December 30, 2011
December 27, 2011
Best MLL Goals of 2011
Some highlights of the best goals from the 2011 MLL professional lacrosse season. Start getting primed for indoor lacrosse!
December 22, 2011
Lavin Lacrosse to Sponsor NorthCoast Indoor Lacrosse League
December 21, 2011
Duluth-Superior Chargers Revamp Coaching Staff
To keep up with the growth of the sport of lacrosse in the Duluth area, the Duluth-Superior Chargers board of directors opened their coaching positions to new coaches and revamped their coaching staff and structure. The coaching search brought several new and qualified coaches to the interview process.
After an extensive coaching search and review, the Chargers are happy to announce Scott Wishart as their new head varsity coach. Wishart comes from the successful UMD Bulldogs lacrosse program and brings a strong lacrosse i.q. and tireless work ethic. He was a high scoring attackman during his time with the Bulldogs and will maintain the UMD system that has been operating for the Chargers over the last several years.
Along with Wishart, the Chargers hired Matt Koppang, another former UMD Player, to be the head JV and 9/10 coach and first assistant to the head coach. Koppang has been on the Chargers staff for the past 2 years and brings solid experience and teaching to the long poles and defenseman.
Mike Feldstein has been hired to direct the Chargers middle school program that includes 7/8 and 5/6 teams for the 2012 season. Feldstein brings several years experience coaching a high level 7/8 program for the Northwest Lacrosse Club and is a former attackman for the Arizona Wildcats of the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference.
Two additional former UMD players were interviewed and will also be serving on the Chargers coaching staff. Brandon Nispel, a former all-american midfielder for the Bulldogs will provide solid teaching and expertise for the midfielders. Alex Rogers, a former attackman for the Bulldogs will also be helping with the Chargers varsity and JV programs.
The Chargers are also happy to have much of the coaching staff from last year returning to assist the varsity, JV and middle school coaches along with a couple of new coaches that will be assisting the program. With the success of the coaching search, the Chargers board expressed their confidence that they now have the coaching staff in place to take the program successfully into the future with a strong varsity level presence as well as the valuable experience needed at the youth levels to build a strong foundation for the future.
Departing from the Chargers program is head coach Matt Reeves. Coach Reeves has been a huge part of the success of the Chargers program over the last 5 plus years. Taking over a program that had not won a game, Reeves took the program to a level of success not seen previously in northern Minnesota. Last years Chargers team finished the season with an overall 7-3 record, losing to eventual state champion MontiQuois in the first round of the state playoffs. The Chargers board expressed their appreciation for the commitment and efforts of Reeves during his tenure as the programs head coach.
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| New Chargers head coach Scott Wishart #17 |
Along with Wishart, the Chargers hired Matt Koppang, another former UMD Player, to be the head JV and 9/10 coach and first assistant to the head coach. Koppang has been on the Chargers staff for the past 2 years and brings solid experience and teaching to the long poles and defenseman.
Mike Feldstein has been hired to direct the Chargers middle school program that includes 7/8 and 5/6 teams for the 2012 season. Feldstein brings several years experience coaching a high level 7/8 program for the Northwest Lacrosse Club and is a former attackman for the Arizona Wildcats of the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference.
Two additional former UMD players were interviewed and will also be serving on the Chargers coaching staff. Brandon Nispel, a former all-american midfielder for the Bulldogs will provide solid teaching and expertise for the midfielders. Alex Rogers, a former attackman for the Bulldogs will also be helping with the Chargers varsity and JV programs.
The Chargers are also happy to have much of the coaching staff from last year returning to assist the varsity, JV and middle school coaches along with a couple of new coaches that will be assisting the program. With the success of the coaching search, the Chargers board expressed their confidence that they now have the coaching staff in place to take the program successfully into the future with a strong varsity level presence as well as the valuable experience needed at the youth levels to build a strong foundation for the future.
Departing from the Chargers program is head coach Matt Reeves. Coach Reeves has been a huge part of the success of the Chargers program over the last 5 plus years. Taking over a program that had not won a game, Reeves took the program to a level of success not seen previously in northern Minnesota. Last years Chargers team finished the season with an overall 7-3 record, losing to eventual state champion MontiQuois in the first round of the state playoffs. The Chargers board expressed their appreciation for the commitment and efforts of Reeves during his tenure as the programs head coach.
December 15, 2011
Lacrosse Continues to Grow in Minnesota
From the Rochester Post Bulletin.
Amateur Update: Lacrosse continues to grow
Posted: Dec 15, 2011, 5:15 am
By Ben BoldtAs the year winds to a close, the staff at the Sports Commission likes to take a look for new trends in the sports industry. One trend that has shown up the last few years is the growth of the sport of lacrosse. Not too many years ago lacrosse was a sport played primarily on the east and west coasts of U.S. and considered by many to be a minor sport. Well that view is no longer correct.
One of the sports industry’s noted authorities, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) shared in their 2011 report that lacrosse was America’s fastest growing sport in 2010 with an increase of 33 percent among frequent participants and an increase of almost 38 percent among all participants. The sport’s national governing body, US Lacrosse, also reported the number of organized lacrosse teams at 624,593 in 2010 which was a 10 percent increase over 2009.
As part of their mission US Lacrosse helps new programs get started and does so by sending out “New Start” kits that contain the basic info needed to get up and running. In 2010 US Lacrosse sent out 363 kits and has helped to start over 2,300 programs since 2004. Many of these new programs have been started in the Midwest where the popularity of lacrosse has grown at a rapid pace.
Just this month at the Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors meeting, a proposal was made to increase the number of state tournament-qualifying sections for boys and girls lacrosse from four to eight. This proposal was made to accommodate the growing number of schools who are adding lacrosse programs across the state. Rochester Area Lacrosse, which will open registration in February, has seen increased numbers in each of the organization’s first four years and fully expects growth again in 2011.
In response to this growth the Sports Commission is offering a new opportunity for teams in April 2012 with 2 tournaments that will be held at the Rochester Regional Stadium Bubble. Lacrosse teams still struggle to find sufficient field space for practice and games, especially youth teams who are passed over for their high school counterparts.
So the Sports Commission is putting these tournaments together with the youth and middle school teams in mind. These tournaments will be played in the great conditions of the climate-controlled bubble and allow teams the ability to get a jump on their spring season.
Lacrosse is a sport that certainly looks like it is not only experiencing strong growth but is here to stay for the long run! For more information on lacrosse in the Rochester area check out, www.rochesteryouthlacrosse.com.
December 7, 2011
Instructional Video of the Week: Lacrosse Catching Fundamentals
Great video from Tier Lacrosse on basic lacrosse catching fundamentals which supports the previous post about deep bag pockets creating bad habits in young lacrosse players. This is one of the most basic of fundamentals, but is often where many bad habits can start and can have a very negative effect as the player grows. This is especially important for Northern lacrosse players, many of whom I see snatching and twisting the ball out of the air when they catch. This video emphasizes the importance of catching the ball with soft hands. Just watching the first few minutes is very educational for young players.
December 5, 2011
Why a Deep Pocket Won't Make You a Better Player
How many young lacrosse players think a deep pocket in their lacrosse stick is the way to go? Trevor Tierney, a former national champion goalie at Princeton and son of legendary college lacrosse coach Bill Tierney, suggests that a deep pocket encourages lots of bad habits in the young lacrosse player. Tierney is the founder of Tier Lacrosse whose mission is to help grow the game of lacrosse and use the game as a way for young lacrosse players to grow and evolve as both athletes and as people.
From Tier Lacrosse.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011 AT 6:09AM
One of the biggest problems that I see in youth lacrosse is that young players are learning to play with huge pockets. Here are the reasons why most youth players love having a bag in their stick and the disadvantages of each perceived "advantage" :
1. It's easier to catch the ball with a deep bag. While this is true, it also allows young players to develop bad habits while catching the ball. For instance, many players will "snatch" at the ball and twist their stick into the catch, instead of catching it behind their head. To see the best way to learn how to catch the ball, watch these two videos by Josh Sims and I : VIDEO I / VIDEO 2 . As we display in those videos, the disadvantages of snatching the ball are numerous. Many times, the player usually drops the ball by spinning his stick and hitting it with the plastic, instead of giving with the ball in the pocket. Also, if you catch with your stick in front of your head, then it takes more time to bring it back for a pass or shot. To be able to get a quick shot or pass off, you need to be able to catch the ball behind your head and then you can get it out all in one motion.
2. Youth players must think the coolest part of lacrosse is cradling. The first thing I ever see with a beginning player is that he is cradling and spinning his stick wildly out of control, but the ball is still staying put because of the bag in his stick. The problem with the ball staying in the stick is that it makes it hard for that player to get it out for quick passes. This is wear youth players struggle the most. They may be able to throw a decent pass when they have all the time in the world in line drills or partner passing, but when they dodge in a game and a quick slide comes, they cannot get the ball out of their stick to save their lives! Being able to move the ball quickly is one of the most important aspects of the game. Youth players cannot do that with a huge bag or a lot of whip in their stick.
3. Youth, high school, college and pro players all do one thing very well - and that's because they all practice it ad nauseam - they can shoot great with time and room. They are all able to stand around a goal with no one on them, take a few cradles and LET IT FLY! The better players obviously can shoot it harder and into the corners more often than beginners, but anyone can shoot with time and room in lacrosse. Since this is the skill that players practice most often, what skill do you think they string their sticks geared towards? You guessed it…this certain time and room shot that happens maybe once a game. If you have a deep pocket and some whip, it definitely helps put some more heat on the ball. However, it hurts the players skills in the two other areas that I talked about above. It also makes them less effective shooting on the run, which is a much more important skill to have as a player gets to take that shot more often.
So youth players like having a big pocket because it makes it easy to cradle the ball and do stick tricks, to catch the ball in an ineffective manner, and to let it rip when no one else is in the same county as them. This is a bad way to learn to play lacrosse! If you go back and watch some college lacrosse from the nineties, you will see that the players had much smaller pockets. They also were able to cradle, catch, throw and shoot very effectively and quickly due to these smaller pockets. To find great lacrosse games on DVD, all you have to do is click on this link to Amazonand look up some of the NCAA Division I games from the nineties. You will be amazed by what you see and the skills that these players demonstrate are the perfect way for youth players to learn the game!
So, I want all youth players (especially my Denver Elite guys) to go get scissors, cut their pockets out and chuck them in the trash can. If you can string your own stick (which you should learn to do as a lacrosse player, by the way) then string up a nice new shallow pocket. If you cannot string up a stick, then take it to your local lax shop and have them string you up a shallow pocket with no whip. At this time of year, you can even ask Santa for Christmas (or your dear old grandma for Channukah) for a new stick (WITH NO POCKET SANTA…OR GRANDMA…GET IT RIGHT!). Better yet, you could also get a girls' stick to practice with which makes it even more challenging to learn these skills in the right way.
With all this being said, here are the steps you need to take to become a better player…and this goes for most of you high school players as well :
1. Get rid of that bag. I don't want to see it again until you get offered a scholarship by some big time NCAA program!
2. Go get a new stick with a shallow pocket.
3. Watch some game film from the nineties and study how those guys played back then.
4. Get out and practice with your new baby. It's going to be a lot harder to catch, throw and shoot, but that's okay. It's going to make you a MUCH better player!
1. It's easier to catch the ball with a deep bag. While this is true, it also allows young players to develop bad habits while catching the ball. For instance, many players will "snatch" at the ball and twist their stick into the catch, instead of catching it behind their head. To see the best way to learn how to catch the ball, watch these two videos by Josh Sims and I : VIDEO I / VIDEO 2 . As we display in those videos, the disadvantages of snatching the ball are numerous. Many times, the player usually drops the ball by spinning his stick and hitting it with the plastic, instead of giving with the ball in the pocket. Also, if you catch with your stick in front of your head, then it takes more time to bring it back for a pass or shot. To be able to get a quick shot or pass off, you need to be able to catch the ball behind your head and then you can get it out all in one motion.
2. Youth players must think the coolest part of lacrosse is cradling. The first thing I ever see with a beginning player is that he is cradling and spinning his stick wildly out of control, but the ball is still staying put because of the bag in his stick. The problem with the ball staying in the stick is that it makes it hard for that player to get it out for quick passes. This is wear youth players struggle the most. They may be able to throw a decent pass when they have all the time in the world in line drills or partner passing, but when they dodge in a game and a quick slide comes, they cannot get the ball out of their stick to save their lives! Being able to move the ball quickly is one of the most important aspects of the game. Youth players cannot do that with a huge bag or a lot of whip in their stick.
3. Youth, high school, college and pro players all do one thing very well - and that's because they all practice it ad nauseam - they can shoot great with time and room. They are all able to stand around a goal with no one on them, take a few cradles and LET IT FLY! The better players obviously can shoot it harder and into the corners more often than beginners, but anyone can shoot with time and room in lacrosse. Since this is the skill that players practice most often, what skill do you think they string their sticks geared towards? You guessed it…this certain time and room shot that happens maybe once a game. If you have a deep pocket and some whip, it definitely helps put some more heat on the ball. However, it hurts the players skills in the two other areas that I talked about above. It also makes them less effective shooting on the run, which is a much more important skill to have as a player gets to take that shot more often.
So youth players like having a big pocket because it makes it easy to cradle the ball and do stick tricks, to catch the ball in an ineffective manner, and to let it rip when no one else is in the same county as them. This is a bad way to learn to play lacrosse! If you go back and watch some college lacrosse from the nineties, you will see that the players had much smaller pockets. They also were able to cradle, catch, throw and shoot very effectively and quickly due to these smaller pockets. To find great lacrosse games on DVD, all you have to do is click on this link to Amazonand look up some of the NCAA Division I games from the nineties. You will be amazed by what you see and the skills that these players demonstrate are the perfect way for youth players to learn the game!So, I want all youth players (especially my Denver Elite guys) to go get scissors, cut their pockets out and chuck them in the trash can. If you can string your own stick (which you should learn to do as a lacrosse player, by the way) then string up a nice new shallow pocket. If you cannot string up a stick, then take it to your local lax shop and have them string you up a shallow pocket with no whip. At this time of year, you can even ask Santa for Christmas (or your dear old grandma for Channukah) for a new stick (WITH NO POCKET SANTA…OR GRANDMA…GET IT RIGHT!). Better yet, you could also get a girls' stick to practice with which makes it even more challenging to learn these skills in the right way.
With all this being said, here are the steps you need to take to become a better player…and this goes for most of you high school players as well :
1. Get rid of that bag. I don't want to see it again until you get offered a scholarship by some big time NCAA program!
2. Go get a new stick with a shallow pocket.
3. Watch some game film from the nineties and study how those guys played back then.
4. Get out and practice with your new baby. It's going to be a lot harder to catch, throw and shoot, but that's okay. It's going to make you a MUCH better player!
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