Lacrosse is gaining popularity as a youth, high school and college sport for male and female athletes in the United States. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association named it the "hottest growth sport" in 2010. This growth has attracted many athletes with little knowledge of the sport. The lacrosse surge also spawned the need for more coaches at all levels. Novice coaches have much to learn before they can be effective teachers and leaders in the sport.
Step 1
Learn the basic skill set needed for lacrosse. Boys' sticks, with a deeper web, are different from girls' sticks. If you are coaching boys, learn to catch, pass and cradle with the boys' stick. If you are coaching girls, learn to use the girls' stick as well. If you are coaching both, learn to handle both. The best way to do that is to acquire equipment and practice with it.
Step 2
Master the basic rules of lacrosse, which differ for boys and girls. The sport is a blend of soccer, field hockey and ice hockey. Novice players pick up the rhythm of the sport quickly. But there are rules peculiar to lacrosse and beginning players will spend their first few seasons learning and adapting to them all. If you are a beginning coach, you will find "Coaching Youth Lacrosse" by the American Sport Education Foundation helpful. If you have a strong working knowledge of lacrosse rules, you should improve that command by attending officiating clinics in your area. Learning the sport through the eyes of the official is helpful for coaches.
Step 3
Prepare to coach young people. If you haven't coached before, expect it to be a learning process. Start by getting highly organized. Communicate clearly to players. Take advantage of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, which is a resource for inexperienced coaches.
Step 4
Familiarize yourself with basic offensive, defensive and midfield/transition strategies. There are a variety of resources on the market, such as how-to books and videos. But an effective starting point is US Lacrosse, the sport's governing body. USL offers Level 1 coaching classes online and coaching clinics at various locations around the country. These are valuable even for experienced lacrosse players transitioning to coaching.
Step 5
Incorporate more elaborate offensive and defensive strategies. US Lacrosse offers Level 2 coaching classes online and coaching clinics around the country. Also, many college programs offer coaching clinics as part of their recruiting outreach. Take advantage of this resource to learn new coaching wrinkles. Even college-level coaches can benefit from attending clinics.
Step 6
Follow the sport closely. Watch college matches on television and attend matches in your area. See what the top high school and amateur teams are doing. Understand how those teams develop and use their talent. The top coaches never stop learning.
Step 7
Refine your general leadership skills. Learn from experience. The same leadership qualities are required for all team sports. A top basketball coach could learn the basics of lacrosse, change sports, build a program from scratch and regularly beat many experienced lacrosse coaches. Why? The best coaching usually prevails.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep your practices moving. Keep everybody busy. Maximize the time you have with players. Mix up your practices to keep things fresh. Create games and competitions to make practice more fun. Encourage your players to attend skill-development camps. Find experienced lacrosse players to help as instructors or assistant coaches. Find experienced coaches to consult with, if you lack coaching experience. Arrange field trips for your team to watch more accomplished teams play. Learn how different officials in your area call different plays.
- Teach proper fundamentals. Don't guess. Don't correct what your players are learning from more advanced instructors. Maintaining command of the group is the primary job of any coach. Yelling at players is almost always counterproductive.
Things You'll Need
- Instructional lacrosse books
- Instructional lacrosse videos
References
- US Lacrosse: Level 1 Coaching Clinics
- US Lacrosse: Level 2 Coaching Clinics
- United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Directory
- Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Asssociation
- "Coaching Youth Lacrosse"; American Sports Education Association; 1996
- National Lacrosse League: LAX Remains America's Fastest Growing Sport
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