When I began mentoring under Colin Doyle—an NLL Hall of Famer and one of the most impactful leaders I’ve ever met—I was coming off years of learning under Shaydon Santos, a 13-year pro and one of the best teachers of stickwork in the game.
Shaydon taught me the art of soft hands, the path to success, and reading the 2-man game at a high level. His attention to detail was unmatched.
Then Colin showed up with a different message: Play fast. Play team lacrosse. Use your strengths.
Canada Day Tournament 2019
Quick side story—Shaydon was the captain of the San Jose Stealth when Colin was traded to the team. Shaydon handed Colin the "C" and took an assistant captain role himself. That tells you everything about mutual respect, leadership, and the weight Doyle carried.
Back to development...
When Colin watched our American players, he realized something instantly:
We weren’t playing to our strengths.
These were bigger, faster, more explosive athletes trying to mimic Canadian systems. So he flipped the strategy:
Transition-first mentality
Aggressive ride
One simple offensive action
We went from losing every game to winning the Canada Day Tournament—one of the toughest events for Americans to compete in.
So what’s the lesson?
American athletes in non-traditional hotbeds consistently underperform in transition.
It’s not about effort—it’s about culture. There just hasn’t been enough time, reps, or shared IQ built into those regions yet. This isn’t on the players, coaches, or parents. It’s just where the sport is developmentally.
That said, it is starting to change.
Places like Texas and California now produce regional travel teams that go back East and win. Why? Because the culture is maturing, the IQ is rising, and transition play is becoming second nature.
Here’s your takeaway:
The fastest way to build confidence—and stand out—is by controlling pace in your first 3–5 steps.
Those first few steps after any of the following are everything:
A goalie makes a save
A ground ball is scooped
A turnover happens
A cut to receive a pass
Here’s the breakdown:
🔹 Steps 1–2: Sprint with intention after every change—explosive!!!
🔹 Step 3: Head up. Stick up. Scanning the field.
🔹 Steps 4–5: Read and Respond
This is pace. This is pressure. This is how confidence is built.
🔥 Train this in our July Sixes League
30-second shot clocks
No offsides
Small rosters = more reps
Fast transitions = rapid growth
This is the best live environment for players to develop pace, confidence, and game IQ this summer.
Get Gritte!!!
—Coach Elliott
The Box Lacrosse Guy