Safety is the main goal of every official. At Atlanta Youth Lacrosse, we believe that if we keep the games safe and fair, that players will naturally have fun. For youth sports there is a strong emphasis on safety. In fact, here is how we want every official to focus on:

1. Safety
2. Safety
3. Safety
4. Fairness
5. All of the above when maintained = Fun!

So with my safety speech taken care of, lets dig into some previous posts regarding personal fouls. The following are all videos that I put together along with a few AYL players to teach everyone what the various personal fouls look like, particularly at the youth level.

• Illegal Body Check
• Unnecessary Roughness
• Tripping
• Slashing
• Crosschecking
• Warding Off - not a personal foul, but a good explanation of what a ward is versus what it is not.

Hopefully the videos above, and the posts associated with them, will help inform any new players and parents, and reinforce the information that some of our more experienced players know.

Next up are some posts I’ve written about avoiding penalties, what to expect from an official in youth games, and how to behave on a lacrosse field.

• Avoiding Penalties
• Retaliation
• Brush versus Slash

If anyone has any comments or questions, feel free to post them below. Or, you can find me at the field between games.

Featured Image Credit – www.laxallstars.com

Cheers,
Gordon

I have always wondered about toughness, as there are many forms of it.  We say the word a lot and sometimes it’s meaning is lost.  You can stand up for someone and that can be a form of toughness.  You can be a big imposing player or small scrappy player that sticks his nose into every play.  You can just will yourself to do something above and beyond your physical and mental limits.  While this article relates to basketball both sports (basketball and lacrosse) are very similar.  I have made some points in this article to alert you to things that we expect from you.

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You may be born tough, but I believe that toughness is a skill, and it is a skill that can be developed and improved. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo always says, “Players play, but tough players win.” He is right. Here are some of the ways true toughness is exhibited in basketball:

Set a good screen: The toughest players to guard are the players who set good screens. When you set a good screen, you are improving the chances for a teammate to get open, and you are greatly improving your chances of getting open. A good screen can force the defense to make a mistake. A lazy or bad screen is a waste of everyone’s time and energy. To be a tough player, you need to be a “screener/scorer,” a player who screens hard and immediately looks for an opportunity on offense. On the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team, Bob Knight made Michael Jordan set a screen before he could get a shot. If it is good enough for Jordan, arguably the toughest player ever, it is good enough for you.

Set up your cut: The toughest players make hard cuts, and set up their cuts. Basketball is about deception. Take your defender one way, and then plant the foot opposite of the direction you want to go and cut hard. A hard cut may get you a basket, but it may also get a teammate a basket. If you do not make a hard cut, you will not get anyone open. Setting up your cut, making the proper read of the defense, and making a hard cut require alertness, good conditioning and good concentration. Davidson’s Stephen Curry is hardly a physical muscle-man, but he is a tough player because he is in constant motion, he changes speeds, he sets up his cuts, and he cuts hard. Curry is hard to guard, and he is a tough player.

Talk on defense: The toughest players talk on defense, and communicate with their teammates. It is almost impossible to talk on defense and not be in a stance, down and ready, with a vision of man and ball. If you talk, you let your teammates know you are there, and make them and yourself better defenders. It also lets your opponent know that you are fully engaged.  Having a goalie gives the defense an advantage as he is their eyes and see where the ball is at all times.  If the Goalie and the entire team talks they will be hard to score on.

Jump to the ball: When on defense, the tough defenders move as the ball moves. The toughest players move on the flight of the ball, not when it gets to its destination. And the toughest players jump to the ball and take away the ball side of the cut. Tough players don’t let cutters cut across their face — they make the cutter change his path.

Don’t get screened: No coach can give a player the proper footwork to get through every screen. Tough players have a sense of urgency not to get screened and to get through screens so that the cutter cannot catch the ball where he wants to. A tough player makes the catch difficult. This is what we talk about when we tell defenders to take away the top side or force a offensive player to where they want him to go.

Get your hands up: A pass discouraged is just as good as a pass denied. Tough players play with their hands up to take away vision, get deflections and to discourage a pass in order to allow a teammate to cover up. Cutters and post players will get open, if only for a count. If your hands are up, you can keep the passer from seeing a momentary opening. Keep your stick in the passing lane and you may get a nugget (intercepted pass or knocked down pass. Make the feeder work for every pass.

Play the ball, see your man: Most defenders see the ball and hug their man, because they are afraid to get beat. A tough defender plays the ball and sees his man. There is a difference. Head on a swivel.

Get on the floor: In my first road game as a freshman, there was a loose ball that I thought I could pick up and take the other way for an easy one. While I was bending over at the waist, one of my opponents dived on the floor and got possession of the ball. My coach was livid. We lost possession of the ball because I wasn’t tough enough to get on the floor for it. I tried like hell never to get out-toughed like that again. The first player to get to the floor is usually the one to come up with any loose ball. Close out under control: It is too easy to fly at a shooter and think you are a tough defender. A tough defender closes out under control, takes away a straight line drive and takes away the shot. A tough player has a sense of urgency but has the discipline to do it the right way. See the similarities…get to the ground ball first and you will win most ground ball opportunities.

Post your man, not a spot: Most post players just blindly run to the low block and get into a shoving match for a spot on the floor. The toughest post players are posting their defensive man. A tough post player is always open, and working to get the ball to the proper angle to get a post feed. Tough post players seal on ball reversal and call for the ball, and they continue to post strong even if their teammates miss them. Keep moving 1 thousand 1 and then get out and create space.

Run the floor: Tough players sprint the floor, which drags the defense and opens up things for others. Tough players run hard and get “easy” baskets, even though there is nothing easy about them. Easy baskets are hard to get. Tough players don’t take tough shots — they work hard to make them easy. Transition and playing between the whistles.

Play so hard, your coach has to take you out: I was a really hard worker in high school and college. But I worked and trained exceptionally hard to make playing easier. I was wrong. I once read that Bob Knight had criticized a player of his by saying, “You just want to be comfortable out there!” Well, that was me, and when I read that, it clicked with me. I needed to work to increase my capacity for work, not to make it easier to play. I needed to work in order to be more productive in my time on the floor. Tough players play so hard that their coaches have to take them out to get rest so they can put them back in. The toughest players don’t pace themselves.

Get to your teammate first: When your teammate lays his body on the line to dive on the floor or take a charge, the tough players get to him first to help him back up. If your teammate misses a free throw, tough players get to him right away. Tough players are also great teammates.

Take responsibility for your teammates: Tough players expect a lot from their teammates, but they also put them first. When the bus leaves at 9 a.m., tough players not only get themselves there, but they also make sure their teammates are up and get there, too. Tough players take responsibility for others in addition to themselves. They make sure their teammates eat first, and they give credit to their teammates before taking it themselves.

Take a charge: Tough players are in a stance, playing the ball, and alert in coming over from the weak side and taking a charge. Tough players understand the difference between being in the right spot and being in the right spot with the intention of stopping somebody. Some players will look puzzled and say, “But I was in the right spot.” Tough players know that they have to get to the right spot with the sense of urgency to stop someone.

The toughest players never shy away from taking a charge. Get in a stance: Tough players don’t play straight up and down and put themselves in the position of having to get ready to get ready. Tough players are down in a stance on both ends of the floor, with feet staggered and ready to move. Tough players are the aggressor, and the aggressor is in a stance. Pressure Defense never giving an inch. Same with riding the ball.

Finish plays: Tough players don’t just get fouled, they get fouled and complete the play. They don’t give up on a play or assume that a teammate will do it. A tough player plays through to the end of the play and works to finish every play. Finish your check, make a safe and clear the ball.  Score when you are one on one with the goalie.

Work on your pass: A tough player doesn’t have his passes deflected. A tough player gets down, pivots, pass-fakes, and works to get the proper angle to pass away from the defense and deliver the ball. Move your feet and pass on the run.

Throw yourself into your team’s defense: A tough player fills his tank on the defensive end, not on offense. A tough player is not deterred by a missed shot. A tough player values his performance first by how well he defended. Again how hard will you ride and will allow your opponent to beat you.

Take and give criticism the right way: Tough players can take criticism without feeling the need to answer back or give excuses. They are open to getting better and expect to be challenged and hear tough things. You will never again in your life have the opportunity you have now at the youth , high school college level: a coaching staff that is totally and completely dedicated to making you and your team better. Tough players listen and are not afraid to say what other teammates may not want to hear, but need to hear.

Show strength in your body language: Tough players project confidence and security with their body language. They do not hang their heads, do not react negatively to a mistake of a teammate, and do not whine and complain to officials. Tough players project strength, and do not cause their teammates to worry about them. Tough players do their jobs, and their body language communicates that to their teammates — and to their opponents.

Catch and face: Teams that press and trap are banking on the receiver’s falling apart and making a mistake. When pressed, tough players set up their cuts, cut hard to an open area and present themselves as a receiver to the passer. Tough players catch, face the defense, and make the right read and play, and they do it with poise. Tough players do not just catch and dribble; they catch and face.  Everyone can cradle. Can you dodge and draw a man or force a double team so you can get an assist.

Don’t get split: If you trap, a tough player gets shoulder-to-shoulder with his teammate and does not allow the handler to split the trap and gain an advantage on the back side of the trap. Don’t let an opponent out of a double team.

Be alert: Tough players are not “cool.” Tough players are alert and active, and tough players communicate with teammates so that they are alert, too. Tough players echo commands until everyone is on the same page. They understand the best teams play five as one. Tough players are alert in transition and get back to protect the basket and the 3-point line. Tough players don’t just run back to find their man, they run back to stop the ball and protect the basket.  See the similarities – get in the hole, play defense inside out, ECHO the call.

Concentrate, and encourage your teammates to concentrate: Concentration is a skill, and tough players work hard to concentrate on every play. Tough players go as hard as they can for as long as they can. Don’t take players off, know the situation, play fast and between the whistles.

It’s not your shot; it’s our shot: Tough players don’t take bad shots, and they certainly don’t worry about getting “my” shots. Tough players work for good shots and understand that it is not “my” shot, it is “our” shot. Tough players celebrate when “we” score.

Box out and go to the glass every time: Tough players are disciplined enough to lay a body on someone. They make first contact and go after the ball. And tough players do it on every possession, not just when they feel like it. They understand defense is not complete until they secure the ball. We can’t clear the ball unless we put it on the ground or make a save.  Don’t let someone come inside and score without paying for it.

Take responsibility for your actions: Tough players make no excuses. They take responsibility for their actions. Take James Johnson for example. With 17 seconds to go in Wake’s game against Duke on Wednesday, Jon Scheyer missed a 3-pointer that bounced right to Johnson. But instead of aggressively pursuing the ball with a sense of urgency, Johnson stood there and waited for the ball to come to him. It never did. Scheyer grabbed it, called a timeout and the Blue Devils hit a game-tying shot on a possession they never should’ve had. Going after the loose ball is toughness — and Johnson didn’t show it on that play. But what happened next? He re-focused, slipped a screen for the winning basket, and after the game — when he could’ve been basking only in the glow of victory — manned up to the mistake that could’ve cost his team the win.”That was my responsibility — I should have had that,” Johnson said of the goof. No excuses. Shouldering the responsibility. That’s toughness.

Look your coaches and teammates in the eye: Tough players never drop their heads. They always look coaches and teammates in the eye, because if they are talking, it is important to them and to you. Everyone is important on the team so give everyone respect.

Move on to the next play: Tough players don’t waste time celebrating a good play or lamenting a bad one. They understand that basketball is too fast a game to waste time and opportunities with celebratory gestures or angry reactions. Tough players move on to the next play. They know that the most important play in any game is the next one.  Same in lacrosse.

Be hard to play against, and easy to play with: Tough players make their teammates’ jobs easier, and their opponents’ jobs tougher.  Go hard on every play in practice so your teammates get better.  Don’t take plays off.

Make every game important: Tough players don’t categorize opponents and games. They know that if they are playing, it is important. Tough players understand that if they want to play in championship games, they must treat every game as a championship game. This is an awesome point.

Make getting better every day your goal: Tough players come to work every day to get better, and keep their horizons short. They meet victory and defeat the same way: They get up the next day and go to work to be better than they were the day before. Tough players hate losing but are not shaken or deterred by a loss. Tough players enjoy winning but are never satisfied. For tough players, a championship or a trophy is not a goal; it is a destination. The goal is to get better every day. Do something special every time you are on the field.

When I was playing, the players I respected most were not the best or most talented players. The players I respected most were the toughest players. I don’t remember anything about the players who talked a good game or blocked a shot and acted like a fool. I remember the players who were tough to play against.

Anybody can talk. Not anybody can be tough.

Featured Image Credit - trailheads.runnersworld.com

See you on the field,
Coach Lou

Well, not exactly. I could say we do not schedule team practices during Fall Ball because Coach Lou says no practices. Yet, that is still short of the mark.

I could say there are no set practices because that is how we always do things during the fall at AYL. Still, repeating the mantra of tradition for tradition’s sake is a painfully weak argument.

I need a good theory that I can back up and will address player and parent concerns during the fall. Since we are close to starting our Fall Season, it is pertinent to state the AYL position on this issue directly.

Your league should have practices during Fall.

• Occasionally, I am confronted with this statement before or during the fall season. We at Atlanta Youth Lacrosse believe Fall Ball is just that, Fall Ball. It is a time for players of every ability level to share the field and learn lacrosse through game experience. We believe set practices should be reserved for the competitive season, which, for lacrosse, is during the spring.

I am concerned my child will be intimidated or not learn as quickly because they are a beginner.

• Believe it or not, your child is going to get a lot of practice. Our goal during Fall Ball is to be very intense about being very laid back. Players go out to win games, but their primary focus should be on working on new skills. So the experienced factor lessens a bit as the more experienced players work on their left hand, or weak-side dodge. This provides a more level playing field for the new player who is learning to play with their strong-hand and get a feel for the game.

We only see our coach once a week, and that is during the game. How can he learn what is best for my child?

• Fall equals fundamentals more than any other time of the year. Because coaches spend less time in organized practices, they use what time they have before and after games to stress the basics of proper play. New players should go up to their coaches and request different positions each week so they can get an idea of what they like to play. Once they settle on a position, the coach can tailor their lessons to that player’s position.

My player is brand new and is nervous about starting a game.

• Perfect! Nervousness before the unknown means your child is completely normal. We have staff and S.T.A.R.s at every game, which allows us to have eyes on lots of players at the same time. Each of our adult and high school staff members have the freedom to go up to a new player who is struggling and give them one or two pointers for the rest of the game. This is individualized attention on a very large scale. For instance, by the end of the season I probably help at least fifty kids with picking up a ground ball, to throwing, to playing defense. Add Coach Lou, Shaun Lux, Kevin Lux, Andy Halperin, and all of our high school and middle school volunteers, and that is a lot of attention from experienced lacrosse players.
• If you or your player is especially concerned about starting the first game, or any future game, please tell a staff member. We are there to help.

Players cannot improve without practice.

• Yes and no. Practice at it most basic element is the separation of game components. Fall Ball allows players to experience the flow of the game, which no practice or scrimmage ever gets across. We keep the body checks down so players focus on throwing stick checks and dodging against a defender throwing checks. We keep the atmosphere relaxed so kids do not feel the overwhelming pressure to win at any cost. We do mandatory substitutions at specific intervals to ensure everyone is getting game time. Ultimately, Fall Ball is practice for the spring.

I want my player to get some practice in. Are there ways to get instruction on non-game days?

• Atlanta Youth Lacrosse will offer beginner clinics during the first few weeks of the season. These clinics are still TBD, but they will focus on fundamental skills that every player needs in their back pocket. We also have the Lux brothers at Lux-Lax.com. You may view the Lux’s basic information on our Biographies page. These two brothers do great work with players in individual and group lessons.

The overarching theory is keeping the games fun and relaxed while recharging the batteries for new and experienced players alike. Every player can suffer from burnout if games feel like life and death every weekend. We at Atlanta Youth Lacrosse want to eliminate the burnout factor in the fall so players feel recharged and excited about the competitive Spring season.

Featured Image Credit – www.trialx.com

Cheers,
Gordon

Please note that we are moving to League Toolbox’s Online Registration System for Spring 2012 registration and phasing out our old registration system. If you registered for the 2011 Fall Season using Sports Signup – you do not need to do anything! I will be pulling each player’s registration information into the new system for the 2011 Fall Season. Your spot is still secure. We will let everyone know when AYL moves entirely over to League Toolbox Online Registration.

New Feature Rollouts

• Fall Season 2011
  • Individualized Team Websites
  • Master Schedule
    • Family Schedule (Your profile updates with games depending on how many players are signed up from your family. No more hunting for you child’s games!)
  • League Standings and Team Win/Loss Record
  • 3rd Backup for Field Closures (Along with Status Me and Twitter Feed)
• Spring Season 2012
  • New Registration System (will open in August, along with step-by-step video tutorial)

The main goal of rolling out these features is to get all of our parents and players familiar with the new system, without overwhelming everyone. The features I am really happy about rolling out early are the Master Schedule and Team Websites. Each team in each division gets their own website that lists the team’s: schedule, win/loss record, standings, game results, team roster, photos, and sponsors. I believe each of these tools will allow all of our members to better organize their travel plans and carpool assignments. As well as feel more connected with their team through their team’s website.

To better cover all the features the team websites provide, I created a 5 minute video overview. After watching this video, I hope will be as excited about League Toolbox as I am.

To view this video at it’s highest quality please change 360p to 720p on the video menu.

If you would like to check out the High School team websites:

• Team Gorillas
• Team Bears
• Team Wolves
• Team Cheetahs

The team websites for Pre K – 2nd, 3/4th, 5/6th, and 7th Grades will be created once Fall Registration concludes.

Cheers,
Gordon

“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” – This quote is attributed to Buddha.

Applied to youth lacrosse we get this:

“Let’s rise up and cheer, for if we didn’t win today, at least we learned something, and if we didn’t learn anything, at least we didn’t get injured, and if we got injured, at least we didn’t go to the hospital, and if we went to the hospital, at least we got ice cream.”

If nothing else, that quote provides some useful perspective in the aftermath of a tough game. Always keep in mind that winning and losing are all part of playing the game. The best part about either one is you played, and hopefully, played well.

Featured Image Credit - www.kingfishers.ednet.ns.ca

Cheers,
Gordon

Rule 5, Section 2 – Crosse Check (NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rule Book)

“A player may not check his opponent with his crosse in a cross-check position. That is, a check with that part of the handle of the crosse that is between the player’s hands, either by thrusting away from the body or by holding it extended from the body.”

The main benefit of AYL TV is you get to see what we are teaching instead of just reading about it. So now check out the very first video tutorial from AYL TV! Please be patient while the video loads.

Hopefully this video tutorial was helpful in showing you what a basic, garden variety cross-check looks like.

I would like to thank Jeremy and Justin Garr for their excellent demonstration of a cross-check. I would also like to thank Tom and Darlene for providing their time and video equipment. Finally I must thank my sister, Caitlin, for her excellent editing and effects on the first AYL TV video.

If you have any questions or comments please post them below.

Cheers,
Gordon

The children nestled snug in their beds,
While their stick rested right near their heads.
Mama and Papa settled on back
As Mary Jo’s photos danced on their Mac.

With Fall Ball complete,
And all the players replete.
Because games lost and won
Were done with much fun.

They played through the cold,
But as the coaches foretold,
“If you play with your left hand
You will soon command!”

So the players listened,
They watched and they learned.
And every weekend they found,
That their game grew by a leap, and a bound.

But still some struggled
They faltered and fumbled.
Their teammates were there
Hands outstretched with care.

They grew as a team,
And to the parents it seemed,
That their children walked taller,
And held their heads higher.

For lacrosse is a game
Where one can exclaim,
“I played hard, I played fast
And I’m totally gassed!”

Driven home to rest
Mom and Dad can confess,
“This game is great,
He’s in bed by eight!”

As spring comes around
All the players abound.
For the games will come soon,
And they’ll start before noon.

So stay nestled in bed
But don’t stay their all day, instead
Get out with your stick
Until your passes are slick.

Then come out and play
We’ll be out there all day.
With family and friends
On all the weekends.

We hope everyone enjoys our take on a classic Christmas poem. This year has been a blessing to all of us in the Corsetti family. One of those blessings is that every weekend we get to see all of the people that brighten our lives. We hope that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season with their family and friends. We look forward to seeing everyone again when the Spring season arrives.

With Love and Thanks,
Coach Lou, Mary Jo, Caitlin, and Gordon

Gordon Corsetti shows everyone how to take your newly strung lacrosse stick and put a quality pocket into it that will keep the ball where you want it when you play.

Cheers,
Gordon

Check out the video below to learn a straightforward way to string the bottom string on a new lacrosse head. Got questions or comments? Post them in the comments area below.

Cheers,
Gordon

Check out the video below to learn a straightforward way to string the side strings on a new lacrosse head. Got questions or comments? Post them in the comments area below.

Cheers,
Gordon