5 GOALS for the Middle school Offense

The problem with most middle school kids is they have never seen great lacrosse being played.

Unless you live in a lacrosse hot bed like Baltimore, Long Island, or Upstate New York, your exposure may be limited. Colorado, California, Texas and many other states are blowing up as far as the game is considered. EPSN U, FOX, and other networks are showing more and more LAX games each year.

Although we see growth, trying to get a seventh grader to "break down" game film is a challenge. You can lead a horse to water....

I was inspired to post this blog while watching a recent fall ball game featuring Johns Hopkins and Ohio State University in Columbus, OH at Upper Arlington HS.

AS I watched, in awe, I noticed 30 or 40 kids running around the bleachers, doing what kids do, paying no attention to the game or absolutely incredible skill level of a NCAA DI lacrosse game.

They had the once in a lifetime opportunity to see near perfection on a field, but were more impressed by a free lanyard at the STX booth.

I watched the first line Hopkins offence swinging that ball around the horn and was in heaven. Great ball movement can be accomplished by many teams, at all levels, but watching JHU live is like a visit to the Ferrari dealer.

That brings me top the point of today's post.

As a coach at all levels, I get to see youth, JV, Varsity, and Collegiate lacrosse players in action. I am amazed by the bad habits which are formed and carried thru the ranks.

Kids who never see the top level or dont ever receive the proper training get better and better at doing it wrong.

As coaches, we need to "stop the insanity" and get these boys doing the right thing.

Here are 5 youth lax coaching goals in no particular order for the upcoming season.

1/ PROTECT THE STICK

Hanging it, crossing it in front of the body, starting a dodge too close to a defender, and going blindly in to a double team are a sure way to lose the ball. Stress stick protection. Teach palyers to catch they ball on the outside of their body away from pressure. Frequently drill vertical, one handed cradling. Teach defender-body-stick. A great drill is a stationary drill where the ball carrier must keep one foot "nailed to the floor". The another circles around him trying to get a clean check. Run it for 30 seceonds then switch the ball to the opposite player. It teaches them to get their stick in close and keep their bodies between the defender and the stick.

2/STOP CARRYING THE BALL

Holding on to a ball and attempting to "beat" every defender on the field is flat out a BAD HABIT. Kids get used to playing a certain way against poor defenders and new players in rec leagues at the lower levels. They dont see the field, dont go to open space, and dont listen to wide open players calling for the ball. If you want to do something to truly help a youth player, teach them to get the ball up and moving ASAP. I run a drill that features 4 lines called Harvard. 2 players fight for a lose ball, who ever wins in curls to open space. The 2 other lines are help 1 and help 2. When the GB is won, the winner imediately moves to space, and finds help 1 who imediately finds help 2.
Work on proper spacing with the help lines and stress moving the ball quickly up the field.

One note - do not "reward" a kid who bull dodges through numerous players. The fans and bench will frequently cheer on players who make these plays. Let them know there is a better way.

3/ GET IT HOT 101

I had a youth coach tell me last year, "these guys have trouble getting it around the horn one time". After observing the team, I knew why. They where in too close to the defenders, they were throwing lazy passes on the inside, and they were all flat footed.

Here is a quick drill. Run a skeleton offense as a wheel to add an extra perimeter player. It shortens the passes. USE THE WHOLE FIELD . Youth players need to be taught to GET WIDE. KEY POINT -make kids move to EVERY pass and move to throw EVERY pass. I use 2 cones in each spot to show them where to move to receive a ball and where to go to throw one. As a progression, throw in defenders without sticks or 2 man down to help the offense gain confidence. It will keep players open and give D a great workout too.

TEACH - Catch the ball on the OUTSIDE when pressured. Use Left handed attack players on the left side of the field righty attack players on the right. ALWAYS use your best two handed player at X.

Use a stop watch to have 2 teams compete against each other to see how many touches they can get in 30 seconds. Another way to make it fun is to see who can get the most consecutive catches in a row.

4/ DODGE TO FEED NOT TO SHOOT

Youth middies love to shoot, no matter who is open on the crease. They will "pull up" from MLL range and toss a "beach ball" stick side high when allowed to. Of course pounding the stick on the ground 6 times afterwards is always a nice touch, especially while the opponent is fast breaking the other way.

Who's fault is it? The players? I think its the coaches. When we teach players "dodge to feed". They will learn to see the field. Im not saying dump it when you have a great look and a canon, what I am saying is at least teach them to LOOK. A pump fake shot and a feed, finished up with "one more" is the sweetest play in lacrosse. Drill it, run it, and teach it.

Teach players the advantage of feeding on a break or after you beat a man. Make sure they learn to see where the slide is coming from. Youth teams rarely cold slide well. The first slide usually leaves someone wide open closer to the promissed land.

I do a simple 4 v 3 topside with static D to hone this craft. Line up topside, poles and D mids in black, Offense in white . Start the drill by dropping in defenders to the hole and follow with 4 white, all coming from the topside or wing a few seconds after. Move the ball quickly and have coaches bark "one more" on offense. Finish with a draw and dunk.

5/WORK HARD OFF BALL

Easier said than done. Youth middies tend to ball watch and move too late or too slowly. I have a simple set of rules that makes it east to understand at this level.

If a DODGE is coming towards you MOVE AWAY. If a dodge is going away from you FOLLOW IT.

These two simple rules will create wide open looks and goals. If you have a dodge coming from topside, practice the fade cut from the crease, and a goal cut from the topside adjacent midfielder. Cornell's Jeff Tabroni's tapes are excellent as a resource to teach proper 2 man game and motion offense. Make sure they are deceptive when cutting and finish cuts completely. Youth players tend to cut and then stop bringing a defender with them. Teach them to finish their cuts and pull the defender away from the ball carrier. Stress full speed when cutting.

TIP : Search basketball coaching books for fresh ideas on cutting and off ball play.

email me if you need more detail at gpselect@gmail.com

CU soon....

tips for 7 on 7 play

Dust off the stick we are going to a 7 on 7 fall lax tourney! Sounds like fun, right?

I've been doing these for several years now and always have some fun.

Here's a news flash, if your in the north country it will be cold, maybe wet, and the players will be rusty. Combine that with the small fields and seven man format and you may create some potential misery.

Here are a few quick pointers to make it a success.

1. Pick your team carefully.

A team of players who can actually make some practices and will work hard is the key. "Fifty percenters" are probably not the best pick for a one day event that could feature 4 or 5 short, tough games. Get the guys that you know will crank it up if you can.

2. Get a strong goalie if possible.

They will see plenty of shots with the short field minus one long stick. Sorry but I suggest leaving the "I'm still learning" kid at home. Get him to work on his game in winter leagues or next spring. You will need a stopper to make up for that long slide that never comes.

3. Dress warm in cold climate.

Make sure players bring plenty of dry clothing changes, hats, sweats, blankets, whatever it takes. A great team can easily lose a game if they are wet and freezing. We bring warming tents and healthy food for breaks between games. Trust me it helps. For you guys in warm weather, we hate you, don't forget the sun screen.

4. Get in some practices prior to the event.

A lot of lacrosse players "retire" in May or June. A few play summer league or travel, but chances are you may have some guys who haven't touched a stick in months. I do three 2 hours practices, focusing on a ton of touches. Use long passing drills, a ton of shooting, and a lot of odd man looks like 2v1's, 3v2's, and 4v3's.


5. Have a game plan.

7 on 7 features a ton of fast breaks and a lot of two man games. The offensive and defensive sets become 4 v 4's. Run plays from a 2-1-1, a 2-2 with 2 behind , 2-2 topside. Take the time to pencil in some motion offense plays on a legal pad and see if you can create some looks. Pick and rolls, off ball screens, and give and go's work well in a 4v4 scenario. I stress having all 4 players on offense be in scoring position whenever possible.

6. Make it fun.

I have never heard of a 7 v 7 national champion. Have fun. Nothing is worse than an adult supervisor or volunteer coach losing his cool at one of these events. Keep the freaking out to a minimum. Its fall ball, its supposed to be fun and its the greatest game in the world.

-coachB

game end planning

Youth players get excited when the game is on the line. Coaches get excited. The timekeeper, the referees and the spectators all can be sucked in to the firestorm at the end of a close one.

I was on the side line of a recent game in which some last minute plays ended up giving a game back to a team which was outplayed for 90% of the game.

Although it ended in a tie, the players and coaches learned a valuable lesson.

This was not a case of players giving up, or running out of steam.

It was a case not preparing young players to finish poised and with a plan.

Because I am the coach, I have to reevaluate my actions and put the blame on myself.

In earlier posts, I write that coaching is 90% preparation. I did not practice what I preach and it cost me.

On the positive side, what I did get is and excellent opportunity to teach my players in the next couple of practices the right way to finish in the future.

Here are a few key pointers to help you close the door on a comeback when ahead at the end of a game.

1/OFFENSE - Have a two minute plan and practice it. Know what personnel should be on the field. Have your best ball handler take the ball on an in bounds play. Be specific what should be done with a last possession. Practice "keeping it in". Players have to work hard to make passes shorter and more precise. Runs some drills that double team players and lock off adjacent players. Teach kids that end of game shots taken to finish an opponent, if saved are an opportunity for the opposing team to tie or get win. The best way to stop a comeback is to maintain possession of the ball. Young players do not know this is some cases.

If they perfect 2 minute drills in practice it becomes easier in a live game.

2/ DEFENSE - If you do cough it up ( it will happen, trust me) and an opponent is threatening, have a two minute plan to protect a lead. It is very important to have the proper match ups on defense. Make sure you are communicating when marking up. Match size with size, speed with speed etc. Have your best LSM or Defenseman on their biggest threat. Lock off if necessary, the best way to stop a great shooter is to deny them the ball. Have a "special team" of defense middies and long sticks ready to clamp down on a late surge. In the confusion and excitement of a thriller, the ball and crease may be left wide open. Younger players may tend to "let some else" take ball or the crease man.

3/ Stay calm - Players feed off confident and calm coaches. Panic, screaming, and losing your mind on a side line only "freaks out" youth players. If you are melting down, what do you expect from them? Stress the importance of being intense, but cool under fire. It is a life lesson that can be taught during a game to young men. Win , lose, or draw if we stay composed we all win.
I try not to make a huge deal out of a last minute win or loss. What comes around goes around.

Over celebrating or falling in to a deep depression after any game is not good. Of course we need to be excited at a last minute win, but we also need to congratulate an opponent that gave you a great experience.

I will post on how to make a comeback in the future.

sure fire EMO for youth

Man Up. Music to a lax coach's ears.

We've all seen them "bang it around" at the HS and college level with precision and skill. I run a 3-3 with my U19 guys who will give you 24 passes in 20 seconds and finish with 2 skip passes and a lay up. A defense is rendered powerless when run correctly. Its a thing of beauty.

Not so easy with a rag tag middle school bunch. They have another idea on how to "get it done". Here are some of my favorite "hall of shame" plays from years of watching EMO's dissolve in seconds.

Play #1 Don't pass, don't look, attempt to dodge a few poles and lose the rock. Usually in 10 seconds.

Play # 2 Make one pass to a weak shooter and toss up a "beach ball" to a goalie stick side high.

Play #3 Stand around the perimeter near the top of the box and run a stall. Yes on the EMO.

Play #4 Shoot a wild side arm shot or better yet underhand high. Make sure no one is backing you up. If you do have a chance do beat the goalie to the end line, don't try to.

Any of these bad boys bring back memories? I lay awake at night trying to forget them.

I've seen futile attempts at 1-4-1 sets and 3-3 sets by many coaches at this level for years. They are great in theory, but unless you've got the stick skills and a group of kids who have great field presence, the results have not been too impressive. These sets are difficult with newer and younger players, even when blessed with one less defender.

The "one four" is a great EMO, but for the most part kids don't know how to position themselves well on the crease at this age. Passing around the perimeter with only 4 players will be more challenging as well. The longer passes get sloppy and picked off frequently.

The 3-3 is also a set which takes skills, a lot of practice time, and above all very quick movement of the ball. On top of that you must have the ability to complete two precise skip passes. If that's not enough, the chance a sixth grader will back up a shot when he is topside is also a long shot.

So what do we do? I suggest a simple 2-3-1 ( I call it from topside) with a twist.

Here's how you set it up:

1. Put your best player at X with the ball. Notice I said player not attack.
2. Put a lefty shooter bottom left, a righty shooter bottom right.
3. Put your "cannon" top center.
4. If you are blessed with another lefty stick him top left and place another decent righty top right.
5. The crease guy should have great hands and a quick release.

You are now basically 5 on 5 topside with your ace at X.

Most middle school man down units are a 2-3 or a box and one. They don't rotate well at this age, slide late, communicate poorly, and rarely recover.

Drive your man from X and try to beat the slide. Accomplish that and you've got a marker.

If the slide comes adjacent, feed a wide open shooter in the slot. If the slide comes from the crease, feed a wide open quick stick on the doorstep. If the D recovers to the crease from the top Hit any one of the topside guys , especially the top center, and feed for a blast from him.

If a coma slide comes and get's there you must be in Baltimore or on Long Island.

If you've got nothing, circle back, reset, move around the horn back to X, and attack the opposite side.

Keep it simple, get your best player the rock and relax, your most likely going to be getting one.

Take care.

teach the culture

Lacrosse is an exciting and "new" sport in many areas of the country. I just saw a note that California has over 170 High Schools now playing the game.

In my region, youth, middle school and Varsity programs are popping up all over the place. Summer travel teams and camps are growing at an alarming rate.

With all this new activity, my biggest fear is the history and culture of this great sport will be forgotten. Most young players have no clue of the significance of the sport's origin.

I always make a point to mention a bit of History to my youth players, and make an attempt to educate parents and players about the game from the native american and first nation perspective.

Here are a few points you can make during a team talk or practice break.

1/ Lacrosse is the oldest North American game, dating back hundreds of years prior to settlers coming to the continent. I remind players this game was once played by 1000 men over miles of fields to settle conflicts and was know as "the little brother of war".

2/Native Americans believe the game is played to make the creator happy. Legend says when we walk on a lacrosse field for the first time , the spirit of the creator comes thru the stick and in to our soul. Many of us may not believe in the great spirt or may say this is merely folklore.

I simply tell players we should honor that belief and respect that culture, after all it was their game long before it became "our game". The first record of a game by european settlers was'nt until 1636. The native Americans were playing a long, long time before Jean Brebeuf saw the Hurons playing in a game.


3/Iroquois legend says "every brave is born a lacrosse player" Respecting the cultural beliefs are as important as walking in to a church or temple to many native americans. I always stress to current players - we honor the game, and the field each time we play the game. Sportsmanship, respect of the opponent, officials and fellow players is paramount. I never leave trash on a lacrosse field regardless of who left it there out of respect.

4/Reminding players, even if its in the most limited way is important. It seems our kids get caught up in hot dogging, trash talking, lacrosse company marketing, wearing the "bling"and all that is not important about this great and historical game. I believe educating them of the true meaning of this game is significant.


One of the best clinics I ever attended had nothing to do with X's and O's, formations, riding or clearing, or any lacrosse strategy. It was a History and Culture of the game hosted by Sid Jameison who was then President of team Iroquois Lacrosse. His stories and views of the sport greatly enlightened me and I was grateful for having had the chance to hear about the sport from the Native American point of view. If you ever have a chance to see him speak, do it.

A brief history of the sport can be viewed on US lacrosse's web site.

For those who want a deeper historical view check out the book - Lacrosse: A History of the game by Donald M. Fisher.

until next time...honor the game.

tips for the upcoming season

Another season is quickly approaching. Many of us have dusted off the DVD's, broke out the drill books, signed up for clinics and travel to conventions.

I have been to two conventions and have read through a mass of paperwork, web sites and coaches materials. My brains are already throbbing from too much information.

Which brings me to the point of this months blog.

How do we prepare for another season at the middle school or youth level?

Here' s a few pointers to help:

1.Start each season with a clear objective.

What type of program are you running? Competitive? Instructional? A beginner or start up program? Define what type first and make sure the entire coaching staff, the players, and parents are on the same page. You will have issues if some coaches may be trying to win games when they are supposed to focus on playing time or teaching.

2. Evaluate your talent early.

Great teams can quickly evaporate at this level in a year when 12 studs move up to the next level. Losing a great goalie can send you back to the dark ages as well. I have had one team running a good motion offense one year and find myself with a group of guys who can't come close the following season.
Make sure you design your practices and game plans based on the level of talent you have. Be honest in your assessment. If you are no longer an "A" team, schedule your team against "B" level.

I have seen many former "A" teams humiliated because the program directors misdiagnosed the level of play. In my humble opinion, "B" teams should not be subjected to playing at the "A" level entire season.

3. Stay the course early.

Stick with fundamentals and conditioning in early season. Teach the drills so they can run them with their eyes closed. Don't get ahead of yourself. A common mistake is to rush your team to intermediate level drills when they are not ready. Be patient. Stick to your guns.
Keep drills short and make sure they are getting a ton of touches. Mix up a ton of passing, catching, shooting, and ground ball work. Get them is shape. Make it fun.

Don't catch your self saying "what do we do now?" or "does any one know a good drill we can run?"

Remember coaching is 90% preparation. Use the pre-season to stock up numerous drills for every aspect of the game. Especially fundamentals. US lacrosse, Kudda.com and "the little black book of Lacrosse Drills" (google it) are all excellent sources for ammunition. Jeff Tambroni of Cornell has three excellent DVD's out. One for beginners, an intermediate and his new one on the basic offense is very good. With a little research you can be ready for an entire season of drills.

4. Introduce first, then demonstrate.

I have spoken about this many times to my staff and in my blogs. I see coaches all the time piling on way too many concepts, too early, and without enough time to allow youth players to digest them. For instance, try talking about rides and clearing at the end of a practice during a cool down. Introduce the concept and wait until the next practice to demonstrate. Invite players to do some "homework" and pop some questions on them next time out. You may be surprised how much smoother things go when these computer savy laxers have a day or two to check it out on "youtube"!

More soon..

Coaches Holiday Lacrosse List

Here is my holiday wish list for this year.

These things I would give to all of my fellow coaches in 2009 :

1. I wish we have midfielders who see the double coming and turn away or give up the rock.

2. I wish we have unselfish attack who believe in "one more".

3. I wish we get defenseman who don't lunge up field, and work hard on their footwork.

4. I wish we get loud Goalies who communicate to the team the whole game.

5. I wish we get players who act like they have done it before when they score.

6. I wish for Lacrosse balls that cant get lost.

7. I wish for two assistant coaches that know the game for every youth coach in America.

8. I wish for equal playing time for all youth players.

9. I wish for the end of "take out" checks.

10. I wish that all Lacrosse coaches study the History and Culture of the game from the Native American and First Nation perspective.

11. I wish we get perfect weather for every game we play.

12. I wish that equipment prices come way down and there are no new companies making lacrosse stuff in the future. Enough already.

13. I wish for a lacrosse video game for all of the young players that is fun and teaches them the game.

14. I wish the inner city kids in America get more exposure to this great sport.

Finally I wish health, happiness, and prosperity to all.