Hey families,
The longer I coach, the more I realize that real development doesn’t come from just teaching drills or running plays. It comes from building confidence. But here’s the hard truth: building confidence is messy. It takes time. And it’s deeply personal.
Confidence doesn’t just come from goals, wins, or highlight reels. It stems from consistent effort, attitude, and self-respect across all areas of life.
Matt Oglesby was one of my mentors. a former pro in both box and field, and a Duke alum under Coach Mike Pressler. He used to say one thing that stuck with me:
"RAE All Day."
RAE = Respect, Attitude, Effort.
That’s a motto I choose to model my life around.
Transformational Coaching > Transactional Coaching
I’m not just here to teach lacrosse. I’m here to help athletes grow into confident, purpose-driven young people. What separates me is that I care deeply—about how they speak to themselves, how they lead, how they show up every day.
I want them to state their goals out loud.
I want them to take ownership of their growth.
I want them to become someone through this game.
Want More Buy-In From Your Athlete? Start With This:
If you’re frustrated your athlete isn’t training harder or taking it more seriously, try this first:
Help them find their "Why."
Ask them:
Why do you play?
What do you want out of this?
Who do you want to become through this sport?
When do you want to accomplish this by?
How do you set realistic milestones to achieve this/these goals?
When a kid knows why they’re doing something, they start to own it. And ownership is where motivation is born.
Coaching Tip for Parents: Prompt Reflection, Don’t Push
Instead of:
“Why aren’t you practicing more?”
Try:
“Is this aligned with your Why?”
“Are you becoming the person you said you wanted to be?”
That shift builds self-awareness—the most valuable skill any young athlete can have.
My Core Belief
Passion leads to purpose
Purpose drives skill development
Skill opens new doors where new passions are discovered
And that cycle repeats
I coach because I didn’t have this kind of mentorship growing up. Now I get to be that person for others. And I take that role seriously.
If I can help even one athlete become more confident, more self-aware, and more focused on their future—that’s the win.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for believing. Thanks for watching.
If this hit home and you want help building your athlete’s confidence, finding their Why, or creating a training plan with purpose—hit reply to this email or message me directly at [email protected]. I’d be honored to help.
With purpose,
Coach Elliott
The Box Lacrosse Guy