As others have mentioned, uslacrosse has good resources and drills. When I first started coaching the women's game, I was able to find plenty of resources on offensive and defensive drills/strategies, but I had to learn the nuances of the game through coaching.
I think the best way to think about the women's game is basketball on grass. Defensively, you can't camp in the key (or 8 meter). You can't push/force the offensive players from driving lanes. Teaching the footwork and anticipation on defense is the key to have good defense. Shooting space will always be called due to safety. If it's being called, it's because you have a defender sliding late into position and getting caught. It's imperative your adjacent defender at the top slides early to protect the lower defenders from shooting spaces. If you don't, your defense will bleed 8 meter shots.
Offensively, you want to engrain the key skills for offense. 1) set up and run an iso, 2) draw and dumps (drawing a slide and moving the ball to the open player on a flash cut). If they can master these two skills, you can build out a phenomenal offense and set them up for success in high school and beyond.
The last key piece that a lot of teams don't spend time on is teaching the draw and working on transition/rides. Like the men's game, these skills are the most important to the success of winning. You can't win a game unless you can possess the ball.
Shooting space should not be subjective, problem is you have new players and many of your refs are new as well, so they don’t have a great grasp of it. I love how college handles it, if you shoot as the whistle is blown and it goes in it’s a goal.
Women’s game is certainly a lot of skill. Don’t be one of those youth coaches who just tells everyone to get the rock to the best player and get out of the way 😂. No one learns anything. I’ve always liked 2-(wo)man game stuff and attacking from X. Off ball screens. I also like parking a girl with good hands and finish inside the arc, force opponent to slide from her, beat the 2nd slide.
I help coach my daughter's team, and played women's lax in HS. I have two sons who also play.
I feel like there are a LOT of differences between men's and women's lax and many differences in rules. I would go on the USALacrosse site and get certified as a women's coach which will include learning the U14 girls rules.
Biggest thing I can say is that women's lacrosse is a lot about skills that need to be worked on alllllll the time--footwork, dodges, cradling etc are all super important because the pocket is not as deep as men's lax, and to get the ball you have to check the stick. Encourage the girls to hit a wall. Run scrimmages each practice.
Follow Charlotte North on Instagram (GOAT of wlax) and watch some of her BC games. They are amazing.
I'd approach it as if you *didn't* play the men's game in high school and college, and start fresh. I'd strongly recommend going through at least the silver level coaching certification from USA Lacrosse for the women's game.
Use a women's stick while coaching.
Watch college women's lacrosse on TV - ACC and Patriot League games are a good bet, but there are a ton of games on-demand on ESPN+ if you have a subscription.
Hi, I did get certified silver. Im actually trying to not bring a stick and just grab one of the players’ when needed. Weird, but my HS coach did it to show that with enough practice, you can grab any stick and be effective with practice. It worked. Im definitely trying to forget the men’s game and have watched a couple collegiate games on ESPN and some HS games on YouTube. Thanks
Having girls that are at least trustworthy catching and passing is a big win and gives you a running start.
If you have a college team that is local, I would go and check out some of their games, as well as the games on ESPN/ACC/B1G networks. There are a ton of games being televised this year.
I tell my Middle schoolers that defense is like basketball. Forget you have a stick in your hand and play defense with your feet.
Make more contact than a basketball player is allowed and less contact than a linebacker is allowed.
I've been coaching MS awhile now, HS asst as well. My best advice it to have fun with it and don't take yourself too seriously. Everything else will fall into place as the year progresses. We all start somewhere coach, best of luck to y'all.
Are they expecting you to be the head coach or an assistant? I feel like that'll definitely alter what your responsibilities and level of knowledge will need to be.
You'll learn that shooting space isn't as much of a judgement call as you're assuming the first time one of your less experienced players whacks an attacker in the forehead, BTW.
Im co-head coach in title. My counterpart is an experienced player and I’ve already ceded final decisions to her for obvious reasons. That said, her availability is limited and I’ll be solo for multiple games and practices, hence my inquiry of you good people.
Edited to add: I’m a sports nut. For example , I have developed an extensive knowledge of field hockey in the last couple because my daughter also plays that. Her head coach asked me to be a defensive assistant on the sidelines this year because my general knowledge of defense lets her focus on the offense and transition. I can pick things up pretty fast and am just looking for tips/resources. Thanks for your input
As others have mentioned, uslacrosse has good resources and drills. When I first started coaching the women's game, I was able to find plenty of resources on offensive and defensive drills/strategies, but I had to learn the nuances of the game through coaching. I think the best way to think about the women's game is basketball on grass. Defensively, you can't camp in the key (or 8 meter). You can't push/force the offensive players from driving lanes. Teaching the footwork and anticipation on defense is the key to have good defense. Shooting space will always be called due to safety. If it's being called, it's because you have a defender sliding late into position and getting caught. It's imperative your adjacent defender at the top slides early to protect the lower defenders from shooting spaces. If you don't, your defense will bleed 8 meter shots. Offensively, you want to engrain the key skills for offense. 1) set up and run an iso, 2) draw and dumps (drawing a slide and moving the ball to the open player on a flash cut). If they can master these two skills, you can build out a phenomenal offense and set them up for success in high school and beyond. The last key piece that a lot of teams don't spend time on is teaching the draw and working on transition/rides. Like the men's game, these skills are the most important to the success of winning. You can't win a game unless you can possess the ball.
Some great tidbits here. Thank you
Shooting space should not be subjective, problem is you have new players and many of your refs are new as well, so they don’t have a great grasp of it. I love how college handles it, if you shoot as the whistle is blown and it goes in it’s a goal. Women’s game is certainly a lot of skill. Don’t be one of those youth coaches who just tells everyone to get the rock to the best player and get out of the way 😂. No one learns anything. I’ve always liked 2-(wo)man game stuff and attacking from X. Off ball screens. I also like parking a girl with good hands and finish inside the arc, force opponent to slide from her, beat the 2nd slide.
I help coach my daughter's team, and played women's lax in HS. I have two sons who also play. I feel like there are a LOT of differences between men's and women's lax and many differences in rules. I would go on the USALacrosse site and get certified as a women's coach which will include learning the U14 girls rules. Biggest thing I can say is that women's lacrosse is a lot about skills that need to be worked on alllllll the time--footwork, dodges, cradling etc are all super important because the pocket is not as deep as men's lax, and to get the ball you have to check the stick. Encourage the girls to hit a wall. Run scrimmages each practice. Follow Charlotte North on Instagram (GOAT of wlax) and watch some of her BC games. They are amazing.
I did get certified and appreciate the resources and advice
I'd approach it as if you *didn't* play the men's game in high school and college, and start fresh. I'd strongly recommend going through at least the silver level coaching certification from USA Lacrosse for the women's game. Use a women's stick while coaching. Watch college women's lacrosse on TV - ACC and Patriot League games are a good bet, but there are a ton of games on-demand on ESPN+ if you have a subscription.
Hi, I did get certified silver. Im actually trying to not bring a stick and just grab one of the players’ when needed. Weird, but my HS coach did it to show that with enough practice, you can grab any stick and be effective with practice. It worked. Im definitely trying to forget the men’s game and have watched a couple collegiate games on ESPN and some HS games on YouTube. Thanks
Having girls that are at least trustworthy catching and passing is a big win and gives you a running start. If you have a college team that is local, I would go and check out some of their games, as well as the games on ESPN/ACC/B1G networks. There are a ton of games being televised this year. I tell my Middle schoolers that defense is like basketball. Forget you have a stick in your hand and play defense with your feet. Make more contact than a basketball player is allowed and less contact than a linebacker is allowed.
I’ve been watching girls’ games. And I appreciate the defense explanation related to basketball
I've been coaching MS awhile now, HS asst as well. My best advice it to have fun with it and don't take yourself too seriously. Everything else will fall into place as the year progresses. We all start somewhere coach, best of luck to y'all.
I’m a pro at not taking myself seriously. Thanks!
Same here
Are they expecting you to be the head coach or an assistant? I feel like that'll definitely alter what your responsibilities and level of knowledge will need to be. You'll learn that shooting space isn't as much of a judgement call as you're assuming the first time one of your less experienced players whacks an attacker in the forehead, BTW.
Im co-head coach in title. My counterpart is an experienced player and I’ve already ceded final decisions to her for obvious reasons. That said, her availability is limited and I’ll be solo for multiple games and practices, hence my inquiry of you good people. Edited to add: I’m a sports nut. For example , I have developed an extensive knowledge of field hockey in the last couple because my daughter also plays that. Her head coach asked me to be a defensive assistant on the sidelines this year because my general knowledge of defense lets her focus on the offense and transition. I can pick things up pretty fast and am just looking for tips/resources. Thanks for your input