Blog
Fall Expectations.
The Fall is now a big season for lacrosse recruits. College Coaches take November to not just evaluate who stood out during their team’s Fall Ball Season, they utilize November to find the next big time recruit. As more studletes choose to specialize in the sport, the level of play at these Fall High School recruiting tournaments has been on the up and up.
At FLG, we promote multi-sport athletes and understand the importance of playing multiple sports in High School. That being said, players in our program are well aware what the competition will be like come November’s tournament season. College Coaches are coming to these events expecting to see quality lacrosse and a highlight level of play. Below are some expectations we set for our High School players during the Fall to ensure they stand out and succeed.
1. Wall ball must find its way into their busy schedules. Skills must stay sharp despite it being soccer or football season.
2. IQ and team Concepts must be at a high level as we prepare for HS Team Tournaments. Players should access our video library, attend our Fall practices, and know our ride, clear, offensive sets, team defense, substitution patterns, extra man play, and man down defense.
3. Players should have their lacrosse recruits online profile filled out completely. This tells us as a program who wants to get recruited. Also, it gives us an opportunity to network with College Coaches online and share specific player profiles to help both the College Program and the studletes.
4. Players should know the name of every player on their team. This makes it easier to communicate on the field, build closer ties off the field, and develop overall team chemistry.
5. Players should keep their grades up. We don’t tolerate the excuse of, “I have a hard time getting my work done without the structure of it being lacrosse season.” It’s important to figure it out! Your GPA includes every semester, not just your grades during lax season.
Feel free to share what you expect of the players within your program during the Fall!
Tonight’s a BIG Night!
Why?
Tonight is the first night of our Positional and Fusion Clinic series. The first night of any clinic is big because we want to set the tone early. We want player’s coming in excited and energetic. We want parents to be impressed with our organization, enthusiasm, and execution by our staff and coaches.
How will we succeed tonight?
- Make sure all coaches are on the same page. Curriculums were fired out to all coaches with ample time to read and know what they are expected to teach.
- Get to the facility nice and early to set it up. A lot goes into setting up clinics to maximize flow and player development. When player’s get to the facility, everything should be ready to go!
- Make sure everyone gets lots of touches! Reps, reps, and more reps. That’s how player’s can learn and develop.
- Demonstrate. Teach. Reinforce. Reflect. That’s how we teach at our clinics.
Tonight we train with the same intensity of a big rivalry game. #LoveTheGame
FLG Premier Showcase Series
Invites for FLG’s Premier Showcase Series will be going out this weekend. Check out our all new HD PROMOs for our Premier Showcases below!
Pursuit of Perfection
For the first time in a month, I did not spend make a long car trip to watch my daughter and the Mercyhurst Lady Lakers Lacrosse Team at a Fall Ball Event. We had two very good FLG Select Team Practices on Saturday, and I thought it might be nice to have a little less Lacrosse, for at least one Sunday.
Then I remembered I had set Team Snap email notifications to all of the girls in the program telling them about the “Fall Classic” on the Lax Sports Network (LSN) on Saturday and Sunday. Over the course of the weekend, the top four National Teams from the last World Cup, as well as defending NCAA Champion, University of North Carolina, would be squaring off at Tierney Field in Sparks, Maryland. Of course, I would have to check it out, after all it would be wrong to lead others to the event and then not watch it myself.
So, I tuned in to the UNC Tar Heels vs. Australia. I was thoroughly impressed with both teams. UNC looked very fast. As the game progressed, it seemed that Carolina’s youthful inexperience was actually a virtue against an Australian Squad that looked a bit tired at times and not able to match the aggressive ride (or re-defend), and overall team speed of UNC. The fact that UNC was without three players who are still in the Pool for the final two cuts for the US National Team (Caylee Waterss, Marie McCool and Maggie Bill), should put the rest of NCAA Women’s Lacrosse, on notice.
Next up, the US vs. Canada. While the announcers were discussing Canada’s lackluster performance on Saturday, I was anticipating a tight game. The Canadians often seem to have our number in these types of events. I could not have been more wrong. The current version of the US National Team, is truly something to behold. It would take too long to list the number of amazing players still in the running to make the final 18 player roster (I don’t envy Coach Fried and his Staff, having to make those cuts). The US put on a remarkable display of high speed skill, athleticism, tenacity and execution. They were firing on all cylinders to say the least. I stopped paying attention to the score and simply marveled at the selfless, continuous maximum effort they put forth. Every Dodge was made with determination, every cut with a purpose, every ride was the picture of gritty, athletic toughness, the ball movement was swift and precise. Are you getting the picture? It appears that the explosion in girl’s/women’s lacrosse has now produced such a volume of elite level players, that the US could likely field at least two teams that would be better than any other Nation’s best.
The most impressive thing of all, was that I never saw even one player act selfishly, trying to further her chances to make the team. Collections of great players, often tend to under achieve as a group due to their lack of cohesion and/or chemistry. This US Team seems to possess an absolute commitment to “TEAM” and a full blown “Pursuit of Perfection”. It should be fun to watch!
DRILL – Side By
FLG Fusion DRILL called Side By. What we work on in this drill:
- Boys or Girls
- Ages 9 and Up
- 4v3 and 3v2 work
- Playing Fast
- Attacking from different spots on the field
- Scoring in extra-mon opportunities
- Defending in transition
- Off-ball movement
- Playing in tight spaces
- Variations – btb’s, weak hand ground balls, picks, etc.
- Enjoy!
The Hardest Part About Running a Lacrosse Club
Running a lacrosse club isn’t easy. One of the most difficult parts about the job is treating each team in your club as if they are your one and only. If you get new jerseys for one team, you have to get new jersey’s for every team. If you provide great coaching for one team, you have to provide great coaching for every team. If you practice plan for one team, you should be planning practice for every team in your program. If you do it on the boys side of the program, you should offer it on the girls side.
While running a success lacrosse club can have it’s challenges, it can be done. It’s important to understand that one person can’t make a successful club.
It takes a positive culture.
It takes great coaches, volunteers, and staff.
It take generous families who are open and willing to help the club and do what’s in the best interest of their kids.
It takes tremendous effort, grit, and time.
If you are one of those people who are running club, think about how you treat your favorite team. Maybe it’s that team your son or daughter is on, maybe it’s your best team, or maybe it’s your most coachable team. Now, go treat every team in your program just like them. That sounds like a successful club lacrosse program to me.
Deliberate Practice
It’s not about how much you practice, as much it is how you practice. Angela Duckworth explains the importance of what’s called deliberate practice. A form of deep practice that is quality, efficient, and mindful.
Let’s say you’re on a great team, you have a quality coach, and you play for a quality program. What’s the next step to getting your talents to the next level?
Know the science of what you wish to master and follow these 4 steps to get the most out of deliberate practice:
- Clearly define your goal
- Full concentration and effort 100% of the time!
- Immediate and informative feedback. This can be self-informed. Use video to your advantage.
- Reps. Reps. Reps. with reflection and refinement
One Crazy Busy Lacrosse Weekend
This past weekend was a crazy busy lacrosse weekend, even for me. I recently promised myself that I would do my best to say “yes” and travel to as many of my daughter’s lacrosse events. So, after three separate FLG Girls Lacrosse Practices at Long Island Lutheran High School, I began my third long car trip, in as many weeks. The destination was Robert Morris University just outside of Pittsburgh, the site of an eleven team Fall Ball Play Day hosted by Robert Morris and its crosstown rival Duquesne. I arrived at my hotel just before 9pm, in time to have a beer and watch the about 3/4 of the Clemson vs. Louisville Football Game, with my old neighbor, Clint Morano, who was there with lovely wife Janice, also to watch Women’s College Lacrosse the next day.
We arrived at RMU before 9am. The Morano’s went to watch their daughter Natalie and her IUP Crimson Hawk teammates play their first game in the very impressive Joe Walton Stadium, while I went to the lower field to see my daughter, Diana, and the Mercyhurst Lady Lakers take on host RMU. The field was very muddy but both teams slogged through it and performed well. Both teams and the decent sized crowd did well getting acclimated to the 90 second possession clock, which will be in play this spring in NCAA Division I (next year for Divisions II and III). The highlight of my day came during the break between games one and two. Seeing best friends, Diana and Natalie welcome each other with a big hug, was worth a seven hour drive any day.
Plenty of good lacrosse followed with teams from near and far testing themselves and each other. I think every team had at least one tent and a following of family, friends and fans. The tailgaters put out an impressive assortment of food and lots of TLC, all of which seemed greatly appreciated by the players. While the lacrosse was highly charged and competitive, the overall atmosphere was almost festive. Before the day was done, I had bumped into Pete Fallon and Marty Mahon. Pete was a graduate assistant coach when I played at Cortland. He and his wife were there to watch there daughter Taylor, who is a senior at St. Bonaventure. Marty’s daughter Sarah once played with Diana and Natalie at a Prospect Day. Sarah is a junior at St. Francis.
I left just after the Lady Lakers boarded the bus to head back to Erie. Following my GPS, I took a long detour from Interstate 76 onto a more scenic route through the hills of western Pennsylvania. It was a nice ride, almost relaxing. Once again, I found myself reflecting and realizing how fortunate I am to be taking these trips, seeing old friends and of course seeing my daughter play and getting to spend some time with her. So, what did you do this weekend?
Get Outta the Loop
I’m not talking about the inner circle. The what’s happening at school. The thing that your afraid of missing.
I’m talking about the monotony of your daily routine. The vicious cycle that gets you stuck in your ways. The actions that brings you back to the same place you started. Don’t allow your life to run itself in a loop.
It’s time to break out of that loop.
Step out, so you can step up.
Try something new.
Face those fears.
Do what you can, using what you know. Be the best you. #MotivationMonday
