motivation

[brick15]

We have some kids on my team that have a major lack of motivation while running. They will get started then will not be motivated enough to push through the pain while running. What tips do you guys have to help those kids out to push harder. Because the more they run the better shape I would assume they would be in.

[sohotrightnow]

Tasers

[brick15]

I like that idea but I dont think the athletic department or the school would like it too much if they found out we were using tasers on our players. Otherwise I would be all for that idea.

[OAKS]

Punish the rest of the team. This will cause the guys who are working hard to respond and support/motivate/push those other guys. The pressure of trying not to let the rest of the team down can be powerful pressure and motivation when used correctly.

[Phantanimal]

Punish the rest of the team.

If they can't respond to that, maybe they should join another team.

Most of the time when team leaders/captains have to run because someone else is flaking out things change quickly.

[TheNino57]

Punish the rest of the team. This will cause the guys who are working hard to respond and support/motivate/push those other guys. The pressure of trying not to let the rest of the team down can be powerful pressure and motivation when used correctly.

Make the rest of the team do extra sprints or push-ups while the unmotivated watch on. They are not allowed to participate in said sprints or push-ups. Our coach has taken this one step farther- he makes the lazy player count out the rest of his teammates push-ups.

[Dulax31]

Make the kids who are slacking do down and backs while the rest of the team watches them, they will be so embarassed that they wont slack off again.

[DanGenck]

I'm assuming this is from a player/team leader perspective. If we're talking about a coaching perspective, my answer will be different.

Two points-

#1- Exercise is like smoking or over eating or drinking, etc. If someone does not want to do it on their own, then they won't do it. It's a choice someone has to make on their own, it cannot be forced.

#2- The best thing to do is lead by example. Make sure the Captains and team leaders are picked wisely and that they understand that they set the bar. No hooting and hollaring and all that, just simply have the Captains do the work. Those that want to be champions will rise to that level and those who do not want to do the work will falter.

[schelitzche]

This may be tough to do because it is the Fall and most likely won't work if those in question are leading the team but there is an easy solution. Take them out of the top lines. If they don't try, they don't play. Skills make a lacrosse player good but great lacrosse players need skills, dedication, leadership, and the will to make everyone around them great!

If they think they can cruise through the season on their talent alone with no respect for the team, then you don't need them on the team.

Hard to do if they are your seniors or captains but you need to do whats best for the team.

Jesse Schelitzche

[laxfan25]

This is one of the challenges with a program where numbers may be low, and you need bodies to fill out a roster, or where a coach doesn't have Bobby Knight powers over a team.
You can use either a carrot or a stick approach. Carrot? Do the work and get PT. Of course, if they're going to play regardless....
Stick? Withhold PT if they don't put in the effort. (Assuming you have enough bodies)

When I was in school (D1 varsity) the coach didn't like the effort one day, and said we were going to run to see who played the next game. It's effective when you have enough guys that want to play that you're not forced to almost beg guys to show up. I'm not certain what the numbers are like on the squad. There also has to be the self-awareness part on the players - if we don't get in shape Carnegie Mellon's going to run us into the ground, as will Grove City!

[Dave]

Make it competitive. Split the team into 2, 3, or 4 squads and disguise the running in competition.

[Sonny]

If someone does not want to do it on their own, then they won't do it. It's a choice someone has to make on their own, it cannot be forced.

I disagree completely.

Sometimes players need some outside motivation to spur positive action(s) or discourage negative action(s). To act as if these players operate in a vacuum and a coach is powerless to modify behavior is silly.

[Campbell]

captains are important in providing positive reinforcement. If it is a long run put your captains in the back to motivate any of the stragglers. When I was in high school we would run like a 3/4 mile loop around all the athletic fields after sprints every practice. Each day we were given a time we had to beat and the entire team had to make it or everyone ran it again until the time was met. This meant slow guys up front getting mentally and physically pushed throughout the run. This was good in two ways, one it made everyone run at a pace the coach set and two, it showed the slower guys what the pace of the run should be. Sometimes slower runners just don't realize what their limits are and unless pushed past them will never realize their potential. The negative reinforcement may be harsh at first, but if they are serious about being better players, they will see their endurance and their athletic ability improve and will soon forget about it. I think negative reinforcement should be minimal from players, and come mostly from the coaching staff if it is necessary. That way the team is working together to accomplish its goals, rather than blaming and screaming at each other.

[Stone(Cold)]

2 drills that I've seen work to push guys harder and farther:
(All Accredited to Scott Popelar of Air Academy and the Air Force Academy Coaching staff as well as playing at Ohio State back in the day.)

Screw Your Buddy:
-Line up the team at one corner of the field. Everybody gets a partner. At each whistle by the coach, each pair sprints off in different directions to the opposite corner of the field staying outside the lines of the whole field. One goes on the short side, then long; the other, long, then short. Whoever wins, stops and the loosing partners group gets new partners and goes again.
-Its a one on one battle. Guys will typically choose partners around their speed, so it really is a hard sprint.
-Do it two or three times a practice and those always loosing will get more in shape than those winning will have a tougher time, striving harder and harder.

Dead Sprints:
-Conditioning drill at the end of practice. Split the team up into Defense, Middies and Attack. One group going at a time, each group going a total of two times. Have, say, the attack line up on the midfield line and blow the whistle having all of them running toward one endline. Next time you blow the whistle, they turn around and keep sprinting. Suddenly the leader is the loser and guys have to run harder. Keep blowing the whistle sporadically and make them turn around each time. Time the sprints for 2:00 minutes total.
-Keep them guessing. Guys will slow down as they reach the endline, but if they do, trying to guess your whistle, wait till they run off the end. Give two or three quick whistles and they'll have to turn around twice or three times picking out who's in condition.

Coaching Strategy:
-The key in any drill, conditioning or game play, is to stress the point that no matter how tired and slow someone is running, they're not allowed to walk. They're still running. They could probably walk faster than they are currently running, but they're not allowed to. They have to keep that running motion. Don't let your players walk.
-As for the punish them thing, that's true, but do it differently than that. Don't make it seem like you're punishing them: make them punish each other. At the beginning of drills, have the two teams essentially "bet" on how much the losing team has to run. Then the competition begins. And practice is a LOT more fun rather than punishment.

Go with it. (Again, all is courtesy of Scott Popelar)

[SLUDoubleDeuce]

After reading Stone's post, any one else have any good conditioning drills that they like to use? I'm trying to spice up the off season workout and in practice drills. After awhile the Roman legion gets kinda boring.