Detroit Catholic Central Recap

I have always believed in scheduling great competition early in the season.  Those kinds of games give you a clear indication of where your team is at early on, what you still need to work on, etc.  The questions like- is our offense good or do they just look good because our defense is struggling get answered really fast.  I see other teams that schedule well below their capability for the first 3 games of the season (or maybe most of the season)- they score a lot of goals, don't let in many, and never really get tested.  I don't get it- in my experience when you schedule like that, you are never really prepared for that first big test- being able to play at speed and put away those bad habits you can get away with against other programs.   I don't get it- not how I approach things.  

For the last 3 years, we have scheduled Detroit CC in our first one or two games.  The first 2 years, DCC really did us a favor by exposing our weaknesses, showing all of our players that we still need to work hard, despite how good we think we are.  We lost both of those openers in the past season to well coached, well prepared Catholic Central teams.

This year, DCC came to EGR to give us our first big test of the 09 season.  As the head coach, I tend to worry about EVERYTHING- but at the top of my mind was the defense- this would be the fastest, most physical and well coached team we would will see until well after spring break.  Our starting defense is inexperienced and I was, of course, worried about how we would react to the speed of play.  I was cautiously excited about "unleashing" our offense on them and testing them.  With Jacob back from his injury, our offense would have another dimension, allowing us to attack from all over.  

The keys to the game we covered with the team before the game were: 1) face offs 2)transition 3) defensive communication/positioning.  

FACE OFFS: We knew we had to dominate face offs to keep the ball with us as much as possible and break any potential momentum they might get when they did score.  At the end, behind great performances by Joe Glendening and Josh Drummond, we won 66% of the face offs (our team goal is 55%).   

TRANSITION:  As for transition, we are always looking to cross the midline with the ball in our stick and attack the cage- we didn't get any goals on this but we excelled in defending the transition.  DCC has big fast athletes that look to get up and out on turnovers and will create a lot of odd man rushes.  Their goalie is very good at outlet passes and can get the ball over the top if we don't get back.  I was really proud of our attack for slowing their transition game- especially Adam Lohner who had a tough job to prevent the upfield pass by screening the goalie, and then chasing the ball on the first pass.  Adam sprinted all day long and created havoc for their clears.  Mostly, he limited DCC's fastbreaks to just a couple.  Overall our ride was very effective and as a team we created 10 turnovers from the ride (our goal is 6 per game).  That is significant in our sport because those turnovers equate to 10 more scoring opportunities for us- and therefore 2 to 3 extra goals- it also takes 10 scoring opportunities away from the opponent.  

DEFENSE-

We have 12 goals we set for ourselves for a game- statistical benchmarks- that help us evaluate how successful we were.  We do this because we expect to  play at a consistently high level all of  the time, regardless of the strength of our opponent.  If you beat an over matched team or lose to a superior team, can you still be successful?  Of course.  

One of our 2 team defense goals is to have a 60% save percentage.  We consider goalie save percentage as a team defense stat because the 6 guys in front of the goal are tasked with taking away the key shooting areas (like 4 yards in front of the net).  The more successful we are at that, the more successful Cullen and Dan can be.  We did not achieve our 60% save goal, but Cullen was an impressive and much improved 45% on the day.  

Statistically, we are averaging around 40 ground balls/game which is added possessions for our team and can create unsettled (the best kind) offense.  

For his much improved play, we awarded Cullen Haskins with the game ball.

Get on the wall,

Coach V

Don't forget the "thank you"

I was at the East hockey game on Thursday- enjoying not only the hockey, but the chance to spend a few hours with my daughter. Although I am not sure if she actually watched any of the game, she did tell me on the way home- "thank you dad, I had fun at the game." Warms my heart. I was sitting next to a parent of one of our players and she made the comment to me that I was really lucky to have a wife that let me do this (coach lacrosse). It was a pretty good observation- I am really lucky (for a lot of reasons) to have Kate in my life. One reason is that she does know how much I get out this experience every spring- and she makes sacrifices in her life to support me. Being a stay at home mom can be a long day until 6pm, but every spring that turns into an 80 hour a week deal- From March to June her "shift" expands to past 8pm and most of the day on Saturday. I am only pointing this out because I get it: Kate makes this possible for me. If she didn't support me, none of this would be possible. I wonder if I thank her enough.

As lacrosse players, I wonder if our guys realize the sacrifices that their parents make to make this possible for them. I have a hard time remembering my perspective when I was 17 years old, but somehow I suspect I was not thinking in terms of what my parents were sacrificing for me to do the things I wanted to do. I am sure I didn't thank them enough. That's pretty hard to "get" for many adults I know, much less a teenager.

I really hit me this week after the sign up meeting- how much of a sacrifice parents are making for our guys to come together. And those sacrifices come in many forms- the one that hit us between the eyes this Sunday was the financial sacrifice. Every year the cost to participate in athletics is high- even if the sport is "funded", it still turns into a big time investment. I doubt many players get how painful it can be for many. This year with so much uncertainty, fear, and anxiety about our economy, to write that check can be excruciating.

For those players that read this, I would like you to really take a few minutes today and reflect on the sacrifices your parents have made for you. This year more than ever I want you to be aware that all of the things you are enjoying about this spring is coming at a cost. It would take absolutely zero effort on your part to walk up to your mom and dad today and just tell them- "Hey mom, I really appreciate the things are doing for me. Thank you". Go ahead. Get up from your computer right now, or pick up your cell phone, hit that speed dial you normally reserve for asking for money for the weekend and this time tell them thank you.

You want to really honor what they do for you? This week at practice you will be given a chance to sell t-shirts. The money you raise from selling a t-shirt doesn't go to the lacrosse program- each one is worth $10 back to your parents against the money they paid so you could be on the field with us. Go sell 37 of them and give your mom a heck of a mother's day gift- playing lax for free, mom. (how do you sell that many? there are over 200 EGR lacrosse players in the middle school and grade school- I will bet you could get 30 sales in an hour. Oh I dont understand why players never ask me to buy a shirt!)

I guess what I am saying is that the first step is understanding/recognizing what people are giving, investing, doing for you. That's a big step for anyone, but especially for someone young who may not yet have really had to sacrifice for someone else. Once you take some time to reflect on that, making sure that they know you appreciate it is step 2. The ultimate is when you start participating- giving back to those who has given to you. It takes a lot of maturity and no small amount of effort, but it starts with taking a few minutes to reflect on it, and not forgetting the thank you.

Get on the wall.
Coach V

And so it begins...

The sign up meeting is over (kind of), and it's time to look forward to getting the guys on the field together for the first time. For a coach, this period of time right before the season begins is, for me anyway, the most anxious. Last year, right before the state championship game, a parent asked me if I was nervous. I think my answer surprised her- I wasn't. By the time mid June rolls around my job is done- we have taught everything we can, put guys in the best possible position to be successful and now we get to watch the boys pull it all together for one last time.

I get the most nervous now- the past nine months of planning, scheming, dreaming, visualizing, anticipating is about to turn into reality. Will the vision hold true? Will the 30+ names on an excel spreadsheet (that I have sorted and resorted a hundred different ways) become what I thought it could? Will the returning players become leaders? Will they be hungry for their own title? How fast will the new comers acclimate and contribute? Will the schemes that I have been planning on be the right ones for this mix of talent? What challenges will come this year that I haven't anticipated? We are about to find out.

I looked over the guys that signed up and one thing sticks out at me- we are young. Not just in age- but experience. There are at least 3 seniors that didn't play last year that have decided to (re-) join our little family. New players seem to outnumber the seasoned vets 2 to 1. Don't get me wrong there is a lot of talent there and a lot of athleticism- cant get too much of that- but that first time we start up and down the field with Detroit Catholic Central (or Novi CC or whatever they are calling themselves) I think the speed is going to be an eye opener for some of these guys.

So what does being young mean? I think it can be a good thing- it means we can write our own chapter- do things a bit differently. We don't have to break old habits, we can do it our way- our own style. I think it helps guard against complacency- we have been there and done that, but not with these guys. These guys have to go earn their own way.

It also means we need to rely on that small and special group of seniors and returning juniors to lead. To be Leaders. To set the example. Our foundation, our tradition, the good things about where we have been and what we have done- that cant change. It's the way we do things here. For Joe and Mackie and Pat and Josh and Andrew and TJ and Chris and Nick and Jake and Sammy, they have to show the way. Their influence on the team, what they accept and expect from the new guys will quickly become our culture.

Dan Wood was our varsity coach in 2001, right before Rick and I took over the program. I was Dan's #1 (ok his only) assistant in 01. I learned a lot that year- we made our share of mistakes and had some success. One of the best things that Dan always taught (and I still carry with me now) is that state championships/successful seasons are made in the first 2 weeks of the season. I think that is true on several levels. First, at no other time in the season will you have 10-14 practices in a row for pure teaching- it is prime time. But moreover, Coach Wood was really talking about the DNA. I think your work ethic, your attititude, your foundation for TEAM is built in those first 2 weeks.

The first 2 weeks will be critical for this team. Its seems cliche to say "set the tone early", but we really have to, perhaps this year more than ever. Not just how much we work, or how hard-like how many sprints we can actually fit into a 2 hours practice (quite a few, I bet)- but how we do things- communicate with each other, begin to trust each other, how much fun we can have, how willing we are able to put "us" ahead of "me". That's what is built in those first 2 weeks...whether you are aware of it or not, they get built, they become your foundation, your DNA.

How do I feel right now? You know that slow climb the car takes up the first big hill on the roller coaster as it approaches the peak? Thats the next 6 days. Hang on...here we go.

Get on the wall.

V

Playing Fast

Offense has been on my mind a lot lately as we head toward March 9- partially because I will be spending more time with our offense than I have in past years, and in part because I don't think we were particularly good at it last season. Sure we had a few standout players that created trouble for opposing defenses, and we found ways to win last year, but overall didn't ever become the prolific, attacking, opportunistic offense I always dream we can be.

This year, I want that to change all of that. This year, I want to play fast.

I don't mean (just) 40 yard dash fast- I mean I want to attack the opponents cage every time, all the time. I don't want our guys just to "get the ball down the side and get it to X" on transition- I want the guy carrying the ball up field- short stick, long stick, goalie, fogo, whatever I want him attacking the defense with an intent to score when he crosses midline. I want the ball to move in and out of out sticks quickly- I don't want the ball to die in the stick of some player who thinks his range is at 15 yards- I want our shots to be inside of 8 yards (8 inches would be nice) by making an extra pass, or two. I don't want to play settled 6v6 offense- Let's attack the cage when they are unsettled, when they have only 5 guys in, when they don't have any idea who their 1st or 2nd slide will be.

I would be happy with 15 second possessions, as long as we are taking the shot from inside 8 yards. Heck, let's keep the O mids on the bench and just play fast break lacrosse- d-mids (I hate that term) and long poles sprinting up field flooding into the offensive zone- all 3 of them- not giving the other team a chance to sub- attacking in transition. Heck, maybe we wont have offensive and defensive mids any more- maybe just 2 way middies who can play defense AND offense- just athletes being athletes.

Sure seems like a lot more fun to me- and if we are sprinting up field all the time, we can play more guys.

So what does it take?

First- it starts with me. I have to change my attitude about the whole "O thing". Playing fast and up tempo means making mistakes...it means a few more turn overs and we (I) have to be ok with it. It's moving the give and take paradigm thing from controlled possessions with 1 single great scoring chance to taking 4 shots and scoring on 2 of them. It means being ok with a mistake as long we are 1) sprinting to create a play before the mistake 2)sprinting after it when we do (like riding the heck out of them after they get the ball on a blown fast break). We also have to practice it. I think we spend a lot of time practicing 6v6 settled offense, more time than we are actually in 6v6 in a game.

What else? We have to have great sticks skills...all of us...yeah...you too. Goalies who can pass (and get out of the cage and run a bit), long poles who can handle cross field passes, short passes, dodges, midfielders who can dodge to score coming from the defensive side. We have to shorten the amount of time the that the ball in our stick- quick, crisp passes that start from your ear and end at your nose (11 to 1 passing)- not the big wind up and follow through- and be able to handle the imperfect pass- catch the one at our knee and above our head. Write this one down- get on the wall. We have to always be a threat to dodge, shoot, or pass- basketball calls that "triple threat"- we have to be a triple threat when the ball in our stick- we have to be even more of threat when the ball isn't in our stick.

We have to be able to attack in the unsettled- face offs, transition offense, successful rides and ground balls- all opportunities to attack the cage before we get to 6v6.

What else? Gotta be in shape- you knew that was coming. We have to be able to play 3 minutes of defense, sprint up field, ride the ball back and play another 2 minutes. No subs- keep their guys on the field. How can we work even harder on it this year than we did last year? "Coach Vincent doesn't know what he is doing- half the time we just run sprints." I'll bet I can name a few other coaches from last year that wish they spent a bit more time at it.

I want to play fast...but its less about the x's and o's and more about the Jimmy's and Joe's- getting our guys ready with the tools- impeccable fundamentals, gas in the tank for all 48 minutes, and an environment that allows athletes to be athletes.

Get on the wall

Coach V

Wall Ball Routine

All great players have one thing in common- they have spent a lot of time on the wall. Wall ball is simply the best thing you can do to develop your effectiveness as a lacrosse player.


If I were to give any player trying to move up on the roster or make a team at the next level, I would tell him to spend his time on the wall following this routine. I would do this before I spent time playing indoor lacrosse in the winter, before I spent time shooting on an empty net, before anything else. It is crazy how quickly your stick skills will develop by spending time on the wall- it will make a difference for you.

• Always wear your gloves when playing on the wall.
• Practice with both hands.
• Practice with both your primary and back up stick
• The wall should be smooth, at least 10ft high, no windows nearby.
• Pick a spot out on the wall (defect/scuff mark/tape) and try to hit it each time.
• Stand about 5 yards away from the wall
• Stand in a "triple threat position" in relation to the wall, opposite foot forward, standing perpendicular to the wall. The stick loaded, ready to pass. From this position you are a threat to shoot, pass, or dodge.
• When passing, try to keep the stick head movement minimal- 11 to 1 passing- no big wind up or follow through. Think of your body as a face of the clock- the stick should start out in the 11 o'clock position, and stop around the 1 o'clock position.
• Do not push the ball- snap the ball out of the stick- pull through with your bottom hand as hard or harder than you are pushing with your top.
• Focus on keeping your hands out and up, away from your body- especially your front hand and elbow. Easy at first- as your arms tire, you will want to drop your hands- focus on out and up.
• Keep your feet moving- lacrosse is not a stand still sport, that's the other spring sport.

Follow this routine 3 to 5 times per week- should take no more than 20 minutes when you get the hang of it. Bring the IPOD, crank up the tunes and enjoy it.

Here is the routine:

"regular" passing- 1 cradle and out, 25 right/25 left
quick stick - no cradle 25 right/25 left
face dodge- throw catch bring stick across face and back, repeat 25 right/25 left
Split dodge- throw/catch right, split to left hand, throw and catch left 25 passes each hand
Fake it/Make it- throw/catch right, fake pass another direction, throw catch right 25 each hand
regular passing- 1 cradle and out 25 right/25 left
repeat 2x

keep paying attention to your form- keep arms/hands away, snap the pass dont push it! The repetition of hitting the wall will develop stick skills- practice it the right way.

Get on the wall.
Coach V

Playing Lacrosse in College

I just got back recently from seeing the UofMichigan/Wittenberg scrimmage- Witt lost once again to the Wolverines, but the important part of the story was that we had 6 alumni playing in that game (Matt Asperheim and Austin Swaney for the Wolverines, Will Wismer,Kelly Brown, Jim Ferris, and Elliott Avis for Wittenberg). I have had the pleasure of coaching all 6 of those young men at some point. I don't know of too many other college lacrosse games one could attend and see 6 alumni playing from any high school.



Aside from how great it is to see how these guys continue to mature and move along with their lives, it got me thinking about college lacrosse. We always seem to have a lot of guys who are interested in playing college lacrosse, but very few who ever take the step. Perhaps that is changing (we do have more now than ever before, especially if you include "club" lacrosse-although there isn't a lot of "club" in how many of these programs are run anymore).



I guess the first thing about playing college ball is that you have to LOVE to practice. Pretty simple math- college teams play less games per season than your typical high school team, they have fall ball, winter workouts, and then the spring season, teams practice between 2 and 3 hours (not to mention film, weight training, team meetings, etc) per day, and the schemes and details are far more advanced than anything a volunteer coach could ever get into in 10hours per week with 30 guys. Just the playing time calculation alone precludes allot of on field time- rosters are larger, and although the games are longer (60min vs 48min) there are 4 years of players on the roster- an incoming freshman is just learning to tie his shoes by the time the first game comes around.



All of the college practices I have seen are competitive- even small sided drills like one on ones- players are cheering for each other, getting after it, etc. I am sure in part because the type of player that gets recruited shows this level of interest and enthusiasm and understands the importance of practice, but also- for many on the roster this is only opportunity to get on the field and the only chance to prove themselves for consideration on game day.





I had a chance to hear the Ohio State lacrosse coaching staff and talk about recruiting at a clinic a few years ago. They talked about some characteristics and what they are looking for in potential players. When they are out at camps or seeing film of potential recruits, they do look for several lacrosse ability related cues that demonstrate the potential for this player- do they snap their passes (versus pushing the ball out with a big wind up)? Are they north south dodgers (go to the goal) versus east west dodgers (guys who carry sideline to sideline)? Can they shoot on the run without slowing down? Can they change direction on the field and snap off a shot? Are they physical players, running through stick and body checks instead of being deterred by them-or avoiding them? What do they do to contribute to the play when they dont have the ball in their stick (players spend most of thier time on the field without the ball in their stick 20 players on the field, 1 ball)? Finally, what is their lax i.q. (do they understand the game, see the field, make good decisions, etc)?



Other evaluation techniques I have heard other coaches use include watching what a player does immediately following a mistake- for example if a player drops a pass does he drop his head, whack his stick on the ground and jog off the field to let a defensive player make up for the mistake OR does he ride hard to get the ball back, playing defense if necessary? Who would you rather have play for you?



All college coaches are univeral with this thinking- are you playing multiple sports? It is a major red flag for coaches when players only play lax in the spring- how is a player who plays 12-15 weeks a year in high school going to do when he is expected to perform every week all school year (and stick to an intensive, self directed work out program in the summer)?



Oh and before any of that is even considered- the first hurdle is-are you qualified to go to that school- both academically and financially. You have to have the test scores and GPA to get into the school first, dont fool yourself into thinking your shot speed somehow makes up for your sub 20 ACT score, or your face off percentage is somehow is added into the "C+" you received in pre-calc on your transcript. Also- can you afford the school- there are many resources out there to help with tuition- full ride scholarships for lacrosse are very rare. Coach Starsia (Virginia) said that they have only given a free ride 3 or 4 times in thier history (some of the best lacrosse players in the world have gone to UVA on less than full scholarships).



The other thought I have about this is that it is getting tough to play lacrosse in college- although it is encouraging to see new college programs pop up (UofDetroit and Jacksonville at the D1 level, several D3 schools) the reality is that the number of high schools (and there for potential college recruits) have exploded over the last 10 years, while the number of college programs have remained comparitively stagnant. More guys competing for less jobs....sounds familiar. The point is illustrated to me in 2 ways- a few years ago I coached the best lacrosse player I have ever worked with- Ryan McAleenan- Ryan played 3 years of varsity lacrosse, won a state championship, was a 2x 1st team all state midfielder, an All American, and was the Chuck Vorce Lacrosse Player of the Year in Michigan his senior year. Ryan is a really good athlete and had a knack for this game- he is really special on the field. Ryan is completing his senior year at Penn State this spring. Ryan has been a 2nd line midfielder for the Nitnany Lions- a mid tier division 1 lacrosse school. That isn't a knock on Ryan or Penn State- it just illustrates to me how competitive the landscape is when arguably the best player in Michigan his senior year, and possibly the best player to have graduated from our program to date is fighting for a starting spot on PSU's roster. It's rare air up there to be sure- and it takes a special kind of young man like Ryan to achieve what he has done.



The increased competition has a trickle down effect to club teams as well. For example, when I was talking to UofM about Austin Swaney coming to Michigan to play for the Wolverines, Coach Paul shared with me in that recruiting class he had 3 division 1 caliber defensemen who had all listed UM as their #1 choice. UofM is operated as a virtual varsity sport in Ann Arbor- although it is a club team where athletes pay (a lot of money) to participate. That tells me how much more competitive this whole thing is becoming.



Still have that dream of playing college lacrosse? Great- get it done in the classroom, the weightroom, compete in sports all year round, getting a marketing strategy (another topic for another blog), get to camps in the summer time, do the work.



Get on the wall.

Coach V