Volume:
1 Edition (3)
Posted:
Monday, March 26th
“Players
should expect the best - We can deliver”
News: “Get’n
Around, Get’n Known!”
Lacrosse
Nova Scotia’s try lacrosse school program has been hugely successful and slowly
rapping up for 2012. To date some 22 schools (P-6 and Junior High) and close to
2,000 students have received instruction from the HRM to Pictou to the Eastern
shore. With the aid of Sport Nova Scotia’s regional coordinators, next year’s
program will focus on teaching PE teachers how to run two-week lacrosse
sessions with the aide of the Lacrosse FITS program and gear.
Along
with lacrosse instruction, students learned about their local clubs and
associations and were invited to participate in the Free Try Lacrosse program.
Hopefully clubs will see a bump in their registration from the school program.
News: “March
Break Camp”
Players
who participated in LNSS’s first March Break Camp had a great time and an
unprecedented number of new players attended thanks to the school try lacrosse program.
Scrimmages
remained the most enjoyed activity, but the players got to challenge themselves
with fun warm-ups like the “under-hang mountain climb” and drills like the
balloon bust challenge, cone skeet shooting and noodle popcorn.
Unlike
other camps run this year, age groups where kept smaller (9-11 & 12-14),
which greatly helped reduce unbalanced size/skill match-ups and minor bumps and
bruises, and the all-girls day clearly showed the difference in social dynamics
between coed and gender specific programs.
It’s
always fun to shoot at a target and the March Break camp had a bumper crop of
volunteers. The trick is to have several full sets of #3 sized goalie gear
(throat guard, uppers and lowers, stick, pants and a cup system that can be worn
over shorts) laid out and ready to go and the gals and guys will line up to try
it between the pipes, even the smallest players. Using the soft red lacrosse
balls helped and hopefully the players’ enthusiasm will translate to league
goalies.
The
week-long program’s success was attributed to the care and skill of its coaches,
who included Nick McMullen, Dominic Nolasco, Danica Cooley, Chris Taylor,
Frankie Martin and Harry Baker. These and the Province’s other young coaches
are the future of lacrosse within Nova Scotia.
News: “Face-off
with proper face-masks”
A
reminder that as of January 1st, 2012, CLA’s new face-mask rules
took effect. The key point being that the Gait masks used by provincial players
over the years are not approved for players sixteen and under (Midgets and
below). Any mask, lacrosse or hockey, used for practices, games or other use
must be CSA approved.
News: “Lacrosse
Bust’n Parking Lots!”
Pictou County appears to be ready
for lacrosse “The Daily” newspaper article concluded based on the number of
cars parked outside the William M. Sobey’s indoor turf field Thursday, March 22nd,
and the number, almost seventy, excited youth inside.
Approximately 110 players have participated
in two Free Try Lacrosse sessions in Pictou and Stellarton in March and a third
is planned for Monday, March 26th at Westville. Developed, promoted
and run by Brendon Smithson with the support of the Westville Recreation Department, the success has Brendon think’n of new
coaches.
This year a box lacrosse program will
be
held in the Westville and Area Miners Sports Centre for youth in grades 3 to 8
from April 30th to June 22nd at a cost of $95 per player.
Through Nova Scotia Health and Wellness, grants have been secured to purchase
goalie gear and all Brendon needs now are coaches. But like the players’
enthusiasm, parents are starting to step up and identify themselves as
potential coaches.
The
plan is that this new “recreational league” will be a regional program that
won’t compete with MMLL teams. As the program grows and players become more
experienced, “select” or “rep” teams will emerge and begin to participate in
Provincial playoffs.
For
more details see the newpaper links below.
Column: “Tips
from the Crease”
“New Goalie
Handbook”
Goalies
now have two e-resources to help them with their game, which can be downloaded
from LNSS’s website newslider article, “Goalies Get Ready”. The latest edition,
“The Complete Box Lacrosse Goalie” was created
by Laurent Gagnier, who is keen on feedback regarding his manual. The resource
compliments the 2006 handbook produced by Don "Hoss" Watson, “The Lacrosse Goalie”. If you have problems
downloading the files, contact LNSS Technical Director.
“Balloons and
Paint Rollers”
Some
really cheap aids to help players with their overhand shot are balloons, paint
rollers and a length of rope, which you can use as a pre-season refresher or
introduction drill.
First
review the mechanics of the overhand shot/pass (not quick sticks) with the
players without a ball. If possible have coaches walk between the players to
check body, hand and stick positions. Once you are happy with their
performance, bring them over to the paint roller set-up.
Many
players don’t play baseball or football and have poor overhand throwing skills.
Set up a long piece of rope that can be tied at both ends to two anchor points.
The ends should be separated by at least the width of a soccer net and should
be about eye level to players. The paint rollers should be threaded through the
rope before its anchored. Walk to the mid-point of the rope and pull it away
from the anchors until the line is taut, making a V-shape. Have two players
move the paint rollers to the anchor point ends. They are to hold onto the
rollers as though they are a baseball pitcher and throw it over their shoulder
towards yourself. The more skilled players throw the roller in a straighter
line with more speed. Side-arm throws will result in a spiral or wobbly course
for the roller. Four players can work the roller system at a time throwing to
each other then moving off to the balloon target wall.
Balloons
are cheap and a great incentive to hit and break. For longer life, blow up the
balloons until they are full and then let some air out. This will make it
almost impossible to break them and give them life. Tape a series of balloons
at eye level and another set close to the floor. Players form lines and take a
single shot each, then let the next player shoot. Nice thing about the balloons
is that you can leave them up and players can return when they have a free
moment.
The
roller-balloon system can be run in three stations with coaches reviewing
technique at one wall, a coach at the rope/roller station and another at the
balloon target wall. Minimum will be two coaches or a parent to help hold the
rope. Younger players will really like the challenge.
If
you have any tips you’d like to share, email them to lacrossetechdirector@sportnovascotia.ca
Column:
“Provincial Scene”
Box
keeps roll’n and field begins to ramp up.
Provincial
box teams finished up at Exhibition Park Sunday, March 25th and will
now move on to Rocky Lake Dome facility in Bedford. Crunch time is approaching
and team selection should rap up by the end of April. For times and locations,
make sure players check LNSS’s website calendar and the individual Provincial team
pages.
Now
confirmed, the women’s Provincial Midget team will be heading to Victoria, BC,
to participate in this year’s National program. Potential players are being
sought from across the Province, both new and experienced players. The women’s
program has been very successful in getting new players up-to-speed for
Nationals and should be encouraged. For more information contact Julie Finck
via LNSS’s website, link to “Provincial Teams”.
As
of March 19th, coaches interested in leading either the men’s U16 or
U19 field Provincial teams can now apply. Applications forms will be accepted
for two weeks and can be downloaded from LNSS’s newslider article, “Now Accepting Provincial Field Coach Applications”. This will
be a first for U16 players and the second year for U19 players. Once coaches
have been selected, more details regarding ID and tryouts will be posted on the
individual Provincial team webpages.
Column: “Alumni
News”
On
August 11, 2012, in Cornwall, Ontario, Don “Twig” McElhone will be inducted
into the Cornwall Sports Hall of Fame for his prowess as box goalie and player beginning
in the 50's. A long-time residence of Dartmouth, Twig has coached alongside
many successful Bandit’s teams and remains an active Bandit’s Executive Member as
Coach/Player Development.
Born
and raised in Cornwall, Twig couldn’t have known back then that he would be
playing into his sixth decade which occurred on August
6th, 2006, when he played in the Lobster Trap’s Master's
game. Lacrosse Nova Scotia congratulates Twig and wishes him the very best on
his induction day, which puts him in great company alongside Wayne Finck, who
was Nova Scotia’s first lacrosse member inducted into the Province’s Sport Hall
of Fame in October, 2008.
Read more about Twig’s lifelong
lacrosse experience at the Dartmouth Bandit’s website.
News: “Next
Month”
Keep
track of up-coming events on LNSS’s website calendar by clicking on date titles
for more information.
- 2011 Coach online workbooks deadline, March 31st
- April Coaching clinics will be posted soon, check LNSS website
- Provincial Tryouts and roster selection by the end of April
- Rink availability
- Goalie Clinic
- High School Box Lacrosse Tournament
- 19th Annual Aleš Hřebeský Memorial
- High School Club Field Lacrosse
“Must Take
Action!”
For
those coaches who have not yet forwarded the following details to lacrossetechdirector@sportnovascotia.ca , please do
so as soon as possible. For those who have replied, thanks so much.
(For
emails that include several family members, please include all names in one
email response)
Name:
Preferred
email address:
Club
Association Name:
Level
of NCCP certification:
Possible
Teams you may coach in 2012:
* * *
No comments:
Post a Comment