By Jim Anderson

What do you get if you blend a gorgeous sunny day, 25 lacrosse coaches, 25 youth players, and a parade of classic wooden yachts passing by?  Answer:  One of the most effective Washington coaches� clinics in recent memory. 

On Sunday, February 12, the BYLA, led by Stanwood�s Allen Scott, put on a youth boys coaches� clinic at SPU.  A wide variety of coach skill levels were represented, including veteran high school and college coaches Jack Visco, John Bauman, and Dijon Hush.  The large contingent of youth coaches represented Vashon, Bainbridge, Bellevue, Eastside, Mercer Island, Stanwood, and Snohomish.  Most importantly, a great group of young and eager players also sacrificed valuable weekend study time. 

The format of the day was to focus on sharing drills and instruction methods in a real life with- players setting.  First up we went through plyometric warm ups, with Dijon adding some of the special drills used at the U.  Everyone needs to have their players doing monkey kings. 

Jack did an excellent job of demonstrating various age level appropriate ground ball drills, including �butt wars�.  John showed a unique ability to reach kids by giving names to drills that are interesting and fun.  All day long the players responded very well to the positive �tank filling� approach demonstrated by the coaches.   

The only disappointment of the day was the relative lack of SPU co-eds running around the jogging track. The level 1 coaches� clinic held earlier in January had much better scenery.  I guess this helped the coaches stay focused on the task at hand. 

Most all of the coaches agreed that hands on clinics like this, where they can watch the more experienced coaches work with actual players, are very valuable.  Sometimes X�s and O�s moving around on a clipboard or handout loses a bit in translation.  Having the chance to see coaches work with players brings the drills to life.

As an educator and a coach, my test for clinics like these is whether I have learned anything that I can apply immediately.  Yesterday Ben and I left a bit early to go practice with the Eastside 5/6 team, we had our guys do monkey kings in the warm up and then later did John�s �Find a Keeper� drill. (I had earlier purchased a sack of the soft pink rubber practice balls from Breakaway).  My guys had a blast, and I found a pile of potential keepers.  I filled a page of notebook paper with drills and ideas that will have a great impact on my ability to teach the game. 

This day was time very well spent.  Thanks to the BYLA, Jack, Dijon, and John, the youth players, and especially to Allen Scott.  I hope that this is the first of many such clinics.