Most youth PAL clubs don't value the attack position and hide kids there. They let the middies go coast to coast. So ridiculous.
The technical term we use is "bury them on attack". It is a viable strategy with the little ones until their skills catch up. And they might even get a goal from a GB even if they can't catch or pass. It does happen.
It's a cop-out strategy for coaches who lack the patience to work with young children. They'll never learn to play the position if they're not thrown the ball.
No. The cop out is lazy parents who think practice is paid baby sitting and drop and go while their kid continues to flounder. Maybe the lazy parent could hang around and learn something then take little Johnny home and have a catch. Many kids 2nd grade and younger can't catch, they're young and they may not have developed the coordination for it. If a kid can't catch and throw somewhat reliably by 3rd-4th it is the parents fault for either a) not recognizing the kid doesn't want to play lacrosse or b) not helping their kid by spending some time with them.
No child is going to throw any other kid the ball if they don't think the kid can catch it. Complain all you want, change the rules to require passes, whatever. They won't do it and no coach can make them. The kids know and so does your son.
If Johnny can't catch, he's 8-9 years old and he's been involved in the sport for more than a season, IT'S YOUR FAULT parents. You never played lacrosse? No problem - get a baseball mitt and have a catch with that. Can't do that either? Wall ball works wonders. Coaches have you kid for maybe 3 hours a week max. What are you doing with the other 165 hours you have him? Or did he just move from the lacrosse babysitter to the Xbox babysitter?
I disagree. Kids develop at different stages. By shutting out a kid until he's in 5th grade is not the right strategy. Single parents with multiple kids or multiple jobs shouldn't sign their kids up for sports?? Youth sports. Town sports. Sorry Chief, your theory might apply to travel, but not youth. I've seen coaches as young as second grade make kids pass before they shoot. You know what happens? The team gets better. That's a fact. Sacrifice wins in second grade for a better functioning team in 4th or 5th. That's what a quality youth coach does.
I never said kids don't develop at different stages, thats why I said 8-9 years old. I don't expect most kids who's never picked up a stick to pass and throw. It takes time and practice. One exception, Ive seen kids who play baseball pick it up super fast but they've already got some experience with the mechanics.
Your theory is bunk. I never know the score at a PAL game. If I wanted to know it, I just ask the kids (they always know by the way). I don't care, the purpose of PAL is to teach kids a game, have fun and hopefully kindle a love for the sport. A kid who can't catch isn't going to have fun. Period. And if they're not having fun they're not going to enjoy the sport. On top of that the kids who can catch will resent him which isn't a great environment for a kid. Like I said originally, it's no secret who can catch and throw. Every kid know it.
So if little Johnny's parent(s) helped him learn to catch and throw, coaches can spend their time teaching stuff like clears. Then we can pass the ball 4 or 5 times before going to goal. Because it is the right way to play, not some nit wit stupid rule about passing because no one throws the ball to little Johnny. You teach them to pass because thats how the game works. Because you can't outrun a thrown ball. Because thats lacrosse.
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