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 LAX Articles |
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Minor Lacrosse--A Parent's Code
As a parent, you play a special role in contributing to the needs and development of youngsters. Through your encouragement and good example, you can help assure that all the boys and girls learn good sportsmanship and self-discipline. With your help, young people can learn to work together, to sacrifice for the good of the team, to enjoy winning and deal appropriately with defeat - all while becoming physically fit and healthy. Best of all, they will have fun.
Support Your Child
Supporting your child by giving encouragement and showing interest in their team is very important. Help your child work toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship in every game. Teach your child that hard work and an honest effort are often more important than victory - that way your child will always be a winner despite the outcome of the game!
Always Be Positive
Parents serve as role models for their children. Become aware of this and work to be a positive role model. Applaud good plays by your child's team as well as good plays by the opposing team. Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from youth sports activities.
Remember That Your Child Wants to Have Fun
Remember that your child is the one playing lacrosse, not you. It's very important to let children establish their own goals - to play the game for themselves. Take care not to impose your own standards and goals on them. Don't put too heavy a burden on your child to win games. Surveys reveal that 72% of children would rather play for a losing team than ride the bench for a winning team. Children play for the fun of playing.
Reinforce Positive Behavior
Positive reinforcement is the best way to help your child achieve their goals and their natural fear of failure. Nobody likes to make mistakes. If your child does make one, remember it's all part of learning, so encourage your child's efforts and point out the good things your child accomplished.
Don't Be a Sideline Coach or Referee
Coaches and referees are usually parents just like you. They volunteer their time to help make your child's youth lacrosse experience a positive one. They need your support too. That means refraining from coaching or refereeing from the sidelines. As a volunteer organization, there's usually always an opportunity for you to take your interest in coaching or refereeing to the next level and become one yourself!
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What Is Lacrosse?
Lacrosse is a field game played by two opposing teams, with a ball and a special netted stick, or crosse, with which the ball is caught, carried, and thrown. The game, originally played as training for warfare by the of North American Indians, and called baggataway, was adopted by the French-Canadians. They called the head of the stick used in the game la crosse because it resembles a bishop's crosier or cross. The National Lacrosse Association (now the Canadian Lacrosse Association) was formed in 1867 to govern the sport. Since then, lacrosse has, by reason of culture, tradition, and popularity, become the Canadian national game.
Men's lacrosse is played on a field 60 yd (55m) wide and 110 yd (100m) long, including 15 yd (14m) of clear space behind each goal. The rules for women's lacrosse stipulate no boundaries, but a field of 120 by 70 yards (110 by 64m) is preferable. Each goal consists of two poles 6 ft (1.8m) tall, with a 6-ft (1.8-m) crossbar at the top. A pyramid-shaped netting, open at the front, is attached to the poles and crossbar and is fastened to the ground at its apex, 7 ft (2.1m) beyond the goal line.
The lacrosse ball is of hard rubber, generally 8 in. (about 20cm) in circumference and 5 to 5.3 oz (about 145g) in weight. Men and women players carry a stick, or crosse, that measures between 40 and 72in/102 and 183cm long for men, and 36 to 44in/92 to 112cm long for women. The stick is hooked on top, with strings woven of rawhide, gut, clock string, or linen cord strung diagonally across the hooked portion to form a network. Players in field lacrosse today use a stick that has an aluminum, graphite, or wood handle; only the goal keeper's crosse may exceed a width of 10in (about 25cm). Men's teams have ten players; women's teams are composed of 12 players. A popular form of the game, called box lacrosse, is played in Canada by teams of six players on a hard, enclosed surface of 90 ft (27m) by 180 ft to 200 ft (54 to 61m). This type of lacrosse has a professional league in the United States, the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. In the American version of field lacrosse the 60-minute playing time is divided into four periods, or quarters, with each team being allowed two time-outs per half. Two-minute rest periods separate the first and second and the third and fourth periods; a ten-minute interval separates the second and third periods. The women's game is two 25-minute halves, with a 10-minute rest period between the halves.
How does Box Lacrosse differ from Field Lacrosse?
Box Lacrosse...
Played in hockey rink.
Field Lacrosse...
Played on a large grass field.
Box Lacrosse...
3 x 20 min. periods.
Field Lacrosse...
Usually 4 quarters.
Box Lacrosse...
4' x 4' goals.
Field Lacrosse...
6' x 6' goals.
Box Lacrosse...
30 second shot clocks.
Field Lacrosse...
No shot clocks.
Box Lacrosse...
No zones or offsides. Everyone is a forward.
Field Lacrosse...
Teams consist of attackers, mid-fielders, and defensemen. Ratio of players in each zone must be maintained.
Sportsmanship--Does your Team or League Have It?
There has been some sad news lately in the world of amateur sports that should cause all of us to re-consider the role that sportsmanship plays in our participation in sports. Two fathers at a hockey practice got into a fight, and one ended up killing the other. Unfortunately, many people involved in sports weren't shocked or surprised when they heard the news... we all saw events like this coming.
Why? Sportsmanship seems to have taken a back seat to winning, succeeding, or advancing. While the pursuit of victory has always been an important part of sports, it is the pursuit of victory with honor and sportsmanship that is really what sports should be about.
How can you be sure you haven't forgotten about sportsmanship?
Let's start by trying to define sportsmanship: At the core of sportsmanship is respect
for oneself and for all other participants, including players, coaches, officials, parents, and administrators. Respect and sportsmanship mean treating all of these participants with integrity and fairness and honesty.
How can all of us help make sportsmanship an important theme of our daily sports life? Here are a few simple suggestions:
Show by your actions and words, everyday, that you really care about sportsmanship. As my Mom always reminds me, set a good example, and remember that actions speak louder than words.
Expect and demand that everyone involved follows all the rules, including fans, and parents. If they don't, they should not be welcome to continue participating
period. Leagues and teams should communicate the importance of sportsmanship to all participants on a regular basis, not just at the beginning of the season.
Establish a sportsmanship award for your team that is just as important as any other award or recognition.
Have team discussions about sportsmanship throughout the season. If someone sees something at another game or on TV that bothers them, or is a good example of sportsmanship, talk about it.
Never tolerate un-sportsmanlike behavior whether in practice or a competition
never.
There should be clear and immediate penalties for un-sportsmanlike actions no matter what the surrounding circumstances are or how important a game is to a season. Remember, only the pursuit of victory with honor is really victory.
Some specific things that should not be tolerated:
-Taunting and trash talking: How is this respectful?
-Disrespectful, "in your face", celebrations.
-Fighting or violence of any kind.
-Use of profanity or other disrespectful language.
-Questioning or disagreeing with officials
Some specific things that should be encouraged:
-Congratulating teammates and opponents for effort and excellent performances.
-Shaking hands wherever it fits into a sports culture.
-Helping up a teammate and opposing players who have fallen or been hurt.
-Thanking officials for their effort and work.
-Thanking coaches for their time and help.
-Keeping facilities clean, both home and away.
None of this is new or very hard to follow. It's really what we want all aspects of our lives to be about. Let's make sure that in our sports lives, from today on, we never forget the important place sportsmanship should hold in all aspects of our participation.
Try-Outs--Do's and Do Not's for Players
DO
PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE.
You've heard it many times before but it's true! As fall try-outs get closer, nothing can take the place of practice. You should be out playing your sport as often as you can between now and the fall season. If you are sick of hearing the word practice, just think of it as play, play, play
not a bad way to spend the summer.
The goal of playing so often is to get to "automatic". Do you know what that is? Automatic is a term we use to describe athletes who are so comfortable with their sport that when they play, they are on "cruise control", not having to think about what they are doing at all. That's where lots of practice will take you.
Practice smart.
That's right
more practice! As try-outs approach, find out what skills will be tested during the try-out schedule. Find out how the try-outs will actually be run, and be sure to spend some extra time on those skills that the coaches will be looking for. Try-outs are usually made up of several stations or skill tests, as well as an opportunity to play. If you're playing a lot this summer (we hope so!), the other way to get ready is to practice smart
by focusing on the skills that will be part of the try-out schedule.
Develop good habits now.
Get in shape, eat a well-rounded diet, and get plenty of sleep. Every great athlete will tell you how incredibly important it is to develop good habits. You have heard the expression, "we are creatures of habit", and it's true. It's important to be in the habit of eating a good diet and getting plenty of sleep. Many top athletes and coaches believe that these positive habits are the most important thing they do to stay at the top of their game. So start now
get in great shape, eat right, and get plenty of sleep.
Visit the facility where try-outs will be held.
If you haven't played at the facility where try-outs will be held, make sure you find the time to go check it out. You will feel more comfortable on the day of try-outs if you are not seeing the practice field for the first time. Even better, if you can actually play and practice there as often as you can, it will feel like your home field. The more often you go to the try-out facility the more comfortable you'll feel.
During try-outs, be polite and energetic, and pay close attention to the coaches.
Try-outs are a time when you want to make a good impression on the coaches. All coaches respect players that are polite and say "thanks" and are excited and full of energy. Go to try-outs with a super positive attitude, and be energetic the whole time. Also, it's very important to pay close attention to the coaches and follow their instructions carefully. To most coaches, showing effort and trying as hard as you can are more important than anything else you do. Be polite; try your hardest and pay attention.
DO NOT
Don't worry.
As long as you try your hardest there is nothing to worry about. Coaches will see this and want you on the team.
Don't wait until the last minute to practice or develop good habits.
Start now
today and then you will be ready.
Don't whine, complain or criticize others.
Be positive and have fun!
Don't eat too heavy a breakfast on the day of try-outs.
Some cereal with fruit and some juice are better than bacon and eggs. Think light and nutritious.
Don't go to bed late the night before try-outs.
A good night's sleep is very important so you can be energetic and positive. Remember -- develop these habits early!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Pretend you are the coach or general manager of a team. You have to select your team from a group of players trying out whom you have not seen before. List all the characteristics you would look for when selecting your team. Which three are the most important? Why?
Lacrosse Tip--"The Pick"
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A pick is a simple and quick way to try to free up one of your fellow offensive players (whether on the ball or off the ball) from his or her defensive counterpart.
Most offenses don't use the pick because players would rather come off a pick than set one. Sometimes the offensive player coming off the pick is a decoy. You must be in a stationary position. Set the pick a couple feet away from the defenseman to allow your offensive player to run his or her man into the pick. You cannot initiate contact with or retaliate for any contact from defensemen. Body position varies depending on where you want the offensive player to come off the pick.
Most players don't realize that the people often setting up the pick are the ones who most likely will be open. If done correctly, the defenseman who was picked should be farther away from the goal than the picker. Therefore, if the picker immediately rolls after his offensive man goes through, he should be open every time.
Protect your stick from back checks.
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