Framingham Youth Lacrosse – U13 Girls Coaching & Skill

framingham youth lacrosse – u13 girls coaching & skill development (www.framinghamyouthlacrosse.org) skill development for u13:

Framingham Youth Lacrosse – U13 Girls Coaching & Skill Development
(www.framinghamyouthlacrosse.org)
Skill Development for U13:
As a youth program we are looking to introduce the game of lacrosse
with a philosophy of teaching skills through positive reinforcement
while introducing fun and engaging games and drills.
1.
The player has been taught the basic skills of:
*
Throwing on both strong and weak side
*
Catching on both strong and weak side
*
Scooping (ground balls)
*
Controlled Cradling on both strong and weak side.
*
Shooting
*
Open field cradle
*
Dodging
*
Draw
*
Defensive footwork and body positioning
*
Practices should include drills that help teach and promote the
development of these skills.
2.
The player has basic understanding of all the positions on the
field:
*
There are 12 players on the field playing Attack, Midfield and
Defense. Each player should understand the job of Attack, Midfield
and Defense
*
The players should know where to line up on the field at the
face-off when the coach assigns the player to a position.
3.
The player understands the basic rules of the game:
*
No covering the ball on a scoop.
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To stop when the whistle blows
*
Out of bound rules
*
Crease violations
*
The significance of the restraining line
*
The significance of the 8 meter arc.
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The shooting space rule
*
Not to stay in the 8 meter arc unless defending a player (3 second
rule)
*
They must attempt 3 passes before shooting.
*
There is no stick checking at this level.
*
They should also understand the 7 inch bubble around the
opponent’s head for which their stick cannot penetrate.
4.
The player has an understanding how to play defense:
*
Marking their opponent
*
Staying goal side of their opponent
*
The players at this level should be introduced to the idea of
picking up a free player on defense.
*
Intercepting an opponents pass
*
Communicating with other defenders on free positions in the 8
meter
5.
On attack, the player has an understanding of:
*
Cutting to a free space without their defender so they can make it
easier to get the ball.
*
Not to stand in the 8 meter if they do not have the ball.
*
They should also be taught how to shoot from a free position as
well as on the run.
6.
The player has learned good sportsmanship. The players are
expected to be courteous to the officials, their coaches and other
players.
7.
The player has learned to work with their team-mates and they have
been encouraged to pass to the open player even if the other
player doesn’t always catch the ball.
8.
At this level the girls should become more proficient in the basic
drills than at the U-11 level and you can introduce slightly more
complex drills than that at the U-l3 level.
9.
Vocabulary: Draw, groundball/scoop, weak side, strong side, 8
meter, crease, center circle, boundaries, shooting, passing,
marking, 7inch bubble, goal side, free space, covering the ball,
scooping through, cradle, restraining line, shooting space,
dodging (roll dodge, face dodge), 3 second rule.
10.
Most of all it should be fun!
Each player is different and brings their unique strengths and
weaknesses to this game. It is not easy to succeed in teaching every
player everything listed above, rather it is a goal. You can remind
parents that it is difficult to prepare the girls properly for games
if they don’t come to practice on a regular basis.
Game Coaching at the U13 Level:
*
U13 coaches are not allowed to be on the field coaching during a
game.
*
Teams play 12v12 on a full field.
*
Girls at the U113 level should try playing each position on the
field at least once during the season. At this level the coach
should start assessing each player’s fitness level and speed to
determine the best position for them. For example, if someone
doesn’t have good endurance or speed, having them play in the
midfield a lot might allow the player to have a successful
experience.
*
Please involve the parents if they offer to help. They can help
with substitutions or timing or dealing with disgruntled,
sick/injured, whining players on the sideline. It is also good for
parents to see the effort that goes into game day tasks.
Game organization
*
I usually have a roster with the substitutions for each position
prepared before the game. The form I use it as the end of this
document .You should know which players will be at the game ahead
of time so you can have a roster ready to go on game day. I
usually give the team 1 team goal and I have each area of the
field (Attack, Midfield, Defense) a goal.
*
You can devise a substitution format that you feel is best for
your team. But it is important to give players an even amount of
time based on their desire and fitness level. This isn’t easy
because the substitutions can only be made on the fly (during
play) or after a goal is scored.
*
I try to remind each player about their goal before they enter the
game. Each player will have 2 goals, the team goal and the goal
for the area they are playing. Feel free to develop your own goal
system.
*
I have a parent timing and letting me know when 5, 10, 15 and 20
minutes have gone by in the half so I know when to substitute
players.
*
While one coach coaches the players who are on the field, the
other coach can coach the players on the sidelines who will be
coming on to the field.
Practices:
*
Practices usually have duration of an hour to an hour and half.
*
The players should always start practice with a light jog and
stretching. This can be accomplished via a short game or drill
following by stretching. Variety keeps the girls fresh and
interested.
*
Coaches should prepare a practice plan. There is a sample practice
plan at the end of the document. Your practice plan can include
more detail as you need it.
*
Practices should move a long, don’t spend too long on one drill.
Throw in some games or relay races to make things fun!!
*
Players should always have their goggles and mouth guards. They
should not participate in practice or games without them. Injuries
have occurred just throwing the ball around before practice.
Players are not allowed to wear jewelry during games.
*
I try to incorporate some team building activities such as
visualization, circle time and name games
Game Roster template:
Game Roster
Position
Group 1
Group 2
Attack 1
Closest to goal
Write in players name here
Write in players name here
Attack 2
Attack 3
Attack Wing
(Midfield)
Attack Wing
(Midfield)
Defense Wing
(Midfield)
Defense Wing
(Midfield)
Center
(Midfield)
Defense 3
Defense 2
Defense 1
Closest to goal
Goal
Out for the Game: List players who aren’t going to be at the game that
day
Team Goals: Example: Ground balls, communication
Attack Notes: Example: Cutting through the 8 meter Arc (don’t stand).
Cutting to the free space
Midfield Notes: Example: Watch the restraining line, force players to
the weak side, and look for the open player
Defense Notes: Mark your player, stay goal side.
Sample Practice Plan:
5:30- light jog/plyometrics
5:45 - Capture the flag lacrosse style
6:10 – Circle throwing catching
6:10-6:11 - water break – literally give them 1 minute for a water
break
6:11 -5 Star include shooting
6:30 – Water break
6:31 – Scrimmage
7:50 Stretch – you can also use this time to talk to the girls about
team issues
Note: These times are approximations and are meant as a guild. You
will get better with times as you go along.
5 of 5 12/3/2008