Ascension Lacrosse Academy Maryland,
a non-travel club training and development program solely focused on player development
for boys in Grades 5 through 8 being launched in February.
The program is purposely designed to not interfere with club programs in any way. Rather than traveling to tournaments,academy students will focus solely on intermittent local training for top tier players in the Baltimore area.
The program is designed to maximize player-coach ratios so there are a very limited number of slots per position per grade. There will be 25 players (6A 6D 9M 2G 2LSM) per grade. The Academy has assembled an elite cast of coaches from the Baltimore region.
Entire program information can be found on the websitewww.ascensionlaxmd.com and can be followed on Instagram and Twitter @ascensionlaxmd
Program Directors are John Nostrant, head coach of Gilman School and Gene Ubriaco, head coach at Loyola Blakefield.
Program directors Q&A:
Why was this program created?
Ubriaco: “Lacrosse has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. Subsequently, there exists a current trend where players (at the critical Learn to Train and Train to Train ages)are frequently competing 60-70% of the time while only training 30-40% of the time, despite the science of Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) supports the opposite model. The Academy aims to provide the Right training, at the Right ages, with the Right approach.”
Nostrant: “We feel individual skill work; position fundamentals and IQ are critical components of the game. Coaches hit on these facets but there is never enough time built into practices to work enough on these things because the ultimate goal is to prepare to win games. Our goal is to reinforce, and in some cases, introduce concepts that will allow the player to really focus on the technical and tactical parts of the game.”
What is the main goal of the program?
Nostrant and Ubriaco: “Our mission is to provide meaningful, measurable, and impactful lacrosse development in an athlete-centered environment with relationship-driven coaching. Our goal is the ascension of our athletes from their current state to their desired state by providing experienced lacrosse pedagogy, dynamic training, and transformative mentoring.” https://ascensionlaxmd.com/program-philosophy/
Why is this training unique from other clinics or training, or club lacrosse?
Ubriaco: “Ascension programming is based on evidenced-based sports science, fortified with the experience, insights, and expertise of current and past elite players and coaches, certified professionals in athletic performance training, and decades of experience as career educators.
Nostrant: “Our skill development curriculum is built upon a 3Tprogressive model with the aim of building proficiency and aiming toward mastery in the fundamentals of the Technical, Tactical and Team Situation Play aspects of the game.”
Can you explain the registration process?
Nostrant: “The Ascension Lacrosse Academy program and curriculum are built around effective coach to player ratios thus there are a limited and set number of available slots per position per grade to optimize player development during each Academy session. In order to maximize drill efficiency and effectiveness and ultimately player development, players must have a baseline proficiency in skill.”
Ubriaco: “The Academy is club neutral and designed to provide development to support any and all local travel club and scholastic teams in the Baltimore area. We ask for club coaches contact information in the player registration to ensure we have not just great players but great character and coachable individuals as well.” https://ascensionlaxmd.com/spring-season-prep/
The Ascension Lacrosse Academy primary organization,recently headquartered in the Philadelphia area and directed by original founding coach Matt DiRocco, will focus on future elite training and next level player showcasing. For general information go to http://www.ascensionlax.com or email info@ascensionlax.com.
