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totLax - U7 Plan 1 - Lion Safari
Equipment Needed: 3x3 Nets, Helmets & Gloves, Sticks, Lacrosse Balls, Soft Balls, 2 Ball Bags/Buckets, Pinnies, Portable Speaker, Duct Tape, Name Tags, Pylons, Whistle, Wooden Talking Stick, (Optional = Animal Costumes)
Talking Stick: Please consider the 24" Mini Wood Lacrosse Stick
*Note - 3x3 Nets Are Recommended - Goalies Are Not Recommended
Recommended Video (for kids to watch prior to practice): "The Great Ball Game"
Recommended Book (for kids to read prior to practice): "Akhwatsirehkó:wa – My Big Family"
See: Apple Music Playlist for associated audio clips
**DJ - remember to run an audio test for speaker settings and how far away from the speaker you can be on bluetooth
Reminders:
- Coach Roles: 2 Drill Leaders (Alternating Each Drill), 2 Drill Helpers (Organizing The Kids), 1 DJ (Controlling Audio), 1+ Designated "Kid Managers" For Any Difficult Kids
- Words of Wisdom: Re-direct - change activities, talk to them, don’t say no, exercise patience, don’t talk too much, the less instructions the better
- 1 Coach Whistle = everyone stop what they are doing
- 2 Coach Whistles = run in and have a seat (coaches take a knee)
- Consider: Inviting all or some of the parents onto the floor to help out, especially if their kid needs extra attention. Also consider making it mandatory for at least one parent to be present
- Divide: Split players in half (ahead of time) using different coloured Pinnies for the Animals Team and the Birds Team
- 4 phases of a movement: preparation (1), force production (2), critical instant (3), follow through (4)
- Loose Ball Skills Analysis Link
- Cradling Skills Analysis Link
- Shooting Skills Analysis Link
- Static Stretching Link
5 Senses:
- Touch - Wooden Lacrosse Stick, India Rubber Balls, Hand Drum
- Taste - Beef Jerky, Butternut Squash Soup
- Smell - Have Someone Bring Their Dog To Practice
- Sight - Animal Costumes and/or Cardboard Cut-Outs
- Hearing - See Drill Audio Clips For Each Drill
TOTAL ESTIMATED TIME:
60
MINS
Huddle
DRILL #MINS- Intro (2 min): Students walk onto the field/floor/gym with "Circle of Life" audio clip playing in the background
- Everyone sits in the "Listening Circle" at centre floor - music slowly fades out. Utilize the "talking stick."
1st Half of the Story (2 min):
- All of the animals of the safari decided they were going play a game of lacrosse. Today they are out training for the game on the African Safari.
- Go around the circle and allow for discussion on attributes of animals that would be beneficial for lacrosse.
- Big Animals Team: Lion (strength), Zebra (speed & agility), Elephants/Rhinos/Hippos (defense), Giraffes (sight)
- Small Animals Team: Cheetah (speed), Gazelle & Monkeys (agility), Wild Dogs & Hyenas (teamwork), Warthog (surprise), Wildebeest (strength)
- 2nd half of this story is found in Drill #13 notesDefense Drill #1: Athletic Position (“Balance” & “Footwork”)
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Protect Your Nest"
Playlist: "Owl Hooting" audio clips (2x consecutively)
Variation #3: "Follow The Stick"
- Demo (30 sec): "Holding The Stick - Lefty vs. Righty," “Athletic Position,” Sticks Up, Footwork
- Have players stand (with nobody else within arm’s length) in one or both ends of the floor, with coaches instructing them to follow their stick (forward, back-pedal, side-shuffle, down & roll - then up) on the coaches whistle (two whistles signals the end).
- Players should maintain the athletic position throughout the drill, having a wide stance for "side-shuffling and a deep knee bend ("getting low") when "back-pedaling."
- Informally correct the posture of any noticeably bad athletic positions among the group.
- Have players sprint to the opposite end of the floor and repeat the drill in the other end. Each sequence of movements should last around 30 seconds (giving players the feel for what an average shift would be like).
- Most common error = not bending knees and getting low/wide while maneuvering.Warm Up
DRILL #MINSPlaylist: "Forest, Day - Early Morning" audio clips (3)
- Dynamic Stretches ("Animal Movements”)
- Use the animal movements from the animals that the kids said would be beneficial for lacrosse
- Incorporate balance and agility (Fundamental Movement Skills):
Crawling, walking, running, galloping, hopping, jumping, crawling
Small Animals:
- Cheetah - Zig Zag Running
- Wild Dogs - Downward Dog to Upward Dog + Roll
- Wildebeest Eating - Use Arms to Act Like Cows Mouth (arm swings - horizontal + vertical)
- Monkey Hop - Jump + Stick Landing (Hula Hoops?) & Deep Squat Jump
Big Animals:
- Zebra Galloping - Footwork (Wide Walking Base)
- Hippo Crawl
- Giraffe Looking - neck movements: side-to-side, rolling in front, alternating "ear to shoulder"Cradling Drill #1A: Stationary Cradling
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Protect Your Babies"
Playlist: "Dog Growling" & "Dogs - Bloodhound Pack" audio clips
Variation #1 (1 min): "Stationary Cradling"
*top diagram*
- Demo (30 sec): "Cradling," "Ball Protection"
- Have players stand (with nobody else within arm’s length) as a group, holding the stick on whatever side of their body feels most comfortable, with a ball in their stick.
- From a stationary position, have players practice the two-handed cradling technique, as described in the Cradling Skills Analysis.
- Build up to walking around while cradling, emphasizing the coordination of timing your stride with your cradle.
- Most common error = bottom hand cradling
Variation #2 (1 min): "Partner Ball Protection"
- Animals vs. Birds
- Have players partner up (1 ball between the two), with one player trying to get the ball off of the other player, who is stationary and trying to use their body/stick position to "protect the ball."
- Only light slashes on the head of the stick are permitted.
- Players should alternate roles after 30 seconds.
- Most common error = bottom hand cradlingGames Drill #2: 52 Pick Up
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Gathering Food" (Big Animals Vs. Small Animals)
Playlist: "Pig" (2) & "Wild Dog" audio clips consecutively
- Explain that all animals and birds need to get their food to survive - either with claws, mouth or paws.
Variation #2A: "Team Competition"
- Demo (30 sec): "Trap & Scoop" Loose Ball Technique - players get 30 seconds to practice
- All players start behind the restraining line, with two coaches having a combined 40-52 balls in their ball buckets/ball bags or nets.
- Small Animals team and Big Animals team stand close to their associated coach, with coaches throwing all of the balls into one end of the floor and on the whistle the two teams compete to scoop more loose balls than the other team. PLAYERS ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO SCOOP ONE BALL AT A TIME.
- "Okay animals we need to bring food back to our babies" - throw entire bucket of balls across the entire floor,
- Kids go around and scoop up one "piece of food" at a time and bring back to their "nest" or "den" (ball bucket).Cradling Drill #3A: Cradling/Dodging Around Pylons
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Evade The Predators"
Playlist: "Running On Road" & "Running" audio clip (6x)
Variation #1: "Speed & Agility Build Up"
- Discuss: The "Crease"
- Arrange pylons into any straight, zig-zag or combined formation, within an imaginary lengthwise half of the floor.
- Have players line up behind the goal-line, in opposite corners, in opposite ends, to start.
- Starting at walking speed, emphasize the coordination of walking and cradling. Work up to 50 percent speed, having players weave through the pylons, being sure to protect the ball.
- Increase to 75-90 percent speed the next few times through the pylons, once satisfactory technique is established.
- The next player doesn’t go until the first player is around the nearest restraining line.
- At the end of the drill players take a shot on the net (staying outside of the crease).Games Drill #3A: Cradling Relay Races (East-West)
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Escape The Predators"
Playlist: "Cattle Stampede" audio clip (3x)
Variation #1B (2 min): "Relay Race With A Ball"
*top diagram*
- Have players grouped into 2-4 lines depending on numbers (aim for 4-5 players per line if possible), with lines spread out evenly across the floor and operating side-to-side (east-west) in orientation. If any line has uneven numbers, the line(s) with less players will have to have somebody go twice in order to make things even.
- Place pylons on the ground to mark the start of each line, leaving enough space for there to be a straight line of players behind the pylon without being impeded by the side-boards.
- Place another pylon near the opposite side boards with enough room for players to circle around the pylon without running into the boards.
- At the sound of the whistle the first player in each line races around the pylon without a ball (Variation #1A), and later with a ball (Variation #1B).
- All players take their turn racing around the pylon, sitting down in line once complete. The first team sitting down wins the relay race.
- Players in line are not allowed to leave until the player ahead of them crosses the starting pylon and if they do coaches can force them to stop for the amount of time they gained in their head start.
- If any player drops their ball during the relay they must go and retrieve the ball and finish going around the pylon before returning to line. The first team with everyone sitting down wins the relay race.
Variation #2B (1 min): "Dodge The Predators"
*bottom diagram*
- Same as the above variation except running through multiple pylons in a straight line, with the last pylon closest to the side-boards allowing enough room for players to circle around without running into the boards.
- Players now weave through the pylons using a zig-zag pattern, while cradling a ball.
- Most common error = players not cradling tight to their body
- Water Break = 1 minWarm Up Drill #5: Semi-Circle Shooting
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Crow Hop Game"
Playlist: "Crow" (2) audio clips (3x consecutively)
- Feed the chicks - you need to get the food in their mouth!
Variation #2A (3 min): "All @ Once"
- Demo (30 sec): Set-Shooting
- Arrange players, in both ends of the floor, into an arc (semi-circle) formation; starting 5 metres back from the crease.
- Have all players shoot at the same time from the same distance, keeping track of the total number of goals scored; trying to get score more each time through.
- If more goals are scored, everyone moves further away; if less goals are scored, everyone takes a step forward.
- Continue until players score more goals than the round before, from as far as 10m away.
- Water Break = 1 minGames Drill #13: Tennis Ball Dodgeball
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Guard Your Nest" (Small Animals Vs. Big Animals)
Playlist: "Flock Of Seagulls + "Hyena Sounds" audio clips consecutively
Variation #2: "Lax Dodgeball"
- Start with all players in one zone, with the restraining line as a boundary. The coach also puts cones along the middle as a centre line, dividing the floor in half width-wise, leaving two teams with equal numbers on both sides of the line.
- Coaches leave multiple tennis balls along the centre-line and instruct all players to take their place, with one foot against the side-boards to start.
- After the whistle is blown, any player who gets hit by a tennis ball must sit down, but are still able to fish for loose balls and participate, but can only stand up if they, or their teammate, catches a ball in the air.
- This "lax dodgeball" game ends when all players on one side of the centre line are sitting down.
- Bounce shots are acceptable, but balls that bounce off of the side-boards and hit a player do not count.Games Drill #17: Loose Ball Numbers Game
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Steal Your Food Back" (Small Animals vs. Big Animals)
Playlist: "Wolf, Leopard, Bobcat, Herring, & Lions Roar" audio clips consecutively
Variation #1: "1 Vs. 1"
- Start in one or both ends of the floor, with 2 teams evenly spaced from one side of the boards to the other (facing away from the middle), one near the restraining line and one near the goal-line. Give all players a number, depending on how many players are on each team; players must remember their number.
- The coach rolls a loose ball into the middle of the zone and then yells out a number between one and however many players there are in each line (generally between 1-8). For example, if the number five was called the players with the number five in each line would turn around and run after (battle for) the loose ball.
- The player who picks up the ball can then go to the net for a shot, and the player who doesn't get the loose ball then tries to recover and play defense (5 seconds max).
- This drill can also be done with no shooting, just loose balls. It can also be done with, or without goalies.
- Water Break = 1 minGames Drill #19: Small-Sided Games (3 Vs. 3)
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Small Animals Vs. Big Animals" - First Goal Wins
- One side is small animals and the other is the big animals.
- "Choose your animal" - Ask all players which animal they want to play like today.
- Coaches try as hard as possible in net for at least 5 minutes.
Playlist: "Running In Forest" audio clip when someone is running with the ball, "Animal, Chimpanzee"" when the small animals have the ball and "Zoo" when the big animals have it.
Variation #1: "3 Vs. 3"
- Arrange two teams equally on both sides of the restraining line, in one or both ends of the floor depending on numbers; with players facing into the defensive/offensive zone.
- On one side of the restraining line is the “Big Animals” and on the opposite side is the "Small Animals."
- Move the nets against the side-boards, halfway between the goal-line and restraining line.
- The first 3 players in line on each team enter the drill, starting with a loose ball. Have players enter from the defensive side, closest to the goalie.
- Shift length should be timed intervals (2 minutes) or at the coaches discretion.
- If at any point during the games the ball is near the restraining line, coaches should "bat the ball" back into play, helping establish good "flow" in the drill.
- Before the game starts have the players point to what net they need to score on.Cardio Drill #1: Rabbit Run
DRILL #MINSStoryline: "Rabbit Run"- Animals need to be "in shape" to catch food and protect themselves
Playlist: "Headless Horseman" & "This Land" audio clips
Variation #1A: "Single Line" (No Balls) - Optional
- Start with the entire team in a line along the boards (1 metre away from each other). Players jog at the same speed around the outside of the box, with the player at the back of the line sprinting up to the front of the line (no balls).
- The only rule is no stepping in the crease (5 push ups every time it happens).
- Once this player reaches the front of the line, the next player at the back of the line begins their sprint to the front.
- Be sure to have the lines switch directions at the halfway point of the jog, predetermined prior to the team cardio session.Cool Down
DRILL #MINS- Circle at Centre-Floor
2nd Half of the Story (2 min):
- When the game commenced, the teams were evenly match until the smallest animal came into the game; the Warthog.
- Skilled in catching the other team by surprise, the Warthog ended up scoring the winning goal in the game and the small animals team went on to win the game 1-0.
- Moral of the story: No matter how big or small, what colour or creed, everyone has a particular talent, and those talents can make a difference in the final outcome of events…all talents that can be useful to the overall life cycle.
- Pass around the "talking stick" for kids to say what they liked most about lacrosse
- Start the fire with their sticks (Playlist = "Forest Fire" audio clip)
- Snacks: Beef Jerky, Butternut Squash Soup
- Homework: Cradle The Ball 5 Minutes Per Day
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