ADM

When it comes to playing the game, players spend considerably more time without the ball than they do with the ball. In fact, some players may not touch the ball for a quarter, half, or even the entire game. 

Youth sports reform advocate John O'Sullivan delivered an inspirational and practical keynote address to kick off LaxCon in Baltimore.

There’s no better place for your players to improve than practice, but only if that time is used wisely. US Lacrosse has several resources to help coaches position their players for success, and the latest offering is a series of age-appropriate practice guides for boys and girls.

There has been quite a buzz building around the Lacrosse Athlete Development Model, and we could not be happier about the warm reception it is receiving. What are people saying about it?

“This just makes sense. Sound educational philosophy applied to our sport. I love it.”

“LADM is exactly what our sport has needed. With the rapid growth at the youth level and lack of experienced coaches, this framework will give all our new coaches a way to be more effective.”

“This great for the kids.”

If you’re like a lot of parent-coaches, stepping onto the field for the first time can be a daunting prospect. I mean you probably got roped into the assignment because someone called you and said they wouldn’t be able to have a team unless you stepped up to coach.

So, you said yes, but what to do now?

For starters, you’re not alone. US Lacrosse has a number of resources available for beginning coaches through its Coach Development Program (listed at the end of this blog), and I highly recommend that you take advantage of them.

For the first time in its history, US Lacrosse has produced standalone youth rule books for boys’ and girls’ lacrosse. The books are available in digital format free of charge on the US Lacrosse web site.

“Before you run, you have to walk, and before you walk you have to crawl”. “Before you build a house, you must first lay the foundation”. “Movements first, muscles second”. Youth lacrosse coaches must consider both the specific skills needed for the sport (i.e., cradle, pass, shoot, catch, etc.), and the bio-motor abilities (i.e., balance, speed, agility, flexibility, etc.) that help the young lacrosse athlete physically perform the specific sport skills effectively.

John O’Sullivan played soccer, not lacrosse, but he’s aware of the problems that plague children who play both sports.

O’Sullivan, an Oregon native who grew up on Long Island, helped coach his son, Tiernan, after he decided to play lacrosse. There O’Sullivan, the former collegiate soccer player and coach, witnessed the same results-first undertones he experienced in soccer.

Whether you’re a player, coach or parent, no one wants to lose. But what if your overwhelming desire to win is actually hurting your development? Look at the story of tennis pro Dominic Thiem, who took a big step backward to get better.

Small-sided competition is just one of six core values of the Lacrosse Athlete Development Model (LADM). To fully realize the values of the LADM, leagues and programs need to embrace all six values.