January is littered with high end weekend lacrosse scrimmages as D1 teams prepare for real games in February. What can we learn? What are coaches trying to achieve?
What’s paramount for players?
- Develop a travel and pregame routine.
- Effort/Hustle.
- Execute schemes at game speed.
- Do the basics well. Play clean and fast.
- Be coachable.
- Encourage others.
- Operate as a team.
- Compete.
- Develop a halftime routine.
- Stay engaged and connected to the entire squad.
- Listen in huddles.
- Bring positive energy.
- Develop a post game routine.
How should fans watch a scrimmage?
- What’s the FOGO and goalie rotation?
- Who’s first in off the bench at attack and defense?
- How are the middies being rotated?
- How many SSSDM’s are playing and what’s the sub pattern?
- Who plays on EMO?
- What basic schemes are you seeing on offense and defense, plus riding and clearing?
- How is a team competing?
- Who can play?
- Who improved from the fall?
- Who are the leaders?
- Who can handle the conflict of competing against another jersey and isn’t just a practice hero?
- Who’s developing chemistry?
- Who handles their role well no matter when they go into the scrimmage?
- Who’s the eye catcher?
- Who needs a redshirt?
January scrimmages provide a dress rehearsal for road trips, however near or far.
They are an initial run-through for pregame and halftime timing sheets, and team warm ups. Scrimmages build routine for game days. That starts with travel, meals and the pre-game locker room. When do players visit the training room for therapy or tape? How do we go through the warmup?
Teams generally don’t scout much to find out who can read, react and execute.
Coaches game-day on field responsibilities should be clear. Who’s overseeing the box? Who’s counseling shorties after a shift? Who’s got the FOGO’s or the EMO? The game-day operations staff should be activated for scrimmages. A scrimmage will set the tone for sideline demeanor.
It ain’t fun being a fan in January.
Dress for the cold. Maintaining warm hands, feet and head are critical for survival. Find the sunny side of the stadium for the fifth quarter.
Scrimmages are can’t lose scenarios for coaches. If you play well, that’s great. If you don’t play well you can get after the team the next week in practice.
Operate under the assumption that the event is being scouted, however illegal that may be. Changing jersey numbers has become standard practice, but it’s not in alignment with NIL and promotion of the sport and its athletes.
Don’t focus on the score. Instead pay attention to how your team played. A tough scrimmage can foster growth and reveal weaknesses. Teams benefit from being tested by strong scrimmage competition.
Don’t overreact to scrimmage scores.