Core - Division & Ages
Tuesday 29 January 2013
Monday 28 January 2013
NS Coach Newsletter Vol 2(1) January, 2013
Volume: 2 Edition (1)
Posted: Monday, January 28th, 2013
“If we can make things better,
how cool is that!”
News: “Special! – Coaching with an
Edge”
You are invited to the 2013 Atlantic Coaches Conference to be held in
Halifax this April 26th-27th (Friday & Saturday). Leading
edge topics will include how to build a world class program, measuring
performance, mental imagery & visualization, coaching female athletes,
developing your coaching philosophy and much more. The full schedule of events
and registration can be found at the following link:
Early Bird rate is $135 per coach before March
8th, after which it`s $160. This is a very special event that`s
going to inspire you and provide networking opportunities to elite coaching
educators, which you can apply to all your coaching duties, lacrosse and
beyond.
News: “Get Rock’n with the Mellotones”
Don’t forget, the Founders Cup team has booked the World Trade Centre Grand Ballroom for a "Spring Break
Dance" with the Mellotones, Saturday, Feb. 16th (Age 19 +).
Tickets are printed and on sale for $25. The evening is being hosted by Tony Quinn,
and there are great door prizes, balloon pop, raffles, 50/50 draw, a fun photo
booth courtesy of Laugh It Up, and three hours of dancing with the fabulous
Mellotones from 9-12pm. Doors open at 8:00pm.
Tell as many people as you can to make
this a great success. If you want to book a table for 10, call Tony Quinn at 240-1284,
or email tonyquinnmusic@gmail.com to reserve it for your group. Tickets can be purchased at the Midtown
Tavern, Halifax, or the Ticket Atlantic/Superstore. Come out and have a great
time and show your support to these fine athletes.
News: “Box season is just around the
corner”
Metro Minor Lacrosse League Clubs are now
setting up their Free Try Lacrosse sessions for the up-coming box season. Do
get involved in your club`s event to either help with check-in, gearing up the
players, floor activities or the parent meeting. This is the BEST tool clubs
and programs have to build their player base and you can scout the new talent.
Check www.trylacrosse.ca (“Dates” link) for your club’s dates, or if it’s not set, get in
touch with you club/program President and offer to help out and get things
rolling.
Technical Director’s “My 2 Cents”
As a coach, it has been eye-opening going through the details within
Lacrosse For Life’s LTAD (Long Term Athlete Development) objectives. As a
result, I’ve created diagrams for all the minor age divisions (posted on LNSS’s
website) summarizing the key points with the hope that the diagrams can be used
to help plan practices and cover all key elements over the season (Feedback greatly
appreciated).
Lacrosse coaches should also take a look at baseball’s LTAD guidelines
and programs like “Rally Caps”. Rally Caps is a reward program for players achieving
specific skills and game knowledge. Anyone interested in developing a similar
rewards program for lacrosse, do get in touch. Such a program not only rewards
players for their efforts, but lets players and coaches know how they stand
across the province.
Another interesting point from baseball’s LTAD program is the relative
age of players on Provincial teams versus the pros. (See attached) Date of
birth (DOB) of a player can influence their chances of being selected to a
select/rep team or Provincial roster. Interesting though how within baseball,
DOB doesn’t influence professional rosters and I’ve attached a figure showing
2013 DOBs for 8 of 9 NLL teams. No data at this time for NS provincial lacrosse
teams, but would assume follow similar lines. Would be nice to see better
equity, any thoughts?
News: “Great First Steps!”
At this year’s US Lacrosse National
Conference, AIL (American Indoor Lacrosse Association) was promoting its First Steps program, which is targeted
at children ages 2-6. The program works on basic body movements like those set
out in LTAD’s FUNdamentals. Compared to mini-tyke programs now being offered by
MMLL clubs, the First Steps program
uses: mini goalie sticks, to help ease picking up balls; balls of several sizes
and materials; and, work-shop goggles. More information can be found at http://www.ailacrosse.net/page/show/538114-first-steps-early-childhood-physical-literacy-program , which includes a short slide show. Notice during the slide show
that sticks have two coloured pieces of tape (red and green) to help players
with hand positioning.
Column: “Across Nova Scotia”
This is going to be another busy spring with
lacrosse programs being planned right now for Middleton (coed field: after
school, 1-day/week, 8-week program, April-May), Tatamagouche-River John-Wallace area (box program similar to
Miners’ program), Truro-New Glasgow (summer Masters lacrosse), East Hants
(summer box program) and Cape Breton (early summer box program). Box programs,
Kentville, Valley Thunder and Miners lacrosse, are also gearing up again and
starting to plan their Try Lacrosse sessions. There is also the Junior and
Senior high school field lacrosse program scheduled for this spring between
Truro and Halifax. If you reside in any of these areas or know someone who
might want to get involved, do forward contact details to LNSS.
Column: “Tips from the Crease”
“Closing The Gap”
Johnny
Mouradian, GM and Head Coach of the Philadelphia Wings,
presented a great tip to attendees at this year’s US Lacrosse Nationals
Conference called, “Closing the Gap”. Closing the gaps will add power and
accuracy to a shot by closing the distance between the upper forearm and the
bottom hand. Johnny makes reference to Closing the Gap in this YouTube video, http://youtu.be/g7buky4O9hU
“Bonus MPH per Foot”
David Huntley, (U19 Team Canada) who also
presented at the US convention, raised a very interesting fact regarding adding
“effective” MPH to a shot by stepping towards the goalie. A shooter can add 3 miles
per hour (MPH) to their shot for every one-foot they step towards the goalie.
Stepping forward doesn’t actually increase shot speed, but in relation to
goalie reaction time, it effectively adds speed. So, if a player (typically in
field lacrosse) is running across the field and takes a shot at net on the run,
if he steps towards the goalie reducing the distance between himself and the
net by three feet, the shot appears to increase by 9 MPH –A very neat trick!
If you have any tips you’d like to share,
email them to lacrossetechdirector@sportnovascotia.ca
Column: “Alumni News”
Excitement is starting to grow as 40th
anniversary plans start ramping up for this year’s Lobster Trap tournament,
July long-weekend. A number of players of older vintage have already come out
of the woodwork, so do spread the word, as a display of articles, pictures and
other memorabilia is planned along with lobster tail-gate party and more.
News: “Next Month”
Keep track of up-coming events on LNSS’s
website newslider and calendar.
- Contact your club and see how you can help with up-coming Try Lacrosse sessions.
- More Exhibition Park, Halifax, lacrosse activity: Provincial ID Camps, Masters, Seniors and Privateers.
“Players should expect the best - We can
deliver”
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