LaxJam:CoachesClinic ! WestLinn,OR ! March8...

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Lax Jam: Coaches Clinic West Linn, OR March 8th, 2014

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Lax Jam: Mission

www.laxjammin.com

http://www.laxjammin.com/

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General Advice Come prepared with a practice plan

Introduce yourself and the other coaches

Take time for the girls to either introduce themselves or give refreshers on names

o Fun to have them share other information about themselves (i.e. school, grade, favorite song,

favorite part about lacrosse, etc)

Check Equipment to make sure the mouth guards, goggles and sticks are appropriate and safe

Always warm up and include dynamic stretching to keep everyone moving and focused

o As they start to pick-‐up the routine, leave it up to the team to organize warm-‐up to give

responsibility and ownership

Make sure to take a look at the rulebook because rules are constantly changing

Never underestimate the power of fundamentals

Keep practices as short/efficient as possible with moving through drills quickly

Keep practices fun never hurts to have music involved

-‐to-‐date email addresses

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Kindergarten Second Grade Overall Tips

Keep the time spent with this age group fun and lighthearted The goal is for the kids to have fun and to want to come back to play lacrosse Encourage them to ask questions On the flip side, ask a lot of questions and keep them engaged Take the time to pull individuals aside and give them attention and encouragement every step

of the way Concepts to Master

Rules of the Game Athletic Movement Cradling Ground Balls Throwing/Catching Shooting Defensive Concepts

Practice Ideas

Email parents about the types of sticks, mouth guards and goggles that are appropriate for the younger girls. Many places sell beginner stick packages that contain everything to get the girls started

First practice and beyond

Parent Meeting this can be at the first practice o Introduce the coaches and show the parents how to properly fit the equipment o All girls must wear a molded mouth guard o Anytime girls are off the field, have them put their mouth-‐guard and goggles in their stick so

o At this age they are allowed to have an illegal pocket. Let them. It will make it more fun for the

girls o Encourage parents to dress their children appropriately always harder to keep kids happy and

wanting to play if they are too hot or too cold

Keep it fun! For most of the girls, this is their first introduction to lacrosse and we want to keep it positive. At this point, learning proper skills and having fun are the two most important elements. The hope is to inspire some passion for the game and to provide ways for the players to improve vastly.

Always have the girls use their right and left hand o At a young age the stick feels awkward to most players in either of their hands, so use this as an

advantage to strengthen both hands Come up with something that the girls can do while coaches are talking/explaining drills so they are not

distracted o i.e. have the girls hug their sticks

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or distracted and you will want them to be wanting to come back for more!

You can add fun activities (i.e. mismatch sock day, crazy hair day, neon color day, etc) to add some fun Techniques Rules of the Game

Crease rules Stopping on the whistle No checking or pushing 7v7 (2) behind the line

Athletic Movement

Moving to open space Positions on the field Drills

o Follow the Leader o Grab a Ball Tag o Zig-‐zag races

Cradling

Multiple Levels Dominant and Non-‐dominant Half-‐cradles (ear-‐to-‐nose) vs. full-‐cradles (ear-‐to-‐ear) Placement of hands Drills

o Circle Beginners cradling o Six points of Cradling o Warm up lap with cradle switching on whistle o Ups & Downs

Ground Balls

Bend at the knees and get low Foot beside the ball with the head/shoulder over the ball Top hand at the top of the stick/bottom hand low to the ground Accelerate through the ball Cradle ball immediately and bring stick up to protect ball No covering the ball Box out on Ground balls under pressure Ground balls to and ground balls away Avoiding flips Drills

o Ground ball shuttles, to and away

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o Ground ball Ups and Downs o Ground ball wars, Ground ball wars with pass o Bucket relay o Hungry Hippos

Throwing

The 3 P's: top hand Pushes, Bottom Hand Pulls, Point with the head of your stick AAA Arms Always Away Baseball Similarities Dominant and Non-‐dominant Stationary and Moving

Catching Soft Hands Ask for the Ball Dominant and Non-‐dominant Stationary and Moving Watching it in, and Protecting Drills for both catching and throwing

o Throwing Mechanics o Catching from Coach o Partner Passing o Long Distance Toss o Step Backs o Quick Sticks o Shuttles o Star Drill o Zig-‐Zag Race o Wall Ball

Shooting

Mechanics Power vs Placement Selecting a Target Moving the Goalie Drills

o 8 Meter Shots o Pinnie Shooting o Coach Pass and Shot o Ground Ball Wars with a Shot o Star Drill with a Shot o Hungry Hippos with a Shot

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Defensive Positioning Defensive Shuffle

Staying big, low and wide Defense in the 8m

Emphasize the importance of being loud and calling out when you are covering the girl with the ball or when the ball goes down

Importance of finding your attacker to mark up and make sure that it is not easy for the attackers to go straight to goal

Practice Plan Example Lap/Stretch 10 minutes Half a lap around the field. Run in twos and with their goggles, mouth-‐guard, and sticks. It helps to teach the girls to learn to run with gear on. Divide the girls into (3) separate circles K, 1, 2 Sit in a circle to stretch so you can do a name game while stretching to learn names. Be sure to tell them they can take their mouth guard/goggles off while stretching :) Cradle 10 minutes Show techniques, have girls run and cradle, use both hands..right on top and left on bottom and left on top and right on the bottom. Ground Balls -‐-‐ 10 minutes Show techniques and run drills. Emphasize running through the pick-‐up. Cradling/Ground Ball Shuttles 10 minutes Shuttles and Drills Throwing/Catching 10 minutes Go over the 3 P's: Push, Pulls, Point. Run drills and shuttles. Game 10 minutes There are many small field games that use various lacrosse skills. When starting out, choose easy concepts that utilize the particular skills that the players learned that practice.

Queen of the Field-‐ you will need a whistle

throwing. On the count of three -‐ everyone throws as far as they can Then the girls turn around, away from the field, and when they hear the word GO(or whistle) they turn back around and must go find a ball, pick it up and cradle it back to the sideline. Each time they are turned away, the coach takes away 1 ball (or multiple balls if running low on time), like musical chairs.

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Anyone who is out should go with one of the extra coaches and have a pass on the side. You can also have teams and have the girls who are out root for their teammates. End of Practice At the end of practice bring all the girls to a center location. Ask if someone can tell one thing that they learned at practice that day, select a few girls to answer, tell the girls to make sure they are practicing at home. Go over when the next practice will be and always end with a cheer. Future Weeks For future weeks try to keep the same format but add in advanced strategies. Add running games to warm up like follow the leader, zigzag races or cops and robbers or have the girls cradle on a warm up lap and switch hands every time you blow a whistle.

Make sure to go over rules of the game at each practice.

Scrimmages

Make two small fields from sideline to sideline Set the girls up 2(defense): 3(mid):2(attack) cross the mid field line. That will help the girls learn the restraining line rules and keep the girls spread out on the field.

Choose two girls to do a draw and explain that the sticks must press against each other and must go up and out on the whistle

Stop play every so often to explain different rules i.e.: spread out, no covering the ball, no checking, etc.

Balance the field-‐ 5 positions of attack-‐ 2 behind 3 across the top

ATHLETIC MOVEMENT -‐ Follow the Leader -‐-‐ set up cones in a 20yd by 20yd square. Have the girls form a line at the first cone, then have them run from cone 1 to cone 2 to cone 3 cone 4 . At each cone have them change to a different type of running (jog, sprint, high knees, butt kicks, skipping, grapevine, 2 feet hops, backwards..make it appropriate to players abilities). The coach can either yell out the different types of running at each cone or tell the girls ahead of time what to change to at each cone. Repeat different types of running and continue in square formation. Grab a Ball Tag Set up 4 cones in a 20 by 20 yard grid for every 9 players. Designate one player to be a defender inside the square. Scatter the 8 attackers inside the square and give 4 of them a ball to hold in their hands (no sticks). The defender must tag a player with a ball. Once she does, the tagged player becomes the defender, and the original defender joins the offensive players. The players with a ball can pass the ball to

o a player without a ball, the player without the ball has to take it and be aware of where the defender is.

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Zig-‐zag Set up eight cones within a 20yd space in a zig-‐zag pattern, have the girls run from cone to cone pivoting and accelerating off each cone. Show the girls the proper way to pivot and explain to move fast to each cone. This will show them how to cut to the ball. You can alternate running with shuffling to help them learn defensive positioning and moving. CRADLING Circle Beginning Cradling -‐-‐ Have the girls in a circle and teach them how to cradle lying down. Have the girls try it with both hands..right on top and left on bottom and left on top and right on the bottom. Walk around the circle and make sure they are doing it right. Both the top and bottom of the stick must touch the ground at the same time. This will help to teach them the proper wrist technique.

Six Points Cradling Have players on a line in front of coach each with a stick and ball. Position players with bottom hand away from their body and in front of their belly button and top hand back and protected by their shoulder. Begin cradling through the following:

Quarter cradle in position 1 (ear to nose) Cradle at side in position 2 Low cradle with top hand below bottom hand in position 3 Offside Quarter cradle in position 4 Offside cradle at side in position 5 Offside low cradle with top hand below bottom hand in position 6

Repeat six points using off hand then complete the drill by switching freely between right and left as well as points of cradle.

Warm Up Lap Have the girls cradle on a warm up lap and switch hands every time you blow a whistle. If the girls are difficulty and dropping the ball constantly then have them cradle without the ball, working strictly on the technique. Ups & Downs Have each girl grab a partner and a ball and line up on the end line. Have the first girl cradle out about 25 yards and back to the end line, then have the partner do the same. Have the 1st group go together and the 2nd group go together. Increase distance with the older/more experienced players and

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decrease the distance if needed with the beginner players. Change up the cradling each time dominant, non dominant, change levels, right side, and left side. Simon Says -‐-‐ Players stand in a line facing coach with stick and ball. Players begin cradling and coach gives

if players obey these commands or drop the ball they sit in their place until next round begins. Beanie Baby Cradle -‐-‐ Have players bring their favorite Beanie Baby (small stuffed animal) to practice. Players should stand in line facing coach with Beanie Baby in their stick in place of a ball. Players work on a smooth

bottom hand away from body and in front of belly button. Top hand back and protected by shoulder. If players have a difficult time getting the motion, have them begin by cradling with only the top hand (stick vertical, turning ear to nose). Add the bottom hand when top hand motion is correct. GROUND BALLS-‐ Ground Ball Shuttles -‐-‐Within each age group split the girls into groups of 5 (roughly) and form shuttles roughly 10-‐15 yards apart. Cradle to the opposite side, drop the ball in front of the next girl in line to do a proper ground ball pick up. You can also have a coach in the middle of the shuttle have the player drop the ball at the coach and then the other side has to go through the coach who is holding a stick like a bridge so the girls have to really bend their knees and get low. For ground balls away have the coach stand next to the beginning of the shuttle line and roll a ball out and have the girls run onto it for a ground ball pickup. Ground Ball Ups and Downs -‐-‐ Have each girl grab a partner and a ball and line up on the end line. Coach should stand on the 25 yard line. Have the first girl toss the ball out with their stick and then run on to it, do a ground ball pick up, cradle once or twice and throw the ball ahead and repeat ground ball pick up. Have them continue up to you and back to the end line trying to get as many ground balls as possible. Ground Ball Wars -‐-‐ Form two lines of players facing forward. Coach stands slightly behind and between lines. Coach rolls ball out and the first two players run to scoop the ball. After the ground ball is won, cradle ball back to coach and fill in behind lines. Encourage communication

coach. Add a third line of players facing forward. Coach stands slightly behind and between lines. Coach rolls ball out and the first player in each line runs to scoop the ball. The two outside players are competing against the inside player. If the two person team gets the ball, they must complete a pass to finish the drill while the inside player plays defense. If the inside player gets the ground ball, the two outside players play defense while inside player tries to complete pass to coach or can go to goal and take a shot. Bucket Relays: Divide players into equal numbered teams trying for no more than 5 players per line. Players will line up behind a bucket. Coach should place a cone 30 yards away, with the same number of balls spread out as players. On whistle, first player runs to cone, scoops ball, cradles ball back to bucket. First team to collect balls and return to bucket wins.

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Hungry Hippos: Set up two buckets approximately 20 yards apart -‐ split group in half and position teams behind buckets. Spread balls in the middle between the crates. On the whistle, players run to middle, scoop ground ball, and cradle back to the bucket. Have players repeat until all of the balls are in buckets. Have players count out loud to determine which team retrieved the most ground balls. The team with most wins. Hungry Hippos with Goals: Set up two goals approximately 40 yards apart -‐ split group in half (using scrimmage jerseys) and position teams behind goals. Spread balls in the middle between goals and hang tarps in goals to serve as goalies (leave approximately one foot on each side). On the whistle, players run to middle, scoop ground ball, and complete a pass to a teammate. Concentrate on identifying a teammate ready to

have receiving player shoot ball into the goal balls that hit the tarp should be returned to the middle. Have players repeat until all of the balls are in goals. Have players count out loud to determine which team retrieved the most balls. The team with most wins. THROWING/CATCHING Throwing Mechanics -‐-‐ Go over the 3 P's: top hand Pushes, Bottom Hand Pulls, Point with the head of your stick, your lead foot and your hips. Make sure they step with the opposite foot of their dominate hand. Wherever they point, that is where the ball is going to go. Take each group to an area and spread them out. Make sure the girls are far enough away from each other to practice throwing. First have the girls act like they are throwing a baseball. Walk around to check proper technique -‐ stepping with their opposite foot, rotating hips and shoulders towards the target and following through. Then have the girls practice throwing with their sticks WITHOUT a ball. Finally, have them throw with a ball. Catching from a Coach Split the girls into lines of 5 or 6, have the 1st girl in line step up (make sure the rest of the girls in line are paying attention in case the ball comes toward them). Have the coach give a soft underhand toss to the player. Make sure the girls are asking for the ball, using soft hands, watching the ball into their stick and cradling and protecting ball right away. Once the girls start to master the soft toss, then move to gentle overhand passes, stronger overhand passes and finally from the coaches stick.

Partner Passing -‐-‐ Have players line up 5 7 yards apart. Focus on throwing mechanics, stepping with the

minute timer to heighten concentration and have players count the number of pass completions. Rotate partners frequently to allow the entire team to benefit from playing with teammates of varying skill levels.

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Long Distance Toss: er fundamentals of the throw prior to beginning drill. Each player will get three attempts to throw their longest pass landing in the grid. Coach will mark the longest pass with a marker. The following players will attempt to beat the existing mark until one player has thrown the longest.

Step Backs: Partner players then spread out across the field facing each other two yards apart. Begin with an underhand toss -‐ after 3 5 completions, have each player step back one yard. Players should now be passing overhand after 3 5 completions, have each player step back one yard. Repeat until completions are no longer possible. Variations include right and left hand. Quick Sticks: Have players partner up and stand 5 7 yards apart facing each other. Play should begin with one player holding a ball in their stick. On the whistle, have player throw the ball using proper mechanics and trying to hit the target area. Catching player will offer a good target, give with the ball, and immediately pass back to partner (no cradle or hesitation). Passing and catching are equally important for this drill to work properly. When executed properly, both players will throw crisp passes on target and get quality repetitions

all quickly. This is a challenging skill that is very enjoyable when mastered. Shuttles -‐-‐ Within each age group split the girls into groups of 5-‐6 (roughly) and form shuttles roughly 10-‐15 yards apart. Have the first girl in line start with the ball, cradle once or twice and pass to the first girl in the opposite line. Make sure the girls are moving when passing and when catching. Have all girls paying attention for missed catches. When the ball falls to the ground, have the players use this opportunity for ground ball pickups. Add non-‐dominant catching and throwing. Have them catch right, throw left, and then throw right, catch left and then all right and then all left. Star Drill Set up five cones with two players behind each cone. The rule of the drill: always pass to the player 2 lines to the right, this will form a star. Always have extra balls in each line for missed passes. Make sure girls are moving to receive and pass the ball. This drill can be done in the middle of the field or around a goal where the 5th girl receiving the pass goes to goal and takes a shot. Another variation is for the player who passes the ball to play defense on the girl she passed to until that player releases it to the next player and then they play defense. Zigzag Race: 7 yards apart. On the whistle, player one throws a pass to player two, player two throws to player three, etc. Have players concentrate on proper throwing fundamentals if a player misses the pass have them retrieve it quickly, return to the cone, and continue pattern. First team to go through the zigzag and back to player one wins. Variations include: right hand, left hand, catch right throw left, catch left -‐ throw right, offside catches and throws. This drill is great for working on throwing and catching skills.

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Wall Ball Wall ball is one of the best drills for developing catching and throwing skills and can be done solo. If you have a wall available at practice have players stand 5 yards off wall and pick a target spot on the wall new players may need to stand slightly closer. Using proper mechanics, step toward wall and follow through

into a proper catching position. Have players concentrate on catching the ball in front of them with soft hands, single cradle and repeat. Variations for this drill are endless but could include: right hand, left hand, off hand catch and throw, bounce prior to wall, catch right throw left, catch left throw right, quick sticks, on the move, etc.

SHOOTING 8 Meter Shots Have the girls stand in lines on the 8 meter hash marks with balls. Then start from one end and have the girls take 1-‐2 steps and shoot on goal. Have the set of girls on the hash marks all go and then the next girls in line step up and the 2nd set can go. Collect all balls at the end when everyone has had a turn so no one gets hit. Variations of this is to shoot high then middle, low and bounce shots, switch hands, take more steps into goal and add defense. Pinnie Shooting wrap pinnies in the upper corners, bottom corners and middle sides of the goal and have the girls try to hit the pinnies with their shot. This can be done with stationary lines or on the run, depending on the ability of the players. Coach Pass and Shot Have girls line up on the top of the 8 meter and the coach next to the goal. As the players start toward the goal, the coach will pass them the ball and they will take a shot. Ground Ball War with a Shot see above under Ground Balls drills Star Drill with a shot -‐-‐ see above under Shooting drills Hungry Hippos with a Shot see above under Ground Ball drills DEFENSIVE POSITIONING Defensive Shuffle

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Set players up in 2 rows with about 10 yards between the two. Explain to them the proper position for playing defense legs should be shoulder length apart, knees slightly bent in a sitting position, arms out away from your body like you are hugging a tree, do not lean over. Have players side shuffle to the right and then go back to the left. Marking up on Defense Explain that every person on the team plays defense as soon as the other team has the ball and you must

and have the girls run away from their partner, blow the whistle and have them find their partner. This will give them the concept of marking up on the field.

3rd and 4th Grade

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Overall Tips Keep in mind the tips for the K-‐2nd

keep the fun and spirit high That being said, skill development gets more important at this age

o The more athletic 3rd and 4th graders will likely dominate at this age but skills will be just as important down the line to make teams great

Concepts to master o Rules of the game o Athletic Movement o Cradling o Ground Balls o Throwing/Catching o Shooting

Practice Ideas

Moving in space

No sticks required for new teams or youngest age groups Develop an understanding of field spacing, evading opponents, working within and using boundaries to

your advantage on defense and offense. Building blocks for additional drills Drills

o Follow the leader o Fox and hounds o Sharks and minnows o Zig-‐zag races

Cradling Concepts

Cradle on multiple levels w/ both hands Shoulder / shoulder / ball (mandatory as girls progress) Left and right exchange Areas of concern

o Hands not working together o Shoulder cradle o Top elbow collapsing

Drills o Single hand / Two hands together at top (develops motion) + bottom hand o Six points of cradle (strong and offside)

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o Warm up lap w/ cradle (switch on whistle) o Follow the leader o Fox and hounds o Sharks and minnows o Small box or foot on cone o Zig-‐zag cradle

Ground Ball Concepts

Four keys to successful GBs o Foot beside ball o Get low o Accelerate through the ball o Bring to chest for protection

Head up looking for pass opportunity Areas of concern

o Not having hand at top of stick (becomes important as girls progress) o Back hand up (digging) o Not accelerating through ball

Drills

o o Bucket relays o o Hungry hippos o Shuttle line o Pool noodle cover o 1 v 1, 1 v 1 w/ pass

Throwing Concepts

AAA Arms, Away, Always or BEEF Bottoms, Eyes, Elbows, Follow Through Point where you want the ball to go (butt end and follow through) Step with proper foot Bottom hand to back pocket Areas of concern

o Top elbow on side o Vertical stick throws downward to ground o Failure to identify target

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o Stepping w/ wrong foot o Lack of follow through o Lollipop passes

Catching Concepts (success requires good passes)

Show me your strings Soft Hands (catching an egg) Catch ball in front of you Right and left Stationary first then on the move V-‐cutting Areas of concern

o Cradle catching o Basket catching o Extended arms (fear of ball) o Catching behind body

Throwing / Catching Drills (catching and throwing go hand in hand) o Throwing mechanics without stick o Hula hoop, over the goal (solves low passing) o Catching -‐ underhand toss, overhand toss, toss from stick o Partner passing (left, right, catch/switch/throw, quick sticks, rapid fire, back of stick, BTB) o Hungry hippos w/ pass o Shuttle lines o Star drill o Zig-‐zag races o Step backs o Wall Ball (standard and soft hands)

Shooting Concepts

Focus on mechanics and coming over the top Understand need for power vs placement and how that could affect where you put your hands on the

stick Quick release / small hands Paint the post Always pick a target Areas of concern

o Playing catch with goalie o Not identifying stick side for goalie

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Drills o Shooting from knees o Pie plates / catch and shoot o Pipes o Tarps (reduce shooting area) o Hungry hippos with completed pass and goals

Dodging Concepts

Must be able to cradle and exchange hands Two criteria of a successful dodge

o Change of speed o Change of direction

Make defender commit Straight line to goal following dodge Areas of concern

o Constant speed o Poor angle to the goal o Happy feet

Drills o Zig-‐zag dodges + defender o Grid dodging o 1 v 1

Practice Plan Example

Partner passing (already set up) Warm up (lap w/ cradle switch on whistle) Dynamic or static stretching Agility Ladder (one foot, two feet, skier, tap-‐one-‐two, bottom kickers, etc)

o w/ catch, shuffle, and drop step Drills

o points of cradle o cone dodging + defense o solo GB to passing or shuttle GB to passing o star drill

Small sided drills (1 v 1 GB, 2 v 1 GB w/ help pass, v cuts for feed, 3 v 2 from top, 4 v 3, etc.) Game prep (field alignment, draw control, field spacing, rule awareness)

Game Day Preparation

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Field (60 70yds, no restraining lines, 2 back of center) Know the rules

o 7 v 7 (2 attackers -‐3 midfielders 2 defenders) o Two back of center o 3 pass minimum (spread the ball around) o No checking o No defensive contact o No eight meter shots o 3 second closely guarded o No double teaming

Strategy o Throw passes away from sidelines o Strong / skilled midfield, athletic developing skill on defense, developing players on offense

(allow players to experience different positions including goalie) o Use o Stress marking up on defense (rules encourage face guarding identify ball and player)

rd Work on taking something away (strong hand or middle) and staying goal side

o Understand the role of the goalie (most goals at this age are scored 1 on 1 w/ goalie) o Draw control

Taller players draw to themselves teach players to push and pull to get the ball away from dominate player

Position players for GB o Expand the goal circle in practice (protect goalie and encourage players to shoot earlier)

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5th and 6th Grade Overall Tips

1. At tips from the above two sections

2. 1. Allow time for goofing around and laughing but then make sure that there is a clear shift when

there are drills or explanations necessary 3. Although

aware of your surroundings because at this age they are likely playing a lot of team sports and lacrosse is a great way to stress the importance of teamwork and awareness

4. Especially with this age it will be important to teach concepts and techniques and to be sure to reiterate them often

Practice Ideas

Techniques

Pick up Stations

5 balls placed on 10 yard line, 5 balls placed on 15 yard line Players start on end line, run out and pick up ball on 10 yard line and return then run to the 15 yard

line Players are doing 10 and 15 yard sprints

Agility Stations

Place sticks on ground in ladder formation/ players do a variety of agility moves over and around sticks

Hopscotch, bunny hops, grapevine etc.

Players cradle for each round

Footwork Stations

Set up cones in a square Players cradle as they move forward, backward and diagonally working on footwork and cradling

Quick Sticks

Players are 10 yards apart with partner Quick stick passing Timed and number of passes Keep it a competition

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Variations: switch hands, type of pass, over the head etc. Emphasize keeping stick between shoulders.

Rolls & Pivots

Have players form a shuttle with 2 cones in the middle Players run to cones and: Pivot and pass back Roll around cones and pass Pull and switch hands At Higher levels have the cones be players then the passer rotates in each time

Rolls/Dodges

Teach the Roll dodge Half Roll Dodge V-‐Dodge Use in shuttle formation and dodge after every catch

Drills

Dog Pound

Need : 4 hula hoops, a lot of balls. 4 pinnies

Make 4 teams and put hula hoops in 4 corners

Put all balls in the center

Each team chooses a dog catcher who wears a pinnie

At the whistle 1 player at a time from each team runs into the middle to scoop up a ball and return to their hula hoop

On the whistle the dogcatchers begin to steal from other hula hoops

Team with the most balls wins

Bad Pass Drill

Coach has a bucket balls

Players in line @ 25 yards away

Players run to catch

Encourages running through the passes/ make teams

Record catches, prizes points etc.

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Pepper Pass

Players are in groups of 4

3 players have a ball the 4th player is in the middle

It is a give and go pass drill

Use variations, change the type of passes

Cutting Drill

Set up 5 cones in the fan and label by number, letter or color

Coach will have balls at varying places around the fan

Players are in line (varies based on where coach indicates)

Coach yells out designated cone

Players sprints to receive the ball at that cone and shoots

Good for goalie reaction

Spread the cones out a good bit

Add variation of adding defensive pressure on the catch

Continuous Shuttle

Standard shuttle lines

players are in partners; one is attack the other defense

Opposite shuttle line cuts with players showing who is attack and who is defense

Standard shuttle passing but with defense

If defensive player gets ball she becomes attack

Add variations: no checking, left hand only etc.

Position Cutting

Full Field Cutting

Good Conditioning

2 goalies

Put 6 players on the field

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1 goalie starts with the ball

Players have set time to get all balls shot on other goalie

All players must touch ball

All players start at a cone and then must return to that cone before the next cut

Goalie continues to send balls

Add variations: Defense, no stick checking etc.

Defense Drills

Grid work with 1v1 then double team

Create Grids that the attack player must work through.

Create a safe zone so they get a break

Defense must push players out of the grids

Attack players work on rolls, stutter steps , stick dodges

Grid work with double teams

Good conditioning and stickwork

Grid work Defense

Set up grid of 25 by 25 yards and work some different defense combos

o 4 v 3

o 4 v 4

o Goal of the attack is to get through the grid

Continuous 3v2

This drill uses the entire field and both cage for conditioning use shortened field

2 lines on either side of cages

2 lines at midfield on either side of the field

Start ball at one end with 2 players and have them pass to midfield outlet

Work on stopping fast break

Work on running the fast break

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Play is 3 v 2 on goal

After shot or defense gets the ball, defense uses their midfield connection and heads to the other end of the field.

Draw Control Game

Divide teams in half. Goalies are in goals in the middle of the field by sidelines

Each team picks a player to take the draw each round

Players line up like a game draw

Whichever team gets the ball on the draw work to pass or shoot on the goalie immediately.

Works on seeing the open player or goalie quickly

Works on fighting for the draw

Teams are awarded for most points

End all Practices on a Positive Note

o Try to end practices with a conditioning game or competition

Grid Conditioning

Make a15 yard grid Players are at opposite ends of grid X1 passes to X2 who runs to line A, puts ball down, continues to line B , touches down and pivots to

return to pick up ball As Xs touches line A, X1 then takes off for the ground ball as well. It is a race to see who can reach and pick up ball Keep score


1. Typical practice for our 5/6s goes for 1 1/2 hours 2. 5/6th graders are ready for bigger concepts but also need to have some fun games invovled. I like to

start practice with some fun games ie pinny tag, relays, or some type of challenge that gets everyone laughing.-‐ See below for more games/drills

3. No more than two concepts taught in one night sometimes based on the feel of the night maybe only one concept. Try to finish with a competitive game, drill activity.

4. If you have a goalie, be sure that someone gives her a proper warm up before she is incorporated into any drills. See Alex Kahoe drills

5. First 30 minutes: Warm up 15 minutes of dynamic and static stretching/warmup/ Pinnie tag/ Relays 6. 15 minutes: Touches on ball: Speed partner passing or quick stick partner passing, Draw control

passing, Skills stations (see above)

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7. Next 40 minutes: Work to teach/instruct 2 concepts/skills (see drills) One night it might be a defensive night or an attack night:

8. Defensive Drills: 1. Crease Defense 2. Double teams 3. Sliding/crashing 4. Marking 5. Interceptions

9. Offensive drills: 1. Cuts 2. Crease play 3. Picks 4. Draws and dumps

10. Pick one or two drills to work on for around 20 minutes each 11. Finish the practice with either full field scrimmage, 7 v 7 or small game, 4v3 and sometimes

competitive conditioning depending on the practice level Ideas for Warm up Games Games can act as team bonding, fun, and conditioning

o Pinnie Tag o Streets and Allies o Stick Circle game o Skills circuits o Steal the bacon o Stick Relay

Team Pinnie Tag

o Players are divided into 2 teams

o Each team has a different color pinnie

o Pinnies a stuck in shorts to make a tail

o Grid boundaries are set

o Team with most players left wins

Streets and Allies

o Old Fashioned game with some conditioning involved

o Groups of 11 or similar

o 3 rows with sticks extended

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o 1 chaser, 1 runner

o Go through streets and allies as called by coach

Streets and Allies

o Make 2 circles

o All players put there sticks on the inside of the circle and hold with the butts of the sticks on the ground with one hand.

o All players face the same way

o

o If a stick falls that player is out.

o Pick up speed and continue to see which circle wins.

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7th-‐ 8th Grade, High School Overall Tips

Fundamentals like catching, throwing, stick handling, groundballs, and body position are so important. Trying to mix up fun and creative drills focusing on the basics will only help each player to develop faster at higher levels.

When setting up drills or giving feedback to players at these stages, the why behind you message helps it stick for most players -‐ the same goes when answering questions. Examples, video, diagrams and demos are also effective. Each player has her own learning and communication style, so mix up the techniques you use and encourage feedback at appropriate times.

Get your players talking effectively from day one. Have a common language with your teams so r used onto the field. Most coaches have their

favorite one liners. When practicing fundamentals in drills or stationary positions, always stress that players should

be doing techniques and skills in exaggerated fashions (i.e. get EXTREMELY low when going for a ground ball or reach VERY far back when working on power technique). When it comes to the game situation, they will be comfortable in all positions and have the ability to handle their stick no matter what.

When drills are competitive, players tend to be more engaged and start working together better. It also helps make them comfortable with pressure situations in a low pressure environment.

Quicker, focused practices are better than 30-‐40 minute long drills. Again, the players stay more engaged and it helps to practice game sense and space understanding when they play in numerous drills and situations.

Practice Ideas

Set Goals o Have the girls set individual daily practice goals, game goals, and team goals. Also have them

set season goals for themselves and the team and make sure to go back to them often. Goal setting and visualization are intangibles that can help a player stay on track to getting better.

Have An Agenda o

sharing the agenda at the beginning of practice helps the girls focus and keep them in the


Dynamic Warm-‐up

A lap in two lines as a team to warm up. Line stretching: Knee Hugs, Quad Pulls, Frankenstein, RDLs, Side Lung, Front Lung/Bottoms Up, Figure Four, Rain Dance 10 yards. Movement: Karaoke, Defensive Slides, High Skips, Long Skips 30 yards. Buildup sprints 30 yards. Explosive steps 10 yard sprints, from knee.

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Stick work

Individual ball handling to get everyone used to their sweet spot (right above the shooting string), wrist strength, and confidence. 10 R/L wrist flips low. 10 R/L wrist flips high with elbows up. R/L Figure 8s. R/L Rotational cradle, big pulls, ground to ground, upside down cradle. Flips in, out, and around legs. Stick Trick of the day or week. Creative time to do something cool with the ball in stick to get girls liking their sticks and feeling comfortable in any scenario.

Catching and Throwing.

Arms should be up and back away from body while keeping elbows up. Kiss the shoulder and have the bottom hand back by ear. The throwing motion should be lead by the elbow driver and follow through all the way across the body to the opposite back pocket. Have the girls do anything they can to catch every ball. See wall ball, partner passing, and social for more passing drills.

50/50 Situations

Focusing on ground ball technique, first step, body position/boxing out, going for the ball and running through the play. Talk about choking up, communication, and discourage empty stick checks.

Attack

Working on using the whole body to fake, power and finesse shooting, picks, both setting and using. When setting a pick have them cut down and come back so they are angled under the defender and emphasize the roll and being an option. Talk about getting the stick free and away from a defender. Work on fundamental dodges and changing speed and direction. Again, make sure the communication is a priority. Work on spacing and staying wide.

Defense

Fundamental positioning and stick placement. Teach body and butt positioning, how to hold the stick, keeping arms out and eyes low.

ABCDs of on ball defense Approach, Breakdown, Contain, Dictate. Work on closing the space, not getting beat on first move, and keeping the attacker one way.

Slides having the girls slide laterally and beat to the spot.

Double teams having them stay in them until they get the ball or the play is broken.

Team Defense shell drill and being in a good V position, hedging toward ball. Flipping as the ball moves and recognizing slides and double opportunities.

Defensive Transition

All slides are lateral or from recovery. Never slide low to high! Middies and high d have them recover to the crease and come back up to find the most dangerous girl some no one sneaks under them. Communication is so important and a key component here should be the goalie.

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Game Like and Live Play

Ending on a fast pass, competitive, live type of drill or small sided game is something most players look forward to ending on. It is a perfect time to implement what they have been working on that day and is a good way to get some conditioning in besides just running.

Drills and Additional Ideas

Wall Ball

One handed R/L with one cradle, with a face cradle, quick sticks. R/L little hands with 2 fakes.

Partner Passing

Low passes below the waist, add in tricky stuff. Normal passing, feet moving and doing everything to catch every ball. R/L/Opposite/Switches,/highballs/gbs.

Long Passes.

Social

One ended shuttle focus on stick protection (shoulder, shoulder, stick) and pivots at the end (keeping weight inside toward the direction they are switching to). Run through the catches, catch and get rid after one cradle. Adding in a defender.

50/50

draws, 1v1 to and from, 2v2 to goal, 3v3 to goal, one handed high balls, 1v1v1 to double team. No stick box out drill. Keep-‐away in the circle

Attack

Power: Holding sticks back while girls are getting ready to shoot to emphasize how far back they should be getting their stick heads for long passes/power shooting.

Finesse: There is a time to use the power technique but in tight situations, the finesse and the faking is super

fakes and quick push-‐pull shots.

Defense

Positioning and sliding boxes mirroring and stepping up into the space, 5 by 5 mirroring, 5 by 15 progression, double teams. Footwork with cones and sticks.

Live Drills

Recovery Drill: keep away between the 30s. On the turnover, d rushes back to the goal line and back up to find an attacker and play team d. Attackers are going to goal

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5v4: assign attack and d players and set them up as 3v2 at the center and 2v2 low. Start with a 50/50 ball. Work on lateral slides and playing two.

Box Drill: 4 attackers and every 3rd pass, d adds in another until it is 4v4. Work on going to body and being big on D. Attack is working on going to the open space, thinking a pass ahead, protection, and throwing fakes.

4v3 stationary box to goal. 4 attackers and 3 defenders in the arch. D is working of slides and communication No Diagonal slides. Attack is working on thinking a pass ahead, throwing fakes, and taking smart shots.

Clearing drills. Spot passing all the way up field. Simulated clears. Having designated lines and then playing to goal with different

patterns Live full field clears Scramble drill where attackers are passing on the perimeter and D is in the eight. On

the whistle, they break and have to find a girl, get organized and stop the attack from scoring.

5 v 5 forcing each spot to challenge in order to start the set. Live 5 v 5 Live 7 v 7

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Working with Goalies Tips for Coaching Youth Goalies

o Keep it fun and exciting o Find a good athlete basketball/tennis/softball o Keep them involved in practice o Keep a balance of confidence building drills o Teach the mental part of the game

Equipment:

o Helmet NOCSAE approved o Throat protector o Mouthguard o Chest protector o Gloves o Thigh pads o Shin Guards o Goalie Stick head and handle

-‐Stringing

Goalies in Practice o Always give them a Warm Up o Keep them involved

Include them in stickwork Start the drill with a clear/End with a shot Extra coach shoot on them Practice clearing on the side Work on angles/communication in the drill Try them in the drill as a player

o Be clear with drills for the GK and NOT for the GK o Good balance of drills

Warm Up

o High/Mid/Low o Personnel coach vs. players (throwing with stick/hand) o GK Stick and Hand Warm Up

Throwing and Clearing

o Make sure stick is strung well makes a huge difference o Stationary Throwing Technique o Throwing on the move o Hitting stationary target vs. moving target o Crease Flip/Crease drop (deputy)

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o Clearing Short, Mid, Long o Other stick work (Under Pressure, Non-‐

Technique save

o Ready Position Athletic Position, Stick Up and out parallel to their body A foot and a half off of the GLE

o Angles Follow the arc from pipe to pipe (use 8m to see where you are) Maximize taking up most of the angle with most time to make the save

o Make the Save Eyes, Hands, Shoulders, Feet and Toes

o High/Mid/Low Saves o Fakes

Play the shooter honest without over committing In youth through high school fakes are not deceptive. If the ball in in the neck of the

stick its not a shot, if the ball is in the sweet spot/top of the stick more likely will be a shot (or an advanced fake)

Drills

o Individual Drills Rope Drill

Tie a rope to both posts point of the triangle is the shooter. This will show the angle the shooter sees.

Running out Save Drill/Shuttle Saves (1v1 shooting) Shoot at the goalkeeper and have her run through the ball and back to the shooter. This

keeps her athletic and the feeling of moving to/through the ball. It is also easier to be able (for coach and GK) to evaluate Eyes, Hands, Shoulders, Feet and Toes on the save.

Hands save (from a hand toss or a light shot) Shoot at the goalkeeper with her making the save with her hands then

eventually add a field stick o Predetermined shot placement vs. Anywhere o Balls with colors, shapes, numbers o Turn and save

o GK Team Drills Basic

Rapid Fire/Slow Fire Pattern shooting/Hockey Drill Close Fake drill Shot Clear Drill

Game Like 1v1s, 3v3 on half Clear to Goal

Narrowing Down your College Selection

School Location Coach's Name Email Address Cell Number Contact

DateResponse Date

GPA / Scores Scholarship Cost Lax

DivisionCommunicated "playing time"

Size of School

Major/Minor Interest

Distance from Home

Gut Feeling Campus

Education Goals

Comfort w/ Coach

Sports Atmosphere Size Team

Dynamics

Distance from Home

1 12

2 12

3 12

4 12

5 12

6 12

7 12

8 12

9 12

10 12

11 12

12 12

13 12

14 12

15 12

16 12

17 12

18 12

19 12

20 12

21 12

22 12

23 12

24 12

25 12

26 12

27 12

28 12

29 12

30 12

1-30: position of school based on your interestunderstand "reach" schools

Factoids about the School - Uncontrollable Information - Enrollment Expectations Initial Communication Emotional/Psychological Evaluation (like/dislike)

FRESHMAN YEAR January -‐RESEARCH colleges-‐EMAIL college coach/Fill out RECRUITING FORMFebruary -‐EMAIL college coach high school schedulesApril -‐Sign up for SUMMER CAMP/CLINICS. -‐EMAIL colleges your summer schedule! May -‐Send college coach end of season stats, film, or grades SummerMake unofficial visits

SOPHOMORE YEAR September-‐Attend events hosted by college lacrosse team. -‐Attend COLLEGE FALL CLINICS -‐Register for SAT and ACT October-‐Register for our WINTER CAMP Spring-‐EMAIL spring schedule-‐Sign up FOR SUMMER CAMP/CLINIC offered by college coach-‐EMAIL summer schedule to college coach

JUNIOR YEAR Summer going into Junior Year -‐Send copy of TRANSCRIPTS (freshman and sophomore year)-‐Schedule UNOFFICIAL VISIT to college and meet with coach. September -‐Colleges can contact you via email and letters at this time. -‐Sign up for our SPRING CLINIC Winter -‐Narrow top 5 colleges Spring -‐Take any SAT or ACT as needed -‐EMAIL spring schedule and updated emails and phone numbers*****REGISTER FOR THE NCAA CLEARINGHOUSE *****

SENIOR YEAR Summer going into Senior Year -‐EMAIL summer tournaments schedule (June) July -‐Colleges can call you on the 1stAugust -‐SCHEDULE OFFICIAL VISIT -‐Register for fall SAT and ACT tests as needed October -‐COMPLETE ADMISSIONS APPLICATION November-‐NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT SIGNING IS THIS MONTH.

PITFALLS TO AVOIDI only want to play for a HIGH PROFILE NCAA D1 teamCoaches will send me letters all the timeI will make college team as a walk-onMy high school coach will get me a scholarshipLots of college coaches will watch my high school gamesI will only consider schools offering me a full rideI am only applying to my First-Choice SchoolCoaches will notice me when I have a big senior years season

I can play D1, because the other girls on my team have committed to D1 colleges.

***As your HS coach, I can send emails to coaches, but most emails should come from the player!***

QUESTIONS TO ASK COLLEGE COACHES

ie., at least 1800 on the SAT, or 23 on the ACT, at least a 3.0 in academic subjects 1st semester, two solid letters of recommendation from academic teachers, etc.)

goalie/defender/attacker this year. If you can tell me, where do I rank now among the goalie/defenders/attackers you are recruiting?

(some areas that should be covered would be coaching style, physical demands, offensive/defensive philosophy, chance to play)

Why not?

QUESTIONS TO ASK THEIR PLAYERS

LaxJam:CoachesClinic ! WestLinn,OR ! March8...

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