How to use USA Lacrosse "Games"
Our Value Proposition
Why are USA Lacrosse games different from what you may find elsewhere? Our games are set up so that, when the appropriate progressions and constraints are used, athlete success is a given. Athletes whose coaches use USA Lacrosse games within their team will have fun and learn more because they are engaged with the games that are most appropriate for their current skills and abilities.
The USA Lacrosse Philosophy
Why do we call our activities “games” and not “drills”? Quite simply, games are fun and more exciting to participate in! Structuring activities and drills as mini-games provides opportunities for athletes to engage in a fun, competitive, athlete-centered environment that supports growth and learning. Ultimately, athletes want to play games.
Background
USA Lacrosse believes coaches can create optimal opportunities for athlete growth and development by carefully choosing tools for their coaching toolbox and understanding how to maximize their use.
To effectively apply our tools, coaches should first understand the spectrum of athlete development and identify the current development stage of their athletes. To maximize effectiveness, coaches should also understand their athletes’ stage of cognitive development, sport age and chronological age. Coaches should also understand and adhere to USA Lacrosse's Core Values of Athlete Development.
About our Games
Each game (also referred to as a "drill" or "activity") from USA Lacrosse provides the following Information:
- Theme: What is it you're trying to do? What is the learning objective for players?
- Field Location: On what part of the field does the game occur?
- Player Position: Who is the beneficiary of the game as written?
- Time Needed: Approximate, based on athletes in the fundamentals stage
- Athlete Development Stage: This tells you which stage of development the game is best suited for as it's currently written. Any game can be adapted for any stage with the appropriate progressions and/or constraints.
This template helps coaches understand how to customize a game for their specific team.
About Progressions
Progressions are the way the game is structured. Games are structured according to your coaching goals and the needs of the team at any given time. The execution of any game can be adjusted according to your goals by progressing (or regressing) a game to fit the development stage and cognitive stage of your athletes. For example, a game can begin with no sticks because the goal is to focus on movement. Once the targeted movements have been achieved, a coach could progress to adding sticks and balls to the same movements. From there, you may add defenders or add a pass depending on what your goal is.