throughout the league.
With the Classic League, at least one coach on the sidelines must be certified. For the Select League every coach on the sidelines must meet all the certification requirements. While the amount of certified coaches varies between the two leagues, each individual seeking certification must complete a comprehensive program.
“We believe it is important to have a foundation to build upon so the coaches have the tools they need to ensure that the players have a great experience and they as leaders of the programs have a great experience,” Spangenberg said.
Through this foundation a simultaneous understanding of the importance of skills, team concepts, and player safety should occur.
To become certified, MBYLL coaches must complete a four-step process that combines online and in-person elements—both of which are in compliance with the standards set by both MBYLL and US Lacrosse, the sport’s national governing body. These requisites include a US Lacrosse Level One online course, a Positive Coaching Alliance Double Goal online course, an MBYLL Level One Clinic, and a background check. Each one provides different elements of coaching education, but they all ultimately return to the tenants on which the league is founded.
“These elements create a really great atmosphere for the kids and for the coaches,” Klim says. “In this day and age of win-at-all-costs, we focus on teaching the kids so they grow to love the game.”
The US Lacrosse Level One online program takes roughly ninety minutes to complete. While it contains the essence of positive coaching, it mainly focuses on providing coaches with the proper knowledge to coach the game effectively. Contained in this curriculum are terminology, strategy, game rules, practice planning, and proper methods of correcting mistakes, to name a few.
The MBYLL Level One Clinic is by far the most extensive element of the certification process. There are at least six regional clinics offered between December and April, which host between 100 and 200 coaches depending on what the venue can accommodate. Most of the time these are offered on weeknights to accommodate the volunteer coaches who all live busy lives as full-time professionals in other fields.
This live clinic combines classroom and field elements, both of which serve an independent focus. The classroom portion goes into great detail with concepts including practice plans and player safety (e.g. injuries, concussions, etc.).
“For about an hour in the classroom we go over things like safety,” Klim described. “Player safety is one of the
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