Ultimate Guide: How to Get Better at Lacrosse This Weekend

How can you improve your lacrosse skills in just one weekend. What are the most effective drills and exercises for rapid improvement. Which aspects of lacrosse should you focus on for maximum results in a short time.

Building a Thompson Target for Precision Shooting

Accuracy is paramount in lacrosse, especially when it comes to scoring goals. One highly effective way to hone your shooting skills is by constructing a Thompson target. This innovative training tool challenges players to shoot both accurately and forcefully, allowing for rigorous self-assessment and improvement.

The Thompson target can be utilized in various scenarios:

• Solo practice sessions
• Training with a partner
• As a goal for small-sided games (2v2 or 3v3)

Once you’ve built your Thompson target, it’s time to put it to use and start refining your shooting technique.

Mastering Wall Ball: The Cornerstone of Lacrosse Skill Development

Wall ball remains one of the most fundamental and effective ways to improve your lacrosse skills. Even professional players like Paul Rabil consistently incorporate wall ball into their training regimens. If you’re feeling uninspired about wall ball, watching videos of top players engaging in this drill can reignite your motivation.

Creative Wall Ball Locations

Don’t let a lack of traditional facilities hold you back. Wall ball can be practiced in numerous locations:

• On a boat or near water
• Against buildings in urban areas
• Using temporary surfaces in open spaces

The key is to eliminate excuses and find ways to incorporate wall ball into your routine, regardless of your surroundings.

Customizing Your Equipment: The Art of Stick Stringing

Stringing a new lacrosse stick is not only a practical skill but also an opportunity to exercise your mind and creativity. Experimenting with different pocket styles and materials can lead to improved performance and a deeper understanding of your equipment.

Why is customizing your stick important?

• Tailors the pocket to your specific playing style
• Enhances ball control and shooting accuracy
• Develops a stronger connection with your equipment

Challenge yourself to explore new stringing techniques and ask, “Will it string?” as you experiment with various pocket designs.

Small-Sided Games: Accelerating Skill Development Through Focused Play

Engaging in small-sided games, such as 3v3 lacrosse, is an excellent way to rapidly improve your skills in a competitive and enjoyable setting. These mini-games offer several benefits:

• Increased touches on the ball
• Enhanced decision-making under pressure
• Improved spatial awareness and teamwork

How can you set up small-sided games with limited resources?

1. Use unconventional goals (trash cans, cardboard boxes, plastic bins)
2. Adapt to various playing surfaces (fields, backyards, basketball courts)
3. Focus on creativity and fun while maintaining a competitive edge

Remember, the key is to be adaptable and use your imagination to create engaging play scenarios.

Learning from the Pros: The Power of Observation and Analysis

Watching high-level lacrosse games and training sessions can significantly contribute to your development as a player. Observing professionals and successful college programs provides valuable insights into:

• Advanced techniques and strategies
• Mental preparation and focus
• The intensity required for success at higher levels

How can you maximize the benefits of watching lacrosse?

1. Focus on players in your position
2. Analyze team strategies and patterns of play
3. Take notes on specific skills or moves you want to incorporate into your game

Use the dedication and seriousness displayed by top players as inspiration for your own training efforts.

Enhancing Draw Control: Techniques for Midfield Dominance

For players looking to improve their draw control skills, focusing on specific aspects of technique and preparation can lead to significant improvements:

Wrist Strength and Quickness

Contrary to popular belief, winning draws isn’t solely about muscle power. Quick wrists and refined technique play a crucial role. To develop these attributes:

• Practice one-handed wall ball routines
• Focus on rapid catches and passes using only your dominant hand
• Incorporate wrist-strengthening exercises into your fitness routine

These exercises improve both the initial draw movement and your ability to gain possession of airborne balls.

Mastering the Art of Boxing Out

Given the unpredictable nature of draw outcomes, positioning is key for all players on the field. Effective boxing out:

• Puts you closer to potential ball locations
• Creates space for teammates to run through and collect loose balls
• Denies your opponents easy access to prime ball-winning positions

Practice proper footwork and body positioning to gain an edge in draw situations.

Diversifying Draw Placements

As a draw taker, developing a varied arsenal of placements is crucial. Options include:

• Self-draws
• Directing the ball down the 50-yard line
• Sending the ball to your offensive end
• Strategic “losses” to manipulate opponent positioning

Adapt your strategy based on early-game results and communicate effectively with teammates to maximize draw control success.

Offensive Play Without the Ball: Maximizing Your Impact

A significant portion of lacrosse is played without possession of the ball. Understanding how to contribute effectively during these moments is crucial for offensive players. Key aspects to focus on include:

• Proper positioning and spacing
• Creating passing lanes and opportunities for teammates
• Setting picks and screens to free up shooters
• Anticipating defensive movements and exploiting gaps

How can you improve your off-ball offensive skills?

1. Study film of high-level players who excel in off-ball movement
2. Practice reading defensive positioning in small-sided games
3. Develop non-verbal communication cues with teammates
4. Work on quick changes of direction and acceleration to lose defenders

Remember, the ability to impact the game without the ball often separates good players from great ones.

Developing a Holistic Approach to Lacrosse Improvement

To truly excel in lacrosse, it’s essential to adopt a comprehensive approach to skill development. This involves:

• Physical conditioning and strength training
• Mental preparation and game strategy
• Nutrition and recovery practices
• Consistent skill work across all aspects of the game

How can you create a well-rounded improvement plan?

1. Set specific, measurable goals for each area of your game
2. Create a balanced weekly schedule that addresses all aspects of development
3. Seek feedback from coaches and experienced players
4. Regularly assess your progress and adjust your focus as needed

By taking a holistic approach, you’ll ensure steady improvement across all facets of your lacrosse performance.

Improving your lacrosse skills is an ongoing process that requires dedication, creativity, and a willingness to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. By incorporating the strategies and exercises outlined in this guide, you can make significant strides in your game, even within the span of a single weekend. Remember to stay focused on fundamentals, embrace the challenge of new drills and techniques, and always approach your training with passion and intensity. With consistent effort and smart practice, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more skilled and confident lacrosse player.

How To Get Better At Lacrosse!

It’s Friday, you don’t have any set plans for the weekend, but you want to get better at lacrosse. Who doesn’t? This is your guide to How To Get Better at Lacrosse THIS Weekend!

(Main Photo Credit: Craig Chase)

Now, you won’t go from beginner to Casey Powell/Rob Pannell/Paul Rabil/Lyle Thompson level right away, but you can definitely make some rapid improvements if you do things the right way, focus on fundamentals, and get after it with a passion. Some of these things can be done alone while others require a small group of friends, but all of them will help you become a better lacrosse player… and that’s why you put in all this work!

Get Better At Lacrosse This Weekend!

Build A Thompson Target

Accuracy is KING out there if you want to score goals. The Thompson target forces you to shoot accurate and shoot hard, and it allows for players to really test themselves on their own. This training tool can be used alone, with a friend, or even as a goal for some 2-on-2 or 3-on-3.

For more great lacrosse video, check out the LaxAllStars YouTube Channel!

Ok, now you’ve built your training target… it’s time to get out there and use it!

Play Wall Ball

Maybe you’re tired of playing wall ball. If that’s true, watch Paul Rabil get after on the wall. If he’s still doing this, you should be doing this!

Even if you’re on a boat… or near a boat…

Seriously, no excuses. WALL BALL ANYWHERE!

String a New Stick!

You can always exercise your mind by stringing up a new stick. This past week I did just that when I threw a Gait Trakker Pocket into a men’s head. It came out great, so follow Red Star’s example and ask yourself, “will it string?”

Play Small Sides Games With Friends

3X lacrosse is basically 3×3 lacrosse with a custom goal. Find a way to play a mini game with friends and I guarantee you’ll get better. You can use a trash can, a cardboard box, a plastic bin, or a metal pipe as your goal. Be creative, work on new things, and play to have fun and win. This is not THE way to get better, but it’s a GREAT way to get better. Play on a field, in your backyard, on a basketball court… ANYWHERE! There can be no limit to your creativity if you want to plays some lacrosse.

Watch Lacrosse And LEARN!

These Salisbury players are serious! Use them as inspiration to be serious yourself. Taking pride in practice is a huge factor when it comes to program success.

There is no reason not to improve this weekend!

What else do you like to do to get better at lacrosse? We want to know!

Nike Lacrosse Tip: 3 Tips To Improve Your Draw Technique

Lacrosse Tip

For girls ages 10-18: All Positions – All Levels of Play; Gain confidence and improve your game this summer at Xcelerate Nike Lacrosse Camp!

1) Wrist Strength

It is not just muscle that wins draws, but rather quick wrists and good technique. One way to improve the quickness of your wrists is practice wall ball routines with only one hand on your stick. Catching and passing the ball with one hand on your shaft will improve both wrist strength and control. This helps with the initial pull/push of the draw as well as gaining possession when the ball is in the air.

2) Boxing Out

Because the ball does not always go to the same place on the draw, it is important for everyone on the field to be in a good position to get the draw. Getting a step in front of your opposition and boxing out allows you to put yourself closer to receive the ball when it comes near you. It also creates an open space for one of your teammates to run through and pick up the ball.

3) Varying Your Placement

Draw takers have to make a decision on where they would like to place the ball when taking the draw. They can win it to themselves, send the ball down the 50 yard line, send the ball onto their offensive end, or purposely lose the ball. In order to make these decisions, you must figure out what is or isn’t working on the first couple draws of the game. Once you get a feel for where the ball has been going most of the time, then it is important to communicate with your teammates and tell them where you would like them to stand so you can try to win the ball in the most efficient way possible.

Check out more lacrosse training tips to help take your game to the next level!

Tips to becoming a better player

August Newsletter

Each month Shooters Lacrosse will post tips on become a better lacrosse player.   These tips will be a good way to help you fully understand the roll of being an overall Lacrosse player.

Offense -Playing without the Ball 
  
The majority of the game is played without the ball. Therefore as an offensive player, you need to understand your position on the field and what you need to do in relation to where the ball is. There are some simple rules to follow regardless of your own offensive system. 
First, if the man with the ball comes towards you, clear through. Next, if the man with the ball goes away from you, follow the ball. 
As you clear through, never lose sight of the ball. You never know when your defender will leave you or whether you can break free and get open. Always have your stick in your upfield hand and be looking to make a play and be a scorer. 
By following your teammate, you also provide an outlet for a player who may get double-teamed, is fatigued, or simply needs an outlet. 
When adjacent to the ball carrier, your job is to clear through. Baut if your defender decides to leave you and double team the ball, you can also execute a fish hook move where you put on the brakes, stop, and come back to the ball with the stick in your upfield hand.  
  
Some simple tips to remember: 
• Watch your defenseman’s head as he turns to watch the ball 
• Make sure you’re making eye contact and working with your teammate who’s carrying the ball 
• As soon as your defender turns to look at the ball, cut backdoor for a quick pass to the goal 
  
Defense – Playing off ball. 
  
Off-Ball defense is identical to defensive concepts in basketball. When you are not covering the ball, you want to stay in between your man and the net. This allows you to stay in a position to help your teammates out but also not leaving too much room, so that you can recover back to your man once he receives the ball again. A good distance to use is one or two stick lengths away from the player you are covering. Finally, when the ball is moving around and your offensive player does not have the ball, you will want to keep your head on a swivel. Keeping your head on a swivel and opening your hips to the ball allows you to view your offensive player and the current player with the ball. Remember that you are working as a unit, so the player you are covering is important but the ball carrier is just as important. 

Crease Help

As the ball is rotating around the offensive zone, the players who are not covering the ball need to “sluff” in. “Sluff in” is a term that is used to describe the off ball defenseman sagging into the middle of the field to help protect the net. When players are sluffing in off-ball, they should give help to the crease defenseman. This allows the crease defenseman more flexibility in case he needs to slide. An important thing to remember is when players do not have the ball, and they are 20 – 30 yards from the ball and net, they are not a threat to score! Defensively, you should not be covering them this far away for the net. This is the time to sluff in and be help to your crease defenseman, as the crease area is the biggest threat for an offense to score. 

Slides

Offense is often initiated through dodging. When a defensive player gets beat on a dodge, the action required to stop the offensive player is called a slide. Sliding is when the crease defensemen or the nearest adjacent defenseman leave their player to stop the ball. It is important to understand that when a player slides, his first goal is to stop the ball. Too many times player try to throw stick checks in an attempt to take the ball away. Offensive players are becoming skilled, allowing them to run through or past stick checks. Your goal as a sliding player should be to “buy time” so that your teammate can recover to a new player.

5 Tips to Improve Your Stick Skills…

Virginia lacrosse players follow these tips…

Are you new to the game? Think it’s impossible to get elite stick skills? Are you a youth coach that wants to teach his/her kids how to properly throw and catch? Then this article is for you! Whether you are a new player or more experienced, you should still check out this list to make sure you are following these rules. Heck, I recently had a habit of doing #5 on the list. Eventually, you may get sloppy with your wallball and hit a slump. If wondering how to break this, I guarantee you are not doing one of the five things on this list! Without further ado, let’s get into this.

Point Front Foot at Target

Ironically, the first thing on this list doesn’t involve your stick. It involves your footwork. When throwing the ball, you need to have your toes (in front foot) pointed towards your target. This helps with accuracy.

This is what good quarterbacks do. I’m linking a video of Ben Roethlisberger’s 2018 highlights. Watch how his front foot is always pointed at the receiver he’s targeting. Almost all these passes are right where they need to be. Just focus on his passing in the pocket. His footwork may be a little sloppy when he’s forced to escape the pocket, but that happens to everyone (even NFL stars). Incorporate proper footwork into your throws, and you’ll be a lot more accurate. Roethlisberger’s Throwing Footwork.

Don’t Watch Ball Go into Your Stick

New lacrosse players tend to do this. I get it. You are new to the game. You’re a little uncomfortable with catching the tiny, rubber ball, so you check to make sure the ball is in the net. Here’s the thing: watching the ball go into your stick wastes time and will get you laid out. Admittedly, I did this my sophomore year in high school. I know you are making sure you don’t drop the ball.

Yet, when you are looking the ball into your stick, you aren’t able to see your open teammates. Watch this clip. If you do, you’ll notice the players catching the ball never watch the ball go into their stick. They just know they’ve caught it based on feel.

The only way to break this habit is to force yourself not to do this. Take your time when breaking this habit. Don’t rush through your wallball. Take a couple seconds to get a feel for the ball in the mesh. Don’t get frustrated if you drop the ball lots when starting. Just throw some easy lob passes to get used to this. I promise, after dedicating yourself to this, you’ll break the habit!

Cushion Ball into Net

Another bad habit young players make. When you catch the ball, you do not keep your stick still. You actually give a little on your stick. Hard to explain over text, but when a ball is coming your way, you slowly bring your stick back while catching the ball. This keeps the ball from bouncing out of your stick! Watch how this guy catches the ball. You’ll notice he is pulling his stick back when catching the ball. That is cushioning the ball!

By doing this, you will stand out on the field amongst newer/younger players. If you can’t do it at first, don’t worry. Basically, every single lacrosse player failed to do this at first. Paul Rabil and Kyle Harrison had to learn this; therefore, don’t feel bad if you can’t do this right away.

Catapult Ball, Don’t Push

When new, a lot of guys push the ball out of their stick. By doing this, your passes will have less accuracy and power. You are also working muscles you shouldn’t be using. Your shoulders, biceps, and triceps should not be doing the work. Instead, you should be using physics.

By using a catapult-like motion, you get more air under the ball. This will allow you to launch the ball. Watch Rabil’s video on throwing. You’ll see he uses this exact motion.

Again, by pushing the ball out of your stick, you are limiting your ability as a passer. You may get lucky and get some good throws; however, you will not be consistent. Besides it being the proper motion, using a catapult-like throwing motion will make throwing the ball easier and keep your arms from getting fatigued. I slacked off some and got into this habit a year ago. A coach at Air Force called me on it and corrected it immediately. Right away, I noticed less stress on my arms. Don’t brute force your throws, make physics do the work!

Hold Stick in Fingertips, Not Palms

This is a hard habit to break. It will also be extremely uncomfortable when correcting. When throwing, you need to be holding your stick in your fingertips, not the palms of your hands. Doing this gives you more control over your stick. It will improve your accuracy and power as well.

Coach Wilson, the head coach at Air Force, makes sure all his players do this.

He was the one that made me aware of this. This, along with catapulting the ball, made throwing long passes much easier. I noticed I was able to get the ball out quicker when dodging while holding the stick like this. You may hate this at first, but I promise, once you power through, it will feel natural. You will be glad you did this.

One tip on this: don’t do this at practice right away if it’s messing up your throws. Practice this during wallball until you are comfortable enough to do this in a live setting. Gradually build up your confidence in holding your stick like this.

To Conclude

If you follow these five tips, I guarantee you will become a better passer. If you already do all this, great! Though, I will warn you to not get complacent. As I mentioned above, I sometimes slack too. We’re only human. It’s easy to get complacent with your wallball. You want to get it done quickly so you rep it out fast. I’m guilty of this too. But after prolonged ignorance of these guidelines, one day you’ll come out and your throwing motion will be off. Then it takes some time to correct it. The slightest mistake can make all the difference in being on target or slightly to the left. You can’t get complacent. Elite players don’t get complacent. You want to be elite, don’t you?

Did you find these tips helpful? Is this the worst advice ever? Have anymore tips? Let me know what you think by subscribing to the site and commenting. Or connect with me on Twitter or Instagram. I also have a YouTube where I do highlight videos. I’m looking into getting a computer specifically for video editing so my clips aren’t as choppy. My current computer can’t handle rendering such large files. Regardless, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

4 Killer Tips to Master Your Lacrosse Shot

We are going to give you 4 killer tips on how to master your Lacrosse shot, and if you follow them, you’ll be a better shooter. If you don’t, and the opposing team does, well, good luck to you on defense. You’ll need it.

You might automatically think that good Lacrosse shooting starts with your stick, but that’s only half the battle here. The other half is you, your body and the time spent working all of these components together. (Think Karate Kid, wax-on, wax off, and you’ll get the picture.) You must get the basics down before you can become a stick doctor because the basics are where it’s at.

Beyond your core

Lacrosse shooting starts in the core of your body, and the better your core is, the more powerful and more accurate your shot will be. Why? Well, flexibility allows you to aim the shot where you want it to go, and musculature lets you fire the rock ~ hard.

Rotational strength from your body is only part of the equation, and many players believe it is the ONLY part of the equation. Get your head out of the clouds with that, because both your legs and arms are the other part. A lot of Lacrosse players think their legs are only used for running, but they are instrumental in allowing your upper body to spool up before every shot.

Slideboard lunges, both forward and to the side, build flexibility in your hips and upper thighs. Suspension bands build flexibility in your arms and shoulders. Pull ups, push ups, and sit ups should be done as a matter of course, and not when you feel like it. Core work first, video games afterward. Get it?

So get off your duff and work all of your muscles together because that’s where your shot begins, from all of your muscles.

Accuracy over power

Great, you have a stick and you can throw that ball at one-million miles per hour. But where does it go? Past the goal? In the stands? Out to the parking lot? To the moon? What good is power without accuracy? No good, that’s what! But all you hot-shot laxers out there always want power first, because power is showy and gets the “Oooos” and the “Ahhhs” from the crowd. The problem is, power doesn’t win games, accuracy does.

One way to do this, and there are many others, is to practice by running in the field, at a comfortable speed, and putting the rock in the cage. Make sure you are always shooting on the run, and get the ball in the net 10 times in a row. Always back off on the power of your shot until you can get 10 consecutive shots into the net. The power level where you can do 10 shots in a row, is where you begin, and do this from every angle, left side, right side, every side. Bounce shots, corners, high and low. As you become more accurate, up the power level, especially if you are more proficient at scoring from one side or another. Just remember, laser shots are only pretty when they go in the net.

Accuracy trumps power every time, and until you can control accuracy, leave the power alone.

Wall ball

Accuracy, power and movement all come together here. You can practice shooting passes, goal shots, and hitting the same spot over and over again. Move side to side, take a few steps back for power shots, change hands and hit the wall. Grab the stick at least 3 times per week, and more is better, and spend a good 30 minutes on the wall. Too much power and not enough accuracy, and you are going to be chasing a lot of balls. This is where real shooting and passing starts, get it together on the wall.

Run, baby, run

Lacrosse is a running sport first and foremost, and sure, you can get out there and run around a track and that may seem fine. But when you are playing Lacrosse, you are not just running, you are running, jumping, dodging and sprinting too, and all of these disciplines need to be incorporated in your running practice.

Try some cross country running, and make sure to go off the trail. Jump logs, dodge trees, sprint down paths and keep your legs moving. The harder you run in practice like this, the less tired you will be at the end of the game, and being able to pick up the pace then and outrunning your opponents, may be the difference between winning and losing.

11 Commandments of Lacrosse – Bronxville Youth Lacrosse Association

The 11 Commandments of Lacrosse
(Reprinted from Lax Mag for Kids)

1. You must be able to catch, throw and shoot both left-handed and right-handed.
From the first time you pick up a lacrosse stick, you must practice on both sides. You must work on your weak hand on your own. You should not be embarrassed if you make mistakes with your non-dominant hand. You will not suddenly wake up one day and have a competent, non-dominant hand. It takes practice.

2. The more time you spend playing lacrosse with your stick perpendicular to the ground (as opposed to parallel to the ground), the better player you will become.
If a player keeps his stick perpendicular to the ground, he can protect the full length of his stick with his body. To the contrary, if the stick becomes parallel to the ground, the head and stick become exposed to checks by an opponent. If the head of the stick is carried next to the ear (in the box), and the shaft is perpendicular to the ground habitually, no matter where the ball is caught, it will be returned to the proper position and be protected by the body. When the ball is thrown or shot, it should be done overhand from the box position. In order for this to be executed properly, a player must catch, throw and shoot with his wrists. Many players cannot do this because they have a whip in their stick. Sticks with whips force players throw the ball with their arms rather than their wrists. Adjust the pocket of your stick so that you can use your wrists and keep the stick perpendicular.

3. Do not hold the ball in your stick.
The less time the ball spends in your stick, the better player you will become. Players who carry the ball in their stick too long develop a horrible sense of the game. The ball can be passed over a distance at speeds faster than anyone can run. It is far easier to learn how to carry the ball in your stick after you have learned how to pass it. The reason for this is that defensive pressure becomes far less of an irritation when a player knows how to get rid of the ball.

4. Move the ball immediately upon gaining possession of a loose ball.
As teams scramble for loose balls, they get pulled out of position. If your team picked up a loose ball, it can capitalize on the opponent’s misalignment only if it can move the ball before the opponent has time to adjust. You must look up field and get the ball out of your stick as soon as possible. You must make the pass to the first open man on your team that you see, whether in front, across or behind you. Ideally, your teammates should be moving themselves into strategic positions to take advantage of the opponents’ misalignment.

5. You must learn how to move without the ball.
Everyone – player’s referees and fans – has a tendency to watch only the player with the ball. Players off the ball are disregarded. Thus, it is easier to get into shooting, catching or scooping position when you do not have the ball. Every lacrosse player plays 90% of the time without the ball. You must maximize your time without the ball so that you put yourself in a position to do something when you get it. You must realize that by standing still, you blend into the background and your teammate with the ball cannot see you.

6. You must move to the ball.
A player who is open and wants the ball should always move to the ball. This is particularly true when a player is (1) open on the backside (2) not being watched by a defenseman in front of him and (3) receiving a pass to shoot. A player who is not being watched by a defenseman in front of him should move to the ball because he can run right past the defenseman and get open. A player receiving the pass to shoot must always move to the ball lest he catch it, turn and get run down by a sliding defender.

7. Look to a spot behind the goalie when you shoot.
If a player is in possession of the ball in shooting position, he usually is being pressured if not run down. You must therefore automatically look first to the highest percentage spot to shoot. This spot is ‘behind the goalie.’ A spot behind the goalie is a spot out of the goalie’s momentum. Shooters must look first to a spot that is opposite to the direction in which the goalie is moving. If the goalie is moving to his right, a shot to his right is a shot into his momentum and flow. A shot to his left, however, forces him to change his momentum and go the other way. This is a difficult task even for the best goalie.

8. Shoot with a quick release.
Releasing the ball quickly when shooting on goal is an asset because (1) anyone in possession of the ball in shooting position is or soon will receive defensive pressure and (2) goalies move. Too many players develop bad habits, such as spinning their stick, taking more steps, or winding up before releasing the ball. All these actions use up valuable time that allows the defense to recover and the goalie to move. This is especially true when a player has just received a feed. If you develop the skill to release the shot at the moment that you receive the feed, you will shoot with less defensive pressure and at a goalie who has not been allowed to focus on the ball. The proper method of developing the quick release is to give with the feed and actually catch the ball in a shooting position.

9. Defense must have stick skills as good as or better than attack men and midfielders.
Defensemen must be able to clear the ball. Broken clears put teams in their most vulnerable position possible. The only way to ensure that clears do not fail is to make sure the ball does not go on the ground. That requires flawless throwing and catching.

10. Defenders must play defense like boxers box.
Too many defenders stop moving their feet when they make a check or they make a check and leave their sticks in places that do them no good. Boxers never stand still with reference to their opponent. They use their footwork to gain position and advantage. Neither do they leave their arm extended after throwing a punch. A defender should not leave his stick or his opponent’s hip. He must learn to move, check, and reload to repeat the process.

11. Defenders do not have to take the ball away to play good defense.
The purpose of all defenses is to reduce the opponents’ scoring. That is accomplished by focusing on four factors and executing them. The four are (1) prevent high percentage shots, (2) hinder passing that allows opponents into the prime shooting area, (3) gain possession of loose balls, and (4) begin the transition game. Too many defenders measure their defensive prowess by their ability to strip the ball from an opponent. A defender’s primary concern should be to position himself so that when the player he is guarding puts both hands on the stick, he can check the opponent’s hands. The attributes that every defender must have are footwork, stickwork, anticipation and hustle.

5 Tips to Make Your Practice More Enjoyable and Even FUN! — WINNERS Lacrosse

From this image, we can see that the players like playing games the most. However, with games all over the city, many of the players had difficulty attending. This Giving Tuesday we are reaching out to our supporters to help provide our players with game transportation to help more kids do what they love – play games! Get creative; there are a ton of ways you can put the power back into the hands of the players.

3.       Do another activity, can be sports or non-sport related. I’ll always appreciate the many random games we played together in college, from the game show themes to watching football games together to scavenger hunts to intense beach volleyball games. My Stanford coaches were great at knowing when things were getting intense and we needed a break. My statement prior goes well with number two, but along with listening you need to pay attention to your players. You can tell a lot just by looking at them!

4.       Never shy away from a surprise. I can’t even begin to describe the power this has on your players. Telling your kids only to bring their running shoes to practice and then taking them to get a team breakfast, or warming up with relays instead of the usual routine. Again, there’s a lot of room for creativity. You have to be careful here, though, can’t surprise them too much then they’ll expect it!!

5.       Finally, don’t be too serious or distant all the time! We all know you’re the boss, but your players will play better when they know YOU and can play for YOU. When I was able to get to know my coaches beyond the lacrosse field, it made a huge difference on so many teams. Not only were we more comfortable talking to coach about anything, but they knew us and how to coach us better!

The bottom line is sports are about having FUN, and athletes play better when they can do this! Let us know how these tips helped you! Put a smile on; your players will too! 🙂

90,000 8 tips for those who want to become a leader in the company

Being a leader is not just sitting in a beautiful office equipped with the latest equipment. Not every leader is a good leader. You can tell subordinates what to do and how to spend the day in the office, but that just means that you are their boss.

This article is the result of extensive research involving executives, management advisers, and management experts. They shared opinions and advice on how to become a better leader.

1. Communication Skills

It is very important to be able to communicate with employees and superiors. Always be available. Mutual understanding and a sense of trust between you and your team members is the first step towards achieving the goal of being a better leader.

Learn to promote and express positive, empathy, compassion, understanding. These qualities distinguish leaders from corporate bosses and executives.

2. Get to know your team

Your team is your asset and you should do your best to get to know them well.Try to find out their strengths and weaknesses so that you can get the most out of them over time.

Leading a team is easy, but working side by side with your team and leading them to success is a challenge that not everyone can handle. There are many easy-to-use apps and developments to help you along the way.

3. Be positive

Dealing with a large number of people can be challenging. No matter how smoothly things go, obstacles and problems are bound to appear.The true hallmark of a leader is how he handles it. A problematic situation is never easy, especially if you are responsible for the entire team.

There is a time-tested trick to stay positive. Find out three good things about each problem. This will allow you and your team to approach the problem in a more reassuring way. You will see a new perspective that will support the team spirit and focus on the pros, not the cons.

4. Do, Don’t Say

Good leaders don’t just speak – they show the way. A successful leader is someone who works alongside their team members to lead them to success. By working shoulder to shoulder, you interact with the team, which is impossible if you just give directions.

5. Build Feedback

If you are a leader, you can improve yourself by taking advice and criticism from people who see you in action. From time to time, you should set up feedback channels to gauge your performance.A good leader constantly tries to comprehend his strengths and weaknesses. You have to trust your employees and use feedback in the form of email, polls or WhatsApp messages.

6. Find out what drives you

Before you start studying your people, examine yourself. You don’t have a “just job” that requires you to sit and work. You need to get involved in projects and get valuable feedback from the people you work with.

At this stage you need to find out your motivation.For some, leadership responsibility is motivation in itself. For others, new daily challenges serve as a certain source of motivation. You must be passionate, single-minded, and convinced about what you are doing. Be confident in what you believe.

7. Set achievable goals that are clear to team members

Your goals should not be secret and unattainable. Being a good leader is about building the morale of your team members. Defining short-term, achievable goals helps build confidence among employees.

You need to regularly review team goals, personal goals and company goals. The best way to track progress is to maintain a visual presentation (for example, using a whiteboard or diagram). When you and your team see how much you have achieved, it acts as motivation.

8. Improve yourself!

To become a real leader among subordinates, listen to motivating lectures, read books of successful people, take a program for company leaders.

A leader must be smart, easy to understand and communicate, and be able to inspire. Being a leader is not easy. They are not born: good leadership qualities are the result of many years of practice and self-improvement.

Youth Hockey League – Spartak dominance, lacrosse goal and incredible rescues. JHL Week

The 16th week of the Parimatch of the JHL regular season is over. By tradition, we present to your attention its results, figures and highlights.

Moments of the week

19-year-old Spartak defender Artem Serikov scored his second goal in the KHL – and did it from the red line.

Spartacus were generally in good shape last week. The red and white players made it to almost all the leaderboards. And Ruslan Novruzov managed not only to become the top scorer and sniper of these seven days, but also spent the most minutes on the penalty box. MHC Spartak won eight victories in a row, became the most productive team of the week and climbed to seventh place in the Western Conference.

Atlant goalkeeper Matvey Botov churns out beautiful rescues in every match.

Matvey’s partners are not lagging behind. For Mark Yaruta, this lacrosse goal was only the second in the JHL.

The goalkeeper of the Amur Tigers, Alexander Evgrafov, also works wonders on the ribbon. This is a heel save!

The best sniper of the MHL last season, Dmitry Rashevsky, scored his first assist in the KHL in his debut match.

Spartak striker Daniel Usmanov scored an excellent jump goal and was compared with legends.

Spartak players had an excellent segment, but sometimes goalkeepers stood in their way. Gorgeous save of Kirill Gerasimyuk in the match against the red-whites.

The puck of the Mikhailov Academy defender Evgeny Kashnikov became his first in the MHL and interrupted the team’s streak of 20 defeats in a row. The Tulyaks celebrated their victory over MHC Dynamo St. Petersburg.

Riga defender Ernest Osenieks opened the scoring with his goals in the KHL.

Main week numbers

In both conferences, the struggle for the playoffs is intensifying. In the West, SKA-1946 climbed to third place, while the Russian Knights suffered several defeats and dropped from third to sixth. In the East, progress has been made by Mammoths of Yugra and Omsk Yastreby, who returned to the playoff zone. The Steel Foxes dropped out again.

90,051 46 90,052 matches took place in Parimatch MHL over the past seven days. A total of 90,051 736 90,052 hockey players took part in them.

Hosts: 20 in regulation time, 3 in overtime, 1 in shootout.

Guests: 17 wins in regulation time, 3 in overtime, 2 in shootout.

256 pucks have been at the goal of the teams in the last seven days, 9 of which were thrown into the empty “frame”.

The hosts scored 90,051 128 90,052 goals, the guests – also 128 . Average performance – 90,051 5.57 90,052 goals scored per match.

A total of 90,051 184 90,052 players distinguished themselves.

The most popular scores are 3: 1 and 4: 2 , recorded 5 times.

The most productive was 55th 90,052 minute, during which 9 were scored
washers.

In total, 90,051 1129 penalty minutes were written out 90,052 (90,051 580 90,052 to the owners and 90,051 549
guests). The average penalty time per game was 24.54 minutes.

The teams received the most penalties in the match “Sarmatians” – “Sputnik” , which took place on December 26. For two, the opponents scored 155 (60 + 95) penalty minutes.

“Leaders” among penalties – Alexander Kataev (“SKA-1946”), Vyacheslav Kolesnikov
(“Sputnik”), Ruslan Novruzov (MHK “Spartak”), Georgy Savin
(“Russian Knights”).Everyone spent 27 minutes on the bench.

Heroes of the Week

Top scorer and sniper:

– Ruslan Novruzov (MHC “Spartak”) – 8 (7 + 1) points

The best assistants with 5 assists:

Nikita Borodaenko
(MHC “Spartak”)

Ivan Vorobiev
and Vasily Atanasov (both – “Mammoths of Ugra”)

Spartak Basimov
(“Diamond”)

Best defensive scorer:

Spartak Basimov
(“Diamond”) – 5 (0 + 5) points.

The most productive team – M HC “Spartak” – 19 goals scored.

The most productive three strikers, scoring 7 goals:

Maklozyan – Borodaenko – Novruzov (MHC “Spartak”)

Nikonorov – Gutik – Paramonov (MHC “Dynamo-Moscow”)

Best Utility Score:

Dmitry Silantyev , Vladislav Churkin (both – MHC “Spartak”) – “+7” each.

7 goalkeepers have kept their goal intact:

– Dmitry Kulikov
(both – MHC “Spartak”)

– Denis Popov (Mikhailov Academy)

– Ilya Stupin (Mammoths of Yugra)

– Kirill Kuzmenko (Sakhalin Sharks)

– Makar Chufarov (MHC Dynamo SPb)

– Egor Gromovik (“The Seagull”)

– Daniil Zakharov (Ladya)

The best goalkeeper reliability factor: Dmitry Menshatov (MHC Dynamo-Moscow) – 1.00 .The goalkeeper played 2 matches and conceded 2 goals.

The largest number of reflected shots per game – Artemy Pleshkov (HC “Captain”). In the match against SKA-1946 on December 26, the goalkeeper parried 51 shots.

The most athletic host in esports. She has played for the Wales national lacrosse team since the age of 14

Meet Lottie Van Praag – probably the most athletic host of computer games tournaments.

Lottie was born in the capital of Wales – Cardiff. However, her family later moved to the village of Llangibi, which is located in Monmouthshire in Southeast Wales. From early childhood, Lottie became interested in video games.

I remember going through the story campaigns of the first two Halo games with my brother. This game united us.

In a few years, Lottie will be the host of video game tournaments, including Halo.

However, some passion for games did not prevent her from achieving success in sports.While still in school, she began to attend the lacrosse section, and at the age of 14 she became part of the Wales national team. It was with this team that she reached the final of the 2015 European Championship.

Lacrosse is a team game where two teams try to hit the opponent’s goal with a rubber ball, using unusual clubs that help catch and hold the ball.

Big money (in comparison with other team sports) in lacrosse does not make. The average salary of players in the national lacrosse league NLL (the strongest league in the world) is only $ 20 thousand.for the season. In other championships, they earn even less, so Lottie was forced to find an additional source of income.

Thanks to her irresistible charm and the necessary acquaintances, Lottie was able to break into television.

She has worked as a presenter for BBC Wales Sport, an interviewer and reporter for the Cardiff Blues Welsh rugby club and the English football club Aston Villa. I tried myself in marketing and organizing sports events.

Since 2018, Lottie has represented the esports organization Gfinity and is the regular host of Halo, Call of Duty and FIFA tournaments.The highest point of her success, according to Lottie herself, was her presence as a host at the Esports Awards 2018.

Despite the fact that the big sport was over, Lottie continues to keep fit. She proved that games and sports can be successfully combined.

Lottie maintains a blog on Youtube and streams frequently.

I am grateful to be a part of this amazing community. I have achieved a lot in sports, but I want to become better at what I am doing now.And I love games. They are more than just games, they are now whole works of art.

90,000 Karolina hockey players presented Andrey Svechnikov with the prize “For dedication and dedication”

Carolina forward Andrey Svechnikov won the Steve Chasson prize .

The award is presented annually to the Carolina player who stands out for their dedication and dedication more than others, and inspires their partners by example.

The Karolina hockey players took part in the voting. The 20-year-old Russian became the youngest player in club history to win this prize, the league’s official website reports.

“Every day he comes into the arena with the right attitude,” forward Warren Vogel told the Hurricanes website. – The guys who give their best, command respect. Even after matches, he works out the shots. He just wants to get better. The presence of such a player on the team pushes you too. ”

This season, Svechnikov, the No. 2 pick in 2018, has an 11-game streak in February that has become the longest-running young player in the club’s history.

In total, Svechnikov scored 61 (24 + 37) points in 68 NHL regular season games. He is the team’s third scorer after Sebastian Aho (66 points) and Teuvo Teravainen (63 points).

As a reminder, Svechnikov’s lacrosse goal is the third best scored goal of the NHL season according to fans. The Score announced the goal as the best moment of the season. The Russian has scored such goals twice this season. On October 30, against Calgary (2-1), he became the first player in league history to score a lacrosse goal.

“Carolina” took 6th place in the NHL Eastern Conference and was among the participants in the 2020 Stanley Cup. In the qualifying round, Carolina will play a streak of up to three wins against the New York Rangers, where another Russian NHL star Artemy Panarin is playing. The playoffs start on August 1st.

Steve Chaisson played for Carolina for two seasons (1997-1999). In May 1999, he died in a car accident. After Steve’s death, the club established a club award named after him. The third game number, under which the hockey player played, has not been officially withdrawn from circulation at Carolina, but not a single player since Chaisson has played under it.

90,000 This 16-year-old Russian has already driven the whole of America crazy! Matvey Michkov scored a lacrosse goal at the Junior World Cup and made poker (video)

The junior world championship can become a stellar one for the Russian national team striker Matvey Michkov. This striker, who is only 16 years old, has scored four goals against Germany. And one of the lacrosse-style pucks turned out to be mind-blowing!

The junior world championship can become a stellar one for the Russian national team striker Matvey Michkov.This striker, who is only 16 years old, has scored four goals against Germany. And one of the lacrosse-style pucks turned out to be mind-blowing!

• The Russian national team in the third match at the UChM-2021 defeated the German team – 6: 1, securing an entry into the playoffs of the tournament.
• Forward of the Russian team Matvey Michkov became the best player of the match and of the whole playing day, pleased with his performance skills and a goal in lacrosse style
• What is a lacrosse goal? This is a feint where a player lifts the puck on the hook near the goal and with a sharp movement brings it to the top corner.Previously, such a goal was scored by Andrey Svechnikov, now playing for Carolina. These are typical lacrosse goals, but the club is not with a hook, but with a net, so it is much easier to perform the trick.
• Match TV shows all the games of the Russian national team at the junior world championship. Our team will play the next game at midnight on Sunday – against the Czechs.

Michkov received two prizes at once from the Youth Hockey League

Is it possible to say that the match against the Germans became an easy walk for the Russian national team?

Yes, that’s what we say.Germany is the last in Group B at this junior world championship. Three defeats with a 5-14 goal difference speak for themselves.

Open video

But it was important for the Russian team to take three points and show reliable play in defense, because conceding six goals from the Americans and four from the Finns is not very good.

As a result, Russia not only won a convincing victory over the Germans (6: 1), but also showed the world a new hero. Although, let me make a digression here. Just yesterday I was at the closing of the Youth Hockey League season.

The best players of the season received their prizes:

• Stepan Nikulin (Lokomotiv) became the most valuable player in the championship.
• The best defender was recognized as Arman Iritsyan from Dynamo Moscow.
• His mentor Yaroslav Lyuzenkov became the best coach.
• Yegor Guskov (Lokomotiv) was named the best goalkeeper, and Nikulin also received the second prize as the best scorer.
• The best referee award was received by Alexander Dudarov.

So, Matvey Michkov from SKA-1946 became the best sniper and rookie of the season. Two awards at once! But the guy is only 16 years old. But he could not attend the ceremony, because he speaks at the YChM.

And a few hours after the absentee awarding Michkov burned out, scoring four goals at once against the Germans! And he made a natural hat-trick when a player scores three goals in a row. He also scored a lacrosse puck. And on top of that, he came out on top among the top scorers and snipers of the tournament (6 + 1 = 7).

Open video

Matvey Michkov: “My task is to play hockey. Let other people describe the style. ”

The Russian national team threw the Germans with a score of 40-17, and the only regret is that our goalkeeper Sergei Ivanov did not make a biscuit. In the 55th minute, our goal was struck by Connor Corte.

In general, the Russian national team now occupies first place in group B – and will not leave it if they beat the Czechs the day after tomorrow. This in the quarterfinals so far leads to Switzerland. But most importantly, until the final Russia will not meet with Canada, which looks powerful at this YChM.What are they only worth 12: 1 with the Swedes.

And this is what our players and coaches said after the match.

– You could have scored six goals today. How do you like the game?

– Yes, the most common sensations. The main thing is team interests, – admits Matvey Michkov , – Nobody looks at us who scored. The main thing is that the team wins, preparing for the next matches. They will be more important and more serious. We must already tune in to them.

– You play at number 17, as Valery Kharlamov and Ilya Kovalchuk.Are these hockey players your heroes?

– These are great players who have achieved a lot. It is a great honor for me to play under this number.

– You are leading the World Goals Championship.

– Yes? I didn’t even know about it. For me, this fades into the background. The most important thing is to be of use to the team and to win. Personal metrics are not that important. I don’t think about them at all.

– Maybe now the lacrosse goal is called Michkov goal? Did you score in the JHL like that?

– Yes, I don’t care what this goal is called now, to be honest.

– But you have scored like this before, haven’t you?

– Well, yes, I tried that. And it happened that it worked out.

– How would you describe your playing style?

– My task is to play hockey. And let other people describe my style.

Fedor Svechkov, forward of the Russian national team:

– What was your reaction when Matvey scored the lacrosse goal?

– I thought I couldn’t do that.

– What do you expect from the match with the Czechs?

– This is a good opponent, it won’t be easy.Therefore, we have already forgotten about the match with the Germans, and are preparing for the next match. I repeat that it will not be easy. But we are ready.

Albert Leshchev: “Michkov made poker, but the whole team worked for him”

– What do you think about this match? – a question to Albert Leschev, head coach of the Russian national team.

– Before the game, we gave the installation, and the guys followed it. Therefore, the match went like this. Congratulations to the guys on a victory and a good game.

– In past matches, you have had problems with defense.What can you say about the defense game now?

– The guys always have mistakes. But for this there is an analysis of the game. And when we do these analyzes, we make fewer mistakes.

– Hockey is a team game, but Michkov showed outstanding hockey today. What can you say about his game?

– Matvey adds with every match. I want to congratulate him on making poker. But first of all, this is the merit of the entire team that worked for Matvey. And this resulted in his four goals.

– What would you like to improve in the game of the Russian national team before the meeting with the Czechs?

– Most likely some kind of tactical action. I can’t say for sure now, you need to watch the video at the meeting before the game. And then I will answer more precisely.

World Cup U-18.

Germany (U-18)) – Russia (U-18) – 1: 6 (0: 1, 0: 3, 1: 2)

Goals: Corte, 54:31 ( VIDEO ). – Yurov, 10:44 ( VIDEO ). Michkov, 20:30 ( VIDEO ), 27:12 ( VIDEO ), 35:29 (more.) ( VIDEO ), 58:19 ( VIDEO ). Kvochko, 45:48 ( VIDEO ).

Read also:

90,000 Vanity read online by Jane Phaser (Page 14)

– It seemed to me that girls of this kind do not consider themselves to be whores. Octavia leaned forward so Rupert could wipe her back. “They don’t sell bodies, do they?”

– No, but depict in a depraved form everything that any idiot who hired them would require. Get up, you gotta dry the rest.

Octavia obeyed.Now that the towel stroked her buttocks and thighs, she was struggling to maintain a normal conversation.

– The hunter is an ignorant, pompous idiot. She choked on her own words. – We are all fooling them, and it does not even occur to them!

Rupert turned her to face him, and Octavia knew that she had lost this battle.

Rupert laughed, leaned back, looked her body with admiring, thirsty eyes:

– Are you giving up?

– Sometimes you know better than me what I want.- The voice ceased to obey her, the body demanded the promised release.

She wished for one thing – that he would quickly bring the matter to the end, but she knew that this would interrupt the long hours of sensual expectations that made their games delightful.

– Well, I agree. Although … I think it’s best to leave it as it is.

Pantingly breathing Octavia hurriedly tore herself out of his hands … Too hasty … And, clinging to the edge of the tub and waving her hands, she again plunged into the water. Lather rushed over the edge in a stream.

– How awkward! Rupert shook his head accusingly. – Now you have to start all over again.

– No, sir, go away! Nell will take care of me.

Rupert laughed at her indignation, which was only half feigned, caught her by the chin and kissed her lips:

– I’ll be back no later than eleven. I don’t think serious business will start earlier.

The Warwicks’ house on Dover Street had two enticements: a lovely hostess and a high-stakes game led by Lord Rupert.

Gaming was prohibited by law, but remained the most popular entertainment in London. Rupert proved to be a skilled gambler. He easily outplayed inexperienced rich suckers, and this helped the Warwick couple pay part of the housing bills. Octavia, who did not know how and did not like to play, played the role of an affable hostess who warmly received her husband’s guests.

The lesson was extremely funny, although the goal was serious. Empty, pompous idiots deserved to be laughed at.The men took Octavia’s coquetry at face value, fully convinced that they had won her heart. The women Rupert courted never doubted his sincerity. Greed, conceit and vanity of the court of George III destroyed the mind and feelings, people lost the ability to assess themselves soberly. In the eyes of Rupert and Octavia, they deserved one thing – to be fooled.

Interesting game, but exhausting. After a few hours on stage, Octavia usually felt completely squeezed out.And now she dreamed of a quiet evening before the curtain rose. She will dine with her father, who has once again turned into an interesting and kind companion of her childhood.

Dirk Rigby and Hector Lacrosse did not belong to the “golden youth” who surrounded the Prince of Wales, because they were already – alas! – not so young. Bright vests, high powdered wigs, gold-embroidered cuffs of camisoles, shiny tasteless jewelry looked even more joking on them.

Octavia with difficulty looked away from the people who had ruined her father.Dirk Rigby and Hector Lacrosse should have been just two of the many guests pouring into Dover Street for her as ten o’clock struck.

“You’re a little distracted today, Octavia,” Rupert whispered in her ear. – The last four minutes the prince winks at you, and you never even looked in his direction.

Octavia glanced guiltily to where the prince sat at the party in Pharaoh. Smiling at His Highness, she turned in frustration to Rupert:

– Sorry … But today I saw them for the first time …

“I know,” he interrupted firmly.“But they are my doves, not yours. And if you continue to stare at them like that, you will attract attention both to them and to yourself.

Octavia bowed her head obediently as she walked towards the prince’s card table. He said her enemies were his concern. But how was he going to return her house and money? At first, Octavia decided that he would try to reclaim her father’s fortune at the card table. But Lord Rupert Warwick is not Lord Nick. Lord Nick revels in danger, bets on chance. Lord Rupert Warwick is a man of clear mind, calculating with cold sobriety all the details.

Rupert discreetly watched Octavia. So she went up to the Prince of Wales, laughed at another rude royal wit. His body tensed at the memory of their bath play.

Octavia was particularly good today, in a dark green silk dress with ivory ribbon bows. Hair fell over the snow-white shoulders in large, shiny curls. Diamond earrings and necklaces are so skillfully made that no one could even suspect that they were rhinestones.

Octavia immediately got used to her role, as if she was specially born for her – a young, sweet and extravagant wife of an important nobleman, ready to receive any guests in her house with joy.Her every movement, every look, seemed to say that she was glad to everyone. And Rupert, in turn, played the role of a husband who adores his own wife, but at the same time does not let any other woman pass.

Rupert and Octavia became the most popular couple of the season. Their societies were thirsty, a lot of gossip was about them.

But sometimes, when Rupert noticed someone’s lascivious gaze fixing on her, someone’s dirty paw reaching out to his chest, he felt nauseous at the thought that the skin scented with Damascus would be defiled, at the thought of what dirty desires lurk behind greedy eyes and friendly handshakes.Her magnificent body belonged only to him, and he turned away in disgust, noticing the passion in the looks of other men. And yet this presentation was necessary.

Rupert’s cold eyes found Philip standing by the fireplace. Over the rim of the glass, the Count looked at Octavia. Wyndham was by no means an avid gambler, but that did not stop him from appearing on Dover Street every day. And Octavia lured him into a net with the skill of an experienced fisherman.

Rupert ordered himself not to think that his brother’s hands would ever caress Octavia’s golden body in a businesslike manner.He remembered the Wyndham emeralds and decided that if he could regain the legal birthright, then Octavia would never again be decorated with false jewelry. A hand slipped into a pocket of its own, and fingers groped for a silk pouch containing a small round object — his own Wyndhams family ring.

Family tradition said that the tradition of the rings dates back to the time of the Crusaders, but the memory of its origin was lost in the mists of time. As soon as the boy’s umbilical cord was cut, a ring was put on his finger, as if imposing an obligation to preserve the honor of the family in all actions.And when his own son was born, this debt, along with the ring, was inherited. Suspecting that Lady Wyndham was carrying twins, their grandmother, a lady of a bizarre character, ordered two identical rings made in a special way, which, in her opinion, should have tied the boys not only to the family, but also to each other. However, her dream was doomed to failure from the very first cry of the newborns.

Gervas, as the eldest, wore his father’s ring and, since he died childless, was buried with him.Now the ring, symbolizing the earldom of the Windhams, is with Philip.

Rupert smiled unkindly. Octavia will steal it. Only the twins knew the secret of the rings, and when Philip sees that Warwick has both rings, he will finally recognize his brother. This will destroy him. Rupert dreamed of seeing Philip’s face when he realized that his brother was alive. Then the moment of sweet revenge will come, which will allow you to forget all the sorrows and hardships of childhood. And Octavia will help him.

The conviction of the success of the business helped him find peace of mind, and he turned his attention to Rigby and Lacrosse.They were playing a game of Pharaoh. There were two youngsters at the table with them, and Rupert was convinced that Rigby, who thrashed the bank, was playing uncleanly.

Rupert didn’t mind big wins. Moreover, in order to stir up the buzz around his house, he even welcomed the big game. But he objected to foul play. However, now it was not profitable for him to expose Dirk Rigby. This man’s greed will become the weapon that Rupert uses against him, and therefore this greed should have been kindled in every possible way.

He walked over to the table and stopped between two young men who, with desperate recklessness, had just begun to write out promissory notes.

– Gentlemen, I do not recognize receipts in my house. They only play for gold here.

The youths looked up at him in confusion.

What’s the matter, Warwick? – Lacrosse worried. – Why not accept the receipts?

“I find them too tiresome,” Rupert explained patiently. – Such boredom – chasing debtors.He looked at the young men again, and a semblance of a smile flashed across his lips. – So, gentlemen, if you have money, we are always glad to see you. If not … – He threw up his hands. “If not, please leave my house.

– Do you … do you think that I am not repaying my debts? – one of the youths flashed. “You have offended me, sir, and I demand satisfaction.

“Don’t be silly, Markham,” Rupert objected quietly. – Nobody wanted to offend you. I just said that I can make my own rules in my house.Therefore, the choice is yours: able to pay for the game, please continue. If not, I’m afraid I’ll have to say good night to you.

Red with embarrassment, the youngsters, bowing awkwardly to those around them, left the house.

“You are so cruel, Rupert,” Peter Carson said, watching the young gamblers disgracefully retreat.

“Fools,” he shrugged. – Where should they play with adults! They will transfer it somehow. It is better to live through the shame once, than to sit in jail for a long, long time.

He turned back to the visibly annoyed Rigby and Lacrosse.

– Shall we open a bank for two hundred guineas, gentlemen? Please fill your glasses. He signaled to the footman who was standing behind him. – Let’s start over again. Are you playing, Lacrosse? Peter, will you join us?

Rigby collected the receipts from the table and put them in the pocket of his coat.

– Strange rules at your tables, Warwick! Rupert laughed:

– Young puppies will turn into real players, Rigby, if they are not crushed to begin with.He poured a handful of guineas onto the table. The coins rolled over the cloth. A fortune was thrown on the line before Rigby and Lacrosse’s eyes.

With excitement, Hector Lacrosse knocked over a glass of claret. Red wine spilled over the table, and a few drops fell on the polished floor. A footman instantly rushed to put everything in order, and another – to fill an empty glass.

Rupert looked around the crowd at the table with an unperturbed gaze and tore open the deck of cards.

– I must admit that I know a safer way to fill my pockets than to rely on the inexperience of the suckers.

– And what is he like? Lacrosse leaned his elbows on the table. – What is this way, Warwick? – Small colorless eyes bored into the person sitting opposite.

“There are many opportunities, you just need to find them,” Rupert smiled. – So are we playing, gentlemen?

Octavia saw the entire scene from afar, but tried not to show curiosity. She could feel Philip Wyndham’s gaze on her back, and her cold calmness and determination made her uneasy. The count did not flirt with her, but he was always there.Maybe he wants her to take the first step? However, instinct told me not to do this. She felt that the calm indifference would bind him more than the obvious sympathy. She was also a little scared by Philip Wyndham, but didn’t want to admit it to herself.

– Lady Margaret Drayton! – the manager announced the new guest. Not many women dared to visit the Warwicks’ gambling rooms, and Margaret Drayton had never appeared here.

Abandoning the game, Rupert rushed to Lady Drayton.

– Madam, you are amazing as always! He touched his lips to her hand. – Such an honor for our humble home!

– Well, well, Sir Rupert, you are very kind. I was told that the stakes are very high here, – said Margaret, looking around with curiosity.

“I hope you won’t be disappointed,” Rupert promised as he dragged her into the room. – Sit down with me, play Pharaoh. However, first I will finish the game.

Octavia glanced at Philip unnoticed.Stone face, eyes like gray pinheads.

“Your husband likes Lady Drayton’s company,” the earl remarked, intercepting her gaze.

“Not him alone,” Octavia shrugged lightly.

– True truth, madam! – the prince interrupted the conversation. – Margaret is a famous beauty in the city. But here’s what I have to say. He lowered his voice to a deliberate whisper, eyes glistening in the folds of a sweaty, greasy face. – She is very far from you. Very. I am not even worthy to carry a candle in front of you, my dear lady! – And, pleased with himself, the prince burst out laughing, kissing her hand.

– You are too kind to me, sir. Octavia waited patiently for her hand to be taken away.

Octavia looked towards Margaret and Rupert. Warwick was whispering something in her ear. He portrays interest in an unusually natural way! Much more natural than she would have liked. He convinced her that this was just a game that pushed Philip to her. But the goal has already been achieved. So why coquetry and secret whispers?

Or maybe … Why not? What could keep Rupert from getting involved with Margaret Drayton? Certainly not moral considerations.After all, nothing connects them – they are only partners in a dangerous game. Anyway (Octavia was sure of it), Rupert thinks so.

The thought was so unpleasant that Octavia chased her away.

“Your husband is following the beaten path,” Philip said quietly behind her. – But I can share my own experience: she gets bored very quickly.

– I totally agree with you, sir. Octavia’s voice broke. Philip’s sympathy hurt her for some reason.

With an effort of will, Octavia forced herself to recall her role in this performance.

– Aren’t you a gambler, Earl of Wyndham? She smiled seductively. “I’ll bring you luck tonight. What do you want to play?

– I am not attracted to anything, but today, perhaps, I will play a picket game.

– Maybe backgammon is better? Octavia shot a guilty look from under her eyelashes. – I’m ashamed to admit, but I’m a lousy card player. Warwick is just desperate for me. However, I can play a game of backgammon.

Philip laughed heartily.She had felt his tenderness and sympathy several times before. And every time she was drawn to him against her will and common sense. At such moments he reminded her of something or someone; the memory evoked a kind, pleasant feeling, but which one, she could not say.

– Okay, madam, let’s play backgammon. But I have not played it since childhood, so I’m afraid you will remain unhappy with me, I will definitely sell.

“Let’s not bet high,” Octavia reassured him and dragged him to the window, where a backgammon table was set in a niche.

“Let’s play something worth losing,” Philip suggested.

– You mean, win? Octavia corrected him, shaking the bones in her hand. – So what would you like to win, Count?

“I think you know that yourself,” Philip said softly. – Shouldn’t we start with a kiss?

Finally, the game went into the open. Now, if he hugs her tightly enough, she might be able to find out where he is holding the ring. And then he will try to take it out without continuing the performance.

Octavia looked down at her own fingers. Have they lost their knack? Of course, she needs to train. In crowded ballrooms, this is easy enough. She will put her “catch” in a prominent place – so that the owners think that they themselves put there.

The girl looked up at Lord Wyndham.

– A solid rate, my lord.

– What, madam, would you like to win? His eyes were glued to Octavia’s lips.

– Well, let’s say sir, I want you to take me to the theater.I heard Mr. Sheridan’s “School of Backbiting” is a very pleasant sight, but my husband does not have enough time for such nonsense. She glanced over her shoulder at the table where they played Pharaoh. – He loves other entertainment.

“Well, madam, whether I win or lose, I’ll still have fun,” Philip said. – So, let’s begin?

Meanwhile, at the party to Pharaoh, the situation was nervous. The pile of gold coins at Rupert’s elbow grew steadily.

– So what did you mean, Warwick, when you said you knew ways to improve your circumstances? Hector Lacrosse drained his glass.

“There are some construction plans in the city,” Rupert replied lightly. – Looks like they will bring a hefty jackpot. Of course, investments will be required, but the return will be in a few months.

– And what are these plans? – Dirk Rigby could not stand Rupert’s clear gaze.

– At home, – he answered. – Large houses on the south bank of the river. The best land plots – these are the likes of middle-class burghers and are ready to shell out solid capital for real estate. Rupert chuckled and placed three hundred guineas against the jack of hearts.- Of course, the contractor will save some money in some places – so that the buyer does not notice anything, and this will bring a fair amount of income to both him and the investor.

– Not good, Lord Rupert! Margaret Drayton exclaimed. – Make money on these poor fellows! But there was obvious sarcasm in her voice.

– They are worth it – greedy, arrogant. Rupert watched the banker open the jack of hearts. “I’m having a damn bad luck today. He pushed the coins over to Lacrosse.

“I would not mind making a small investment,” he said.- How are you, Rigby?

“Well, perhaps,” the companion answered readily. – How to get into business?

Rupert began tapping his fingers thoughtfully on the table.

– This is the whole difficulty, gentlemen. The matter, as you know, is delicate, the details should not come to light. – He hesitated. “I cannot tell the name of my friend before I have consulted with him. And he, I am sure, will want to be convinced of the seriousness of your intentions.

“Clear, clear,” the friends quickly agreed.- But let’s continue this conversation tomorrow.

Rupert bowed his head in approval.

– Do you want to experience happiness in a point? He turned to Margaret Drayton.

– No. I already lost a lot at Pharaoh. I can’t take any more risks today.

– Then let me be your banker. Rupert bowed gallantly, took her reticule and poured into it the few guineas he had won before.

Margaret laughed, her eyes widened in surprise:

– My lord, you are unusually generous!

– But I am claiming half the winnings.He took her arm and led her to another table.

Over the noise in the room, Octavia didn’t hear what they were talking about, but she didn’t escape the glitter of gold pouring into Margaret Drayton’s purse. At first she could not believe her own eyes, but then she was indignant: was Rupert wasting their precious funds on a whore? What is a payment for a promised service? Money up front?

With difficulty, but still she managed to hide her rage, and she continued to play with Philip, demonstrating philosophical indifference to her husband’s behavior.But when she heard laughter behind her, rage flooded her again.

– Backgammon in my house! I should have banned him!

– Will you play with us, sir? Octavia spoke in a sweet voice. – The rates are not burdensome. Isn’t it, Earl of Wyndham?

Book New Friends of Twins at St Clair’s School

“Understand, Carlotta, you’re in second grade now,” Elsie said coldly. “There can’t even be a conversation about punching someone.

“Well, we have a conversation about this,” said Carlotta. – Aren’t you curious who I want to punch?

Catching a threatening note in Carlotta’s ringing voice, Elsie arrogantly lifted her nose.

“No, I’m not at all interested in your fighting habits,” she said, and proudly walked away.

“Shut up, Carlotta,” Bobby advised, “and don’t go into your Spanish frenzy. You harassed Prudence enough in the last quarter.

“Thank God that at least Clabber Prudence was kicked out of school,” Carlotta sighed.- If she had returned, I certainly would not have stayed here!

Second-graders were sitting in the common living room – playing, finishing their homework, chatting. Everyone loved this time. A radio blared at one end of the room, and Doris and Bobby performed a terribly funny dance to the music. Gladys Hillman sat in a corner with her usual unhappy air. No one could understand what she was. Isabelle suddenly felt sorry for her.

– Let’s go dance, – she suggested, going up to Gladys.

But she just shook her head.

– What’s the matter with you? Isabelle asked. – Missing the home? It will soon pass.

– Don’t touch me, – said Gladys, – I don’t touch you.

“You touch,” Isabelle objected, “and even very much. I can’t watch you sit all alone, so unhappy. Maybe you’ve never lived in school before?

“No,” Gladys said, and her eyes filled with tears again.

Isabelle felt slightly irritated. Does Gladys not have an ounce of courage?

“Nothing pleases you,” she said.- Well, at least something you like? Any lessons, or games … or something?

“I like acting,” Gladys replied unexpectedly, “and lacrosse. And that’s all. But not here. I don’t like anything here.

She did not want to say any more, and Isabelle had to retreat.

– Hopeless! She told Pat. – Gladys is all about tears and self-pity. If it still doesn’t get hard, it will just spread like a jelly someday until it evaporates completely, and we will not even notice it.Sometimes it seems to me that Mirabel is better than Gladys.

Mirabelle was another source of annoyance and fun for the second class at the same time. She behaved unbearably rude and reminded everyone every day that she would not stay here longer than half a quarter.

“Don’t tell me about it anymore,” Bobby exclaimed pleadingly one day. – You can’t even imagine how happy I am that in half a quarter you will leave. This is the only bright spot in my life. But I warn you right away: Mamzeli is not very boorish, or shreds will fly in all directions.And don’t turn your nose up in front of our dear elder Elsie Fanshaw, or you’ll get it right. Elsie is not a fool at all, unlike you.

– I’m not a fool! – flashed with indignation Mirabel. – You only think that I am stupid, because I do not want to do anything. Now, if you heard how I play the piano and violin, then you would understand!

– Why, you don’t make music! Bobby wondered. – And at least once I opened my mouth to sing! We all decided that you couldn’t sing a single note!

– But you just can sing only one note! Mirabelle replied rudely.- God, what a school! I always knew that boarding school is horror, but not to the same degree! I hate to live with a crowd of ill-mannered girls who ask this just because they lived here for a year or two.

– That’s it, I’m tired of you! – And Bobbie left, grumbling: – You, and even this Unhappy Creature, and even Harmful Elsie … a terrible quarter begins!

Miss Jenks treated Mirabelle very harshly.

“If you don’t want to work on your own, don’t bother others,” she said to the girl.- You have three options, my dear: you can sit in the classroom and work, you can sit in the classroom, do nothing and not say a word, but if you cannot be silent, you will stand near the classroom in the corridor until the end of the lesson.

At first, Mirabelle decided that the best option was to piss off Miss Jenks so that she would kick her out of the classroom. But it turned out to be very boring to stand under the door, waiting for everyone to come out to recess. Besides, Mirabelle feared that Miss Theobald would see her. Although Mirabelle screamed very loudly that she didn’t give a damn about everyone, everyone in this stupid St. Clair’s school, she was terrified of the calm, reserved headmistress.

– Did you tell Miss Theobald that you were not going to study here for more than half a quarter? – Pat asked Mirabel.

At the beginning of the quarter, the headmistress held a meeting in her office with each student in turn.

– Of course! Mirabelle shook her head casually. – And I just told her that I was not interested in anyone’s opinion, not even her.

Of course it was not true. That is, Mirabelle was going to say a lot, but somehow it happened that Miss Theobald spoke first.Casting a serious look at the red-eyed girl, she told her to sit down. Mirabelle only opened her mouth, but Miss Theobald would not let her speak.

“I need to finish the letter,” she said. – And then we’ll talk.

She made the girl wait ten minutes. During this time, Mirabelle managed to peer into the calm face of the headmistress and for some reason felt intimidated. It was not easy to be rude to such a person. And the longer the girl waited, the harder it became to say everything that she was about to splash out in the heat of the moment.

Finally Miss Theobald raised her head.

– Well, Mirabel, – she said, – I know that you are upset, angry and outraged. Your father insisted on sending you to school because you are spoiled and make your family’s life unbearable. You offend your younger brother and sister. Your father chose St. Clair because he hopes we can help you. No, don’t interrupt me. Trust me, I know everything you have to say. But you still don’t know what I’m going to say.

There was a short pause, which even Mirabel did not dare to break.

“We’ve had a lot of difficult girls,” continued Miss Theobald, “and we are proud that we were able to help them become better and find themselves. You see, Mirabel, difficult children often hide something in themselves – something special that ordinary children do not have.

– What are they hiding? – Unwittingly, Mirabelle became interested.

– Well, sometimes difficult children show outstanding talent for something, maybe for music or acting. Or it turns out that they have wonderful qualities – rare courage, for example.It is not yet known if you have any talents or if you are just a spoiled, naughty girl, but we will soon find out. So far, I ask you only one thing: for these half-quarters, give yourself and me the opportunity to understand whether you are worth our efforts. If not, we ourselves will not keep you in our school and will be glad if you leave.

It was so unexpected that Mirabel again did not find what to answer. She was about to say that nothing in the world would make her stay in St. Clair for more than half a quarter, and then suddenly Miss Theobald was the first to declare that she did not want to see her longer than this period, if … if she was not worth it! If she’s not worth it!

“I don’t care if I’m standing at your school or not! – Mirabel was indignant to herself.- And how dare dad write such things about me? Why is he reporting to Miss Theobald about our private affairs? ”

She even dared to speak about it aloud.

“I think dad did a terrible thing when he told you all sorts of nasty things about me,” she said in a trembling voice.

“He only told me, because I understand this,” replied Miss Theobald. “Well, didn’t you report your personal affairs yourself, Mirabel?” It seemed to me that today at tea you let the whole school out about them.

Mirabel broke out. Yes, she talked too much. And not only today. She never knew how to keep her mouth shut.

“You can go,” said Miss Theobald, picking up the pen again. “And remember, you’re not on probation at St. Clair’s. I hope I don’t have to say goodbye to you after half a quarter and, most importantly, that I don’t have to rejoice at your departure. But … it is quite possible that this is how it will happen!

Mirabelle came out of the office red with shame, her ears were ringing.