Quick Tips for a Volunteer Coach

October 20, 2013

There are many ways a coach can be effective in directing and controlling their camp. Running a camp or practice with 20 plus young student-athletes who have their own ideas on how lacrosse is played and have their own agendas on how they themselves will play can easily take even the most skilled coaches camp from running smoothly to a stand still in seconds. Here are some quick tips I have learned from running a few BRIDGE camps that should help keep your camps running smoothly.

Tip 1: AIR HORN/WHISTLE

The volume and controlled chaos it can create may be just what you need to bring you camp/practice back together. An air horn or whistle causes all the student-athletes who are off doing their own thing or not really focusing on the drills or games at hand to be distracted by a very loud noise, they will try to figure out where the noise came from and that opportunity can be used perfectly to regain control and bring the student-athletes back together.

Tip 2: Pre-Planning is Key

Walking into a camp with a game plan and a structure that can be implemented immediately is great because it shows your volunteers you know what you’re doing and will also speed up the process of setting up and getting the players to their drills faster and in more control.

Tip 3: Let Volunteers Modify the Drills

Letting volunteers have some creative control on your drills can lead to drills that are more fun and sometimes even more educational for the student-athletes. Some of the volunteers I have worked with play for some of the best high school and club teams not only in Texas but in the country. Combined, they have thousands of times more lacrosse knowledge than I do and all of them have their own technique in teaching this knowledge. If given a little creative licensing they can take an average drill to something car interesting and enriching than the original drill. However, make sure that the focus of the drill stays on the original topic, don’t let a shooting drill get turned into a shooting/ground ball drill and then progress into a full game, keep an eye out and make sure the focus stays on what your idea is.

Tip 4: Demonstrate

Many of the student-athletes who come to the camps to learn to play lacrosse have never spent time studying or playing lacrosse and will have no clue what you are telling them to do in a drill if you just tell them using lacrosse vocab. The players really need a full visual demonstration on every aspect of the game by the coaches and volunteers to fully understand the game. These 4 tips should help your camp run smoother and allow the players who are there to learn the sport of lacrosse and begin their love of it get the most out of their time at the camps.

Former Intern and Current Leadership Board Member | Drew Carey

#team #together #family

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Summer Intern Recap - Lizbeth

September 3, 2013

My summer internship has come to an end now and I can say I could not have chosen a better place to be an intern at. Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to work with kids that were learning how to play lacrosse and also do some projects for BRIDGE. The main thing that I learned and really impacted me was the purpose of BRIDGE lacrosse and how it can truly impact the lives of some kids as it has done for me. I really enjoyed working the camps with kids who showed great energy towards the sport even though they had no idea what it was, it showed how lacrosse can be more than just a competitive sport. I have taken a great amount of experience and information from this internship. The projects I was doing for BRIDGE made me realize how studying or researching sports medicine and nutrition can be so much fun and now I’m sure of what type of career I want to have. I am glad I chose to spend my summer like this because I got to have fun playing lacrosse with kids and create projects that I can use in the future. I had a lot of fun this summer working with BRIDGE and David, who is a great boss! The opportunity to work with BRIDGE was amazing!

Lizbeth Alvarez | Summer 2013 Intern

#team #together #family

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Q & A with Interns

August 8, 2013

This week instead of talking about myself I sat down with fellow BRIDGE intern Lizbeth and got to know more about her experiences and future plans with lacrosse.

DREW | What was your first experience with lacrosse?

LIZBETH | My first experience with lacrosse was when my sister began playing in high school and I would pick up a stick and try to play with her at home.

DREW | When did you start playing for a team and which team was it?

LIZBETH | The first team I played with was Rangel middle school when I was in the seventh grade.

DREW | What was your most memorable game and why?

LIZBETH | My most memorable game is the first game I ever played. I was terrified and worried that losing the game would be my fault because I was playing goalie. I loved that game because I had a lot of support from coaches and some of the high school players. I will never forget my first game.

DREW | How has BRIDGE Lacrosse helped you become a better lacrosse player?

LIZBETH | Bridge shows me the importance of growing as a person as well as a player. The coaches are really helpful and the camps I have been able to attend because of BRIDGE are a great help and so much fun.

DREW | What is your favorite college team to watch?

LIZBETH | I don’t really have a favorite college team to watch; whatever game is on TV I will watch.

DREW | Do you plan on continuing to play lacrosse through out your life or will you stop after high school?

LIZBETH | Yes, I would love to continue to play after high school and I want to keep helping lacrosse expand into several different communities. I would love to coach sometime or anything to help new kids become better.

Now Lizbeth interviewed Drew for a change.

LIZBETH | If you could play any other position on the field, what would it be and why?

DREW | Though out the years I have constantly been switching from defense to LSM to short stick middie and then back to close defense. Usually all these position changes happen through out the year varying game to game so I get plenty of play time where I want. I would never want to play goalie because 80+ mph shots coming towards me is not my idea of fun.

LIZBETH | Describe an embarrassing/bad moment you have had in a game?

DREW | The most embarrassing moment I have ever had in a game was when I was on a fast break and had already beat the first two defenders so it was just me, my attack and the goalie. A goal was nearly guaranteed at this point was it not for both my shoes coming of withing about 10 yards of each other. the ref blew the whistle and I got a "playing without equipment" call. Now before some games my teammates or my dad will joke with me and make sure my shoes are tied.

LIZBETH | If you were not playing lacrosse, what sport would you be playing?

DREW | I have played basketball most of my life up until sophomore year when I went full time with lacrosse, so if I had to give up lax I would probably go back to basketball.

LIZBETH | If you could change or add anything new to lacrosse what would it be?

DREW | I would change all the recent rules that where added regarding the stringing of sticks. The U shooting string was made illegal last year and now shooting strings can not be lower than 4 inches from the top of the head of the stick. This causes a loss of hold in the stick making fakes and certain tricks harder or impossible. Nothing was gained by these changes and the only thing happened was a loss of creativity and fun that is a massive part of the game of lacrosse.

LIZBETH | What athlete do you wish you could trade places with?

DREW | He is not a lacrosse player but as a former swimmer I would with out a second thought trade places with Michael Phelps

LIZBETH | What is your favorite part about being an intern at BRIDGE?

I've been friends with David Higbee (director of BRIDGE) as well as many of the volunteers for a very long time. This allows my job to be extremely fun 100% of the time.

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Voice of Hope Lacrosse Camp

July 31, 2013

This week I had the opportunity to work with boys and girls from Voice of Hope. Seeing the way the kids picked up the game so fast and how much they enjoyed us being there to teach them a new sport that they usually would not be able to see, is always fun to see. Being around kids who are picking up a lacrosse stick for the very first time and are trying to learn the sport is a nice reward for the volunteers. We were able to hand out a couple of sticks to the boys and girls at the camp. Hopefully having a stick at home will help them become encouraged to play more and also help spread lacrosse to their friends and family. I love volunteering at camps like this because for one week I am a part of bringing kids something new and fun that they will not forget. Having camps like this can really impact the lives of some kids, which would be my favorite part about volunteering at camps. I enjoyed this week and hope to do it again soon.

- Lizbeth | Summer Intern

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BRIDGE Goes to Kilimanjaro

July 16, 2013

Recently I had the opportunity to take some time off from BRIDGE Lacrosse to go with my dad and some of our friends to climb the one of the worlds tallest mountains, Kilimanjaro. David let me take two weeks off to travel to Tanzania to climb. The climb was probably the hardest, yet most fun thing I have ever done for many reasons.

First off before climbing I got the great opportunity to go on safari at Ngorongoro Crater which is the crater left over by a volcano which erupted thousands of years ago and left a 300 square km area that has almost every type of biome. This allows almost every African animal to live inside this crater and be seen, accept giraffes due to the steep crater walls that their legs cant handle. If you spun around you could see a swamp with hippos on one side, a savannah with lions and wildebeests, and a small forest with elephants. I had never seen a place like this and this was an amazing start to my trip.

After the safari at the crater we then headed to Moshi, Tanzania to meet with our climbing group, which consists of family friends from South Africa, and then head to the mountain. Our climb took 6 days and followed the Marangu Route and concluded with a 31 hour climb to the summit at over 19,000 feet. The summit climb was probably the hardest thing I have ever done because the temperature was -7 degrees Fahrenheit and the altitude was over 18,000 feet higher than Dallas is at which has massive effects on the human body. Altitude sickness did not effect me as badly as some others in our group but it did take its toll. We all made it to the edge of the Kilimanjaro crater which is called Gilmans Point but one of the guys in group had to turn back due to altitude sickness and was the only one not to make it to the tallest point in Africa, Uhuru Peak.

Climbing Kilimanjaro was by far the most amazing opportunity I have ever had and I thank David for giving me the time off from work to take climb. I learned so much about myself on the journey and got to see how I far I could actually push myself. I plan on returning sometime in the future with some friends and family.

BRIDGE Intern, Drew Carey, headed to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro with his BRIDGE t-shirt in hand.

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Circle of Support Girls Recap

July 16, 2013

This week I was able to be a part in sharing lacrosse to over 50 girls at the Circle of Support camp. I had the task of running the camp and thanks to several volunteers I was able to do that successfully. The camp was a little challenging because plans can always change. Certain factors like the number of volunteers or number of girls we had each day always changed so having several back up plans was important. It was key that I was prepared to handle any situation that could happen and be prepared to prevent any situation. I learned that it is not easy running a camp because there are several factors that must be taken into consideration before and throughout the camp. It may have taken some work to plan the week but it was worth it once I saw all of the girls who enjoyed playing lacrosse and found an interest in the game.

Throughout the week, I saw more girls become interested in the game and wanted to do more. There is only a certain amount of lacrosse you can learn in one week but I was glad to see many of the girls catch on quick. At the beginning of the week, camp was mainly focused on the basics of lacrosse and the last day the girls were able to play a mini-scrimmage. It was great seeing how much the girls were able to learn in only four days. I hope this week impacted several girls and showed them a new sport that can have a great change in their lives.

- Lizbeth Alvarez | BRIDGE Summer Intern

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Offseason Tips

July 8, 2013

Staying in shape and maintaining your lacrosse skills can be somewhat hard during the summer. Even if you aren’t playing in a summer league or going to camp, there are several ways to practice by yourself or with a friend. An hour a day can make a lot of difference in your performance during the season.

Wall Ball: By simply throwing a ball against a wall can help you improve your ability to catch and throw accurately. Start by doing plenty repetitions on each hand and even try your non-dominant hand to make you become a diverse player.

Running: It may be hot during the summer but taking the time to run some laps will help keep your endurance up. If you continue to run during the summer, you become faster during the season, which is key in games.

Teammates: Finding teammates who are willing to play a mini game or even just to pass can be helpful. Encourage each other to meet higher goals and help each other achieve those goals during the summer.

Trying new things: Summer is the perfect time to try new things on the field. You aren’t playing a game so why not go ahead and try a new trick; you may even be able to use it on the field when the season starts.

Basics: The basics of lacrosse are fundamental. Even if you have been playing for a few years, going back and perfecting your form can be very helpful.

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Q&A with Coach Kim

June 28, 2013

Being a coach for BRIDGE is a special opportunity to connect and be a part of the lives of some very amazing kids. We wanted to know more about each of our coaches and what motivates them to coach and be a part of BRIDGE. Our intern, Lizbeth, did a quick Q&A with one of our coaches.

What made you want to coach for Irma?

“The fact that I played for Irma, and after everything BRIDGE does for the players I wanted to give back to them as well.”

Describe the experience you had with coaching this season.

“It was pretty fun coaching the girls. I noticed how most of them showed interested in learning what was being taught.”

How did your experience of playing high school lacrosse help you in coaching?

“I know the rules and I know what makes a good lacrosse player. I know that you have to be conditioned and you have to be well rounded. I was able to know the mindset of a lacrosse player which helps well on the field.”

What was your favorite part about coaching?

“My favorite part about coaching lacrosse is knowing that I’m expanding the knowledge of lacrosse. I love how girls have never played before and I get to help them become the lacrosse player they want to be.”

Why lacrosse?

“I wanted to do something different, something that was not common to people.”

What is one thing lacrosse really needs?

“Lacrosse needs more publicity in the non-traditional lacrosse communities. For example, I live in Balch Springs and no one in the city or neighboring cities know what lacrosse is.”

Do you miss playing lacrosse?

“Sometimes yes, when I see the girls play I want to get back on the field and play. It’s kind of sad that my university does not have a lacrosse team, which ties back to bringing the sport to non-traditional lacrosse communities.”

What is the most difficult part of coaching?

“Keeping the girls with a positive attitude when they lose a game and making sure they support one other instead of putting each other down.”

What is your favorite drill to run?

“The star drill. It is my favorite because the girls are able to pass and catch while running instead of standing in one spot. They are able to quickly look at where there pass is and continue on.”

What is your favorite position to play on the field and why?

“Center, because for this position you need to be both a good defender and offensive player. You have to be able to think quickly and make smart decisions on the field and I enjoy having that challenge.”

What is your favorite position to play on the field and why?

“Center, because for this position you need to be both a good defender and offensive player. You have to be able to think quickly and make smart decisions on the field and I enjoy having that challenge.”

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Circle of Support Recap

June 24, 2013

The first three weeks of my internship have flown by so quickly. Whether helping David with the up coming or current camps like Circle of Support, or learning about my focus(marketing) and studying how we can get the BRIDGE program to more schools and communities. The ongoing Boys Circle of Support camp is going strongly with 12 high school volunteers bringing the game of lacrosse to over 50 kids every day this week. Each coach has brought valuable experience and encouragement to the kids who begin to love the game within minutes of picking up a stick for the fist time. It’s so exciting to see these camps start up and this is only the beginning!

- Drew Carey | Summer Intern 2013

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Being a Student-Athlete

June 13, 2013

At BRIDGE, we refer to all of our participants as student-athletes. Why? We believe that school and academics takes precedence over our own lacrosse programming. We want to emphasize that the student always comes first and the athlete second. However, we want each and every student-athlete to be active and engaged when they are playing or practicing lacrosse. Our intern and own student-athlete, Lizbeth Alvarez, has put together some tips and advice from her own experiences.

Tips on Balancing Lacrosse and School

Having support from family, friends, coaches, or teammates always helps. My family has always been supportive either by driving me where I need to be or being at my games cheering for me. It helps knowing I have people I can depend on to be there for me whenever I need any help. Friends help when I have trouble with school work or get behind, there’s nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it. For some students, balancing school work and an extra hobby or sport can be difficult. I have been able to do well in school and at the same time balance both lacrosse and band. I’ve had to learn how to balance some things on my own so here are a couple of tips that can help:

Planning time wisely helps a lot. Having homework to do on the same night as a practice or game may be stressing but if you plan do spread your work out between the days you don’t have games/practices can help with managing time better and can be less stressful for you.
Lacrosse is the sport that I fell in love with so I look forward to going to a game or practice. I know if I didn't have a passion for lacrosse I would make excuses to not go to practice and would not enjoy being there, but because I do have a passion for lacrosse I enjoy being at a practice or games and spending a good time with my teammates. Lacrosse keeps me motivated for staying on task and getting my school work done. If I don’t do well in school I know the consequences are no lacrosse.
Be organized. Knowing your schedule can help a lot with time management. Since I have to balance time between three things I found it very helpful to know dates and time to when I have important events. I may not be the most organized person but a little organization is very helpful
You must take responsibility for all of your actions. Being responsible is a big part if balancing school and lacrosse. I am growing up and I cannot depend on my parents to do everything for me or take the blame for me when I do something wrong. I am responsible for my decisions and should be ready for the consequences that follow if I do something wrong.

Lizbeth Alvarez | Summer Intern 2013 & Irma Rangel JV Goalie