Parent Corner

Orange Lacrosse

Player Questionnaire NAME____________________________________

Players are asked to fill out this questionnaire and return it tonight or Saturday morning prior to the games with Granville. We reviewed this information with them in detail yesterday at practice. This information is needed to determine interest and for planning purposes. Thank you.

1. Do you plan to attend the Team Camp at OSU (July 16-19/$350) ?

_____ Yes, I plan to attend

_____ No, unable to attend

· This camp is quickly approaching capacity and we need to decide if we are participating.

2. Please estimate the tentative # of people who will attend the season ending Team Banquet on Tue, June 2^nd.

______

3. Would you have interest in participating in a one day weight training seminar at the start of the summer focusing on training players in proper technique, agility drills and spotting techniques? The cost would be a $10 fee.

_____ Yes

_____ No

4. Lacrosse Ball Team Order

Players who would like to participate in the team ball order need to indicate the quantity they desire. Quantities are in groups of 6. $1 per ball (Balls will be distributed at the banquet)

Circle- 6 12 18 24

A note about the recent cancelations-

The recent cancelations have been highly unusual. In my nineteen years of coaching, this is the most obtrusive series of events I have experienced. The number of games canceled due to weather over the same period is in the single digits. In addition, I have never had a game canceled due to lack of officials.

As I told the players, there is no one to blame in this situation. I have spoken with the assignor of officials to further understand the situation and I really can't find fault w/ their actions. It is simply one of those things.

Currently, there are 21 officials in Central Ohio with the required certification to call high school varsity games. In this case four college games were rescheduled for the night we were supposed to play Bexley and that deleted the pool of officials to such a level that a number of games were forced to be postponed. Assuming all of the other officials were available that night, it still meant a number of cancelations were going to occur. For example, our make-up game with Wellington was going to be played April 18, but the lack of a qualified pool of officials prevented the game from occuring that date and consequently it was moved it to April 25th.

For the record, neither the coaching staff or the school administration has any oversight on officials. This is true for every sport.If it were within our control, we would have played. We may ask that certain officials not be assigned to our games, but that further depletes the available pool and only in very specific situations would I ask that an official not be assigned to our games.

Officials are governed by their own association and officers. They are assigned by an assignor to a school for a particular game. The school is given a list of officials for each game. We then call the offiicals and confirm they are coming, but we never get to influence which officials are going to be assigned for any given game. You can imagine the ethical questions involved if such a practice were allowed to occur in high school athletics.

This problem is state wide and in some regions ( Toledo for example ) they see the same officials for each and every game. The OHSLA is working on this issue and recruitment classes are offered each winter, followed by training classes. The officials who go through training enter the pool in the spring. They are limited to calling Middle School games until they are ready to move up to Freshman games. They then move up the ladder to jcall v and then varsity games- this process might take 3-5 years/seasons. It is not uncommon to see them drop out for various reasons. It should be noted many of the officials who are certified to call high school varsity games are also certified to call college games. They will always take a college game over a high school game because the pay is about 3 times the amount.

Hopefully, this brief explanation helps in understanding further the challenges we face regarding officials. Please contact me with any questions or concerns regarding the availability of officials.

Coach Carmichael

Mandatory Forms

The following forms are mandated in the Student Handbook as a condition of participation:

· OHSAA Medical Form & My OHSAA Form

· District Drug & Alcohol Compliance Form

· Pay to Play Form ( Do not send check, the district will send bill via US mail)

· Emergency Medical Form

· Insurance Waivers

· Alternative Transportation Form

Forms need to be submitted to the Athletic Office prior to the start of the season. Copies of these documents may be downloaded from the athletics page on the school website. Players who have not submitted all required paperwork will be held out of all physical activities. Players must attend, but will only be allowed to watch.

Program Goals & Coaching Philosophy

The goal of the lacrosse program is to provide a wide array of experiences through interscholastic athletics enhancing the intellectual and athletic growth of the student athlete.

Definition of Success

Success is the ability to perform at a level which represents your best.

General Coaching Philosophy

The goal of the coaching staff is to implement the description of success into every aspect of the lacrosse program. Further, coaching is not simply about winning and losing games; it is about teaching players how to win and how to lose. It is the belief of the coaching staff that when players graduate and leave the program, players may not remember the specific wins and losses. Instead they remember the totality of the experience. As a result, the life lessons learned through interscholastic competition and the principles emphasized by the coaching staff combine to take on a vital role in the development of the student athlete.

It is the responsibility of the coaching staff to use interscholastic competition as the vehicle for teaching a set of principles which benefits the player and carries into their adult lives. The coaching staff believes in teaching and modeling these principles:

· The intrinsic desire for self improvement

Integrity
Cooperation

Environment

It is the responsibility of the coaching staff to create a team environment where all of the necessary team resources are provided. Players thrive when given the proper structure and an environment which promotes self-improvement. The level of expectation established by the coaching staff supports the definition of success, while simultaneously important principles.

The coaching staff is committed to teaching and nurturing our players. It is our expectation that each player continually improves in the classroom and in the realm of athletic competition. We will work to create a positive environment which utilizes competition not only with ones self, but also among peers. This competitive environment is the integral component in building both a successful program and athlete.

The coaching staff is committed to providing the necessary structure and player development opportunities throughout the entire year. We utilize facilities both on and off campus and volunteer our time throughout the calendar in support of this goal.

Need a Physical for 2009-2010 School Year?

When: Wednesday May 20^th2009

Where: Orange H.S. Athletic Wing

Who: All prospective 2009-2010 Athletes

Time: 6:00 -8:30 p.m.

5:45 registration begins

8:15 registration ends

Cost: $10 per athlete

What do I need to bring?

1. Completed Medical History /Physical Form, Signed by parent or guardian

2. $10.00

3. Yourself, freshly showered!

**Note: physicals are valid for one calendar year and will cover athletes until June of 2010!**

INAGURAL SEASON WELCOME LETTER

February 23, 2009

Dear parents and players,

Welcome to the Olentangy Orange High School boys’ lacrosse inaugural season!

Over the recent months, I have had many conversations with parents regarding the expectations for the upcoming season. It is very clear the expectation is to build a first class, top notch lacrosse program.

I couldn’t be happier to set the bar very high and we will continue to work very hard to build a strong foundation. In order to build a first class program, we will need to focus on two major categories this season- player development and program infrastructure.

Player development has already been occurring throughout the school year where players could develop their skills out of season. I would be remiss if I did not thank the coaching staff who volunteered their time to supervise these events and congratulate the players who participated. We will continue to build upon this foundation throughout the season.

In a few short days, we will meet as a team to discuss our team goals for the 2009 season. I want to assure you the coaching staff realizes the team is extremely young, and we will make sure our player development goals are attainable and lead to a positive overall experience.

In the coming weeks, I will be requesting your assistance in building our program infrastructure. Thank you to those who have already donated your time and skills. We would not be able to achieve meaningful strides without your assistance.

I look forward to meeting each of you at our “Meet the Team” gathering on Saturday, March 7^th. The details will follow.

Enclosed is a Player Handbook for your use throughout the season. Please review the materials and return the enclosed acknowledgement.

Sincerely,

John Carmichael

Head Coach