up the Offense

Changing Offensive Approaches

Generating Scoring Opportunities

Chapter 16: Tightening the Defense

Playing Strong Defense under Attack

Guarding the Goal

Part V: : The Extra Points

Chapter 17: Staying Healthy and Injury Free

Promoting a Healthy Diet

Drinking Up: Keeping Players Hydrated

An Ounce of Prevention: Conditioning Your Team

A Pound of Cure: Recognizing and Treating Injuries

Tending to Common Lacrosse Injuries

Chapter 18: Challenges Every Lacrosse Coach Will Face

Dealing with Problem Parents

Handling Problem Coaches

Dealing with Discipline Problems on Your Own Team

Chapter 19: Coaching a Lacrosse Travel Team

Getting Familiar with Travel Teams

Assembling Your Travel Team

Handling Problems away from Home

Enjoying the Season

Part VI: : The Part of Tens

Chapter 20: Ten Qualities All Good Lacrosse Players Possess

Fanatical About the Fundamentals

Loves the Game

Devoted to Defense

Cares Deeply About the Team

Master Motivator

Fantastic with Footwork

A Good Sport

A Good Listener

Understands the Rules

Leads by Example

Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Prepare Players for a Lacrosse Game

Scout the Opposition

Visualize Success

Accentuate the Positive at Practice

Express Your Enthusiasm

Accept Mistakes

Sidestep the Pressure Phrases

Share Your Own Experiences

Focus on the Fun Factor

Minimize Instructions

Take a Few Deep Breaths

Chapter 22: Twelve Tips to Help Goaltenders Excel in the Nets

Moving Past Mistakes

Exercising the Vocal Cords

Staying Alert

Talking to Yourself

Taking Some Deep Breaths

Building Reflexes

Visualizing Positive Play

Maintain Good Conditioning

Focus on Becoming a Well-Rounded Player

Being Observant Before the Game

Molding Well-Rounded Players

Divulging Tendencies

Introduction

Welcome to Coaching Lacrosse For Dummies, a book dedicated to helping all the wonderful volunteer coaches who sign up to introduce kids to this magnificent sport. Lacrosse is the ultimate team game — 10 players working as one in boys’ lacrosse, and 12 players attacking and defending as a unit in girls’ lacrosse. The action-packed nature of the game attracts children of all ages and abilities who want to take shots, deliver passes, and defend opponents. Lacrosse features a unique blend of skills and has mass appeal because anyone — regardless of size, speed, or strength — can find a position on the field to excel in.

This book is packed with valuable information on all aspects of the game and is a useful guide in your quest to ensure that the youngsters on your team have a fun, safe, and rewarding experience. You and your kids will remember this season for years to come!

About This Book

We wrote this book to assist first-time volunteer youth lacrosse coaches who are looking for some guidance before they take the field, as well as for more-experienced coaches who want additional insight into different aspects of the game, such as upgrading offensive attacks or defensive strategies.

If you’re new to coaching youth lacrosse or just learning about the game in general, you probably feel a bit apprehensive about your ability to teach the many components of this complex game. Don’t worry; this feeling is natural. The book you’re holding provides the essential information you need to do a great job and be a success with your players. Each chapter is packed with information you can use to make a difference in your players’ development — from attacking on offense to denying scoring opportunities on defense to just having fun. The more chapters you read, the more knowledgeable and confident you’ll become, which will help you have a bigger impact on your team.

For those of you who have already been through a season or two, and who understand practice planning and basic game-day responsibilities, we provide plenty of in-depth advice to help you guide your team to the next level (and beyond). In addition to all the basics, we cover drills you can use to raise players’ skills operating with the player advantage, winning face-off battles, and dealing with picks. We also discuss advanced strategies you can employ.

Conventions Used in This Book

To help guide you through this book, we use the following conventions:

Italic text for emphasis and to highlight new words or phrases that we define in the text

Boldface text to indicate key words in bulleted lists and the action parts of numbered steps

Sidebars — the shaded gray boxes that you see in some of the chapters — to present information that’s interesting but not critical to your understanding of the chapter or topic

Mixed genders — he and she — are interchanged throughout this book in discussing everything from techniques to drills, because the bulk of the material works for coaches of both boys’ and girls’ lacrosse. Also, when you encounter we, that word refers to the National Alliance For Youth Sports, which is America’s leading advocate for positive and safe sports for kids.

What You’re Not to Read

If you ask us, every single page of this book is filled with valuable information that you don’t want to miss. But we have to share a little secret with you: You really don’t have to read every single word. Take the sidebars you come across from time to time: These boxes feature interesting information that you can skip if you are pressed for time or have a lacrosse practice to get to.

Foolish Assumptions

Following are some things that we assume about you, our reader:

You know that players in lacrosse use sticks that have pockets and netting on the end to hold the ball, and that these sticks are used to carry the ball, pass it to teammates, or take shots in an attempt to score goals against the opponent.

You’re a first-time lacrosse coach or someone who is fairly new to the sport, and you’re looking for information on how to manage a youth team.

You have a son or daughter who wants to play lacrosse this season, but you’re not sure how to go about teaching him or her the game.

You aren’t interested in coaching lacrosse in the high-school or collegiate ranks any time soon.

You want to know how to interact with the kids and their parents, what to do at the first practice of the season, and how to figure out who plays where.

If any of these descriptions hits the mark, you’ve come to the right place.

How This Book Is Organized

This book is divided into parts, and each part pertains to a specific aspect of coaching a youth lacrosse team. The following sections give you a quick rundown.

Part I: Gearing Up to Coach Lacrosse

The preparations you make before you ever get near the lacrosse field make a big difference on what happens when you’re on it with your team. This part presents everything you need to know to get the season off to a fun-filled start and keep the smiles going all season long. You discover how to create a coaching philosophy that ties into the kids’ needs and how to run a successful preseason parents’ meeting. You also discover all the key rules and terms that you and your players need to know so that everyone has a well-rounded understanding of lacrosse.

Part II: Fielding a Lacrosse Team

Coaching a youth lacrosse team is richly rewarding for many reasons: interacting with your players at practice, helping them develop an array of offensive and defensive skills, and seeing the excitement in their eyes as they take the field on game day, among others. But before you take the field to run those practices and coach those games, you need to answer some questions, such as the following:

How do I determine who plays where?

How do I plan fun, safe practices that match my players’ skill levels?

How can I help all the kids — from the uncoordinated to the supertalented — learn and develop skills?

What do I say to my players before a game to get them ready?

What is the best approach for motivating kids during games, especially when they are really struggling?

How can I be sure I’m getting the most out of my time with the players at practice?

What can I do to teach my players how to be good sports at all times, whether they’ve won or lost the game?

You find the answers to these questions — and many others that are sure to be swirling around in your head — in Part II.

Part III: Basic Training: Teaching Lacrosse Skills

Showing kids how to cradle, pass, catch, shoot, and defend — the basic elements of lacrosse — is a huge slice of the coaching pie. This part presents these important fundamental skills. The better your players can perform these skills, the more satisfying their playing experience will be. We cover all the basics you need to know when your team is on the attack, as well as the skills that come in handy when your team doesn’t have the ball and is trying to prevent the opposition from scoring.

Part IV: Net Gains: Advanced Lacrosse Coaching

As your players get a firmer grasp on the basics of the game, you have to make adjustments in your coaching to keep pace. This section has you covered, beginning with evaluating your players’ development, setting goals, and exploring different ways to help your players reach those goals. We also introduce a wide array of drills that you can slip into your practices to help players continue progressing in the sport, and we offer some advanced strategies for excelling both offensively and defensively.

Part V: The Extra Points

We hope that you won’t have to spend any time this season dealing with injuries or discipline problems with your players — or their parents — but if any issues arise, this part offers some valuable input for handling them. We address how to help keep your players healthy and reduce the chances of injuries; we also include some tips on pregame and postgame nutrition that you can share with your team. If you encounter any problems with parents, coaches, or your own players, we’ve got you covered on the best ways to deal with them, and if you have any aspirations to coach a travel lacrosse team, you get the scoop on how to make the transition to this more-advanced level of play.

Part VI: The Part of Tens

A fixture of all For Dummies books is the Part of Tens. Here, we present ten qualities of all good lacrosse players, ten ways to prepare your team for a game, and ten tips to help your goaltenders excel.

Icons Used in This Book

This icon signals valuable tips that can save you time, alleviate frustration, and enhance your coaching skills. If time permits you only to scan a chapter, you should take a moment to read these tips when you come across them. You — and your players — will be glad you did.

Coaching a youth lacrosse team requires a large time commitment on your part, and having the most important facts and reminders in easy-to-find places is helpful. This icon alerts you to key information that’s worth revisiting after you close this book and take the field with your team.

Pay close attention any time you come across this icon, which puts the spotlight on dangerous or risky situations that you must be aware of to help protect your players.

This icon alerts you to key information related specifically to coaching a boys’ lacrosse team.

If you’re coaching a girls’ lacrosse team, pay close attention any time you encounter this icon, because the information will be of particular relevance to your team.

Where to Go from Here

This book has many great aspects — if we do say so ourselves! — and one of the best is that you can jump to any chapter to gain the specific insight you’re looking for. You aren’t bound by a cover-to-cover rule here. Each chapter is divided into easy-to-navigate sections, and each section contains all the information you need to know about a specific topic in coaching lacrosse.

If you are overseeing a youth lacrosse team for the first time, you probably have a lengthy list of questions about topics ranging from running practices to how to be an effective coach on game day. If you’re new to the sport, your best bet may be to settle in with the chapters in Part I and build from there. If you’ve already met your players, and you want to find out how to evaluate them and hold fun, action-packed practices, Part II is what you need. If you want specific drills for your practices, Chapters 7 and 14 meet your needs.

Before you proceed any further, note that you can find answers to your most pressing questions quickly by checking out the table of contents or index — tools that point you in the direction you want to go.

Whatever approach you take, sit back, relax, and soak up the information that will help you coach your team through a safe, enjoyable, and rewarding lacrosse season.

Part I

Gearing Up to Coach Lacrosse

In this part . . .

Getting your season headed in the right direction really begins with the preparation you put in before conducting that first practice of the season. Defining your coaching philosophy, understanding the rules of the game and any modifications your league has made, and running a productive preseason parents’ meeting all affect how enjoyable the season is for everyone involved. You can find all that information — and a lot more — right here.

Chapter 1

Teaching Lacrosse to Children

In This Chapter

Preparing to coach lacrosse

Taking the field with your team

Coaching your own child

Dealing with problems

Congratulations on stepping forward to coach a youth lacrosse team this season! Few endeavors are more rewarding than working with children and helping them develop skills, as well as grow as individuals. If you happen to be picking up this book because you haven’t decided yet whether you want the job, we hope that the information we present here convinces you that coaching can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life — as long as you do it for the right reasons. Heading into the season, your goals should center on fun, skill development, and safety.

A volunteer lacrosse coach assumes a very important role. The way you approach the season, interact with the kids, and get along with their parents goes a long way toward determining whether your players embrace the sport and play it for years to come or put away their sticks for good.

To get your season headed in the right direction and finish it strong, you simply need some quality information, which begins here and runs throughout the book. In the following pages, you find everything you need to propel your players through a safe, fun-filled season that they’ll remember fondly for years to come.

Recognizing Your Behind-the-Scenes Responsibilities

Before you go on a job interview, you research the company to find out everything you can to help you land the position. The same approach applies to coaching lacrosse. Before your players strap on their helmets and take the field, you have to fulfill lots of behind-the-scenes responsibilities to get the season off to a smooth start. So whatever your reasons for volunteering — simply because your daughter is on the team, or because you love lacrosse and want to share your knowledge and enthusiasm with others — be aware that you’ve accepted an enormous responsibility that you should never take lightly.

Working with your players’ parents

One of the most interesting aspects of coaching youth lacrosse — and also one of the most challenging — is working with the players’ parents. Most of the parents you’ll come into contact with are wonderful, supportive, caring people who naturally want the best for their kids; they may even turn out to be great assets to you as assistant coaches. (Check out Chapter 4 for details on choosing assistants.)

But any time you’re dealing with a group of adults in an organized sports setting, of course, some of them can end up being sources of season-long aggravation. If you’re not prepared to handle situations involving parents quickly and efficiently, some parents can become distractions and can detract from the kids’ enjoyment. They can also have you reaching for the aspirin bottle.

Teaming up with parents

Just as you can dodge an opponent on the lacrosse field, you can sidestep many potential parent problems by gathering all the parents together before you begin working with their kids, laying the ground rules on what you expect in terms of behavior during games, and outlining parental roles and responsibilities. Turn to Chapter 4 for details on how to conduct one of these parent meetings.

Throughout the season, you’ll be stressing to your players the importance of teamwork. You really won’t do anything different when it comes to the parents. When coaches and parents find ways to work together — the adult form of teamwork — they create a special atmosphere that produces tremendous benefits for everyone, especially the youngsters. Conversely, when coaches and parents clash on everything from playing-time issues to the positioning of players to game-day strategy, they spoil the lacrosse experience for everyone involved. These types of disagreements smother the kids’ fun, turning practices and games into activities that they dread instead of look forward to.

Parents play important roles in youth lacrosse programs. Working with them, rather than against them, can have a positive impact on the season.

Keeping parents involved

Keep the following in mind to make your dealings with parents go smoothly:

Take a proactive approach. Before that first face-off drill in practice, let parents know what your expectations are — not just for their kids, but for them as well. Explain your coaching methods to them. Detail what you want both players and parents to take away from their experience. Painting a clear picture leaves little room for those dreaded misunderstandings that often develop into major problems.

This season may be some parents’ first experience having a child in an organized sports program, so any information you can share to help them navigate this unfamiliar territory will be greatly appreciated.

Telling parents firsthand that you’re committed to skill development over winning and that you adhere to the league’s equal-playing-time rule helps reduce the chance that a parent will confront you in the middle of the season about how many minutes Junior is receiving on the field on game day. Failing to clarify these issues for parents well in advance opens the door to more problems than you can ever imagine — and you’ll get them, too. Chapter 2 helps you develop that all-important coaching philosophy and understand all your league’s policies and rules so that you can communicate this information clearly to parents.

Find different ways to include them. Parents invest a lot of time in the season by driving their kids to practices and games; they also fork over a lot of money to purchase equipment, uniforms, and even occasional postgame treats for the team. The season will be much more enjoyable for them and their youngsters — and you’ll be making a wonderful gesture — if you find ways to include them in the team’s season-long journey. Get parents involved at practices, for example, and recruit the right ones to assist on game day. Chapter 4 gives you a variety of tips on boosting parental involvement.

Keep communication lines open. Conducting a preseason parents’ meeting (covered in Chapter 4) is the first step toward establishing a strong foundation with your players’ parents, but you’ve got to keep communication lines open all season long. Be sure to find time at different junctures during the season to talk to the parents about their children’s progress. Parents enjoy hearing about those areas of the game in which their child is really excelling. Also, any time a child encounters some difficulty in picking up a skill you are teaching in practice, suggest something the parents can do to help their child at home — but only if the youngster is interested. You never want to force a player to practice more at home if he or she isn’t enthusiastic about it.

You can check in with parents from time to time by having a quick casual chat before or after practice, just to make sure that everything is going well and that their child is having fun playing for you. Including parents in all facets of the season is the right thing to do, the smart thing to do, and one of the most effective ways to ensure that children have a positive experience playing lacrosse.

Regardless of what you do to include parents and make them feel that they’re valuable parts of the season, a problem may still arise. No matter what the nature of the issue is, you must remain grounded, calm, and in control of your emotions. In Chapter 18, we cover some of the most common problems that lacrosse coaches are forced to address and offer the best approaches for solving them before they have a chance to affect the season.

Getting a handle on rules and terms

It’s no secret that teaching your players offensive and defensive skills is one of your biggest responsibilities as a lacrosse coach, but it’s certainly not your only one. You also must go over other aspects of the game that will impact the kids’ enjoyment level. The more you know and understand about the game — rules, terms, and (at the advanced levels) strategy — and the better you can explain them to your team, the more enjoyable the experience will be for them and for you. The process isn’t as complicated as it may seem, but you need to put in some time and effort to learn the rules, including some of the stranger ones that you may not be familiar with — such as the proper way to execute a check (in some boys’ leagues) without being whistled for a penalty or how many players you are allowed to have across the midfield line when your team has the ball and is on the attack.

In Chapter 3, we open the rule book and describe everything from terminology to penalties. Throughout Parts II, III, and IV, we also focus on providing you a detailed rundown of the skills, techniques, and strategies that you need to pass on to your players. We’ve got you covered if you need a refresher on some of the fundamental skills to teach a beginning team, and we provide more-detailed information if you’re coaching an older squad that has been attacking and defending for several seasons.

Often, leagues modify rules to fit players’ ages and experience levels, and you need to be aware of all these changes so that you can alert your players. Everything from the size of the field to what types of rules are enforced changes from community to community. Knowing these rules — and being able to share them — makes a tremendous difference in your players’ enjoyment of playing lacrosse.

Stepping onto the Field

Seeing kids running up and down the field with smiles on their faces, watching them learn new skills and improve on others, and observing them as they develop a love of lacrosse make all those hours you volunteer worthwhile. During your time with the kids, both in practices and on game day, what you say to them and how you go about saying it have a significant impact on their experience. Based on your interactions with your players, you wield the power to fuel their passion for playing the game or drive them away in disappointment.

Planning and executing practices

Game day is what young lacrosse players look forward to most, but the bulk of their skill development takes place during practices, so you need to design quality practices and use drills that meet all the kids’ needs and allow them to see improvement in their play. Well-planned practices pay big dividends in fun and player development, whereas those that are simply thrown together in a couple of minutes squash the team’s potential.

To make each practice productive, keep the following tips in mind:

Use your position to shape lives. Be aware that your impact on your players’ lives can extend far beyond showing them how to execute various offensive and defensive skills. Your position allows you to make a significant difference in many other areas, and you should take full advantage of the opportunity. During practices, devote time to discussing the importance of staying away from tobacco, alcohol, and drugs and the ways they can harm the body. Stress the importance of players’ doing their best in school so that they can lead productive lives as adults. Talk about getting exercise and eating healthy food to help prevent future health issues, too.

While the kids are stretching is a great time to talk about topics besides lacrosse that can have a significant impact on their lives.

Make the setting fun. The most effective practices are conducted in an enjoyable atmosphere in which fun is emphasized and mistakes (such as dropping a pass) aren’t viewed as catastrophic. Let the kids know at the first practice of the season that mistakes are part of playing lacrosse and that everyone will make them during the season. Be sure to get across to them that all you ask is that they listen to your instructions and give their all during practices and games. Kids who know that they can make mistakes without being humiliated or yanked out of the game will be much more relaxed on the field and will have much more fun. A relaxed atmosphere also helps the kids pick up skills faster and learn more aspects of the game.

Be creative. When you’re putting together drills, look for clever ways to enhance the fun. Visualize going through the drill, and ask yourself what would make it more interesting. Challenge yourself to run practices that the kids can’t wait to get to. You want your players to have so much fun at practice that they hate it when the session comes to a close.

When you’re putting together your practice plan, go with those drills that keep the kids on the move and that match their skill level. Drills that force kids to stand in line or spend more time watching than participating kill energy levels, as well as sabotage learning, development, and that all-important fun factor. We provide an array of drills that cover all areas of the game — and that are designed for all skill levels — in Chapters 7 and 14.

Handling game-day duties

Coaching a youth lacrosse team on game day is all about being prepared, adapting to ever-changing situations, and providing a constant source of positive motivation. You have to make a wide range of decisions, often with little time to think about them and while juggling other issues. You have pregame, halftime, and postgame talks to deliver; playing time to monitor; substitutions to make; and strategies to employ. Yes, game day brings a lengthy list of responsibilities, but you don’t need to lose any sleep over it. In Chapter 8, you find all you need to help your game day go smoothly so that you won’t spend your nights tossing and turning.

Game day provides more than just an opportunity for your players to use the skills they’ve been working on in practice. It also allows you to get across some other important points, such as working as a team, displaying good sportsmanship toward opponents and officials, abiding by the rules, doing your best at all times — and having fun regardless of the numbers on the scoreboard.

Juggling the Dual Roles of Coach and Parent

If you’re a parent, you certainly don’t need us to tell you that you already have one of the most challenging jobs around. What we can share with you, though, is that handling the dual role of parenting and coaching your child in lacrosse can present unique challenges, some of which you may not expect. When you and your child step onto the field, new issues can materialize; preparing yourself to handle them can help pave the way to an enormously rewarding and memorable season for both of you.

If you and your child agree that it’s a good move for you to coach the team, rely on the following tips to help ensure that the experience is problem free:

Put parenting first. Regardless of what happens on the field during a practice or game, you’re a parent first and foremost. If the team performed poorly, don’t monopolize your child’s time at home by dissecting everything that unfolded. Leave the coaching at the field; focus on being a supportive, caring parent.

Maintain open communication. Your child must understand that he can come to you with a problem at any time, just as you want any of the other players to do if something is on their minds. Just because you’re the coach doesn’t mean that certain topics are off limits.

Ditch the extra repetitions. Sometimes, your child may have difficulty grasping a particular skill during practice or may struggle during a game. The natural tendency is to work with her at home, giving her some extra repetitions. This territory is dangerous, however, so proceed cautiously. Refrain from pushing the child to practice more. It’s OK to ask casually whether she’d like to spend a little extra time working on a certain skill at home. If so, great; if not, let the situation go. Pushing your child to perform extra repetitions can drain her interest in the sport and make her feel inferior to some of her teammates.

Chuck the comparisons. Never burden a child with expectations that he should perform as well as his brothers or sisters who are involved in lacrosse or who played it in the past. Let your child develop at his own rate. Comparing kids can result in problems that are difficult to repair, such as crushed confidence, low self esteem, and lack of interest in future participation.

Pile on the praise. Kids can have a tough time when their parent is a coach, because they have to adjust to sharing Mom or Dad with a group of other children, so be sure to praise your child’s willingness, understanding, and cooperation in this special venture. Coaching your child can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have, but it isn’t always easy.

Find the proper balance. Make sure that your behavior falls between providing preferential treatment and overcompensating to avert the perception that you’re giving your child special treatment. You want to be careful that you don’t give your child extra playing time and attention without even being aware of it. But you also want to exercise great caution that you don’t go to unfair lengths to reduce your child’s playing time or give her less attention or instruction during practices because you don’t want other parents to think that you’re favoring your child.

As a parent, you naturally want your child to excel on the lacrosse field. Just don’t allow yourself to view your coaching position as an opportunity to control your child’s destiny and help secure a college scholarship for him. Entering the season with those types of thoughts will likely lead you to put unwanted pressure on the child and push him harder than you do the other kids. If you lose sight of what youth lacrosse is all about, you may create problems that affect not just his interest in lacrosse, but also his emotional well being.

Preparing for All Kinds of Obstacles

Being a youth lacrosse coach requires more than just the ability to teach passing techniques and the proper way to scoop up a loose ball. It also takes being prepared and knowing how to handle the many unique challenges that have the potential to appear throughout the season. Following are two of your greatest coaching challenges:

Meeting the needs of all the players. Working with all the different types of kids you’ll find on your roster — ranging from the shy and clumsy to the nonstop talkers and the athletically gifted — will keep you on your toes. Sure, the smorgasbord of personalities will test your patience, communication skills, and ability to meet each player’s constantly changing needs, but you’re up to the task. To help you along, Chapter 13 offers some great advice on refining your coaching strategies as the season unfolds to ensure that each youngster gets the most out of her experience under your guidance.

Maintaining a safe environment. One of your top priorities is keeping the kids as safe as possible every time they take the field for practices and games. Although protecting the players completely and eliminating all types of injuries is impossible, you can take steps that significantly reduce the risk of injuries, as well as their severity. You can accomplish this goal by teaching only proper and safe techniques, being prepared for emergency situations, and knowing how to handle any emergencies that do take place. Chapter 17 provides tips and advice for keeping kids safe.

Any time you take the field for a practice or game, be sure to have a properly stocked first-aid kit on hand. In Chapter 17, we cover what your kit should include.

Chapter 2

Setting the Stage for a Successful Season

In This Chapter

Putting together your coaching philosophy

Knowing your league inside and out

Mapping out practices

Equipping the kids

Coaching a squad of young lacrosse players involves more than showing up with a whistle, a list of drills, and a bag of balls. If you want to be one of those coaches whom kids can’t wait to get to the field to play for and learn from — and we know you do! — you have to do a lot of preparation before greeting them at that first practice of the season. You have to examine why you volunteered in the first place, determine your take on distributing playing time, figure out what methods you’ll use to motivate players, and decide on your plans to create a relaxed atmosphere that promotes learning and skill development.

The league you’re coaching in also dictates a portion of your philosophy, so finding out as much as you can about the league’s policies before you step on the field is important. Being involved in a league that promotes values that you want to impart to your team is critical for everyone’s enjoyment.

All these ingredients factor into your coaching philosophy. This chapter grabs onto all those areas to help you mold a philosophy that meets the kids’ needs and sets the tone for a good season.

Developing a Lacrosse Coaching Philosophy

Coaching a lacrosse team requires thorough knowledge of the rules (see Chapter 3), ability to teach the offensive and defensive fundamentals of the game (see Chapters 9 and 10), and a well-crafted philosophy — something that slips under the radar for many coaches preparing for a season. You’re probably wondering what philosophy has to do with attacking and defending. Don’t worry — putting together a philosophy that meets the kids’ needs is not as difficult as it may sound. Heading into the season with a good plan in place is as important to you as properly fitted equipment is to your players.

A coaching philosophy reflects the standards you set for yourself and your team, and it represents the foundation of your coaching values and beliefs. Entering the season without a coaching philosophy is like hiking in the woods without a compass. Sure, you’ll probably manage to get where you want to go, but the experience may not be quite as enjoyable. A well-thought-out coaching philosophy keeps you on the right track as you navigate the season.

In this section, we introduce the various components to consider in developing a philosophy that stresses respect, sportsmanship, skill development, safety, and fun.

Even when you have a well-designed philosophy firmly in place, sticking to it on game days can present all sorts of new challenges. You’ll deal with Cameron’s mom asking why the team isn’t in first place and with Sandy’s dad inquiring why his daughter isn’t playing goalie all game long, because she’s clearly the team’s most skilled player in that position. (Explaining your coaching philosophy to parents before the season gets under way helps you steer clear of many of these potential headaches. See Chapter 4 for details.)

Your coaching philosophy says a lot about you — not just as a coach, but also as a person — so take the time to put some real thought into it. You’ll be glad you did, and your players will be the beneficiaries. Lead your players in the direction you know is right. Strive to instill in them the values that you want your own kids (if you have any) to exhibit throughout their lives. Accomplish this goal, and regardless of how many games you win this season, you and your team will be winners in the truest sense. That’s what coaching youth lacrosse is really all about.

Tailoring your philosophy to age group

The kids you’ll coach will be quite different. Some are great attackers; others excel at defense; and some kids struggle to grasp some of the most basic elements of the game, such as scooping up the ball and running with it. Regardless of the areas of the game that they excel in or struggle with, youngsters possess general characteristics that are influenced by age. Children are continually growing and evolving, and part of your coaching responsibility is to know and understand what to expect — both physically and emotionally — from them at various age levels.

Being fully aware of the general age-related differences we cover in the following sections can enhance your coaching skills and your effectiveness in relating to your team. It can also ensure that you don’t favor the players who are more mature and skilled at the expense of players whose skills are less developed at this point in their young careers.

No matter what the age or skill level of your players, always be supportive and enthusiastic. Pile on the praise, and never stop encouraging them, whether they’re playing in a midweek practice drill or the final minutes of a tied game. This approach builds players’ confidence and self-esteem. Whether they’re 6 or 16, encouragement is a gift that can last for years to come and affect how they approach life away from the lacrosse field.

Ages 6 and younger

Most of the children in this age bracket have probably never played lacrosse before, and this season may very well be their first experience in any type of organized team setting. Your job is simply to introduce them to some of the most basic elements of lacrosse and make the game enjoyable so that they’ll be eager to return next season. (Chapters 9 and 10 cover the fundamentals that you can focus on with this age group.)

Most lacrosse programs at this level rarely bother to keep score of games, because competition usually is the farthest thing from these kids’ minds. The same can’t be said for all parents, some of whom may be a little too concerned about which team is scoring more goals. (For more on dealing with problem parents, check out Chapter 18.) At this level, most kids generally couldn’t care less about how their lacrosse skills stack up to their teammates’. They’re interested primarily in being with friends, having fun learning, and playing the sport.

When meeting with the opposing coach before games, encourage him to provide positive feedback to your players when the action is near him, and let him know that you’ll do the same when the play takes place near you. At this level, you just want kids running around the field, getting a feel for running with the ball and passing and catching it.

Ages 7–9

In this age range, youngsters usually have played a season or two. They may begin expressing interest in learning more about the sport and the skills required to play it. (Head to Chapters 15 and 16 for some advanced techniques you can concentrate on.)

These kids crave feedback from coaches and parents on how they’re performing certain skills and how they’re progressing with new ones. This age is when they start paying closer attention to their teammates’ abilities and comparing their own skills.

Ages 10–12

Most kids in this age bracket have had a few seasons of lacrosse experience. They’re back on the field to play for you because they really enjoy the game or have discovered that they’re pretty good at it. Your job is to keep the positive momentum going by adding to their foundation of skills so that they can become more well-rounded players and see improvement in their skills. Making sure that practices meet your players’ skill level, as well as feature lots of fun, is important. (For more details on crafting quality practices, check out Chapter 6.)

Quite often, sports take on added importance at this juncture in kids’ lives, and some of your players really want to do well. As children reach this age bracket, many of them become more competitive; their performance, as well as their team’s, takes on more importance. They talk with friends and family members about how their team is doing — especially if their team’s win–loss record features more victories than defeats.

Many of these kids begin embracing the challenge of putting their skills against those of others their age. When they’re able to help their team prevail, these players feel immense satisfaction, accompanied by a unique feeling of accomplishment that’s specific to competing on the lacrosse field.

Ages 13–14

You are entering the challenging world of the teenager! These kids have developed many of the basic skills needed to play lacrosse and now want to improve them. (Chapter 14 introduces more advanced drills for older kids and provides an assortment of challenging drills.)

Be aware that children at this age are adjusting to their ever-changing bodies, as well as trying to figure out who they are. One of the best ways to make a difference with them is to get to know them on a personal level. Ask them who their favorite athletes or teams are, for example. This tip is great for building special coach–player bonds with kids of all ages. See “Keeping communication lines open,” later in this chapter.

Ages 15 and older

Securing your players’ respect and maintaining it are important for realizing coaching success and minimizing disciplinary problems. Players in this age range have developed a real passion for the sport. Many of them attend lacrosse camps; perhaps they lift weights and run to stay in top condition. In some cases, they may even know more about some areas of the sport than you do.

If you get talked into coaching players in this age range, or step forward to volunteer because the league is experiencing a shortage of coaches, don’t lose any sleep over the move. Instead, welcome the chance to enhance your coaching abilities, and embrace the opportunity to coach these kids, who have a deep-rooted love for the game. Be sure to let them know that you value their opinions, suggestions, and input regarding the team. Youngsters’ passion for lacrosse is great to see, and coaching kids who care so much about the sport is lots of fun. You’ll find that their enthusiasm helps make your job easier.

Emphasizing teamwork

Playing lacrosse requires the entire team to work as a cohesive unit. If even a couple of players aren’t on board with the team concept (for more on dealing with ball hogs, flip to Chapter 5), the team chemistry can be spoiled, and everyone’s enjoyment of the season will be slightly negated. One of the many unique aspects of lacrosse is that players have opportunities to create plays on their own — such as attackers breaking past a defender and racing downfield. Individual plays are fine, as long as they’re carried out within the framework of the team concept and the player uses the advantage to create a scoring opportunity for the team rather than simply to hold on to the ball.

Uncovering the best methods to instill teamwork among your players is one of the most challenging tasks you may encounter as a coach. Focus on getting your players to see the enormous benefits of working as a team (rather than as a bunch of individuals) through the following pointers, and you’ll mold a team that opponents hate facing because of its team-oriented style of play:

Point out positive team play. During practices, try to recognize team effort more often than you single out individual play. If you’re conducting a three-on-three drill, for example, and the offensive unit scores a goal, you may have a natural tendency to applaud the player who deposited the ball in the net. But as a coach who emphasizes teamwork, you may be able to trace the success of the play back to the person who made a nice pass that gave the goal scorer a great opportunity. Recognize all the components that went into making a play work, and your players who were involved in the process will feel as much pride and satisfaction as the goal scorer does.

When you spread praise among all the kids who played a part in scoring a goal, they begin to understand that every one of them fills a very important role on the team.

Promote peer praise. Sure, kids love hearing your words of praise, but what their teammates say packs just as much punch (and even more at times). Encourage the kids who score goals to acknowledge the teammates who provided them the opportunity to take quality shots. Getting kids into the habit of giving high fives or saying “Great pass” or “Nice play” forges bonds and strengthens team unity — and also makes the kids want to play harder for one another.

Shoot for sideline support. On game days, encourage players who aren’t on the field to stay involved in the action by cheering and supporting their teammates. Hearing teammates’ cheers also provides extra encouragement for the players on the field and can do wonders for a player’s tired legs or sagging confidence.

Give kids chances to make plays on their own. Yes, lacrosse is a team sport, but you shouldn’t stamp out kids’ abilities to create plays on their own to benefit the team. During the game, your attackers should be able to make some one-on-one moves to create space for themselves to take a shot or deliver a pass to an open teammate. Individual play becomes a problem only when that player ignores teammates because he wants to try to do everything himself.

Spread the captain’s role around. Don’t rely on two or three players to serve as team captains throughout the season, because captaincy elevates them above the rest of the squad. Instead, give every player the opportunity to lead warm-ups in practice during the season or on game day. This practice infuses the team with the sense that all players are equal parts of the group.

In most youth lacrosse programs, captains usually aren’t required until around the age of 14 or on travel teams (see Chapter 19), when the competition becomes more intense and the players are more experienced. At younger age levels, captains aren’t necessary during games, but you can use them to your advantage as another way to build kids’ self-esteem and to make them feel valued and appreciated — as long as you make sure you give every child the chance to be a captain at some point during the season.

Recognize hustle plays after the game. The kids who scored the goals during the game don’t need as much additional praise afterward, because their shots generated cheers and applause from the spectators, as well as high fives from their teammates. Use your time following the game to congratulate the player who delivered the cross-field pass that caught the defense off guard and led to the scoring opportunity, or the player who didn’t register a goal but hustled all game long and chased down several ground balls that gave your team a few extra offensive possessions. Recognizing these plays and the kids who made them reinforces the fact that wins, losses, and even goals are never the work of one player, but of the entire team.

Motivating players