Is it me or is youth girls lacrosse just the most frustrating game to watch sometimes. Girls don't pass, are very selfish with the ball, and have limited ability to play in a team oriented style. It seems to be the only sport where selfishness gets rewarded with playing time and goal scoring. Can't imagine ever seeing an open player in a basketball game being ignored so that a point guard could dribble past them to score for themselves. But in youth girls lax, it is the norm.
Good high school teams and college teams are great to watch. But at this young age, it is infuriating. Am I alone?
You are not alone. However, I place blame on the coaches who allow this. If a girl does this more than once you sit her and explain that it is a team game. If she does it again, you sit her for a half, etc., etc. She will get the gist very quickly.
However, one of the problems in girls youth lacrosse are the rules. As an example, there is the 2 pass rule at the younger ages. Here is what happens in 95% plus of the youth games - as soon as two passes are made - usually two of the best girls on a give and go - every coach and every parent screams the same thing - "go to goal!" Every defensive coach screams the same thing - "swarm, swarm!"
Teach the girls early on how to play team defense and team offense. Sometimes they may make no passes and they may go to goal. Other times it may be 5 or 6 passes. You can't teach girls to play man to man defense and just shut off so to deny 2 passes without playing real team defense.
Let the girls play the right way from the beginning. If a girl goes to goal every time - then shut her off with faceguard just like they do in college and HS.
