Free for Now! Online Concussion Module

Best way to help your players in the case of a concussion is to be prepared and NCCP is offering, "Making Head Way in Sport" for free online until the end of October, 2013. After this date the module will cost $15.

If you have an NCCP number go to www.coach.ca and click on eLearning. You should then have to log in using your NCCP number and password. If you don't have an NCCP number you can register for one. Once in, choose the multi-sport, "Making Head Way in Sport".

The module will take between 1-2 hours but is well worth it for your players, parents and yourself and it's FREE at this time.

Don't miss out, the module will help you with any contact sport you coach.

NS Coach Newsletter Vol 2(8) September, 2013

Volume: 2 Edition (8)

Posted: Wednesday, September 25^th, 2013

“If we can make things better, how cool is that!”

News: “Canadian Championships – That’s All Folks!”

It was a very exciting Labour Day weekend for the men’s U16 field team at the Canadian Nationals held in Montreal, which wrapped up Nova Scotia’s 2013 provincial program roster. Trying to up their achievement, where the U16 team won its first game ever in 2012, the 2013 team came back from a 0 -6 deficit to beat Team Manitoba, 14 – 12, to win the Red Pool Bronze medal.

Come backs and tight games where the norm for the U16 team this year, which was not reflected in their 1 -3 round robin record. A chance at the gold medal game was still possible, but the team just fell short against Saskatchewan in their 14 -9 playoff loss. In addition to the team’s bronze achievement, Cole Davis, was named to the tournament’s U16 All-Star team because of his face-off dominance.

Over the next two years the U16 and U19 teams and coaching staffs will be very focused on the 2015 Canadian Championships which will be held in Halifax. They will also have their eye on Team Canada U19 tryouts for the 2016 World Championships in BC. For players and coaches who want to be involved, don’t wait until 2015, get involved next year and be part of the building process.

Building on this year’s bronze medal achievement, the next goal is to beat one or more of the top tier teams during round robin action over the next two years, but for now, that’s all folks for this year’s Canadian National Championships.

News: “The Biggest Field Event, Guaranteed!”

For those coaches very serious about their field lacrosse game, men’s or women’s, the US Lacrosse Conference is a must, as it is the biggest gathering of coaches, officials, administrators and exhibitors in North America.

As it was last year, the conference will be held in Philadelphia, January 10^th-12^th, and early-bird registration is on until November 30^th, $95 ($115 after Nov. 30^th). In order to register for the conference you’ll also have to purchase a US Lacrosse membership, $50, which comes along with a great subscription to US Lacrosse magazine. Also, those who register for the conference can go back for one year and see and/or hear the seminars and live field demonstrations online.

For more details, go to the “Events” tab at www.uslacrosse.org and click on the “2014 National Convention and Fan Fest” link. Also, explore any possible grant funding opportunities by getting in touch with Greg Knight, lacrosse@sportnovascotia.ca. This is truly a great event for coaches and you’ll be all jazzed up ready to get going with your new found insights and tricks after this conference, guaranteed!

News: “LaxPath”

A very interesting statistic being circulated after the NLL draft, September 16^th: The top 16 drafts all came from US College programs, whether they were born in Canada or the US. So it doesn’t appear career-wise that leaving Canada to play NCAA field lacrosse hurts strong NLL prospects. Also, every member of Team Canada’s U19 2012 team was a US College prospect or had already played a year of NCAA ball before the 2012 Worlds.

Over this past year, several Nova Scotia players, male and female, have been approached by US Academies and Colleges to head south to play lacrosse within their academic institutions. But if you’re a coach trying to help a player along this path or a parent wondering about the professional scouting businesses, you might want to take a look at some of the resources online. Within Linkedin.com’s, “Lacrosse Partnerships & Business” group, the question was asked, “what’s the best college (US) recruiting software for lacrosse players and why?”: One suggestion was, “LaxPath”.

Don’t be fooled, but anyone offering recruiting services usually has some financial angle of some sort, so it’s very important to dig under the surface of any of these resources. A good place to start with LaxPath is its FAQs section. Like many other recruiting businesses, they’ll help players and coaches network, edit and/or display game footage, display bios which will include academic standings as well as physical fitness status, even review academic transcripts.

All-in-all, get to know these recruiting tools, as they can help when dealing with Academies and Colleges in asking the right questions and knowing what expectations these institutions should have. At this time US players are likely more savvy about developing a portfolio of their academic and athletic achievements, a skill Nova Scotia players would do well with, whether for lacrosse or future endeavours like job applications.

News: “A Bit of Online Fun”

For smart phone users, there are two more ways to enjoy field lacrosse. The US College video game has been out for several years and are presently asking for beta testers for their iOS and Android versions on Facebook, “College Lacrosse, The Game”. You can also download Brine’s free app, “Shootout” and jack up your scoring stats, although we’re not sure they’ll hold a lot of weight for recruiting purposes. Enjoy!

News: “Calling Team Nova Scotia Head Coaches”

For some it may feel like Nationals weren’t that long ago, but the Head Coach selection process will start gearing up in just under a week, when applications become available Tuesday, October 1^st. Like last year, applications will be accepted up to 5pm, Friday, November 1^st. Since this year’s LNSS AGM will be held early in November, coaches won’t be announced until the last week of November.

Teams requiring Head Coaches for 2014 include: Girls’ (box) bantam, midget and juniors; Boys (box) peewee, bantam, midget and Founders; and, men’s field U16 and U19. If you are interested in coaching any of the other potential provincial teams (eg. President’s Cup), please state your intentions, and submit your application, before November 1^st.

Technical Director’s “My 2 Cents”

Twice a year Sport Nova Scotia runs the Sport Milk Fair, a three-day event that introduces students to organized sports within the province. This fall, October 22^nd – 24^th, the event will be held again at Exhibition Park and will be another great opportunity for MMLL, and NSFLL Clubs and Coaches to interact with registered players, as well as potential new players. As with each sport fair, Lacrosse Nova Scotia will sponsor a booth with a table for promotional and display materials and nets will be set up with soft lacrosse balls and sticks for students to try their hand at shooting.

The lacrosse booth is always packed, as each fair draws close to 2,000 students over the three day event. Please get in touch with your club president or LNSS to volunteer. You can volunteer for the entire day, but typically the heaviest activity is between 9am to noon. Lets get started talking about next year’s season now and show these students how much fun they could have playing lacrosse.

News: “NCCP Certification”

A very successful women’s field lacrosse Community Development coaching clinic was run Saturday, September 14^th by Learning Facilitator Joanne Stanga from Ontario. Coordinated by Julie Finck and Greg Knight, Anne Johnson, Caroline McNamee, Kathleen Dehmel, Haley Glazebrook, Jenn Banks, Charlene Cisakowski, Danica Cooley, Kerry Costello and David Kehoe worked with NSFLL’s morning girls’ program at Burnside, then completed the classroom session at Sport Nova Scotia. Julie Finck also completed her first requirements in becoming Nova Scotia’s first female Community Development Learning Facilitator. Congratulations to all.

News: “Next Month”

Keep track of up-coming events on LNSS’s website newslider and calendar.

•  Applications available for Team Nova Scotia Head Coaches, Oct. 1^st
• Turkey Shoot Tournament, Thanks Giving, Oct. 12^th-13^th
• Sports Milk Fair, Exhibition Park, Oct. 22^nd-24^th

“Players should expect the best - We can deliver”

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NS Coach Newsletter Vol 2(7) August, 2013

Volume: 2 Edition (7)

Posted: Monday, August 26^th, 2013

“If we can make things better, how cool is that!”

News: “Nationals Box Lacrosse Championships”

It’s hard to believe that the girls’ bantam, midget and junior teams and the boys’ peewee, bantam, midget and junior teams are done for another year. It just seems like a few weeks ago that they were running drills on Exhibition Park’s indoor turf. Congratulations to all the players, their parents and coaching staffs for another very active and successful year. Best of luck to this year’s U16 men’s field team in their efforts this coming Labour Day weekend, which will wrap it up for LNSS’s 2013 season.

News: “Sport Leadership sportif”

You might not be able attend this year, but the annual Petro-Canada Sport Leadership sportif conference is definitely something that should be on your coaching calendar. Canada’s top coaches, sport researchers and senior sport organization leaders will gather, November 7^th to 9^th, in Calgary, Alberta to share strategies and network.

Key speakers this year will include National Women's soccer Team Head Coach John Herdman, and NCCP Level 4 basketball coach BEV SMITH and attendees will visit the Olympic Oval to watch the Essent ISU Speed Skating World Cup! For more information go to www.sportleadershipsportif.ca and bookmark this site.

News: “Super Coaching Clinic”

The Super Coaching Clinic held July 26^th-28^th was a huge success for those players, box and field, that participated in Rick Phillips on-field clinics. Due to rain, the men’s field session was run indoors at the old soccer Subway facility. Despite players ranging from peewee age to University, by the end of the Friday session, everyone was able to handle the competition, including our Titan peewee long-pole, Alex Bechard.

Saturday, July 26^th, the provincial U16 was put through a full-day of practice and scrimmage against U19 and senior players. Most of the U16 players attended Rick’s Friday session, so it was an extremely full couple of days of field lacrosse. The time they invested, however, is showing in the players’ calibre of play.

On Sunday, July 27^th, some midget players were on their third session with Rick as they went through their paces with him during the provincial Midget session. The midgets were then followed by the Founders Cup team. Rick ran very intense high performance drills that emphasized the basic defensive and offensive elements of the game.

A final note regarding the weekend: A lot of work goes into putting a clinic together and a big thanks has to go to LNSS’s Greg Knight who besides booking fields, hotels and flights successfully put together a grant that helped defray $1,500.

Technical Director’s “My 2 Cents”

Winning teams don’t necessarily to things that are more complicated, but they surely do the basics at the highest competitive level and do them well over and over and over again. This was the key point I took away from Rick Phillip’s clinics last month and why it is such a pleasure to watch a coach who can pull any number of drills out of his bag of tricks when he sees players’ are struggling with a concept or skill.

News: “NCCP Certification”

A great month of activity by our coaches: Thanks to you for your hard work and giving up so much of your free time –Our players benefit greatly.

Congratulations to coaches Todd Cranston, Stephane Gagnon and Jay Titchmarsh for completing Box Comp Intro course of the Super Coaching clinic and coaches Todd Cranston, Jay Titchmarsh, Danny Shupe, Mitch Hannigan and Neil Ingraham for completing the Men’s Field Comp Intro course. Coaches Jordan Coyle, Sam Martin and Tony Robinson also successfully completed their Box Comm Dev workbooks.

A big congratulations goes out to the following coaches who are now fully “Certified” box lacrosse coaches, the highest level of certification for this discipline: Julie Finck, Tyler James, Craig Moore, Colin Beiswanger, Mike Smeltzer and Ross Mackay.

Alumni News:

Alumnus Sean Fitzgerald and his crew of Newfoundland Masters hosted their third Masters tournament in St. John’s, August 16^th-17^th, which featured two home teams and Nova Scotia’s elite select men’s team. Team NS can brag that the team’s average age was about 49 years old and was very competitive against the younger legs of Newfoundland, but in the end, Newfoundland’s young vets put down NS’s old dogs. To Team NS’s credit, they played two back-to-back games, semi and final, on the final day. Plans next year are to host a tournament here in Nova Scotia, as the Newfoundland lads would like a road trip. So keep that in mind you Masters out there and make sure you get out to this winter’s session at Exhibition Park.

News: “Next Month”

Keep track of up-coming events on LNSS’s website newslider and calendar.

• U16 Men’s Field Nationals, Labour Day Weekend, Montreal
• NSFLL Season, August
• MUFLL Season, September
• University Women’s Field Season, September

“Players should expect the best - We can deliver”

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NS Coach Newsletter Vol 2(6) July, 2013

Volume: 2 Edition (6)

Posted: Wednesday, July 24^th, 2013

“If we can make things better, how cool is that!”

News: “Female Nationals Box Lacrosse Championships

Great opening ceremonies last night as Nova Scotia hosts the Female National Box Lacrosse Championships in Beford’s BMO Centre. Check out the website, www.femalelaxnationals.ca, for game schedules, July 24^th-27^th and the free live webcast of every game. See the best female box lacrosse players in the world within the Bantam, Midget and Junior age groups as they battle for their championship trophies. You can also purchase a very specially commissioned painting by Nicole Power, continuing the tradition of lacrosse snapshots across the province (See website for image - printorder@femalelaxnationals.ca).

News: “Did you get a surprize in your “The Locker” account?”

For those coaches who attended the 2013 Atlantic Coach Conference – Coaching with an Edge – you should have received an email from Mike Hudson acknowledging Professional Development credit that should now be posted within your The Locker account.

From Mike’s email, “NCCP workshops are designed for all types of coaches. Whether you’re thinking about coaching your child’s community team or you’re already the head coach of a national team, the NCCP has workshops to meet your needs. To find out when and where NCCP workshops are taking place near you, visit your provincial sport website or www.coachingns.ca for more information!”

“Reach Higher! NCCP training will open doors to new opportunities in coaching and in life.”

News: “Super Player Field Clinic”

On Friday, July 26^th, Rick Phillips will be running a Men’s Field clinic for long-poles and short stick players at the Wanderers’ Grounds, Halifax. The morning session will focus on long-poles and goalies, 9am-12noon, and the afternoon session, 1pm-5pm, will be for all players. Cost is $10 for one or both sessions. Those players attending all day should bring a lunch, snacks and water bottle. Forward player’s name, date of birth, and the sessions they want to attend to lacrossetechdirector@sportnovascotia.ca .

News: “Super Coaching Clinic”

A very special Super Coaching Clinic will be held July 26^th-28^th for Competitive Introduction box and men’s field lacrosse. If you already have your Comm Dev levels, there’s still time to be included, just email lacrossetechdirector@sportnovascotia.ca right now!

Here’s the weekend at a glimpse:

Friday, July 26^th

6pm-10pm Box/Field Comp Intro classroom session

Location: Sport Nova Scotia, 5516 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax, 3^rd Floor

Saturday, July 27^th

9am-4pm Men’s Field Comp Intro clinic

-Will work with Provincial U16 & U19 teams

Location: East Hants Sportsplex (Dome)

Sunday, July 28^th

8am-1pm Box Comp Intro clinic

-Will work with Provincial Midget and Founders teams

Location: Rocky Lake Dome, Bedford

Technical Director’s “My 2 Cents”

An email showed up out of the blue this month from an online company that wants to help coaches improve communications with their players. After taking a look at the link (www.zoomreports.com/asset/ZoomReports-HowToGiveFeedback.pdf) I realised that the attached PDF file in the email was part of the marketing plan for this website, but I must say, I was struck with the first page of the document:

“Have you ever stopped and wondered why 70% of Kids quit sports by 13

years of age? The academics will tell you that these are the reasons:

• Kids Not Having Fun

• Lack of Playing Time

• Not Improving

• Lack of Support

• Poor Coaching

We agree with these as well, but they’re superficial reasons. If you dig a little deeper and try to find a common thread, you’ll find that the root of the problem is Coaching and coaches. And if you dig deeper still, you’ll find feedback. That’s right my friends. The f word. Feedback”

Coaches are the link between a great program and the players. Take a moment to review the link above: I’m betting some points you’ll find quite helpful along with the overlying feedback theme.

News: “NCCP Certification”

Congratulations for Coaches Julie Finck, Ross MacKay and Craig Moore for completing their box Comp Intro in-person practice evaluations this past month. Congratulations also go out to all the Provincial women’s coaching staffs for meeting CLA minimum standards for the Female Box Lacrosse Championships.

Alumni News:

Great showing at the annual Masters’ Lobster Trap game at Shannon Park, Sunday, June 30^th. Benches were full, which led to a very fast paced game on the floor. During the remaining Masters’ regular Sunday sessions, the Masters’ travel team will tune up against regular Masters players as they prepare for the 3^rd Annual Surf’n Turf Lacrosse Tournament in Newfoundland.

News: “Next Month”

Keep track of up-coming events on LNSS’s website newslider and calendar.

• Women’s Box Nationals, July 23^rd-28^th, Halifax, NS
• ECJLL Playoffs, July, Halifax, NS
• Super Coaching Clinic, July 26^th-28^th, See LNSS Website
• Boys’ Box Nationals, Winnipeg & Whitby, August

“Players should expect the best - We can deliver”

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