Free Play Academy Newsletter #30
Topics that will be covered:
1. Technique in Sport is misunderstood. (Continued..)
2. Tom Schreiber.
3. The Surfer.
4. Tempo Youth Lacrosse.
5. American Boy’s Annual College Lacrosse Fall Brawl.
Technique in Sport is misunderstood. (Continued..)
What if our misunderstanding of what technique actually is, underpins the work we do with our players?
What if the technical training that has become a main pillar in the way we develop our young lacrosse players, only really acts as a placebo for learning and improvement?
What if consistently drilling players in movement patterns builds coordination and confidence, but not a lot else?
We’re going to break down what technique is and how we should go about developing it.
For the next few weeks we’ll be touching on the many facets of what comprises technique, today we will touch on Perfection.
Technique is hitting your teammate on the door mat of the goal with a one touch pass, with the right speed to your teammate’s stick. The action of a one touch pass can never be the same.
Do you need the technical repetition of a non-variable, one touch passing drill around cones or do you need direction, opposition players getting in the way – defending a goal, teammates creating new gaps and spaces and consequences if you lose it?
One replicates the conditions necessary to practice one touch passing, and the other does not. The ball, gaps and spaces decided by opposition players and teammates, where you want the ball to go, the area in front of you, the constraints of the individual (height, athleticism etc.) and more all play a part in a the perfect one time pass never being the same as the last.
Lacrosse is highly dynamic and variable. It’s ever changing. No one time pass can ever be the same. So it’s time to ask ourselves the question:
Do we develop our players in variable, ever changing environments?
Majority of the training I see is around constant repetition of an action. Repetition after repetition: to repeat the same movement pattern again and again. Within this type of practice design, there is minimal if any technical variability.
As we’ve now established that technical variability is more important than technical perfection, how do we look through this new lens to design our practices?
Repetition without repetition: The repetition of the search for a solution. Variability here is encouraged in the search for a functional solution to a set task.
To be continued..
Tom Schreiber.
Captain America.
The most dominate american offensive player in both the field and box game.
The Surfer.
“The surfer is simply trying to ride whatever wave naturally comes up, he can’t control the waves, he’s not controlling nature. Of course, he’s simply riding the waves as they come in. Some waves are challenging and difficult, and as the surfer is riding these waves, if he is trying to control the wave in any which way he’s going to go under and that’s the same thing that is happening with our emotions and so simply ride them, channel them all, allow them to flow. Don’t resist the emotions that don’t feel all that pleasant and don’t try to hang on to the waves of emotion that are pleasurable. The surfer who tries to force or to hang onto the wave and attempt to control it in a certain way, will find that the once perfect wave turns really really bad really really fast.”
- Coach Taylor Allan, Deep Game
Tempo Youth Lacrosse.
Tempo Youth Lacrosse is dedicated to the accelerated development of the youth lacrosse player.
We are providing an incredible experience for our youth lacrosse players in the northern Virginia area at the end of this month, Oct. 28th.
The clinic will be a mix of skill-development and a modified Sixes gameplay we have personally developed.
Please see attachment below!
American Boy’s Annual College Lacrosse Fall Brawl.
There is an opportunity to watch some fantastic lacrosse AND support a worthwhile organization right in our community! On Sunday, October 22nd, Centreville HS in Clifton, VA will host University of Virginia, University of Richmond, Colgate University, and Towson University Men's Lacrosse teams for American Boy Fall Brawl 2023.
American Boy is an organization that raises awareness of the opioid crisis that too many of our young people are battling.
The organization's mission is to combat obstacles to recovery from drug addiction and offer better resources to individuals in the opioid crisis.
To learn more about American Boy and the incredible work they do, please visit: https://www.americanboy.org
Get your teammates and friends together to watch some of the best college teams compete AND support a meaningful organization. Tickets are ONLY $15/person for four games! As well, the ticket price includes a skills clinic for youth players. To purchase your tickets, click the button below!
The Free Game
The part of lacrosse that is played with the mind.
What will be covered are the 8 Principles of Performance.
Any lacrosse player can own the 1st ever sport psychology methodology specific to the game of Lacrosse.
This purchase will include a FREE consultation with Coach McDonnell via in-person or Zoom.
Here is a preview.
The cost is $24.99
You can purchase The Free Game here.
Lean in, do the work, stay focused and become uncommon.
Have a great week.