Volume: 2 Edition (4)
Posted: Monday, May 27th, 2013
“If we can make things better,
how cool is that!”
News: “Goalies United Again!”
A series of goalie clinics are now being run at Shannon Park Arena for
new and returning goalies from 5pm-6pm every Sunday: June 2nd, 9th,
16th & 23rd and July 7th. Cost is $10 per
session or $35 for the five remaining clinics. Coaches, do feel free to show up
and gain some tips from our very impressive clinicians. Also, sharp shooters
are always needed to test the goalies, just get in touch with the Technical
Director. Strong goalies and coaches attract players.
News: “Second Round of NCCP Box
Coaching Clinics”
At this time, Community Development and Competitive Introduction box
coaching clinics will be held at East Dartmouth Community Centre, Dartmouth.
Both courses will run a classroom session on Friday, June 14th from
6pm-10pm and a gym session on Saturday, June 15th, from 9am-3-pm.
Coaches should bring a computer to access WIFI and CLA online workbook.
News: “Coaching with an Edge”
The Atlantic Coaching Conference held last month was a huge success and
very informative. A key take-home message from keynote speaker, Dr. Stephen
Norris, was to put our expectations in check regarding the “age-group” players
we work with. Dr. Norris used car steering wheels to demonstrate the gap
between our “age-group” players to true elite, world class athletes: His examples
ranged from cruise, gear and audio controls to $30,000 Formula 1 WIFI interfaces
with 26 dials, buttons and switches. Dr. Norris also touched upon the Long Term
Athlete Development program, the benefit of multiple sports at a young age and gave
his two best book recommendations for coaches: Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s “Leadership” and Robert Sutton’s, “The No Asshole Rule”.
News: “Milk in May”
The annual spring Milk Sports Fair was held in Berwick this year from
May 1st to 3rd and what a spectacular new hockey facility
to hold it in. Thanks to coaches Clark Oliver and Bruce McCullogh hundreds of
students got to enjoy a few moments shooting at portable box nets and test
their skills. The timing of the Milk Fair was just right for the Valley Thunder
to hold a Free Try Lacrosse session at the arena on the last day. Over this
month the Valley Thunder and Digby Admirals will face-off against each other at
two Jamborees.
News “School Field Lacrosse Graduates First Year Class”
Eight high schools teams competed in two divisions over the last month-and-a-half
crowning D1 Champions, CEC Cougars and lining up North Nova against Pictou
Academy for their D2 Championship game. The two divisions can boast graduating a
significant number of new lacrosse players, guys and gals, as well as doubling
the number of certified field officials.
A big hand has to go out to Brendon Smithson for organizing the program
over the past two years and the coaches and teachers who volunteered their
time. Look for even more schools to participate next year, perhaps even a junior
high division.
Technical Director’s “My 2 Cents”
Finally, after two years working as the Technical Director I have had a
chance to sit down and observe MMLL players in action during the first three
weeks of league play. With iPhone in hand and my Dartfish EasyTag app set up to
record passes, catches, shots and goals, it’s been an eye opener.
To give you a bit of background, I asked CLA directors a while back for
any data they’ve collected over the years during National team tryouts regarding
“measurables”: Game-like stats regarding key skills that would help players
identify strengths and weaknesses, or be key indicators of what the country’s
best players can achieve. Unfortunately, lacrosse doesn’t have any at the
National level, so I looked elsewhere.
Pulling out a stack of peewee and bantam box National DVDs, I sat down
and started recording passes, catches, shots on net and goals from the first
period of about a half dozen Team Ontario games and the resulting numbers
where quite interesting. Ontario peewee teams during four games racked up a first
period catching rate of 82-94% after 61-92 passes and 17-24 shots on net. Ontario
bantam teams during four games racked up a first period catching rate of 88-96%
after 68-103 passes and 15-32 shots on net.
Not only where Team Ontario’s numbers
impressive, so was the lack of stress passers and catchers where under because
of their constant motion during offensive play. There weren’t a lot of heroic
passes or catches, just easy “flip” passes to players constantly cycling
through low, or crease, gives-and-goes.
Back to our players, I had a chance to watch some
novice and select games, but I’ll be the first to admit that my stats don’t statistically
represent the groups I watched, just a snap-shot of early season play. After
recording three novice games, catch rates after three periods ranged
from 20-30% (there was one @ 9%) after 22-58 passes and 20-54 shots on net.
What surprised me was the total number of catches, 5-18, after three periods.
In regards to our minor select teams after observing
one game each (Totals from three periods of play): Peewee catch rate 62-65%
after 75-76 passes and 33-44 shots on net; bantam catch rate 70-74% after
89-107 passes and 42-43 shots on net; and, midget catch rate 61-73% after
100-112 passes and 44-60 shots on net.
From the Team Ontario game footage, it’s clear
that catching and offensive success is not mutually exclusive: Higher catch
rates create more effective motion offense and more motion offense creates more
passing-catching opportunities. And at the elite level, the Formula 1 steering
wheels of box lacrosse, the NLL (Referring to “Coaching with an Edge” above): In
one period at this year’s NLL Championship game the catch rate was 91-94% after
65-88 passes and 18-20 shots on net.
News: “Provincial Program”
Provincial box coaches have been working hard
over the last month to select their rosters and at this time, all minor teams
are now set. Major box teams are still in development as are the U16 and U19
field teams, which must juggle MMLL and ECJLL schedules. With the pending box Competitive
Introduction clinic, June 14th-15th, Head Coaches are also
working on Assistant Coach staff rosters.
News: “April Coaching Clinics”
Congratulations to Greg Nussey, Matt Kent,
Jordan Coyle, Scott Bonn, Kerwin Hynes, Ryan Morris, Daniel Buchanan, Chad
Mombourquette, Chris Morrison, Chris Musial and Mark Falkenham for completing
the Box Community Development clinic. Congratulations also to Nick Horne,
Brandon Newton, Chris Clarke, Todd Umlah, Jon Goguen, Mitch Hannigan, Glen
Holmes, Lou Christian and Sean Carrigan for completing the Box Competitive
Introduction clinic.
Column: “Tips from the Crease”
“Stats to Play With”
Stats can help develop and
monitor your coaching efforts. Here’s a few you might want to have a parent
and/or assistant coach record:
- · Passes (Total for both teams per period)
- · Catches (Not including pass from goalie or bounce passes)
- · Shots on net (Whether they score, hit the goalie or miss the net)
- · Power Plays (Can pad pass-catch stats, you might want to separate from 5v5 play)
- · Loose ball pick-ups (Ball control wins games)
- · Number of picks and rolls
Observations you might want to
make:
- · Are multiple pass-catch sequences occurring or pass, catch and shot on net?
- · Are gives-and-goes being used for transition or a single player running up the floor?
Video footage goes a long way.
- · Allows you to show your players what they’re doing
- · Lest you go back and answer more questions
- · Camera should follow the ball’s path
- · Try and keep most of the players in the field of view
- · Note whether players squeeze the defense during power plays by whether the camera can be zoomed in, but still keep all the players in the field of view
If you have any tips you’d like to share,
email them to lacrossetechdirector@sportnovascotia.ca
News: “Next Month”
Keep track of up-coming events on LNSS’s
website newslider and calendar.
- NCCP Box Competitive Introduction Clinic, March 14th-15th
- NCCP Box Community Development Clinic, March 14th-15th
- Lobster Trap Tournament, June 27th-30th
- MMLL Tyke Jamboree
“Players should expect the best - We can
deliver”
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