by
posted 05/23/2022
Hello Team Parents-
Just about every season (in particular with the younger teams) I reach out to the parents and ask for some support with the messaging we are delivering to the boys on a weekly basis. I have found that if our messaging as coaches is in line with what their parents are reiterating at home it helps the entire team at the practices and in games.
For those who attended the CONNY games this weekend, it was clear that our group of players were having difficulty with some basic requirements for a team to compete, for the players to improve and have fun. I do always keep in mind the boys ages and the developmental mindset of a 2nd/ 3rd grader however as you saw with many of the other teams (who were also the same age) what we were asking of the boys (and often screaming from the sideline...lol) isn’t unrealistic.
For those players who will continue with Ticks Lax one of our goals at this point in the season is to start to prepare them for the next year (and some the next level) . The three current coaches will move on next year to coach the ¾ A team and we hope that many of our current players have the desire and dedication to improve and secure a spot on that roster. However, to do so there will be some player “bad” habits that will need changed.
For the balance of this season, we will be explaining to the boys tonight that they will be expected to adhere to the three following team “rules”:
- During games/practices there will no longer be any sitting on the ground or laying down on the sideline. They will be exptected to be up on the line waiting to be subbed in, watching the game, learning, and cheering on thier teammates.
- During games there will be no removal of equipment until after the game has ended (unless injured).
- We will expect the kids to run during drills and games and try their best to focus during our games and practices.
If you can help reiterate this message on game day, at home, or whenever you are talking about the lacrosse with your player that would be appreciated. I did notice that some kids do have issues with drinking their water without removing their helmets due to the type of water bottles they have, if possible, please send them to practice and games with a water bottle they can drink from without removing their helmet.
To be clear, our overall goal as a team and club has not changed, we want all our players to have fun, learn and develop a passion for the sport of lacrosse. None of these changes are being driven by game outcomes (wins or losses), we always tell the boys we don't care what the end score is as long as we can walk off the field with our heads high knowing we tried our best, we hussled and worked hard.
Some boys will improve faster than others the skills do take some time to develop and learn, that is expected. At this age they should be trying out all types of sports some will gravitate to baseball, or soccer and in trying lacrosse some will realize that that contact sports just isn’t their thing. As coaches we want to make sure we are giving them all the tools and experience to enjoy the game and improve their individual and team skills and be safe, this becomes more a challenge when we find ourselves on the sidelines feeling more like babysitters than coaches. So if we can make these few adjustments as a team it will go a long way to elevate the entire team, the indivdual players skill level, understanding of the game and thier overall enjoyment.
Thank you all for supporting our team and our club, we hope your players is enjoying the season and are planning on playing again with the Ticks next year.
See you at the field,
Coach Phil
