Setting the Tone for Skills
Growing up watching all kinds of sports on TV helped foster a "love of the game" which was handed down from my parents (after all, they were in control of the remote.) Also in our house we came to appreciate athletic, fast-paced play with ball movement and skilled players who were sweating and breathing hard. We came to expect exceptional execution, teamwork, and mental toughness until the clock read 00:00, or the ump called the last out.
In our house if something was boring, ugly, slow, sloppy or someone was a 'whoos', you knew about it! Three brothers later...playing at pace was the name of the game, plus toughness had to become your middle name, because you were gonna get bounced around and at the very least duped or bamboozled. Emulating the skills of an older brother, playing by all his backyard rules, running all his button-hooks, and keeping up with all of his dimes, highlight plays and creativity in Wall Ball were PRICELESS. Also PRICELESS...reading the body language of an antsy father who couldn't stand constantly dropped balls, sloppy and slow play, lack of hustle...But loved rallies between rivals finished off by a sick cross court backhand, skilled sharp shooters, great jumpers, athletic ball handlers, teams who made the one-more pass (think Warriors), precision passing and leaping ability (think Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swan/Joe Montana to Jerry Rice), longevity, work ethic, long range, and a rocket for an arm (think Cal Ripken)....
POINT IS, when my dad came to games and had to sit through my teams' turnovers (and our competitors' sloppy play for that matter) not being able to catch and throw, or pass the ball down the field with any continuity - he got antsy and bored. He murmured and paced. Where were the rallies?...fast breaks, and motion offenses? When there was an occasional good play, "YEAH, way to go" or "there it is!" he echoed. So, I leaned real quick what people wanted to spend time watching. In lacrosse, they wanted to see basketball with a stick. They wanted some ice hockey, not net ball. And, I wanted him to love the games!
The value of having the skills to distribute the ball, beat the defense, score, handle pressure righty or lefty, and make plays were difference making things that translated very well from basketball to lacrosse. Fans always liked pretty skills, causing turnovers, hustling for ground balls, game IQ and speed. The biggest difference for me from all the court sports, baseball, and horseback riding was fitness. That was one aspect that fell squarely on me - there was no horse and no small court; the 100 yard field was a game changer for me, so like most who don't love the track, figuring out fitness and creative ways to work on endurance and speed were my key.
Now it's my turn to teach kids to play - and no doubt I have my dad's standards in the back of my mind, my brother's creativity, my mom's ability to handle chaos (6 kids) plus a few years of playing on a big stage. I'm ooking forward to bringing an emphasis on skills, reps and preparation. Let's break it down, and build it up. See you out there!
