How can coaches effectively develop youth lacrosse players. What are the key foundations to focus on in youth lacrosse. Why is mental toughness important for young lacrosse athletes. How should coaches present themselves to youth players.
The Origins and Growth of Lacrosse in North America
Lacrosse, a sport with deep roots in North American history, has been experiencing a surge in popularity across the United States. This ancient game, which originated with Native American tribes in the northeastern regions of present-day United States and Canada, holds the distinction of being the oldest organized sport in North America. The sport underwent modernization in Canada during the 1850s and has continued to evolve since then.
As lacrosse gains traction, an increasing number of youth athletes are drawn to this exciting team sport. Players use specialized lacrosse sticks to carry, pass, catch, and shoot a small rubber ball into the opponent’s goal. For coaches working with young, developing lacrosse athletes, this presents a unique opportunity to establish a strong foundation, nurturing skills that could potentially lead to high school or collegiate level play.
Building the Athlete: The Foundation of Youth Lacrosse Coaching
When coaching youth lacrosse, it’s crucial to remember that you’re working with young individuals who are still in the process of physical development. These athletes may have years, if not decades, of athletic pursuits ahead of them. As a coach, your primary responsibility is to establish a foundation that promotes skill improvement, strength building, and injury reduction.
Focus on Physical Development
- Teach proper form for basic calisthenics: squats, lunges, pushups, and core exercises
- Emphasize good running mechanics
- Gradually introduce agility and plyometric drills
- Instruct on proper landing techniques and footwork skills
- Address issues like knee valgus and weight shifting
By prioritizing these fundamental aspects of physical development, you’re setting the stage for a potentially long and successful athletic career, rather than risking early retirement due to severe injuries.
Mastering the Fundamentals: The Key to Lacrosse Success
When coaching a youth lacrosse team, it’s important to recognize that many of your players may have little to no prior experience with the sport. Some might have a parent who played or enjoys lacrosse, while others may be completely new to the game. Regardless of their background, your focus should be on building a strong foundation of basic skills before delving into complex game strategies.
Essential Lacrosse Skills to Develop
- Passing
- Scooping
- Catching
- Dodging
By dedicating time to these fundamental skills, you’ll help your young athletes become comfortable with the basics of lacrosse. This approach sets the stage for their progression from skill work to drills, scrimmaging, and ultimately, successful on-field performance.
The Coach as a Role Model: Leading by Example
As a youth lacrosse coach, your influence extends far beyond the field. You are a figure of authority, guidance, and support, potentially playing a significant role in your athletes’ lives. It’s crucial to present yourself with discipline and control at all times.
Key Aspects of Effective Coaching Leadership
- Follow through on commitments and practice what you preach
- Dress appropriately for both practices and games
- Maintain a professional appearance (e.g., athletic shoes, khakis, belt, team shirt or polo)
- Establish yourself as an authority figure, not a peer
- Show respect to all players and demand respect in return
By setting clear expectations and modeling appropriate behavior, you create an environment of mutual respect that can positively impact your athletes’ lives both on and off the field.
Cultivating Mental Toughness in Young Lacrosse Players
Youth lacrosse provides an excellent opportunity to teach young athletes valuable life lessons, particularly in developing mental toughness. As a coach, you play a crucial role in shaping how your players respond to challenges and setbacks.
Strategies for Building Mental Resilience
- Teach players that mistakes are part of the learning process
- Encourage quick recovery and adjustment after errors
- Foster a team environment where players learn from each other’s experiences
- Instill a sense of pride in individual and team efforts
- Promote a competitive mindset for every practice and game
By focusing on these aspects of mental toughness, you’ll help your young lacrosse players develop resilience that will serve them well both in sports and in life.
The Importance of Proper Equipment in Youth Lacrosse
Ensuring that your young lacrosse players have the right equipment is crucial for their safety, comfort, and performance on the field. As a coach, it’s your responsibility to guide parents and players in selecting appropriate gear.
Essential Lacrosse Equipment for Youth Players
- Lacrosse stick (appropriate size for the player’s age and position)
- Helmet with face mask
- Mouthguard
- Shoulder pads
- Elbow pads
- Gloves
- Athletic supporter (for boys)
- Cleats
Regularly inspect your players’ equipment to ensure it fits properly and is in good condition. This not only promotes safety but also helps players feel confident and comfortable on the field.
Developing a Positive Team Culture in Youth Lacrosse
Creating a positive team culture is essential for the growth and enjoyment of young lacrosse players. As a coach, you have the power to shape the atmosphere and values of your team.
Strategies for Fostering a Positive Team Environment
- Encourage teamwork and camaraderie
- Celebrate individual and team achievements
- Promote good sportsmanship
- Address conflicts promptly and fairly
- Create opportunities for team bonding off the field
By focusing on these aspects, you’ll create a team environment where young players feel supported, valued, and motivated to give their best effort.
Incorporating Fun and Variety into Youth Lacrosse Training
While skill development is crucial, it’s equally important to keep youth lacrosse practice sessions engaging and enjoyable. Incorporating fun drills and games can help maintain player interest and motivation.
Ideas for Fun Lacrosse Drills and Games
- Lacrosse relay races
- Target practice competitions
- Mini-games with modified rules
- Obstacle course drills
- Team-building challenges
By balancing serious skill work with more light-hearted activities, you’ll create a positive learning environment that keeps young players excited about lacrosse.
The Role of Nutrition and Hydration in Youth Lacrosse
Proper nutrition and hydration are essential for young lacrosse players to perform at their best and maintain overall health. As a coach, you can educate your players and their parents about the importance of fueling their bodies correctly.
Key Nutrition and Hydration Tips for Young Lacrosse Players
- Emphasize the importance of balanced meals with lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats
- Encourage regular hydration before, during, and after practices and games
- Discuss appropriate pre-game and post-game snacks
- Educate players about the dangers of energy drinks and excessive caffeine consumption
- Promote healthy eating habits as part of overall athletic development
By addressing nutrition and hydration, you’ll help your young athletes perform better on the field and develop healthy habits that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Effective Communication Strategies for Youth Lacrosse Coaches
Clear and effective communication is crucial when working with young lacrosse players. Your ability to convey instructions, provide feedback, and motivate your team can significantly impact their development and enjoyment of the sport.
Tips for Communicating with Youth Lacrosse Players
- Use age-appropriate language and explanations
- Demonstrate techniques and drills whenever possible
- Provide specific, constructive feedback
- Encourage questions and create an open dialogue
- Use positive reinforcement to motivate players
By honing your communication skills, you’ll create a more effective learning environment and strengthen your relationships with your young athletes.
Addressing Safety Concerns in Youth Lacrosse
Safety should always be a top priority when coaching youth lacrosse. By implementing proper safety measures and educating your players about potential risks, you can help prevent injuries and ensure a positive experience for all participants.
Key Safety Considerations for Youth Lacrosse
- Enforce proper use of protective equipment at all times
- Teach correct techniques for contact and body positioning
- Implement appropriate warm-up and cool-down routines
- Be aware of weather conditions and adjust practices accordingly
- Have a basic first aid kit on hand and know how to use it
- Establish an emergency action plan for serious injuries
By prioritizing safety, you’ll create a secure environment where young players can focus on developing their skills and enjoying the game.
Tailoring Coaching Strategies to Different Age Groups
Coaching youth lacrosse requires an understanding that players of different ages have varying physical, cognitive, and emotional capabilities. Adapting your coaching approach to suit different age groups can significantly enhance the learning experience and development of your young athletes.
Age-Specific Coaching Considerations
- 6-8 years old: Focus on basic motor skills and introduction to lacrosse fundamentals
- 9-11 years old: Expand on basic skills and introduce simple team concepts
- 12-14 years old: Develop more advanced skills and tactical understanding
- 15+ years old: Refine skills and focus on advanced strategy and game situations
By tailoring your coaching methods to the appropriate age group, you’ll ensure that your players are challenged at the right level and continue to progress in their lacrosse journey.
Fostering a Love for Lacrosse: Beyond the Youth League
As a youth lacrosse coach, one of your most important roles is to instill a lasting love for the sport in your players. By creating positive experiences and emphasizing the joy of playing, you can help ensure that your athletes continue to participate in lacrosse long after they leave your team.
Strategies for Encouraging Long-Term Lacrosse Participation
- Highlight the social aspects of being part of a team
- Encourage players to watch professional or college lacrosse games
- Organize team outings to local lacrosse events
- Share stories about the rich history and traditions of lacrosse
- Discuss opportunities for playing lacrosse at higher levels
By fostering a genuine passion for lacrosse, you’ll help create lifelong players and supporters of the sport.
Top 5 Tips for Coaching Youth Lacrosse Athletes
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Lacrosse is a sport that is growing in popularity across the United States. To many, then it may be unfamiliar, but lacrosse’s roots are deep in the North American continent. For those not familiar, lacrosse is a team sport that utilizes a stick and a ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America and originated with Native American trips in the Northeastern part of the present-day United States and Canada. The Canadians “modernized” the sport in the 1850s, and it has continued to evolve ever since.
As the sport continues to become popular, more and more youth athletes are gravitating to the team sport. Lacrosse players use the head of the lacrosse stick to carry, pass, catch and shoot a small rubber lacrosse ball into the opponent’s goals. As a coach of young, developing lacrosse athletes, you have the opportunity to set a strong foundation to build their skills and promote their advancement into high school or collegiate level play.
Five Tips For Youth Lacrosse Coaches
Build the athlete first. The lacrosse player comes second.
When coaching any youth athlete, you are inheriting an individual who may be naturally gifted, who may need some polishing or someone you may need to build from the ground up. Remember, your athletes are young men and women who are still physically developing and may have years, if not decades, of athletic play ahead of them. They may become a lifelong lacrosse player, or they may bounce between several sports and recreational pursuits. As a coach of a young athlete, you must establish a foundation to help improve skill, build strength, and reduce injury. You set up a foundation that could lead to a long, athletic career or early retirement due to a severe injury. Instruct them on proper form with calisthenic basics to build strength: squats, lunges, pushups, core work and so on. Work on building good mechanics with running. And slowly progress them with agility and plyometric drills.
Cue the young athletes on proper landing, footwork skills, and reducing knee valgus or weight shifting.
Focus on the foundations.
Likely you are coaching a team with young men and women who may have little to nothing about lacrosse. Maybe they have a parent who played or loves the sport. Or maybe this was a sport the parent felt may be a safe option for introducing their young athlete into team sports. The bottom line is you have to start with scratch and work on foundational skill movements versus big picture game strategy. This is the time to work on technical skills such as passing, scooping, catching, and dodging. Make your young lacrosse athlete comfortable with the basic skills before you expect them to thrive on the field. And even then, it may take some time for them to progress from skill work, to drills, to scrimmaging, to successful playing on the field. Set up your athlete for success beyond the youth league.
As a coach, you’re always on.
You are the coach.
You are a figure of authority, guidance, and support. You may even be the key woman or man in this young person’s life. You should always present yourself with discipline and control. This means following up on what you say. Practice what you preach and follow through on commitments. Also, show up and look at the part. Dress appropriately regardless of whether it is practice or game day. Consider wearing appropriate athletic shoes, khakis and a belt, a team shirt, or polo. Look professional and like a figure of authority and respect. Do not act or come across like a bigger version of the pre-junior high kids on your team. You are not there to be a friend. You are there to coach and provide guidance. Show respect to all players. And require respect from your players to you and themselves. You may not have control over what is taking place in their personal lives, but here you can set some ground rules which will carry over well beyond recreational sport.
Establish mental toughness.
Your athletes are young and new to the sport. This is a prime time to teach young athletes that it is OK to make a mistake. It is how they react to the key mistake. Mistakes happen. Learn from the mistake and quickly move on. Teach your young athletes not to dwell on a mistake, but how can they recover, adjust and learn. This is also a good way for teammates to learn from the mistakes of others, but how to rally and help the team as a whole rebound. No player is perfect. Establish a sense of pride with the players and the team. Have them approach every practice – and every game – with the mentality to compete hard. Show up to practices and games on time be dresse and prepared. Give it your all no matter if it’s the 100th time a drill has been done, or you’re facing the best team in the league. Get your game face on and fake it until you make it.
Ask for help.
You are coaching maybe because you played in high school or college. Or maybe you’ve always had a love of the sport of lacrosse.
Or maybe you were thrust into the coaching role because your child has an interest, but there were no viable options around. Regardless of your background, you can always learn and improve as a lacrosse coach. Network with other coaches in youth leagues and reach out to junior high, high school, or college coaches. Any true coach with a love of their sport is willing to help build up the skills of anyone in the sport.
Being a coach of lacrosse, or any sport, is not easy. It takes a commitment of time and energy. And when you are working with young athletes, your focus is to establish foundations for any athletic adventure or life lesson. This is an opportunity to serve as a mentor, show discipline and respect, set good foundational skills and athleticism, and serve as a positive adult role. Young men and women will remember those adults who set them on the right path in life – those teachers, coaches, or community members who shaped, guided, but also set boundaries. Utilize those in your local lacrosse community, or visit World Lacrosse or USA Lacrosse for additional resources.
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Lacrosse is a sport that is growing in popularity across the United States. To many, then it may be unfamiliar, but lacrosse’s roots are deep in the North American continent. For those not familiar, lacrosse is a team sport that utilizes a stick and a ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America and originated with Native American trips in the Northeastern part of the present-day United States and Canada. The Canadians “modernized” the sport in the 1850s, and it has continued to evolve ever since.
As the sport continues to become popular, more and more youth athletes are gravitating to the team sport. Lacrosse players use the head of the lacrosse stick to carry, pass, catch and shoot a small rubber lacrosse ball into the opponent’s goals. As a coach of young, developing lacrosse athletes, you have the opportunity to set a strong foundation to build their skills and promote their advancement into high school or collegiate level play.
Five Tips For Youth Lacrosse Coaches
Build the athlete first. The lacrosse player comes second.
When coaching any youth athlete, you are inheriting an individual who may be naturally gifted, who may need some polishing or someone you may need to build from the ground up. Remember, your athletes are young men and women who are still physically developing and may have years, if not decades, of athletic play ahead of them. They may become a lifelong lacrosse player, or they may bounce between several sports and recreational pursuits. As a coach of a young athlete, you must establish a foundation to help improve skill, build strength, and reduce injury. You set up a foundation that could lead to a long, athletic career or early retirement due to a severe injury. Instruct them on proper form with calisthenic basics to build strength: squats, lunges, pushups, core work and so on. Work on building good mechanics with running. And slowly progress them with agility and plyometric drills.
Cue the young athletes on proper landing, footwork skills, and reducing knee valgus or weight shifting.
Focus on the foundations.
Likely you are coaching a team with young men and women who may have little to nothing about lacrosse. Maybe they have a parent who played or loves the sport. Or maybe this was a sport the parent felt may be a safe option for introducing their young athlete into team sports. The bottom line is you have to start with scratch and work on foundational skill movements versus big picture game strategy. This is the time to work on technical skills such as passing, scooping, catching, and dodging. Make your young lacrosse athlete comfortable with the basic skills before you expect them to thrive on the field. And even then, it may take some time for them to progress from skill work, to drills, to scrimmaging, to successful playing on the field. Set up your athlete for success beyond the youth league.
As a coach, you’re always on.
You are the coach.
You are a figure of authority, guidance, and support. You may even be the key woman or man in this young person’s life. You should always present yourself with discipline and control. This means following up on what you say. Practice what you preach and follow through on commitments. Also, show up and look at the part. Dress appropriately regardless of whether it is practice or game day. Consider wearing appropriate athletic shoes, khakis and a belt, a team shirt, or polo. Look professional and like a figure of authority and respect. Do not act or come across like a bigger version of the pre-junior high kids on your team. You are not there to be a friend. You are there to coach and provide guidance. Show respect to all players. And require respect from your players to you and themselves. You may not have control over what is taking place in their personal lives, but here you can set some ground rules which will carry over well beyond recreational sport.
Establish mental toughness.
Your athletes are young and new to the sport. This is a prime time to teach young athletes that it is OK to make a mistake. It is how they react to the key mistake. Mistakes happen. Learn from the mistake and quickly move on. Teach your young athletes not to dwell on a mistake, but how can they recover, adjust and learn. This is also a good way for teammates to learn from the mistakes of others, but how to rally and help the team as a whole rebound. No player is perfect. Establish a sense of pride with the players and the team. Have them approach every practice – and every game – with the mentality to compete hard. Show up to practices and games on time be dresse and prepared. Give it your all no matter if it’s the 100th time a drill has been done, or you’re facing the best team in the league. Get your game face on and fake it until you make it.
Ask for help.
You are coaching maybe because you played in high school or college. Or maybe you’ve always had a love of the sport of lacrosse.
Or maybe you were thrust into the coaching role because your child has an interest, but there were no viable options around. Regardless of your background, you can always learn and improve as a lacrosse coach. Network with other coaches in youth leagues and reach out to junior high, high school, or college coaches. Any true coach with a love of their sport is willing to help build up the skills of anyone in the sport.
Being a coach of lacrosse, or any sport, is not easy. It takes a commitment of time and energy. And when you are working with young athletes, your focus is to establish foundations for any athletic adventure or life lesson. This is an opportunity to serve as a mentor, show discipline and respect, set good foundational skills and athleticism, and serve as a positive adult role. Young men and women will remember those adults who set them on the right path in life – those teachers, coaches, or community members who shaped, guided, but also set boundaries. Utilize those in your local lacrosse community, or visit World Lacrosse or USA Lacrosse for additional resources.
Share This Story!
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Lacrosse Skills and Strategies- VukGripz Lacrosse Tape
There are many different lacrosse skills that can be used, especially depending on the lacrosse positions. Some of these skills are passing, catching, shooting, and scooping. In order to be successful, it is important to use a variety of lacrosse skills and strategies when playing lacrosse. There are different lacrosse positions and the skills necessary for each position in lacrosse are different.
Lacrosse Strategies
The Dump and Chase:
This involves dumping the ball off to a teammate in order to gain possession and then chasing after it. This is a good strategy to use when you are trying to tire out your opponents.
The Give and Go:
This is when you pass the lacrosse ball to a teammate and then run towards them in order to receive the ball back. This is a good way to create space on the lacrosse field and to confuse your opponents.
The Wrist Shot:
This is a shot that is taken by using your wrist to flick the ball. This shot is harder to block than a regular shot, and it can be difficult to tell where the ball is going to go. Depending on which lacrosse positions you play, you might not use this often.
The Slapshot:
This is a hard shot that is taken by slapping the ball with your lacrosse stick. This is a good shot to use when you are trying to score a goal.
The Scoop:
This is a move that is used to scoop up the ball from the ground. This can be helpful when you are trying to gain possession of the ball. Your lacrosse positions determine how often you will use this move.
The Pick and Roll:
This is when you use your body to screen a defender while your teammate has the ball. This can create an opportunity for your teammate to score or to get open for a pass.
Lacrosse Skills
- Picking up loose balls: When a lacrosse player is unable to catch a ball that has been thrown to them, they may need to pick it up off the ground.
This can be done by scooping the ball up with one hand, or jumping up and grabbing it out of the air. - Dodging defenders: One of the most important skills in lacrosse is being able to dodge defenders. This can be done by using quick movements to avoid being hit, or by faking out the defender with a move.
- Shooting: One of the main objectives of the game is to score goals. This can be done by throwing the ball into the goal, or by shooting it into the net.
- Stickhandling: This drill is designed to help players improve their ability to handle the ball. It can be done by using one hand, or by doing a juggling drill.
- Passing: This drill is designed to help players improve their passing skills. It can be done by passing to a partner, or by throwing the ball against a wall.
- Shooting: This drill is designed to help players improve their shooting skills. It can be done by practicing different types of shots, or by working on accuracy.
This can be done by scooping the ball up with one hand, or jumping up and grabbing it out of the air.There are many other lacrosse skills and strategies that can be used in lacrosse, but these are some of the most common ones.
By understanding and using these strategies and lacrosse skills, players can improve their chances of winning the game.
Drills are a great way to improve your lacrosse skills. The lacrosse positions that you play determine which drills are the most important for you to work on.
You also need to have a good understanding of the game, and how it is played. By learning the rules, and studying strategy, you can give yourself a better chance of success.
All of the positions of lacrosse players can benefit from using VukGripz lacrosse tape. This lacrosse tape offers unmatched performance benefits like shot speed, stick control and passing accuracy. Using VukGripz lacrosse tape improves your grip on your lacrosse stick, giving you more control and letting you make more confident moves.
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lacrosse is already a trademark of the Zhlobin school
Major League
Interview
October 27, 2022
Meet the Belstal forward, who scored a memorable goal.
– The goalkeeper of the Bears played well, he caught everything. I know him from last junior season. He is trusted, gets a lot of time. Got everything you need. The main thing is that I didn’t catch lacrosse 🙂
I always try to quit lacrosse in game practice. There were also a couple of attempts in matches – in the junior league, when they played against Dynamo. But once he hit the crossbar, the second time he hit the crossbar or the goalkeeper hit it with his head. In the Premier League with the “Lynxes” at the Tsyplakov Cup there was one run, but they prevented it, it didn’t work out. Now it didn’t take much time to make a decision, I didn’t have much time to think about what I would do. I ended up outside the gate, and to sharpen it, I did this.
For the Zhlobin school of hockey, this is not a difficult technique 🙂 We, one might say, are the birthplace of lacrosse. Ilya Spat has already tried more than once this season, Andrey Loshko scored in Canada in the summer, Kirill Ivanov scored in the championship in 2008.
It’s like our trademark.
When I have time, I try. It’s part of the tech class. Roll in the warm-up, learn how to lift the puck, you can still juggle a little. Then he turned out to be outside the gates at some exercise – he tried lacrosse. In the game, you can say the same thing. Now I was outside the gate, there was no one around. Picked up the puck – it remained to bring it. You always come across some moments that you then try to repeat in training. Svechnikov, Zegras were thrown in the NHL like that, our boys can do it too. I watch everyone. People try, don’t be afraid. Get it – good!
Konstantin Adints was recognized as the best in the locker room? He played well, created many chances, started attacks well, gave cool passes, scored an important goal. Am I offended? Absolutely not. If he was recognized, then he was the best. The main thing is that we won. I have never been recognized as the best this season so far. But then again, nothing offensive. We must continue to work and play in such a way as to deserve such recognition.
Another incentive.
Personal performance? I would still like it better. I create many moments, as in the same Pinsk, but I need to add to the implementation. And I leave often. So I’m not quite happy with my game yet. Yes, according to the statistics, it seems to be not bad, but you always need to strive for more, bring maximum benefit to the team, so that we win.
Missed the house. It’s always great when there are fans, relatives and friends in the stands who look after you and support you. Double motivation to show the best hockey possible, to win. We feel the support of the fans, see what they write in the comments. Nice to hear such words. We must not disappoint them and win. We will finally play in black helmets, we need to try out the new ones 🙂
Source: press service of Metallurg
Ilya Pavlov spoke about the lacrosse goal for Belstal
Ilya Pavlov (metallurg.
hockey.by)
Belstal forward Ilya Pavlov spoke about the lacrosse goal against the Bears (7:3) in the Premier League.
– The Bears’ goalkeeper played well, he caught everything. I know him from last junior season. He is trusted, gets a lot of time. Got everything you need. The main thing is that he didn’t catch lacrosse.
I always try to throw lacrosse at play practice. There were also a couple of attempts in matches – in the junior league, when they played against Dynamo. But once he hit the crossbar, the second time he hit the crossbar or the goalkeeper hit it with his head. In the Premier League with the “Lynxes” at the Tsyplakov Cup there was one run, but they prevented it, it didn’t work out. Now it didn’t take much time to make a decision, I didn’t have much time to think about what I would do. I ended up outside the gate, and to sharpen it, I did this.
For the Zhlobin school of hockey, this is not a difficult technique 🙂 It can be said that we are the birthplace of lacrosse.
Ilya Spat has already tried more than once this season, Andrey Loshko scored in Canada in the summer, Kirill Ivanov scored in the championship in 2008. It’s like our trademark.
When there is a moment, I try. It’s part of the tech class. Roll in the warm-up, learn how to lift the puck, you can still juggle a little. Then he turned out to be outside the gates at some exercise – he tried lacrosse. In the game, you can say the same thing. Now I was outside the gate, there was no one around. Picked up the puck – it remained to bring it. You always come across some moments that you then try to repeat in training. Svechnikov, Zegras were thrown in the NHL like that, our boys can do it too. I watch everyone. People try, don’t be afraid. Get it – good!
Konstantin Adints was recognized as the best in the locker room? He played well, created many chances, started attacks well, gave cool passes, scored an important goal. Am I offended? Absolutely not. If he was recognized, then he was the best.
