POP LACROSSE MINDSET

Lacrosse is more than just a game. It's an education through athletics for athletes to take on qualities of life to becoming a person who believes in themself. These qualities consist of accountability, discipline, and leadership.

 

Accountability- Identifying everyone's role and executing it to the best of their ability. ​

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Discipline- Understanding the importance of creating and maintaining good habits. 

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Leadership- Acquiring the qualities listed could position yourself in a role of trust and importance.

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Operation
Our practices begin with building a routine. Each session starts with warm-ups 5-15 minutes long. Our routine will consist of dynamic stretching with a blend of stick skills and footwork. Once warmups are concluded we move on to the focus of the day depending on the position and experience of the player or players. Taking steps slow and methodical has proven to be an efficient way to excel in this game. When players are learning to synchronize their feet and hands we will walk through the mechanics multiple times until the player has proven they can do it at a controlled pace. We will then pick up the tempo to a jog, which will push us into full speed. This method is applied to each new skill players learn. Players and parents will need to have patience. 

 

All positions
Players must have balanced stick skills with both hands in the field game. Being able to pick up ground balls, catch, throw, shoot, protect, and make decisions at full speed is key to being a contributor. All positions will learn the overhand release point when passing and shooting. All players will also be taught the face dodge, split dodge, and roll dodge. These three dodges are foundational moves for lacrosse players. All players will practice footwork that relates to lacrosse. This includes shuffling, drop step, crow up, finalizer, hitching, rocker step, and more. 

 

Offense
Learning to catch, throw, and shoot at an overhand release point will be our primary focus during the start of our time together. While the player is learning the overhand catch and release point they will make passes and take shots from different parts of the field. Players will also be taught different release points. Other release points include sidearm, underhand, shovel, twister, through the legs, and behind the back. Learning these is not to show-off or look cool. They are to be used to give the ball carrier the best opportunity to make a play whether it is a pass or shot. Once we feel the player has gained enough skill with the stick they will start to catch, pass, and shoot on the run. This is a gradual build-up. Along with stick skills, they will be taught footwork and sequences of dodging patterns. Players will also learn the reads that pertain to offensive sets, principles, and motions. Coach Schieber will occasionally play defense on players to have a better understanding of what it is we need to work on for the individual. 

 

Game context: Goalies are taught to scout and pick up shooter's habits. If a player can only shoot sidearm a goalie picks up on this and now the shooter is predictable. But if a player can shoot from multiple angles it will keep the goalie guessing where the shooter will release from next. 

 

Defense
Footwork, footwork, footwork. When teaching defense we will focus strongly on footwork, angle play, and stick skills. This includes ladder patterns, shuffling, backpedaling, drop stepping, approaching, recovering, and more. On top of building a strong foundation, the defenseman will learn to utilize the D-pole the way it was built. From picking up ground balls, maintaining separation, stick checks, timing checks, and keeping it up in the passing lane. Coach Schieber will occasionally play offense on players to have a better understanding of what it is we need to work on for the individual. 

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Game context: Off ball defenders still have responsibility. One of these responsibilities is to keep their stick up in the passing lane. This can deter the ball carrier to throw a skip pass across the field. 

 

Terminology

For the most part, lacrosse has a universal language and players will learn it during our time together. Learning these terms will allow players to lead their teams and react to coaches quickly. Terms like rollback, alley, hot, GLE, skip pass, fire, one more, c-curl, and hitch will be taught along with many more. 

 

Game context: Your team has the ball and needs to substitute players. Often the term “yellow” is called from coaches to slow the tempo down. This allows the team with the ball to control possession and get new players on the field.