Book excerpt: Thinking about volunteering as a lacrosse coach? Even if you’ve never done it before, you can lead your team to a safe and exciting season. Coaching Lacrosse For Dummies shows you the fun and easy way to get the score on coaching youth lacrosse with loads of tips and plenty of offensive and defensive drills. This friendly guide helps you grasp the basics and take charge on the field. You’ll get lots of expert advice on teaching essential skills to different age groups, determining positions for each player, promoting teamwork, keeping kids healthy and injury-free, helping struggling players improve their skills and encouraging your best players to make the most of their talents, and leading your team effectively during a game. Discover how to: Recognize your behind-the-scenes responsibilities Get a handle on rules and terms Plan and execute practices Teach basic lacrosse skills Identify players’ strengths and weaknesses Juggle the dual roles of coach and parent Develop a lacrosse coaching philosophy Motivate all of your players Make practice and skill-building fun Understand the league your coaching Make sure your team has all the right equipment Take different approaches to coaching girls and boys Assign players to positions Motivate players on game day It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Make yourself the perfect somebody with a little help from Coaching Lacrosse For Dummies.