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Coaching meltdown

rdsknbill

By rdsknbill
in The Tailgate

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rdsknbill

rdsknbill

Posted
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As most of you know I coach lacrosse up here and was promoted to the varsity HC position at the end of last year.

Well, last ngiht my team had a complete meltdown against our bitter rivals (Susquehannock Warriors). They are a very good team and they trounced us 13-1. I am coaching aVERY young team of 3 seniors, 5 juniors, and 18 Sophomores. Anyway, during the game one of the seniors was trying to be a one man show. It irritated me, but my asst. coach went absolutely postal on this kid on the sideline.The kid mouthed back and the Asst. called him a "dumbass". Then it was on. I had to step in and seperate the two on the sideline. To make matters worse, the Warrior players began throwing TOTAL cheap shots at my players. One kid just took his stick back and railed one of my kids in the nuts (behind the play). (I tell them that they should wear cups but they complain that they slow them down) Needless to say, my player went after the kid, along with one of his best friends, and the three of them got tossed into the box. JV followed us and the same kind of crap was going on. Bickering, throwing helmets and cussing like a bunch of sailors. When I got home I was ready to throw all my crap away and walk away from it. Then I got mad. I called a MANDATORY meeting at my house for this afternoon. The following is what I have written to address this BS. Thanks for your indulgence.

Yesterday,

In a nut shell, we played the worst game of the season yesterday. There were many things that attributed to this. An easy win over Central York on Tuesday had our egos a bit too big. Preparation was lacking. As I always say, you play how you practice. We practiced horribly on Wednesday. I know that the weather had a factor in this, but it was still lackadaisical. We scrimmaged and assessed push-ups when a sloppy turnover occurred. Did anyone get the message? NO. We had more dumb turnovers yesterday than any game we’ve played this season.

I always preach GOOD Decisions. I saw few very good ones yesterday.

I am seeing a lack of hustle by the attack men after missed shots. I don’t care if you feel that you are closer, you MUST RUN to the end line. Remember it is who is closer to where the ball went out, NOT closest to the end line. I see frustration in the defense when they are left to defend five players on a fast break, while the middies are JOGGING behind the play. GO HARD OR GO HOME!

Nobody likes to lose. However, if I see one player throw another helmet on the sideline, or hear back biting comments made towards a teammate, I will either suspend that player for a game, or he will see limited playing time. As a player, my coaches always taught class and respect. This doesn’t mean play “nice” but win or lose; you always keep your head up and congratulate your opponent on a well played contest.

Now yesterday, we played perhaps the dirtiest team in the league. Warrior doesn’t like us and we don’t like them. They are a classless program and if I can never schedule them again, it will be too soon. The cheap shots at the end of that game were horrendous, and I made my feelings clear to the CPLOA last night after I returned home from the field.. I do not blame any player for sticking up for his teammate when he gets viciously slashed in the groin. The game was over and it was uncalled for. I also ripped into the Warrior coach about it after the game.

Let’s get one thing clear. This is MY team. I AM THE HEAD COACH! If you play for me, you play by MY rules. I can not and will not tolerate the whining and moaning that goes on the sidelines. IF you have a problem with that? TOO BAD. There is no middle ground here. I expect my coaches to respect the players; however I demand that that respect is mutual from the players towards the coaches. I do my best not to be overly hard on the players. I am and always will be a barker. I was born with this voice, some call it a curse some call it a blessing. But it’s mine. As coaches, we do what we can to make you better players on the field, but you need to ask yourself, what do you do off the lacrosse field to make yourself better? Do you run on your own time to improve your endurance?? Do you do wall drills to make yourself a TWO HANDED player? Do you work on your foot speed to give you an extra burst?

Bottom line here folks is that I have been coaching lacrosse hear in Red Lion for the better part of six years, starting at the 5th and 6th grade level as an assistant. I have watched many of you grow from gangly young pre-teens into young men. I will probably be coaching here after you are long gone to college, or work, or wherever your path leads you. My goal as a coach is to instill respect and honor in my players. I don’t want to just make you men better players, I want to make you better people. Nothing would make me prouder than to see some of the gentlemen in this room go on to play in college and if that is your goal, it takes a huge commitment to this sport to achieve this.

Tomorrow is a new day. The events that transpired last night are in the past. This team MUST function AS A TEAM. Period.

Tomorrow we have a game at Hershey Park stadium. Yes another game on the turf.

Please be there by noon

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pez

pez

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Bill, as a previous coach myself (summer league, high school, U.S.S) this is a definite. You want to catch this before the team starts to fall apart, morale falls, etc.

One thing I always had my swimmers do, is to write down what they want to get out of their experience in this sport.

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dfitzo53

dfitzo53

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Hurl a lamp against the wall after you say "Let’s get one thing clear. This is MY team. I AM THE HEAD COACH! If you play for me, you play by MY rules."

See PB, that's why you can't have nice things. ;)

Direct and to the point Bill, and that's good. You can only hold attention for so long in a speech like this.

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btfoom

btfoom

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I have one question: Who's team is it??? (ducks for cover)

I think your letter is right on for that age kids. You said you have 18 sophmores. Next year and two years from now, you should be loaded. Now is the time to make sure they play YOUR game YOUR way, before their egos get ahold of them.

:applause:

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dchogs

dchogs

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good speech, bill. pez is right that this needs to be squashed now. you need to assert your role as the alpha male of the pack (just don't piss on them :)). in my coaching experience (at an all boys school), high school boys actually respond very well to speeches of this nature. let them see that you're pissed. it means you care.

i'm sure the meeting is over by now.... how'd it go?

also... look on the bright side... you have dallastown on the 3rd. :)

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rdsknbill

rdsknbill

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Lacrosse is gay, anyway. About as stupid a sport as soccer. But I have to admit that was a pretty good speech. Good luck getting those knuckleheads back on track.

You lost me at the "Lacrosse is gay" comment. Tell that to Jim Brown. He was a four year all american at Syracuse for Lacrosse

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rdsknbill

rdsknbill

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good speech, bill. pez is right that this needs to be squashed now. you need to assert your role as the alpha male of the pack (just don't piss on them :)). in my coaching experience (at an all boys school), high school boys actually respond very well to speeches of this nature. let them see that you're pissed. it means you care.

i'm sure the meeting is over by now.... how'd it go?

also... look on the bright side... you have dallastown on the 3rd. :)

The meeting went well. The players and my coaches got the message loud and clear. I just told them, we are either a team, or 22 individuals with lacrosse sticks. True. Dtown is struggling this year. I went down to watch the U-15 slap them around. :laugh:

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dchogs

dchogs

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The meeting went well. The players and my coaches got the message loud and clear. I just told them, we are either a team, or 22 individuals with lacrosse sticks. True. Dtown is struggling this year. I went down to watch the U-15 slap them around. :laugh:

dallastown always seemed to do better in the country club sports. we had good CC, tennis, and swimming teams when i was there. wrestling was also good, but that isn't a country club sport. i honestly don't remember dtown football EVER being even mediocre. the sad thing was the swim team (my sport) played the football team in flag football and crushed them. it was pretty funny.

glad to hear the meeting went well. immediate action in these situations is vital. i'm constantly dismayed at the lack of sportsmanship that i see at sporting events. i feel like an old fashioned prude when i chastize my student for cheering against the other team instead of for our team.

now, granted, i cheer against the other teams when the skins are involved, but pro sports are a different animal than HS sports.

hopefully the boys respond with a kick ass practice and game the next couple days. good luck (but not on the 3rd)

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PCS

PCS

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I don't know what to say really.

Three minutes

to the biggest battle of our professional lives

all comes down to today.

Either

we heal

as a team

or we are going to crumble.

Inch by inch

play by play

till we're finished.

We are in hell right now, gentlemen

believe me

.......and we can stay here................and ..................

*

Sorry. Got caught in the moment.

;)

Good speech Bill. Don't change a thing.

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