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 Coaches Corner |
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Introduction to Competition Update
Check out the changes to the Theory 1 and Theory 2 NCCP courses and read about the Ontario Sport Leadership Conference, ...
Fergus Thistles - Coaching Code of Conduct
COACHES - CHECK OUT THE COACHING CODE OF CONDUCT AGREEMENT
As part of the Fergus Minor Lacrosse "Zero ...
Fergus Minor Lacrosse - Policy Statement
Lacrosse Drills
Here's a nifty site that has animated lacrosse drills.
Hey Coaches!
Follow this link to a really cool coaching tool for making a playbook. As the kids would say...it's sweet!
Trainer's Certification
Policy clarification on trainers certification and equivalencies accepted by the OLA for provincial tournament participation:
(1) Any St. John Ambulance Emergency First Aid course of 8 hours (or more)
(2) Canadian Red Cross Standard First Aid & Basic Rescuer CPR course
(3) Sport Alliance of Ontario Sports Injury Prevention and Care course
(4) Hockey Trainer's Certification Program (Ontario)
(5) A professional designation (examples: MD; RN; Policeman; Fireman).
From the above, please be clear CPR (as stand alone certification) is NOT an equivalency.
The use of a carded AND certified trainer by a club is optional. The OLA recognizes only one trainer per team to address those specific activities (activities which would not include coaching athletes).
A photocopy of a trainer certification card (provided by the above groups) should be attached to the OLA Bench Personnel form.
ONTARIO LACROSSE ASSOCIATION CODE OF ETHICS FOR COACHES
The association expects the coaches to:
Be an integral part of the system and make an educational contribution.
Remember that the athletic area is a type of classroom with moral and educational obligations required at all times.
Insist upon high standards and fair play from all team personnel.
The athletes expect the coach to:
Maintain a genuine an up-to-date knowledge of that which he/she proposes to teach.
Maintain fair, unprejudiced relationships with all squad members.
Pay careful attention to the physical condition of players.
Inspire a love of game and a desire to compete fairly.
Sportsmanship demands that coaches:
Take a strong stand against profanity, unfair play and unsportsmanlike behaviour of their teams.
Maintain self-control at all times, accepting decisions of officials without outward appearance of vexation.
Teach athletes to win by use of legitimate means only.
Believe in the honesty and integrity of opponents and officials.
Teach that to win is always desirable but to win at any cost defeats the purpose of the game.
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ATTENTION ALL COACHES!
The OLA would like to remind all coaches attending this years minor provincials of the following guidelines regarding certified bench personnel.
All Bench Personnel (including trainers) are required to be registered on an OLA Registration Form.
All Bench Personnel are required to carry with them and produce copies of their certification (passport or card).
A first year coach is required to have completed Level 1 Technical or Level 1 Theory to be eligible to coach at the Provincials.
A second year coach is required to have completed Level 1 Technical AND Level1 Theory to be eligible to coach at the Provincials.
The regulations will be strictly adhered to when you register prior to your first game. For more information or to check your current status please contact the OLA office at (416) 426-7066
Lax Drills
This link provides info on lacrosse drills.
Millon's Tips
Coaching Articles
Many great articles on coaching and parenting for youth sports.
LACROSSE SKILLS
Shooting
Place your body at a 45-degree angle to the net.
Take a wide stance, with your knees bent. Your front foot should be at a 45-degree angle to the net, and your back foot should be parallel to the net.
Begin the shot with most of your weight on your back foot, but transfer your weight forward to put more power into the shot as you release it.
Hold the stick loosely with your fingers.
Keep the goalie guessing by holding the stick the same level for all shots.
Cock the stick by flexing your wrists backwards -- point the butt of the stick at your target.
Pull the stick from behind your shoulder by extending your top-hand arm forward and snapping both wrists forward.
Your top-hand arm should be fully extended on the follow-through.
The head of the stick should point at the target on the follow-through.
Mix up your shot placement; leave the goalie guessing about the location before you shoot.
Use your stick AND your eyes to fake the goalie; the goalie may be watching your eyes as much as your stick.
Master shot placement before focusing on shot speed; your first priority is accuracy.
Determine your ideal shooting range in practice, and don't shoot from outside your range in a game.
Follow through toward the net and keep your shoulders and hips square to the net.
Play games to shoot more accurately! A great way to challenge yourself put the pressure on and adds some fun to your practice sessions is to play some games while you're out shooting. Here's one my brother and I used; Tie aluminum cans to the corners and take 10 shots each from all kinds of distances and angles. When we had a goalie we would have best-of-10 competitions. Five bouncers, five on the run, five high and hard, and five mix. The other great one is a simple game of horse. Loser would always carry the goal home. Those are just a few ideas. Be creative -- it will make you a better shooter.
Shooting from close range
The shooting strategy changes as you get close to the net.
Keep the stick close to your body. Defenders will be checking tightly near the net.
Grip the stick to allow for quick moves and greater range of movement.
Accuracy is more important than power for close-range shots. Don't take a long stride to get the shot off.
Always be aware of how the goalie is defending you. Try to get a feeling for where he is even when you've got your back to him. Where he is in the net will determine your type of shot.
Practice a variety of moves, shots and locations. Make sure you can perform these shots under pressure. Know your best moves and execute them quickly in game situations.
Master shot placement before focusing on shot speed; your first priority is accuracy.
The quick-release shot
Be ready to shoot before the ball arrives. Know where you plan on putting the ball.
Have the stick in a cocked position behind your body.
Snap the shot hard and fast with your wrists.
Try for an early release once the ball is in the pocket.
The shot fake
In a one-on-one situation, the ball carrier can use the shot fake to help get around a defender.
Make sure you are in a one-on-one situation, not being double-teamed.
Be in an area where you might actually take a shot. If you are too far from the net, or at a poor angle, the defender will not go for the fake.
The shot fake can be used with overhand, side arm or underhand shot techniques.
Act like you are attempting your usual shot, but at the very end of the follow-through, turn your top hand inward, cradling the ball.
Execute this move at the same speed you would if you were taking a normal shot. The better you are at making the defender think you're taking a shot, the better your chances of getting him to freeze.
Be crisp in pulling the ball back.
Make your move around him at full speed. If he has bought the fake, he will be flat-footed with his stick committed in a vulnerable position.
Basics in Passing
Avoid telegraphing your passes. Don't look directly at your passing target. Practice making the no-look pass, but only try it in a game if you're confident of the accuracy.
When throwing to a teammate who's on a breakaway, it's better to make the pass too long than too short.
When preparing to receive a pass, hold your stick in front (not to the side) about a foot over your shoulder.
Catching
Place your bottom hand on the butt of the stick.
Hold the stick lightly so it rotates in your hand easily.
Place your top hand slightly below the mid-point of the shaft about 8 inches from your bottom hand. Use your top hand for power and to guide the stick.
Keep a loose grip when you catch. If you tighten up, you end up fighting the ball.
Always give the passer a good target by lining up the pocket.
Catch the ball in the same position you throw from, and catch the ball in the same spot in the pocket that you throw from.
Be ready to pass the ball BEFORE you catch it -- have your stick up and ready.
Keep your eyes on the ball as it approaches you.
Loose balls
Try to keep two hands on your stick when fighting for a loose ball.
Never wait for a loose ball to roll to you; always attack it and win the fight for it.
If you lose the fight for a loose ball, continue to badger your opponent to prevent a quick pass or rush.
Scooping a loose ball is easier if you keep the butt of your stick handle low to the ground.
GROUND BALLS: Use the proper technique. Keep your body low to the ground and in between the ball and your opponent, keep your hand nearest the butt end of your stick down, explode through the ball, and immediately cradle and tuck your stick. Look to pass right away or run away from pressure.
Cradling
Become ambidextrous. Spend half of each practice with the stick in your weak hand.
GUYS: When being checked, turn your non-stick side toward the checker and take the impact in your upper arm, not your back.
If you beat your opponent with a one-on-one move, quickly tuck your stick in front of your body to avoid a stick check.
Cradling, the side-to-side, up-and-down, back-and-forth rocking motion of the stick can be achieved several ways. Following are three common cradle tactics:
Small cradle
Use a small side-to-side or up-and-down motion.
Use a continuous swinging action with your top-hand wrist while you hold the stick in cocked position.
Rotate top-hand wrist side to side so the stick rocks side to side.
Rotate top-hand wrist up and down to cause stick to swing up and down.
Keep hands placement the same for shooting and passing.
Butt of stick should turn in bottom-hand grip.
Medium cradle
Use the medium cradle (up-and-down motion) when you're running down the floor in heavy traffic. The swinging motion creates centrifugal force to help keep ball in the stick.
Use your top-hand wrist to create the cradle.
While holding shaft (mainly with the fingers), straighten the fingers and let stick roll downwards to fingertips.
Curl fingers and wrist upwards as you bring the stick up.
Top-hand wrist and forearm moving simultaneously upwards and downwards create the cradle motion.
Keep hand placement wider than passing and shooting.
Place top hand on the shaft near throat of the stick and bottom hand gripping the stick butt.
Stick turns in bottom-hand grip.
Large cradle
Use the large cradle, a back-and-forth-rocking action of the stick, mainly when taking a check.
Hold stick vertically to the floor.
Create a swinging motion with your wrist, forearm and upper arm of the top hand moving back and forth.
Grip the stick at the throat with your top hand.
The motion of your wrist and forearm creates force, keeping ball in the stick.
Keep loose bottom-hand grip, allowing the stick to rotate within it.
On contact from the crosscheck, make sure top-hand wrist is rotating forward.
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.
Picks
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.
Face-offs
Remember what your opponent does on face-offs so you can outguess him or her next time.
Defense
Stay patient on defense. Being in a good position is your priority. Don't over-commit to a check, or you'll give your opponent a chance to beat you with a move.
Goaltending
Concentrate on the ball in the shooter's stick.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, back straight, shoulders and chest square to the ball. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet and hold the stick between and in front of your legs, resting your stick hand on your thigh.
Talk to your defense to let them know where the ball is on the field.
Stay positive -- even after a goal is scored.
Use the stick to stop long, low shots.
Keep the stick between your legs, in front of your feet and on the floor -- it will force you to keep your legs spread and cover more of the net.
To cut down on rebounds, cushion the ball by moving your stick backwards as the ball contacts the net.
Keep your body square to the ball carrier's stick.
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