A Lacrosse Weekend 5.23.20

Welcome to "A Lacrosse Weekend" my weekly compilation of thoughts, ideas, stories, myths, truths, about the great game of lacrosse. I hope you enjoy it! 

Phi-Lacrosse-ophy Podcasts

Army Head Coach Joe Alberici and I had a great catch up the other day and when our pre-podcast conversation lasted 1:45 we had to reschedule for the next day!  I love talking with Joe Alberici!  He's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, so thoughtful and interested, and makes you feel good about yourself!  Joe is also a learning machine!  He shared with me the 15-20 podcasts he listens to, the books he reads, and the different ways he studies the game.  This was coach A's second time on the Phi-Lacrosse-ophy podcast with me and we had a free form conversation which is what we usually do when we get to catch up: talk lacrosse, what's new, and share interesting ideas, thoughts, drills, etc.  I think you will love this podcast!  Click here to listen!

Brown Head Coach Mike Daly, and I had a great conversation about his journey and his philosophies on many subjects.  Mike Daly didn't participate in lacrosse until after college when became assistant football and lacrosse coach at Tufts.  He fell in love with the game and became head coach of Tufts Lacrosse at the age of 26.  18 years and three national championships later, Coach Daly took his expertise to Providence, RI and the Brown Bears, inheriting a team coming off a Final Four run with the returning Tewaaraton winning attackman, Dillon Molloy.   We have an in depth conversation about how he builds culture, patriotism, recruiting and the great alumni support that has built a $24 million dollar facility.  I think you will love this podcast!  Click here to listen!

 

Devon Wills, Harvard Head Coach joined me and Colleen Magarity on the Inside the 8 Podcast this week and we had an amazing conversation about all things women's lacrosse.  As we always do, Colleen kicked the conversation off about building culture, which was fascinating!  Then we moved on to discussions on team offense, skill development, 2man game as well as team defense, transition and substitution and more!  We finish off the discussion talking about college lacrosse recruiting.  Click here to listen!

 

The Biggest Mistake Most Offensive Players Grow up Making!

A few weeks ago I wrote about the fact that Canadian and Native American box lacrosse players have shot over 20% better than their American counterparts for over a decade in Division I Lacrosse. 

The pictures below depict one of the big reasons why: American shooters wait to shoot until they see net with their own two eyes.  Canadian and Native Box Lacrosse Players know that their stick has eyes that can see plenty of net.

This picture represents what your own two eyes can see, not much net!

This picture represents what the imaginary eyes on your stick can see!  The angle of this picture is the exact angle of how far I can "Reach" to finish while the goalie guarded my original position. 

In field lacrosse, players grow up dodging with speed, quickness and athleticism, shooting on the run and creating separation.  Creating separation and breaking angles is great and everything, but you don't actually need to beat someone that badly to score a goal.  If you can simply dodge your way into shooting range and get a shot off, you don't have to create any separation.  And shooting around your man makes this technique that much more effective.

Pick up Games

We played a fun game I'd like to share called 2x "Wings" which is SO much fun.  It's now my favorite 2x variation!  I love it because it allows players to operate on their natural side and playing with angles of feeding, shooting, dodging and carrying that are realistic to man up situations, 2man game, and transition.  2x is naturally an amazing way to learn how to fully take advantage of a 2v1 and now we're doing it on our Natural Side wing!  

• Game to five
• 3x3 goal
• 2v2 game where one player on defense plays goalie, making it an all time 2v1
• No high heat 
• One shot per possession
• If the ball touches the ground the possession is over
• Make it, take it
• Players must stay on one side of the field with an imaginary line up from the backside pipe

 Here we have two righty's versus two lefty's.  Two boys versus two girls!  If you watch this video carefully, you will see a myriad of skills executed!

Learning 2man Game

If you haven't watched my Hang up 2man, A New Paradigm webinar, I highly encourage you to do so.  Simply go to 2ManGame.com and you can watch this webinar for free!  You will learn:

• Most of what we've always taught isn't really how it happens
• How to "Hang up" two players in a switch situation and manufacture an advantage
• How to "Invite" your defender over the top, which is the best 2man game scenario (IMO)
• How to make the defense pay for going under picks by re-setting the pick and shooting

Here's a video of Army Head Coach Joe Alberici talking about Hang up 2man, A New Paradigm:

 

JM3 Athlete Program - Sold Out

The way I like to describe what I do is put athletes and families on a New Trajectory of development.   This program does provide recruiting advice and advocacy when the time comes and it's going to be more competitive than ever!  However, if you're not good enough, there's nothing to talk about.  Being good enough is by far the #1 priority.  My job is to help kids become good enough.

The results I've had with my JM3 Athletes has been phenomenal on many different levels: recruiting, honors earned, huge improvements, access to better club teams, and a true understanding of the game and their game!

JM3 Athlete Recruiting 

It will be more competitive than ever to be recruited to play high level college lacrosse.  Things get more competitive every year anyway, but now with the COVID crisis, we have a log jam for the next four years with every college lacrosse player receiving an extra year of eligibility.  With out question, this will have a trickle down effect on the current 2021's-2024's.  College coaches will plan for the potential of 5th year players by saving money and spots.  We will see more re-classing as pretty much all 2021's will become 22's!

With the fact that summer is going to be a least partially if not fully lost, college coaches will be in a position where they simply won't know the class of 2022 as well as they want to and advocates will become more important than ever.  If you listen to my podcasts, you will discover how well I know the majority of coaches in college lacrosse.  Having an insider in your corner is no guarantee, but it's helpful.

Will Your Kid Be Good Enough?

With the lost season and now the potential of a lost summer, how will your son/daughter keep improving?  By doing more wall ball?  By dodging cones and doing speed ladder work?  By shooting on empty nets.  I have create a backyard curriculum to go along with my Sandlot Model approach that has given my JM3 Athletes a huge leg up on the competition!  My athletes have made tangible gains in their dodging, shooting, and 2man games.  

Film Analysis

If you want a taste of the type of detail my JM3 Athletes receive,  watch this video assessment I did for UVA All-American Michael Kraus. 

Imagine getting this type of feedback every week!  

I used to offer Video Assessments as a product for the general public, but now I only do this for my JM3 Athletes.

 

JM3 Athlete Zoom Calls 

I do weekly zoom calls with my athletes where we watch film together:

• Film of what they're working on
• Film of their games
• Film of The Backyard Curriculum
• Film of skills, drills and concepts I want them to learn

The bottom line is there are a lot of motivated kids out there that need help optimizing and learning.  The kids that do this will have a huge advantage over those that a simply pounding out #Reps.

If you are interested in learning more, email me at [email protected].  This program isn't cheap, but it is a game changer.  References are available.

This program is currently sold out, but you can learn more and get on a waitlist.  I will likely have an open enrollment opportunity in July. 

 

Have a great weekend!