Blog
Anxiety in Youth Sports
I read a very interesting New York Times article last night about kids’ developing “Math Anxiety.” The article was titled – “Square Root of Kids’ Math Anxiety: Their Parents’ Help.” Individuals with high math anxiety demonstrate smaller working memory spans and lapses in mathematical development. The big question is, how do kids develop math anxiety?! Math anxiety is developed when math-anxious parents help too much with their children’s math homework. The more math anxious-parents tried to work with their children, the worse their children did in math.
I’d like to think there are parallels between math-anxious parents negatively affecting their children in math, AND, anxious parents negatively affecting their children in sports. For example, if you’re a parents that goes to your child’s game and can’t help but to scream when your child has the ball, when a play is developing, or when the balls on the ground, than you need to be very contentious of this behavior; children put enough pressure on themselves during play. If they hear their mom or dad screaming during their event, it will only add to anxiety. If your child is looking over at you after this play, than its a sign they’re becoming an anxious player.
Youth laxer seen playing with confidence
Additionally, if you’re a parent that gets anxious during your son or daughter’s games, you need to be conscious of what you say and do with your children on the walk to the parking lot, on the car ride home, and when your children are playing in the back yard. Let your children bring up events from their practice or game on their own. If they don’t feel like discussing it, than talk about something else. If your children don’t feel like getting instruction during their play in the backyard, than let them just play.
Children are inherently creative. They should have the confidence to try new things, make mistakes, and experiment during sporting events. If your child is feeling anxious during PLAY, than they won’t have the confidence to try new things and develop their game. Their development will be flawed both mentally and physically, not allowing them to progress.
Sometimes doing nothing can mean everything for your child’s development. Let your children make mistakes. Let them be creative. Just let them PLAY. Every child develops at a different rate. Some kids pick up things quicker than others. Substitute some of that anxiety with patience and support. Your child will be successful in whatever they pursue.
What Did You Learn?
This is the question you should be asking every time you leave an organized event. Learning compounds more reliably than winning or the promise of winning does*. Learning is the driving force behind growth, success, and happiness.
At FLG, we hope that player’s leave every single one of our events saying, “I got something out of that!” Our emphasis on development will give the player’s associated with our program a feeling of growth. A win for FLG is when every player at our events learns something new or something that will better themselves as a studlete.
*Quote from Seth Godin’s Blog
FLG College Tune-up, Last Day!
College Tune-Up – Schedule for Day 3
Last Day, here we go!
5:00 — Arrive
5:15 – Dynamic Warm up
5:25 – Group-up for 300’s
5:30 – 300 Testing
5:30 – group 1
5:31 – group 2
5:32 – group 3
5:33 – group 1
5:34 – group 2
5:35 – group 3
5:36 – group 1
5:37 – group 2
5:38 – group 3
5:39 – DONE
5:40 — Water
5:45 – Speed Ladder Shooting
6:00 – Lacrosse Football
6:25 – Quads
6:55 – Water
7:00 – CrossFit Training with Coach Sean Pastuch
7:50 – College Tune-up Awards Ceremony
To see what’s going on at the College Tune-up, be sure to check out our instagram page at FLGLAX!
#CollegeTuneup #FLGLAX #FLG #HardWork
FLG & USA
James Sullivan (Left), Thomas Wright, Jack Tigh, Matt Borges (Right)
The top 50 U19 boys from around the country came together for the last round of cuts for the U19 USA Lacrosse team this weekend. FLG Lacrosse Alumni James Sullivan, Thomas Wright, Jack Tigh and Matt Borges were all in attendance. “FLG is very proud of Jack, Thomas, James, and Matt! It seems like yesterday they were 7th graders playing for FLG. They are four hard working young men that deserve an opportunity to compete for a chance to represent our country. We wish them the best of luck in making the team!” -Corey Winkoff (Program Director, FLG Lacrosse)
The final roster will be announced later today – we wish our guys luck!
You Ready For College?
The FLG College Tune-up is right around the corner. If you are asking yourself the following questions, then you should be at the College Tune-up:
Will I pass my run test?
Are other players on Long Island getting ready for Fall Ball already?
How do I measure up to collegiate student-athletes?
Am I cut out for College Lacrosse?
Am I in shape?
Is it time to pick up my stick?
To learn more about the FLG College Tune-up, click here!
FLG in 3d Summer Shootout Recap
This past weekend, two of the country’s premier lacrosse clubs, 3d Lacrosse (CO) and FLG Lacrosse (NY), joined forces to present the 2015 FLG in 3d Summer Shootout in Boyds, MD. Top club teams from different regions of the country spent the weekend competing against each other in a high-level tournament that included hundreds of college coaches from Divisions I, II and III.
The FLG in 3d Summer Shootout included face-off competitions and All-Star Games for the 2019, 2018, 2017, & 2016 age groups. These events took place in front of dozens of college coaches from across the country. Below are the FOGO champions and runner-ups from each age group, as well as the Offensive and Defensive MVP’s for each of the 7 all-star games. Congratulations to all the great studletes who competed and excelled in these events!
FOGO Champions
2019 – Tyler Sandoval
2018 – Donny Stack
2017 – Sean Christman
2016 – Ian Foster
FOGO Runner-ups
2019 – Matt Palazzi
2018 – Andrew Moyer
2017 – Drew Blanchard
2016 – Jack Hodgson
All-Star Offensive & Defensive MVP’s
2019 Game – Owen Murphy, Attackman, 3d New England (Offensive) Grayson Feick, LSM, 3d Northern California (Defensive)
2018 4pm Game – Chris Clintock, Midfielder, Two Knights (Offensive) Ben Kaplan, Defenseman, Steps (Defensive)
2018 5pm Game – Peter Tamasi, Midfielder, 3d New England (Offensive) Eugene Yoon, Goalie, 3d Tri-State (Defensive)
2017 6pm Game – Landon Trout, Midfielder, Resolute (Offensive) Timmy Phillips, Defenseman, FLG (Defensive)
2017 7pm Game – Jared Strauss, Midfielder, FLG (Offensive) Josh Dahl, Defenseman, Sweetlax (Defense)
2016 6pm Game – Jack Colt, Attackman, Philadelphia Freedom (Offensive) Luke Nachazel, LSM, 3d Colorado (Defensive)
2016 7pm Game – Max Jaffe, Attackman, 3d Michigan (MVP)
Player Spotlight – Eric Dunne
Who is your Favorite Athlete of all time?
Has to be LT Lawrence Taylor. He is one bad man.
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I really wanted to be an archeologist. I thought I was going to be the guy from Jurassic Park.
Who is your Role Model?
UAlbany Head Coach Scott Marr. I’ve tried to emulate his coaching philosophy and style. He taught me a lot about lacrosse and more importantly about life.
What is your favorite motivational quote?
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” -Teddy Roosevelt
* However, it was my father who brought the quote to my attention.
What was your favorite thing about playing lacrosse in college?
My favorite thing was the camaraderie amongst your teammates, coaches and the players’ families. You spend so much time together and share successes, failures, and even punishments. They become like your extended family and it’s a pretty special bond.
What is the one thing that you would change about your college career?
I would have been more dedicated to the strength and conditioning program, especially during the early part of my career.
What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not playing or coaching lacrosse?
Is this a trick question? I didn’t know life existed outside of coaching these days. However, I do enjoy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu when I have some time off. (No, it’s not karate.)
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I’m a big fan of Survivor. I know it’s reality TV, but I also think it’s an incredible social experiment.
What is your best sports memory?
Beating GC in the Nassau County finals when they were #1 in the nation my junior year. State championships are great and all but there’s nothing I like more than seeing Garden City lose, especially when you do it at Hofstra.
Did you have any pregame rituals?
At Albany we always wrote who we played for on a piece of tape and put it on the back of our helmets for pregame and then over our hearts for the game. I still do this ritual to this day and write #22 for Scott Deverna, who passed away my sophomore year at Wantagh.
Who in lacrosse is destined to be a reality TV star?
Brett Queener. He was our goalie for my senior year at UAlbany as well the next two years. He still plays in the MLL. Brett is quite the character, as he’s demonstrated year after year at the MLL trick shot competitions.
What is the one thing you can’t live without?
I have a small addiction to rainbow colored sprinkles. Like I eat them by the spoonful. (Yes, I know that’s incredibly weird.)
OT Question
What would the world be like without you?
That’s a tough question… I imagine there would be a lot more one-handed groundballs, un-buttoned chinstraps, stick checking over taking body, shooting while fading behind the cage, guys leaning on their sticks like the Planter’s Nuts guy… and I guess just a generally softer brand of lacrosse. In short a terrifying world…
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR FLG LACROSSE TEAM TRYOUTS!
Starting in mid-August, tryouts begin for FLG select lacrosse teams. FLG tryouts offer players plenty of opportunity to showcase their abilities while getting constructive guidance from some of the area’s best coaches. Our tryouts combine unbiased evaluation of participants’ talents along with active on-field coaching.
Elite Level Instruction
Top Long Island high school coaches, familiar with The FLG methodology, run drills, incorporate full-field play and assess players’ abilities throughout the tryout process. Athletes get specific feedback on particular skills they need to work on to improve their game.
“The atmosphere of the FLG Select Team tryouts are constructive, competitive, and fast-paced,” says Corey Winkoff, program director at FLG. “We develop and select from the best talent on Long Island during our tryout process.”
An Unsurpassed Tryout Experience!
Our owners at FLG have been running team tryouts for over 20 years. Each year, we build on our successes from prior years to create bigger, bolder, more productive and thoroughly worthwhile events.
FLG tryouts are well organized and integrate small area competitive games along with our own specially designed drills. These drills help introduce participants to FLG training methods while giving each player a chance to optimally demonstrate his skills.
FLG Chooses Quality Over Quantity
Team selections are announced within two days of the tryouts. Players are chosen based on their ability. Only one boys’ and one girls’ team is formed at each grade level in Nassau County and, beginning with the 2015/2016 season, we’re expanding into Suffolk County.
Our expansion into Suffolk means that parents from all over Long Island can join the FLG family and enjoy shorter travel times to practices and scrimmages.
