Grow the Game®

grow the game
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on reddit
Share on whatsapp

How Do You Grow The Game?

How do you Grow the Game?

If you ask almost anyone in the lacrosse world how to grow our sport, they will probably have an answer for you. It might be a specific set of steps we could take (Eamon McAnaney has some concrete ideas for the college game, for example), or it might be a more targeted strategy in a specific geographic area from groups like CityLax in NYC, or MetroLacrosse in Boston, where the focus is on a defined subset of potential new players.

On a larger scale, you have national governing bodies like US Lacrosse or the Canadian Lacrosse Association, and their efforts to see the sport spread within their nation’s borders. Beyond that, the Federation of International Lacrosse exists, at least in part, to help spread the game internationally.

What brings this topic back to the fore of relevance today is that USL recently hosted an industry summit surrounding their new Lacrosse Athlete Development Model, and part of this summit brought industry leaders in retail and product manufacturing to talk about the best ways to “grow the game” on a larger level. Having read through the LADM in detail, I found a ton of useful info in there, and it’s definitely worth it to read the document through at least a couple times if you are a player, parent, coach, AD, program administrator, or just a fan of the game.

While I really do like the LADM, and many of the responses and ideas presented at the summit were positively aligned with the LADM, the overall lack of concrete or actionable answers supplied by the assembled manufacturing and retail group means one thing – much of our community is still struggling with how to practically Grow the Game of lacrosse, and what exactly that entails.

So how do we Grow the Game? Where do these sought-after answers come from?

Honestly, we’re making it way more complicated than it really needs to be. Since we here at LAS own the trademark for “Grow The Game” (mostly to protect it from promotional abuse and fund non-profit partners), and since people are asking the question, we thought it might be wise to explain what the phrase means. This is going to be tough to swallow, and you probably won’t like it, but I’ll say it anyway…

There is only ONE answer to the Grow the Game question, and it is a very simple one:

GROW THE GAME.

I know, I’m answering this question with the question itself, but Grow the Game has never really been a question up until now. I actually don’t see why the question even needs to be asked of how to GTG. “Grow the Game” is intended to be an inspirational statement of command and ownership… NOT a question, and that is a BIG difference… so please hear me out, and allow me to define what the phrase means.

Growing the Game starts, and ends, with YOU. I’m not talking about the royal “you”, like all of you, I’m literally talking about YOU, the person reading this right now.

Grow the Game is not a way to sell sticks to kids, or a fancy club program to parents. It’s about activity, not an action plan, and it is propelled by and for the people of this amazing sport in more ways than you could possibly count. It is everything, and it is nothing, at the same time. That may sound cheesy, but it’s true, and there is no way around this fact. Grow the Game is an amorphous action phrase, but certainly not a question.

What YOU do matters.

Who YOU influence or fund matters.

How and when YOU dedicate your time MATTERS, more than anything else.

If YOU (and I, and everyone else) do not put in the effort to make it happen, it won’t happen. No one will do it for you/us. It’s as simple as that. There are no magic beans or bullets. YOU need to get involved. YOU need to make lacrosse “sticky” with your friends, or your players, or even your own kids, and you need to show up consistently. We all needs to do this. It is what works in ALL THINGS, and not just lacrosse. It’s a simple fact of our existence we seemingly hate to face.

While stores can help augment growth, sustainable and consistent growth does not come from retailers. Long-term growth also doesn’t come from manufacturers, although they do benefit from it, and can help it along with lower pricing and improved products. It doesn’t stem from high end pay-to-play club lacrosse teams, or hyper selective camps, although those programs can surely each help individual groups of players improve and enjoy the game. One-off or “big-time” showcase events like the World Series of Youth Lacrosse are not the key either. It doesn’t come from more games being on TV, and it doesn’t come from games being played in specific locations, or at specific times of the year. Sustainable and consistent growth (which is what we are chasing) also doesn’t stem from pro lacrosse, or from college lacrosse.

Growth does not really emanate from ANY of the above places… in fact, ALL of the above really stems directly from GROWTH! Crazy, right? But also true.

Think about the causation here – manufacturers grow as their base of consumers increases. It’s not the other way around, and that’s just Econ 101. Do lacrosse stores pop up in areas where there is no lacrosse, or do they pop up where lacrosse is starting to boom? I think you know the answer to that one. Do expensive clubs improve the overall quality AND quantity in areas where there is not a lot of talent or numbers, or, for the most part, do they bring “the best” kids to travel to other places to find competition? Did more games on ESPN 2 years ago give lacrosse a huge numbers boost that I somehow missed? Has a well-attended Memorial Day Weekend or MLL Championship ever resulted in 25,000 kids starting to play the game the next year? Are more colleges adding lacrosse to grow the sport, or are they adding it because more students want to play? Did the MCLA form to create a new market, or did they form to meet a demand for college club lacrosse? Growth propels these things, and for the most part it’s not the other way around.

Now I want to be VERY clear that I am not knocking ANY of the above things, as they are what they are, and all serve a much-needed and mainly positive purpose within our great game. However I do NOT see any of them as true catalysts for consistent and sustainable Grow the Game efforts, because Grow the Game is really something else entirely.

I truly appreciate US Lacrosse’s efforts with their Lacrosse Athlete Development Model, and I sincerely applaud all the retailers and manufacturers for voicing their opinions at the industry summit, but I can’t help but think that many people at the summit may have missed the point here – Even with a GREAT plan for development, strategic partnerships out the wazoo, and a huge funding source, it won’t happen until we all actually DO it.

It’s time to get our hands dirty.

Right now, our community seems more interested in finding the “perfect” way to Grow the Game. We want to come up with a flawless, simple, integrated, and often uniform or scalable plan of action, which requires the smallest investment, for the largest return on investment. We want to create metrics for success, and then live up to, or surpass, those standards. We all want to be deemed successful by others, in our own ways. In order to get funding, a program has to be planned to perfection or have a big name, and if it wants to keep the funding, it has to answer to an emerging “investor class” of donor or sponsor. In order to get support, milestones must be reached and a consensus of thought agreed upon. A story needs to be crafted, a brand created, promotional videos need to be produced…

I’ll be as nice as I can when describing the above activity… it is all window dressing. At least when it comes to the actual growth part.

Real growth is MESSY, and it requires people on the ground.

It has always been like this, likely always will be, and the only way to ensure success is to put in the time and effort, and avoid spinning our wheels in place, or trying to perfect an imperfect process.

Flawless plans are only flawless until they are put into action. Scalable options and economies of scale acquire new complexities as soon as the reality of different geographies and communities comes into focus. Strict metrics quickly become hindrances and hurdles, and the push to beat last year’s “numbers” often comes at the expense of actual program quality. Winning or making things “official” takes over too quickly, and growth gets put on the back burner. Financial supporters become anxious about how quickly their all-important dollars are “working”, but often don’t help out in person, and just worry from the sidelines, causing even more hurdles. Storytelling and brand awareness take priority over action. Can this all work hand in hand? Sure it can, but too often it does not. At the end of the day, many of the things designed to help growth can end up hindering it.

So how is my answer of “just Grow the Game” any different?

Well, it’s completely different, and I’ll show you how using a very concrete example.

When I helped start a new high school team in Brownsville, Brooklyn, we did not have a concrete plan. We did not have funding sources. We had no home field, no league, and very few positive prospects. None of the kids had played lacrosse before coming to school, but there was interest in pursuing a team. So we decided to start a high school program, then we just did it, and we confronted obstacles as they arose. A teacher at the school, Mike Skrilow, and I jumped into the deep end immediately.

Our guiding focus was on three things, and THREE THINGS ONLY:

  1. Get at least 15-20 kids interested in, and playing, some form of lacrosse, and ensure it is a positive athletic environment.
  2. Use lacrosse to inspire the kids to be great in all aspects of life: school first, then family, sports, friends, etc. – invest in character!
  3. Believe that the most valuable thing you can give a child is your TIME.

That was it. Those were our “metrics” for Growing the Game in a place where many kids couldn’t afford the gear, and who were each the first kids in their families to ever play the sport of lacrosse. Everything was seemingly aligned against lacrosse, so instead of worrying about all the “NO” we would hear (and we would hear a LOT of “no”!), we just did it, and focused on the three things above, which we could actually control. We made lacrosse a great experience for the kids who played. That was the goal.

Early on, when grades weren’t good enough, we forfeited games, even if kids were still technically academically eligible to play. Kids were angry with us. We replaced practices with study halls, but we kept coming back. We didn’t ever set an expected team average GPA. We also didn’t single kids out for bad grades. But when grades weren’t looking great for some kids, the whole team missed games. There was no minimum to reach, we expected improvement, and eventually greatness, from every kid, up to their abilities. This was true on the field, in the classroom, and in their daily lives.

A typical “donor” of today would have hated this approach, because we couldn’t show them specific “goals” or “metrics” of gradual improvement. This slow simmer of change went on for years. Sometimes grades dipped down, sometimes they went up. Sometimes we forfeited games. Sometimes we played. Kids got in trouble. Kids worked their way out of trouble. It was MESSY and CONTINUOUS. When I started the team at my own suburban high school as a freshman back in 1995, it was also MESSY and CONTINUOUS. A different kind of messy, but messy nonetheless, and certainly a continuous effort was required.

In Brooklyn, eventually the kids’ grades ALL went up, stayed up, and our players not only graduated from high school, but also went on to college, where some are even playing NCAA lacrosse. Goal #2 was achieved fully here and it had NOTHING to do with fancy metrics, funding, or a detailed plan of action. This was the same approach we had used at my own high school 15 years earlier. It had EVERYTHING to do with spending time with kids and creating a positive atmosphere. John Lewis dedicated his time to us back in the late 90s and taught me what Grow the Game meant before it was even a slogan, so from 2010 to present, I have dedicated as much of my time as I can to another group of kids. It was the least I could do to honor my coach’s memory. Emotions still well up in me for the man who gave us so much. I bet they do for you and at least one of your past coaches as well.

When we couldn’t find a field, we practiced on concrete basketball courts. Teaching standard field play was almost impossible in such a tight space, so we went with a basketball/box style of play instead. It worked. Many of the kids knew basketball, and it translated quickly. When we didn’t have enough pads, we didn’t practice with pads. When we got 10 helmets, we shared them. When the rest of the pads came in, we made use of them! When the school couldn’t afford to buy us new goals, we fixed up old ones and made it work. When we couldn’t afford lacrosse uniforms, we used school shorts, and old torn up football practice jerseys.

When no public school would play our first year “club”, we took a 3 hour subway trip to the Bronx to play a private school who would. When our field didn’t get lined before our first varsity game, I literally ran to Home Depot, bought paint, and did it myself as both teams warmed up, then pleaded with the refs to accept my roughshod work, which they did, as well as our brutally beaten up goals. Thanks guys! When we didn’t have a bus to take us to a game, we took a subway, then a ferry, and then walked a couple miles. Our attitude was that we were DOING THIS, whatever it took. Never give up, never surrender, grow the game.

The kids bought into this attitude, and they took it with them to their studies, to their homes, and to their overall life experience. Self-confidence increased. Performance increased in every aspect of their lives. Their love and passion for lacrosse, and for their team, exploded into a positive revolution of change and progress that went well beyond the lacrosse field.

But it also exploded onto the lacrosse field. We went 13-0 in my last year coaching there, winning a city title in our first varsity season with a star player going on to Nazareth College to play lacrosse a year later. There are now 100 kids at the school playing lacrosse from 6-12th grade. Tim O’Meara has now jumped into the deep end and heads the program. He’s as dedicated and positive as anyone I’ve ever met. Other coaches have popped up out of the woodwork. Many have never played lacrosse. NONE of the above was EVER the goal. These results were the culmination of our three original points of focus. 10 kids or 100, the goals remained the same.

Grow the Game. It’s more command than question.

Quite simply, lives were changed through lacrosse. 4 of these young men I coached now play on my box lacrosse team each Winter. Many are off at school. All are better off for having played lacrosse. All these guys now give back to future generations. They know Grow the Game, and now they preach it to kids they know. None of it could have worked out better if it had been planned, but since we never had a plan holding us back we never stopped pushing. In fact, I think we accomplished more in 4 years without a plan than we would have if we had introduced a fully formulated plan from the beginning. The program is now flourishing under a new coaching staff, has expanded to girls as well, and is fully supported by the teachers, administration, CityLax, and the local public school league.

What is next? Grow the Game is ALWAYS next.

Now here is the kicker…

This can happen anywhere, even in your area, and all it takes is YOU. I know this is true by talking to people all over the world, and coaching lacrosse everywhere I go. Brian Witmer, Mark Donahue, and Ryan Conwell live this way and say the same things. So does my co-founder Jeff Brunelle. So do other lacrosse veterans I trust. This is the path. YOU are the path.

Here is what you need to get started:

  1. 10 sticks – old ones are fine, fix them up as best you can, but to start out any 10 sticks will work. Old donated sticks are perfect.
  2. 8-10 kids – can be boys, girls, co-ed, and can even be a mix of ages.
  3. a space to play (can be a backyard, park, gym, rec room, etc, and a small goal/trashcan/bucket/target
  4. yourself and your willingness to spend time learning, coaching, and creating a positive atmosphere for skill development and fun competition.
  5. a couple lacrosse/tennis/rubber balls.
  6. a method to pay for the program – keep costs as low as possible, pay people who coach as much as you can, don’t get caught up in what you don’t have, and make use of the resources you do have. Keep expectations for donors low, and ask people to donate time over money.

That’s it. You don’t really NEED anything else.

But what about pads???? Um, ok… What about pads? The women’s game doesn’t use pads. Natives didn’t use pads for 1000 years. I never wore any in my side yard games against my brother. Neither did Lyle Thompson. I’m not Lyle, but it worked for him! Change the rules a little bit for kids, eliminate stick checking, tighten up all the pockets, and let the kids play! Worst case is the kids learn how to play defense with their bodies and feet quickly, and there is a lot of passing and scoring early on. That is not a bad thing! Full checking right away is NOT required, so neither are pads. Focus on skills over physical play when starting out. Do NOT focus on doing things the “standard” way, whatever others may think of it. This is one area where US Lacrosse’s LADM could prove VERY useful.

I don’t know any drills for lacrosse! Neither do I! Some of the best “drills” I’ve seen set the kids up in a certain formation (3 on 3 from up top, 4 on 3 from the side, 1 on 1 from behind the goal, etc), then roll the ball out, and let the kids play. Focus on the skills – catching, throwing, scooping, cradling, shooting, defense, etc – each day, for 20 minutes, then let the kids play/scrimmage. Learn one thing per day as a coach, teach one thing per day. Take it slow, learn as you go. Go online, and use your knowledge from other sports. Stay positive! The US Lacrosse LADM also hits on a lot of these points.

But what about 10v10/12v12 playing full field? These kids are starting out right? Then who cares? Don’t get caught up with what someone else thinks lacrosse needs to be. At its purest, lacrosse is two teams of players trying to score goals under a set of agreed upon rules. So it can be 3 on 3 basketball style, it can be with hitting or not, it can be 7v7, 10v10, 12v12 or 20v23! Lacrosse is lacrosse on some level, especially for beginners, so focus on the stick skills and passing elements of the game early on, whatever the set up may be. It takes years to master that stuff, so make it the early focus and worry about “correct” game set up later. Your kid can play 7v7 until they are 13 years old and still make varsity. It’s ok, trust me. The LADM also provides guidance here.

But there are NO other programs near us!!! Ok, you have 10 kids, right? Well now you have two teams of 5, and the kids will play a shortened 4v4 or 5v5 style of half court lacrosse. A yellow team and a red team. Find 5 more kids, now you have a green team, and your own small league You get the picture. BUT THAT’S NOT REAL LACROSSE! See above answer, keep building your numbers, and you can get there. Make it fun, and kids will want to play no matter the set up. 5v5 lacrosse is better than NO LACROSSE, right? Right. Again, check the LADM for more info on how to do this.

We don’t have any refs! Totally fair…  so find some!!!! Maybe a dad or mom will do it, because they care about their kids. So ask the parents of your players! Find a local HS kid, offer to pay for his certification. Find a local college kid. Find an out of work veteran who wants to continue to serve at home. I bet they would LOVE to do it! Talk to a local football or basketball referee group. I reffed youth soccer when I was in high school. I’ve reffed lacrosse, sometimes even reffing a game where I should have been coaching. Keep it safe, keep it fun, and be honest. You too can ref, or find a ref. Just like coaching, you must make the effort. US Lacrosse also has resources in this vein of learning.

No one in my area knows how to coach!!!! This can NOT be true. Here’s why: The most important aspect of being a lacrosse coach at lower levels is being a good person. There are good people EVERYWHERE. I’ve been everywhere, so I know this to be true. If you go online, you can learn how to scoop, catch, throw, dodge, etc. Remember, YOU don’t have to be able to DO any of these things well. YOU need to be able to TEACH KIDS how to do them well. So pay attention to the instructional videos on YouTube. If you’ve coached basketball, football, soccer, hockey, etc, you can now coach lacrosse on a basic level. Want to get better? Attend a coaching clinic! Or bring in someone who will teach you more about the game! There are many, many resources out there. Find and use them. My father played football growing up, didn’t know jack about soccer, but wound up coaching 27 different teams in our town program over the years, reffed hundreds of games, and was the town club president for a decade. He did all that off of Coaching Soccer for Dummies. My dad is a renaissance man of sorts, but I do think the story shows that anyone can at least start a small youth program, with no prior experience in the sport.

My dad’s focus was getting kids to play, using soccer for fun and character building, and making sure that coaches knew how important spending time with kids and being a positive figure in their lives meant to them. Yes, these are the SAME three guiding principles I use today. It works. And, as you may have guessed, US Lacrosse has a TON of coaching resources available right now, and they are expanding this offering. Go online, check out what they have available, and get on it!

Kids in my area don’t want to play! Convince them! If Nick Fields’ mom can do it, so can you.

Grow the Game is something YOU do.

It’s something I do.

If we truly want the sport to grow, it’s something we all must do.

There is no magic bullet, no simple fix. US Lacrosse’s LADM provides a framework, but true growth takes time, effort, and a passion to pass down this amazing sport to the next generation IN PERSON. Focus on getting kids interested, staying positive, and giving kids the gift of your time. If you can pay your coaches, do so before spending money on anything else. The rest of it will fall into place when it’s ready. In the meantime, you’re playing lacrosse, having fun, and spending quality time with quality people, doing quality things.

THAT is how we Grow the Game.