coaching middle school level players
the first group that i ever personally coached was a grade 7 travel squad of 27 kids. at that time it seemed to me that every level above middle school was the more difficult to coach, and that pro or college coaches had the hardest jobs by far.
at the varsity and college level coaches must teach many offensive sets, numerous plays, multiple slide packages, several rides and clears., etc. there is no denying that it does take the most knowledgeable people in the game. all that being said, the middle school level coach is not the "cake walk" some may expect. challenges exist at this level which can rival any age group. i have coached every level , and found that grades 6, 7, & 8 can present some unique problems as a coach.
the middle school player does not have strong stick skills. they have a short attention span. they want to horseplay continuously. they forget helmets, gloves, sticks, cups, and pads it seems like every practice. i had an 8th grade goalie show up for a game with no stick or helmet once!
they can get out of control quickly and disrupt practices and games- if you let them.
in my day if we strayed from the program, coach just ran us until we collapsed. that doesn't work with todays crafty bunch, it may be effective occasionally, but cannot be the only weapon in the arsenal.
i have several tips to aid the MS coach that may come in handy when dealing with this crowd
1. be more familiar than friendly. being "buddies" with kids at this level tends to have an adverse effect on discipline. give them and inch they will take a mile. you don't have to be a drill Sargent, but it is important to be firm and in control of games and practices. use a whistle and blow it loud. i have seen plenty of coaches spending way too much time yelling "stop, stop,stop" or "quiet please!" a strong loud whistle means both.
2. remember the "R.E.F" system
respect, effort, focus- we explain this in detail before and during the season
i stress teaching players all ages these 3 important values
respect teammates, coaches, and parents of your team and the opposition's. unconditional respect of referees is a must at all times - regardless of questionable calls.
as a coach your must lead by example, abide by your own rules
effort- less than 100% is not tolerated. i reward effort, never talent. make a point that we we need to see effort in drills, scrimmages, and games. make sure players are rewarded for hustle
focus- players that come to practice or a game, must focus on lacrosse.
i do not allow cell phones to be on, sword fights, talking during coaches demonstrations, or any other distractive conduct. if you have a habitual violator, sit him at the face off X and have the entire team run full field suicides while he watches. i guarantee this will fix the problem, the whole team becomes your watch dogs
3. introduce concepts a day before you actually explain and demonstrate
i use this one religiously . lets say you want to work on rides and clearing. at the end of the practice have a meeting to let everyone know, " at the next practice we will be working on rides and clears". ask the players to research the topic and be ready to ask questions or share what they have learned. you will be pleasantly surprised on the info you will get at the next practice. kids at this age tend to do well at getting information quickly with the internet and so many web sites out there
they will be much better prepared when you start showing the skills and demonstrating the next day, and quicker to grasp and learn a new skill.
more later...
at the varsity and college level coaches must teach many offensive sets, numerous plays, multiple slide packages, several rides and clears., etc. there is no denying that it does take the most knowledgeable people in the game. all that being said, the middle school level coach is not the "cake walk" some may expect. challenges exist at this level which can rival any age group. i have coached every level , and found that grades 6, 7, & 8 can present some unique problems as a coach.
the middle school player does not have strong stick skills. they have a short attention span. they want to horseplay continuously. they forget helmets, gloves, sticks, cups, and pads it seems like every practice. i had an 8th grade goalie show up for a game with no stick or helmet once!
they can get out of control quickly and disrupt practices and games- if you let them.
in my day if we strayed from the program, coach just ran us until we collapsed. that doesn't work with todays crafty bunch, it may be effective occasionally, but cannot be the only weapon in the arsenal.
i have several tips to aid the MS coach that may come in handy when dealing with this crowd
1. be more familiar than friendly. being "buddies" with kids at this level tends to have an adverse effect on discipline. give them and inch they will take a mile. you don't have to be a drill Sargent, but it is important to be firm and in control of games and practices. use a whistle and blow it loud. i have seen plenty of coaches spending way too much time yelling "stop, stop,stop" or "quiet please!" a strong loud whistle means both.
2. remember the "R.E.F" system
respect, effort, focus- we explain this in detail before and during the season
i stress teaching players all ages these 3 important values
respect teammates, coaches, and parents of your team and the opposition's. unconditional respect of referees is a must at all times - regardless of questionable calls.
as a coach your must lead by example, abide by your own rules
effort- less than 100% is not tolerated. i reward effort, never talent. make a point that we we need to see effort in drills, scrimmages, and games. make sure players are rewarded for hustle
focus- players that come to practice or a game, must focus on lacrosse.
i do not allow cell phones to be on, sword fights, talking during coaches demonstrations, or any other distractive conduct. if you have a habitual violator, sit him at the face off X and have the entire team run full field suicides while he watches. i guarantee this will fix the problem, the whole team becomes your watch dogs
3. introduce concepts a day before you actually explain and demonstrate
i use this one religiously . lets say you want to work on rides and clearing. at the end of the practice have a meeting to let everyone know, " at the next practice we will be working on rides and clears". ask the players to research the topic and be ready to ask questions or share what they have learned. you will be pleasantly surprised on the info you will get at the next practice. kids at this age tend to do well at getting information quickly with the internet and so many web sites out there
they will be much better prepared when you start showing the skills and demonstrating the next day, and quicker to grasp and learn a new skill.
more later...
posted by 313 LACROSSE at
2:27 PM
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