Today’s Presentation
Teaching Kids
o The ultimate goal of athletics
o Positive reinforcement
o Vision,Core Values, Expectations
The Practice Plan
o Considerations
o Elements of a Practice Plan
o Sample Plan
1) Stick Skills
o Partner Passing
o Individual Offense
o Theory
o The Rules
o Rule Based Drills
2) Small Groups and Transition Drills
O 321
o Short Field Fast Breaks (variations)
o Approach
o Face Off
o Mac Drill
3) Small Group defense
– o 5 v 3; The secret to practicing man down
TEACHING KIDS
“I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the
decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood
that makes the weather. AS A TEACHER, I possess a
tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or
joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of
inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all
situations, it is my response that decides whether a
crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child
humanized or de-humanized.”
-H. Ginott
“Winning is important
But…
Teaching life lessons is more important”
US Lacrosse Coaches’ Education Program
www.uslacrosse.org
The Positive Coaching Alliance
www.positivecoach.com
Research From Carol Dweck
 A child’s view about his ability will influence his response to
challenges, setbacks, and difficulties
 If a child sees his ability as malleable, and thus expandable by
a combination of effort and effective strategies, then his
achievement will be higher than those children who view
ability as fixed.
 The feedback that adults provide students after they are
successful will influence their ideas about ability.
 How do you as a coach define success?
 It tied to talent
 Winning or…
 effort and strategies?
Mission
• Commit to establishing a
community that is built upon
respect and strengthened by the
responsibility we each take for
ourselves, others and our
environment.
Core Values
• Respect each student as an individual and their
personal welfare is our highest priority.
• At all times we must demonstrate respect for ourselves
and others
• Promote traditional values of honesty, integrity,
commitment and hard work as the foundation of
Wellesley's reputation and continuing success.
• Commitment to providing coaches who regard
themselves first and foremost as TEACHERS.
• Value health and safety as paramount to a successful
program.
• Teamwork should prevail in all interactions among
players, coaches, and parents.
EXPECTATIONS
• WORK HARD
• PLAY TOGETHER
• HAVE FUN
• …and get a little bit better each day!
THE PRACTICE PLAN
The Practice Plan
Coaching Considerations:
• What part of the season is it?
– Fall ball, early March, June
• What is the schedule for the week?
• What happened in the last game?
– are there any elements we can build on?
• What is the intensity level you would like to
see?
• What kind of field space do you have?
– parking lot, small field, gym
• Consistency
• Write out your plan and stick with it!!
Elements of a Practice Plan
• Pre-Practice
– Goalie Warm Up
– Face Off Reps
– “shoot arounds”
• Warm Up and Stick Drills
• Individual Drill and Skill
• Small Group/Transition
• Team
• Wrap Up
Sample Practice Plan
16”
Partner Passing
15”
Active Stretch
10”
Full Field Passing
40”
Individual
Break outs, box car, one way breaks
Offense
Shooting drills
Defense
Alley Drills
Goalie
Reaction Drills
-isolated shots
-shuffle, drop, side run
-from X
-bucket progressions
-Clearing Drill
-cross cage
-OTN progressions
-Live Ball
-Wall Reactions
-
-GB Outlets
-Tennis Saves
-Field Hockey Drill
-Grip and Rip
-Shooting Drill
35”
Small Group Drills: Transition and Unsettled (half field or short field)
1
2
3
Approach
321
Face Off
15”
Coaching Period
10”
Scrimmage
5”
SOD
Face off, End of Game TO, 2” Drill
Stick Skills
“16 Minute Drill”
Partner Passing
16 Minute Drill
• One Hand
• Two hand, one
craddle
– Count the reps
•
•
•
•
•
•
Quick Sticks
Back to back
Ground Ball
Switch hands
Long toss
Hitch and Throw
• Remember you are
isolating passing and
catching.
– Keep it simple and then build
•
•
•
•
•
Pick 4
2 minutes each hand
“shoot the passes”
Guard against passivity!!
Good time to “check in”
with players
– Make a connection other
than lacrosse
INIVIDUAL PERIODS
Offense
Offensive Theory
• Let athletes be athletes
• Teach the kids to play, then let them play!
– Avoid having too many plays and “playing through rote
memory”
• Practice with interchangeable parts
– Defensemen must learn offensive skills
– Offensive Players must play defense
• There is no such thing as a Center Middie!!
– You’re an offensive player that happens to be in the center
or…
– A defensive player that happens to be in the crease!
• Repetition, Repetition, Repetition!!!
The Rules
•
•
•
•
Dodge to Score
Dodge to Feed
Dodge and Dump (roll back)
Dodge and Roll Back
Over the Net Shooting
• Low Impact
– Focus on the smaller details of mechanics
• Start with stick in off hand
– From the start they are changing hands,
although this is not the focus of the drill it gives
them additional reps
• Shoot the ball in to the lower third of the
net.
– This brings wrists and forearms in to the shot
• Be patient
– it may take a little time.
Small Group Drills
Combined &
Transition Drills
Small Group Drills
• In larger groups it is difficult for a coach
to pick up individual mistakes.
• Mistakes tend to standout when working
in smaller groups!!
• In the smaller group, athletes often realize that they
are not as open as they think they might be!!
• Fewer teammates to bail you out
• Less people to “blame”
• You cannot “hide” in the smaller group
321
X
•
•
Everyone plays
everywhere
Start drill with:
– GB
– Outlet
• Coach
• Goalie
Reinforce:
– Spacing
– Draw and dump
O
X
O
•
X
O
X
X
Short Field FBs
O O O O
Coaching Points
•
Net spacing can be
adjusted to players
ability and to target
conditioning.
•
Draw and dump
•
3v2 or 4v3
•
A & D must touch the
midline after each rep
•
Can start with a GB
on the wing
– I do not use an
outlet, it
decreases reps in
this drill.
O O O O
O
X X
O
O
X X
O
Approach Drill
DOP



Vary the position of the 3 lines from
in front, to behind the cage as well as
the sides of the restraining box. The
bucket or cone with have to move as
well.
Use stumps for one or both
defenders
Vary the pace of the 1:1 with the
defender and the initiator.
– If you play this both sides full
speed: The drill is the same,
unless the defender puts the ball
on the ground. At that point, the
coach will throw a ball to either
the goalie or the middle defender
for a quick clear.
O3
Leaves for 1:1
“approach when D1
Gets to cone
Quick transfer
O2
D2
D1
O1
Plays 1:1
Then gets to hole
On roll back
Mac Drill
O B O
GB
O
B
B
O
B
B
Coach
B
•
•
O
•
•
Coach rolls a GB to
alternating sides
Play to the side that
wins the ball
2man side should
win
If not, far side line
must have head up
and player closest
to net breaks
B O B
O
O
O
B
Small Group Team Defense
A progression of drills to develop and
reinforce the principles of team
defense.
Small Group Team Defense
•Team defense can be difficult to teach with
younger athletes.
•Just because the field is your classroom,
doesn’t mean you have to deliver a lecture..
–Have an active classroom
•Small group drills allow the coach to target
smaller details in technique and mechanics.
•Players cannot hide, it pushes athletes to be
more active in practice
•Practicing man down without have to
2 v 1 “Feed’n Finish”
•Coach
O4
O1
D3
D2
D1
O3
O2
Coach
O4
D3
D2
•O1
D1
O3
O2
3 v 2 Approach Drill
•Coach
O4
O1
D1
D2
O3
O2
Coach
O4
•O1
D1
D2
O3
O2
4 v 3 “Popcorn” Drill”
Popcorn
•D1: “I GOT BALL”
•When the ball is passed the
defender drops to the cone
opening his hips in the direction
the ball was thrown. (touch the
bucket)
O2
•O1
D1
D3
D2
O4
D3: “I GOT RIGHT”
•drops to backside post,
opening his hips in the
direction the ball was
thrown.
O3
•D2: “I GOT LEFT”
•Position with his stick to the inside where he can
touch the bucket. As ball is thrown he pushes out
to approach O4. When defenders push out, they
should push to spots rather than “right at” his
man.
Popcorn 2
O2
•O1
D1
“LEFT”
D3
“RIGHT”
D2
O4
“BALL”
O3
Popcorn 3
•O1
“BALL”
D1
“LEFT”
D2
O4
O2
D3
“RIGHT” •O3
Popcorn 4
Coaching Points:
1)
Players do not
PHYICALLY follow
the ball, once the player
they are defending
passes the ball, they
drop to middle to
become a helper.
2)
COMMUNICATE!!!
3)
We use a bucket as the
middle cone and kids
have to hit the bucket
when the drop to the
middle.
4)
Keep the ball moving
and have players
change direction.
O2
•O1
“BALL”
D1 “RIGHT”
D2
“LEFT”
O4
D3
•O3
5v3
•M1
M3
D1
D3
D2
A1
A3
A2
•M1
M3
D1
D3
D2
A1
A3
A2
M1
M3
D1
D2
D3
•A1
A3
A2
If passed from X
M1
M3
D1
A1
D3
D2
•A2
A3
M1
M3
D1
A1
D2
A2
D3
•A3
M1
•M3
D1
D2
D3
A1
A2
A3
If “pushed” from X
M1
M3
D1
•A1
D2
D3
A2
A3
pushed from X (cont.)
M1
M3
D1
A1
D2
D3
•A2
A3
pushed from X (cont.)
M1
M3
D2
D1
A1
D3
•A2
A3
pushed from X (cont.)
M1
M3
D2
A1
D3
D1
•A2
A3
Man Down Defense
Rotation vs. 1-3-2
When the ball starts up top, and gets
passed to “X”
•M1
D3
M3
D4
M2 D5
A1
D2
D1
A2
A3
…from the top. (cont.)
M1
D4
•M3
D3
M2 D5
A1
D2
D1
A2
A3
…from the top. (cont.)
M1
M3
D3
M2 D5
A1
D4
D2
D1 •A3
A2
…from the top. (cont.)
If A2 Gives Back to A3
M1
M3
D4
D3
A1
M2 D5
D1
D2
•A2
A3
…from the top. (cont.)
If A2 Gives Back to A3
M1
M3
D3
D4
M2 D5
A1
D1
D2
•A2
A3
…from the top. (cont.)
M1
M3
D4
D3
A1
M2 D5
D1
D2
•A2
A3
…from the top, (full roation)
M1
M3
D4
D1
M2 D5
A1
D3
•A2
D2
A3
Contact Information
Chris Gelinas
Waltham High School
617 Lexington Street
Waltham MA, 02453
coachgel@comcast.net
Cell: 7821-258-6909