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LEADERSHIP π EDUCATION π OPPORTUNITY π SAFETY Accomplishments


Launched Level 3 of its Coaching Education Program (CEP) — a new level geared towards more experienced and higher-level coaches.


Conducted more than 100 in-person instructional clinics as part of the US Lacrosse Coaching Education Program. Hit a peak of 6,206 coach members that became certifi ed in 2013.


US Lacrosse trained 4,139 offi cials with its new online courses and also had 7,767 offi cials complete online rules tests.


Held 32 national professional development events for all levels of men’s and women’s game offi cials, training 385 individuals.


Streamlined online offi ciating resources by implementing a partnership with ArbiterSports and the NFHS to push USL member and training information into ArbiterSports.


N


early two years after a brainstorming conversation at the US Lacrosse National Convention, the


US Lacrosse “How to Make Proper Contact” course is a reality in men’s lacrosse. “We launched it in October and we’ve had nearly 1,000 coaches complete the course,” said TJ Buchanan, US Lacrosse coaching education content manager and an assistant coach


at Gettysburg


College. “It’s been so well received that we’ve made it a requirement of the Level I


certifi cation process.”


Buchanan and former US Lacrosse coaching education content manager Chris Snyder, now director of coaching education for the U.S. Olympic Committee, were discussing the topic one year during the convention. They realized they didn’t really teach their kids how to make contact, they just expected them to know what to do. So, they set out to fi nd the right way to do it and began working on the course. They talked to people from all kinds of disciplines — from martial arts to gymnastics — to even learn the right way to fall. It was an eye-opening experience for Buchanan.


“It’s changed the way I coach my players,” said Buchanan. “We always said shooters don’t fi nish on their feet.” The implication being that a defenseman should contact the shooter before he has a chance to follow through. “I realized that’s probably not the right


thing to teach kids,” said Buchanan. “It’s changed my mind. We work on positioning better, contacting a shooter and disrupting him before he can even get a shot off.” One misconception that Buchanan has


heard is that US Lacrosse is opposed to contact and is trying to outlaw it. “US Lacrosse isn’t trying to take


contact out of the game,” he said. “US Lacrosse thinks contact is appropriate. We want people to do it right, do it at the right time and keep kids safe.” The course is free to all US Lacrosse members and has tracks specifi cally designed for coaches, players and parents. The course takes about an hour


to complete and goes over what’s appropriate at each age level based on the rules. It shows video of what’s legal and


what’s not legal along with the proper form that should be used. It also goes over the various areas of the fi eld and when contact is most likely to happen in those specifi c areas. To access the course, visit uslacrossecourses.org.


US Lacrosse isn’t trying to take contact out of the game. We want people to do it right, do it at the right time


and keep kids safe. –– TJ BUCHANAN


A Publication of US Lacrosse EDUCATION April 2014 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 71


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