Trilogy

3x's Trilogy,

Well Team, spring break has come to its end, two games in two days then it's back to the grind.

This week was for many of us just a normal week of going on about our business as usual, but for some there was excitement, adventure, discovery and repose.

One adventure I can speak on was of the awesome clinics put on by Trilogy Lacrosse up on the turf at Gillette Stadium.

For three days youth players from all the MBYLL supporting areas got together and practiced with the professional athletes of the Trilogy Team; Ryan Boyle, Mitch Belisle, Matt Striebel.    
These guys were dynamic teachers who brought their game to their instruction.  They pounded on the fundamentals while providing advanced drills and skills that only hardcore laxers could provide.  If ever you have a chance to train with the Trilogy Guys I can personally recommend that you do!  

One of the things that I got from watching the clinics was the repetition of the use of communication.  As all of you know by now, one of the things I've been harping on is communication.  And that's what the professionals are advocating.  

When we finally hack into the groove of communicating I think we will find that our team will see growth that will lead to better success.  I say better success because I am enjoying the success that we are currently experiencing now.  Breaking through the communication barrier is the tool that will spike our growth as a team and as individuals.

Another bonus for me was that UFC welterweight champion Johnny Hendricks was in the house checking out Gillette, I of course said hi to him. Lucky ME :)

Last thought on todays post, think in threes.

• 3 lines- attack-midi-defense
• 3 players per line- center and wings
• 3 points in a triangle- strong formations in geometry, philosophy and lacrosse
• 3 groups-coaches, team and individual
• 3 parts of the player- mind, body and heart
• Thanks Trilogy Lacrosse for the fundamentals and philosophies

Thanks  To You For Reading

Coach Josh

Tough Break Fast Break

Wow,

Tough Break on the Fast Break, let's make a slide.

I'm sorry to announce for any of you whom may not know, that Dartmouth U13 beat us on our home turf this past Sunday (April 13).  8 points to our 5.  I could see the disappointment in many of your faces :(.  But fret not, you really put on a show of style and ability that made all those spectating either happy or proud.  Standing next to the sub box is a very interesting place to stand as coach.  During the game I was happy to hear the voices of the players off field expressing their support, joy and frustration for players on the field.  Your enthusiasm and focus was both invigorating and encouraging.


Dartmouth Beat us simply because of a couple of dropped ball transitions, accompanied by well executed fast breaks.  It's up to us to work on how we are gonna defend against these fast breaks.  Also we need to spend some energy looking at goosing the ball.  So when we have a dropped ball and scooping through (like in a ground ball scenario) is not an option we can redirect the ball to an attack/midi and prevent the transition.


So for Tuesdays practice you can expect to see some basics, some more basics and probably some basics, along with working the slide.  Communication is gonna be key from this point on! (as if it wasn't already).


You players should be sure and keep your heads up!  It was a tough game and everyone worked hard and put in an excellent effort!  I personally couldn't be happier to see you come together and work as a team.  All the little details that will enable a win will keep coming together with every practice and game that we put behind us.


Thanks For a Great Sunday and best wishes to Coach John L. as he undergoes surgery on his achilles tendon this Tuesday.

Hats off to all the BYL Players, their Fans and their Coaches.

Peace and Lax.

Coach Josh.

Pre Game

Hello Team,

Are you ready? Are you focused?

Game Day Sunday at BHS at 1:30pm.  We are going up against Dartmouth on our home turf.  Remember to tell your parents that we could use volunteers for fund raising at the concession stand.  Contact Nancy O'Neil through the BYL website if you are able to help out.

Thursday's practice on the turf was an attempt to define our space as players on the field.  Working in a zone, communicating with each other and remembering our basics.  Working the slide and the ride.

If you have time look at some of the previous posts and click on the links, there are a bunch of cool videos covering the things that we're talking about at practice.  It's a useful thing to watch some games and the Pro's and the college teams in action.  Where the mind leads the body will follow.  And please feel free to forward any links you find that you might want me to share.

Guys please remember to check the schedule since we've added a game on Saturday April 26th at 10am on the home turf.

I'll see you Sunday at the school behind the field at 1pm.  We will work out positions and warm up our stick skills.

Have fun and be kind to the people around you!

Peace and Lax

Coach Josh

First Game Win.

Congratulations Team U13 White!

I would like to congratulate you all on a job well done.
Every player worked hard for their well earned victory today.

12/8 victory over DY.

See You Tuesday.

Coach Josh

Its Game Time!!

Hey Team,

Another exciting week of practices behind us and a game fast approaching.  Finally our first game to be held at BHS on the turf Sunday April 6th at 1:30pm.  Please be ready and geared up by 1pm.  We can find a spot off turf to go over positions and warm up our goalies.

I can't wait to see you guys out there demonstrating your skills!

Remember we talked about communication and we talked about field position, (as well as a great many other things).  If you're open then let the man with possession know it!  Shout the commands "open" or "here's your help" or "I've got your help".
Lets not yell out the name of the person carrying the ball.  Just shouting the name doesn't give him the information that he needs to make a quick decision.
Playing your position and making yourself open gives you the best opportunity to get a touch and make a play.  And eventually we can develop a number of voice commands that will deliver information in a way that we will all know exactly whats going on at the same time!!

As far as positioning is concerned, you have been on one hand taught to "play your man".
But I have been trying to show you how to play your position.
Both concepts are right and there is not really a contradiction here.
If they (the opposing team) have the ball, than cover your man!
If we (U13 team white) have the ball, than play your position and get open and get vocal!

One last thing... AVOID THE SWARM!!!  No matter who has the possession of the ball it never takes the whole team to take the ball at once.
When you see all the Attack and defense piled up in a heated scrum trying to regain possession you need not join in the battle.
What you need to do is get yourself in a position to be open for a pass, or prepared to ride the opposing team and clear the attack!

A few terms that you here all the time but may not know the meanings of;

CLEAR- Getting the ball away from an attack and out of your defensive zone.
RIDE- Cover a defensive player, don't let them clear. 
MAN BALL- Back to communication.  Two players go for a loose or ground ball. One player calls "I've got ball" the other "I've got man".  One picks up the ball while the other defends the scoop by pushing of opposing "man" team players.

I gotta get going for now team, I can't wait to see you on sunday.

BHS has a varsity home game today Friday, April 4 at 4pm.  Try and make it if you can.

Parents please check out the need of BYL for parent volunteers for home games.  There has been an e-mail sent and BYL board member Nancy Oneil. She is looking for your support!  

For All Your Hard Work,
THANK YOU.

Coach Josh

Tuesday Practice, Chaos Reigns Supreme!

Chaos Shmaos!

Things can't always go as planned.  And this is true on many fronts.

Today as I arrived early to practice I was excited to see BHS freshman lacrosse playing against Sandwich High (on our field).  Cool I thought for a brief moment, until I discovered that there was still more than a 1/4 of game time to play.  The BHS track team owned the track and field,  and BHS freshman baseball had the u9 field all tied up.  So we shifted gears and found a spot tucked away in a corner and had our practice.

I had worked out a practice plan that never saw the light of day.  This is not desirable! Yet it is quite fine.  After all this is life.   And this is the kind of thing that will end up happening in various capacities though out life on a regular basis.  Fortunately with the help of the other coaches we managed to get in a pretty solid practice.

Well it's late and there is little time for me to work on this post.  So I'll be brief, Yes team, Thursday we can scrimmage.  We sadly missed our game on Sunday due to foul weather and a flooded field, we've been jammed into field corners tighter than the crease.  And every practice you've made the request.  So, finally you will get a scrimmage, this Thursday at six pm.

So come to practice well hydrated and ready for action, we will work positioning for the first portion of practice and then we can have a chance to try them out.

Warm Regards

Coach Josh

4th Practice Saturday Solo

Hey Team,

For the eleven of you who made it  to Saturday's 8am practice I want to say GREAT JOB!!!!  This was a non-mandatory practice and I realize that many of you had other responsibilities that prevented attendance.  It's okay.  To the Coaches that joined in the fun, there will be monuments erected in your honor!

If you weren't there, this is what you missed; The weather!!!  Wow what a morning.  Pulling into the parking lot of BHS at 7:40am was a little creepy.  There was a thick bank of fog shrouding the bleachers and out on the turf, alone in the mist, was the silhouette of a lone Lacrosse Player with a bag of balls, working his shooting skills on the net.  At first, Wyatt and I thought is was an ancestral ghost of the game.  But as we approached we were thrilled to see it was our good friend Andrew working a sweat in the sunny haze of a warm and windless morning.
As the players tricked in promptly at eight, eight o'five, eight o'6, eight o'eight.....(with the exception of Player #2 who was ready for action by 7:50am) We took to the turf, a quick slightly unenthusiastic warm up,  a move into some foot work (by now the blood started pumping).  On to passing and shooting drills. Followed by 1v.1 with shots on the net.  From 1v.1 we transitioned into 3 v. 2 sideways in 1/2 of the restraining box.  A quick water break to replenish, since all were in full sweat, still no wind and the sun melting back the fog, not a more beautiful morning could be asked for. From there we launched into a bit of a scrimmage.  A couple of penalty calls and a lot of fun!

Warm Up:  Warm ups are dynamic, not static.  We do this to loosen the muscles and circulate the blood.  The motions we demonstrate are useful in our Lacrosse play.  This is key to preventing injury.   I'm often telling you to bounce, like a fighter ready in the ring before his fight.  This charges and loads the the body with energy and keeps the body limber and prepared for action.

Foot Work:  Always work on foot work.  Steps in all directions, head up, apply stick skills to increase the value of your work.

Passing and Shooting:  This when working with another player includes catching.  But working this skill alone is very doable.  Work your off hand 50% of the time.  If not 50% then 60%.   Action reaction method is applied to shooting and passing.  Push with the top hand and pull with the bottom hand working dynamically together for power.  Pointing elbow and shoulder to your target.  Receiving Player is to provide a target by putting the head of your stick in the "box position" verbally communicating with the "open" command.

1 v. 1:  This drill was fun and essential.  we applied the footwork drill with an opponent.  Remember the things we focused on.  Not letting the Attack beat our defense,  staying between the ball and the net, moving the attack away from the center.  Shooting skills were worked as well in this drill.  Shooting "over the top" right team?   Remember what advise our friend Andrew gave us about defending here.  The Tufts play off game scenario. (watch this if you have time! The reference that Andrew shared with us is at minuet 13:00, replay @ 26:10).

3 v. 2:  Pass Pass Pass.  We did this sideways drill confined in 1/2 of the restraing box.  This is real life lacrosse.  What we wanted to focus on here was drawing-pulling the defense to the ball and opening up an attack/midi for a pass.  More on this tuesday! (I promise).

Scrimmage:   This was just us having Fun right?  Wrong!  Sure it was fun, but whether you knew it or not, I was proud to see you moving about the field using the most important skill of communication.  "I've got ball"  "I've got back"  "open".  We don't just shout out the ball carriers name, but we give him information that will help him to make a decision.

Well that wraps up today's post.  I've added the links to it.  Remember to use the links on the previous posts and work on your cradling (top heavy) both dominant and off hands.  See you Tuesday hydrated and ready for action.

Peace and Lax,

Coach Josh