Fresno State Athletics
Lacrosse Clinics a Hit with Community
10/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Oct. 1, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - What a difference a year makes. Last year lacrosse coach Sue Behme and her coaching staff spent most of the year teaching the team and the community how to play the game of lacrosse. With a year of experience, the team is more seasoned in their practices and in their most recent fall clinic in September; the skill level among the 24 youth lacrosse players was noticeably improved.
"It was amazing to see the change in each of the 24 girls," Behme said. "We still have some 10-year olds, sophomores, juniors and seniors in the high school ranks that were there last year. To see how their skills have progressed and their love for the game was incredible."
Behme said that during the most recent clinic on Sept. 26 that the most rewarding part of the clinic was watching how her team interacted with the youth of the Fresno community.
"I thought our girls did a great job individually and in small groups mentoring these people about the game," Behme said. "With us having players now with strong lacrosse backgrounds, it was really exciting because they know how to teach the game. This was the most exciting part for me."
Behme doesn't shy away from telling people how challenging the first year was having to not only teach her team but teach the community about the sport. But she is also the first to admit watching the growth and improvement of everybody involved was very rewarding. As the course of the season went on the coaching staff started receiving more and more compliments about how the Bulldogs played the game.
This year the coaches can just worry about the skill development of the people that attend the clinic and she has a team of players who are more confident in teaching the game to other people.
"When we run a clinic it is truly for the development of the community kids," Behme said. "It was exciting for the high school coaches to see lacrosse at a higher level already here."
The 24 kids that attended the September clinic was more than last year's first clinic that was held and according to Behme it was the perfect amount of people.
"The numbers were great but the quality has improved and I would rather have quality over quantity," Behme said. "That allows us to play at a higher level."
Skills that are being taught to the youth are how to cradle correctly, how to dodge, stick skills and ground balls. As each clinic progresses the Bulldog coaches hope to hold a more comprehensive clinic and teach fast breaks, slow breaks and what a settled offense is.
Fall Workouts Update
Behme said that she is pleased with the growth and progression her team has made since the end of the inaugural season.
"It is completely night and day," the Bulldog coach said. "Last year the focus had to be on teaching 98-99 percent of the student athletes how to play lacrosse and laying the foundation of the program. Now we have student-athletes that can play. Our big focus has been on team development, chemistry and communication skills. The majority of the times we are spending are with off the field areas that will make us stronger on the field. It's been the opposite of last year which is exciting."
Behme said that the coaches goal is to get all the players used to playing with each other while focusing on really specific parts of the game that are broken down very simply.
This year Behme has a squad of 16 newcomers, 15 being freshmen to go along with the 10 returning players from last year's team.
"The freshmen are still getting used to practicing at the collegiate level," Behme said. "There is a big learning curve with this team but I couldn't me happier with why and how things are happening the way that they are."
Alumni Game
The lacrosse team is going to hold their first annual alumni game on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 12:30 p.m. Anybody that played on the inaugural 2009 team will play against the 2010 team.
"We are excited to have our first alumni game with the first group of players that played for us last year," Behme said. "Everybody is planning on coming that we know of."
