The Baffled Parent's Guide to Coaching Boys Lacrosse
Authors: Greg Murrell & Jim Garland
Publication date: 2002
The Skinny:
As far as anthologies go (e.g. “Blank For Dummies”), The Baffled Parent’s Guide is an excellent handbook for beginners. The lacrosse iteration is a good one, albeit slightly outdated. As heavily focused on organizational skills as much as lacrosse skills, this is a good place to start for a novice coach (or baffled parent) to learn the fundamentals of individual skills and team concepts.
Drills:
There is actually quite a great deal of drills offered in the book, though they can be a little hard to envision. The graphics are slightly rudimentary with a lot going on in each drawing. Others have found better success adding steps and phases without it looking like a Jackson Pollock painting. But there is good diversity, drills that cover almost every aspect of the sport, and varying degrees of difficulty, making this a comprehensive collection of useful drills that will last you a season.
Usefulness:
If you’re looking to scratch the surface of lacrosse, it’s actually a very good resource with lots to get out of it on-and-off-the field. The Q&A sections offer pertinent information. The tips and best practices offer good advice.
Extras:
Supplementary information includes referee signals, an adequate glossary, sample scorebook sheets, a practice plan, and organizational strategies such as selecting an assistant coach and communicating with parents.
The Lacrosse Training Bible: The Complete Guide for Men and Women
Author: Vincent Perez-Mazzola
Publication date: 2007
The Skinny:
Targeted more to the player than the coach, this handbook is a comprehensive guide to player fitness and preparation. With a detailed training regimen, plenty of individual warm-up drills focused on flexibility, agility, and strength-training, and a solid collection of individual fundamental skills (scooping, throwing, shooting, dodging, defensive positioning, footwork), this book is recommended for players looking to stay physically and mentally prepared and the coaches wishing to support them.
Drills:
The book has nearly a hundred drills, each with its own page, photos, descriptions, and commentary. The drills are almost exclusively individual drills, most of which designed for warm-ups and conditioning. The strength-building section is meant for high school players and beyond, but most youth players will find most of the content practical. An innovative coach can incorporate a lot of these drills into team practices with creativity and commitment to well-being.
Usefulness:
The book has practicality, for sure, but perhaps not as all-encompassing as a coach would like for a full practice. The book should survive with a long shelf-life as the physical aspects are likely to remain relevant. There are decent charts and check-lists, reference tables and thoughtful templates to give player and coach alike a fine blueprint for getting the most out of the mind and body, especially on a lacrosse field.
Extras:
There’s a great section on nutrition that is worth reading. The book also tackles stick tricks, fake shots, specialty skills, and other cool stuff you aren’t likely to see in most books. The book also has interesting chapters on preseason balance, in-season maintenance, and post-season recovery.
The Contenders
28 The Scoop / Spring '17