The Focus of Lacrosse is all Wrong!!!

I think the focus is all wrong in lacrosse right now. Never have I been less impressed with the average quality of “travel” lacrosse. The lack of real development is mind-boggling. Most travel players I watch look like they’ve simply had a stick longer than rec kids—not more skilled, not more intelligent. Just… earlier exposure.

That’s a problem.

Lacrosse is one of the greatest vehicles on earth for building character. When I work with my athletes and teams, it’s not about wins and losses; it’s about using the game as a constraint to develop who you are—so you can actually express yourself under pressure. True confidence is the ability to express yourself.

The current model over-rewards playing and under-rewards training. Kids are getting the dopamine of jerseys and tournaments without the discipline that makes those games meaningful. Many don’t value travel ball because they haven’t put in the reps to care. So they protect themselves by acting “too cool,” which creates a cycle of mediocrity.

If you want to be considered intermediate, you need to be able to do at least 50 quick sticks in a row with both hands.

Now, I’ll give you a little slack with your off-hand — it might not be as efficient — but this skill is non-negotiable. Quick sticking is the basic passing and catching motion of the game. If you can’t do that, you’re going to have a hard time playing the game at all.

If you can’t quick stick with both hands, you’re simply not going to be skilled enough to play field lacrosse effectively. You’ll start to develop major deficiencies because you can only operate comfortably on one side. That means you can’t set yourself up left-to-right or right-to-left with any real balance or deception, which affects every dodge, every pass, every movement.

It’s not just a mechanical issue — it’s a developmental one. Without both hands, you’re building on a weak foundation, and that foundation will eventually limit how far you can go in this game.

So my question is to you…Can your player perform 50 quicksticks with both hands without dropping the ball???

I learned something essential from an incredible mentor, Coach Harry Selkow — we called him Coach Selkow.

He’s a former NHL strength and conditioning coach, Marine helicopter pilot, and turned powerlifting strength coach. He’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever met. I met him while directing instruction for a lacrosse club in California.

His son — a tough 12-year-old athlete — used to walk into this gritty weight room at 5 a.m., say hello, and hug his dad.
That kind of trust doesn’t happen by accident.

Here’s the Coach Selkow Rule I now share with parents:

After games, say one positive thing — and leave it there.

If your athlete asks, “What did you think?” reply with:
“Do you want me to respond as your dad/mom or as your coach?”

When kids feel safe, they’ll try. They’ll fail. They’ll try again. And they’ll run through a wall for you. That’s where development lives.

By the way, Coach Selkow’s son? He’s now a freshman at the Naval Academy.

If your athlete’s purpose is truly to play this game — and if they’re playing travel lacrosse, it’s probably part of their purpose right now — then it’s time to match that purpose with consistent action.

At the bare minimum, depending on how busy life is, your athlete should be:

Use the Car Ride Rule.

Praise effort, reps, and the courage to try, not just outcomes.

Be mindful of your tone when you praise them. Is it half-hearted — “Good job…” — or are you genuinely excited and showing it? The better they feel, and the more emotion you bring to that praise, the stronger your message lands.

Once a week, ask your athlete:
“What are you working on right now?”

Then listen. Be curious. Let them lead the conversation.
This gives them ownership.

When you tell them, “You need to hit the wall” or “You should be doing this,” you create a subtle confrontation. It’s you vs. them.

Instead, spark the motivation.
A spark sounds like:

When you get them thinking about their own development, you’ve already won.

You can give a kid a fish and feed them for a day, or you can teach them to fish and feed them for life.
That’s what we’re trying to do through this game.

Here’s a free wall ball workout your athlete can do on their own. It’s designed around inside finishing, but it’s super applicable for any player at any position.

Link Here

Focus on rhythm, soft hands, and accuracy — not speed. Consistency builds touch.

When I do private training, I take a holistic look — skills, IQ, mindset, confidence, purpose.

The small conversations inside a one-on-one rep can be life-changing because they meet the athlete exactly where they are.

Right now, I’m running a special.

If you sign up for private training, you’ll get access to my Box Finishing Fundamentals course — the perfect way to get your athlete training more at home with structure and intention.

What’s inside:

This is the fast track to smarter, more confident shooting and overall development.

If you’re an athlete ready to train — or a parent who wants a development plan that builds both player and person — reply to this email with the subject line TRAINING.

I’ll follow up with details, options, and how to access Box Finishing Fundamentals.

Let’s build athletes who aren’t afraid to fail — so they can finally learn to express themselves when it counts.

— Coach Elliott
The Box Lacrosse Guy