Defense using Long Sticks in Youth Lacrosse?
A debate has been growing over the last couple of years and has come to a head in the last couple of weeks regarding the use of long sticks in 5th and 6th grade Lacrosse. One side of the argument suggests having the tool in a young player's hands will make them more likely to develop bad habits of slashing, etc. as well as prevent offensive players from becoming comfortable from a young age in an offense.
The other side would argue, long sticks don't make players develop bad habits, that is a coaches job. Additionally, outlawing long sticks will prevent a coach from teaching ALL the aspects of the game, and may hinder player development just the same. Finally, the question of "making" defensemen out of slower players, or teaching one position doesn't have anything to do with having long sticks. Every kid should play long stick over the course of the season.
What do you think? Should youth Lacrosse have long sticks in the game, or not?
let's stop dumbing the game down
The real question should be: Should the WA lax board be allowed to change the rules of the game. The use of long poles should be up to the individual programs and coaches. Not the board.
Lax Board Function
I think the WA LAX board is there to make local rule changes just like this if they think it makes sense.
In almost all other places the youth boards makes local additions or modifications to the rules for their own league. That is one of their jobs.
When I played..
My coach had me cut down the shaft so that the head came to just above my nose. This practice carried on until college were it was still cut down to my forehead, I am 5'11". That was the 80's. Sticks should be cut down to players height. If NFHS and BYLW are going to allow shorter sticks down to 36" then they should allow defense sticks to be cut down. BYLW should recognize this and act accordingly.
long sticks YES!
I don't see a real good reason not to use them. At that age it is about fun, and development, try and tell a kid who has played with a d stick and loves it that he no longer gets to because we as adults don't think he should use it until he is in 7th grade...are you kidding me, its about the kids and let them all, the whole team experience every position that they want the way it is played. meaning defense with a d stick. If it is a matter of they can't handle it well, then fine, cut it down a bit, but for the most part....let it be!
on the other hand, I do not coach 5/6 so i really do not know so you guys decide! LOL
let the kids play with them
let the kids play with them i say. sure, if you want to cut the shafts down, go right ahead. but it should be up to the player. i agree that longsticks dont develop bad habits, coaches do. and when i say that, i dont mean to say that coaches teach kids bad. its just they dont teach good enough or dont give enough 1 on 1 time.
Well my first issue with
Well my first issue with long sticks in the 5-6 game is the stick is usually 2 feet taller than my players. At this age i also believe that it may pigeon hole kids into a position for the rest of their careers and at this young of an age that is a bad thing. Cut down sticks can easily solve the hieght issue, but keeping players flexible for the next stage is more important. good body position defensive mentality and checking can all be taught with out the use of a long stick.
isn't that a Coaching issue, not an age issue?
your logic doesn't hold water. Shorter sticks mean that players can also be pidgeon-holed as attackmen, defensemen, or midfielders as well as goalies. long sticks don't define the position as you suggest, but the problem is, you are removing one of the actual pieces of the game, to "help" get the offense to work right. I don't see kids doing that in Maryland, Virginia, or New York, nor does any sport where younger players make contact like Hockey have application to that logic.
Checking has little to do with playing body position defense, but at the same time, there are several older long sticks, that cannot check well regardless of the stick they choose. As a coach, it is your job to teach ALL aspects of the game- Including fundamentals like taking a long stick outside, or pulling him to the crease. Finding match-ups is also a fundamental concept 5th and 6th grade kids need to learn, and you just hit the easy button. have three long poles per team, and move players through every position. Your "attackmen" should also be able to play defense. and yes, cut the sticks down, so kids don't trip over them, can throw with them, and do the things they should be doing like poke-checking dodging offensive players. Do the offensive players learn how to get their hands free or use passing lanes with no long sticks blocking them?
right on funk-o
Everyone is better off with a long pole in my book