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Practice Schedule Changes
10/30/20095:49:18 PM Link | | Add comment
Please check the Preseason Schedule under Calendars & Schedules for changes to the practice schedule. An e-mail was also sent out with these changes.
Practice 10/27
10/27/200910:39:31 AM Link | | Add comment
All, All Players, Calendar, Schedule
Practice is on tonight for all players at Coach Ingram's (8900 Balcones Club Dr., Austin, 78750) at 5:30pm. It will be a game film/classroom session tonight. We are now in full team practice mode: all players will be expected at practice on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through the beginning of December. Check the Fall Schedule under Calendars and Schedules for more information.
Practice Schedule (week of 10/26)
10/25/20097:54:13 PM Link | | Add comment
Tuesday, 10/27: Team Game Film/Classroom session - location to be determined. An e-mail will be sent out with location information.
Thursday, 10/29: Team Field Practice CVMS 5:15pm-7:15pm
Saturday, 10/31: Team Field Practice CVMS 11:00am-1:00pm (note time change for this practice, due to Pancake Breakfast)
Practice 10/24
10/23/20096:23:38 PM Link | | Add comment
Practice on Saturday, 10/24 10:00am - 12:00pm CVMS
Practice is on, except for those players attending the Mangia Team Camp. Parents, if your son will not be at practice for any reason (ACT test, PLAN test, etc.), and you have not e-mailed Coach Pailes, please do so immediately at kenny.pailes@gmail.com.
New Team Format
10/11/200911:20:20 AM Link | | Add comment
Dear Lacrosse Families,
In the twenty year history of Westwood Boys Lacrosse, we have seen steady but tremendous growth - both in popularity and numbers. Our program has always been open to all young men who want to join our team, whether for the camaraderie, the opportunity to compete, or the love of the game. Every athlete who plays lacrosse for Westwood joins the team with the expectation that he will have the opportunity to contribute to the success of the team.
Accommodating this growth while maintaining those expectations for opportunities to succeed has not been an easy task. It was only through multiple meetings, hours of deliberation, and thoughtful consideration of the input received from every parent, coach, and athlete that the Board and Coaching Staff were able to develop and pass with unanimity this carefully crafted solution: Westwood Boys Lacrosse will field one Varsity Team with a maximum of 28 athletes on a position-specific roster, and we will field as many Junior Varsity Teams as we can, with a minimum of 28 athletes on each of these JV teams. Under this structure, this year, our numbers will accommodate one JV team of approximately 37 players. There will be no "cuts" from our program.
Two years ago, we added a second varsity-level team to our program to allow more athletes more playing time, but the results have been mixed. Many have observed that our teams have gone from being too big for everyone to contribute, to being too small for anyone to succeed. Just as importantly, the projected future growth of our club calls for well considered foresight about how and why we should create individual team rosters.
While only 10 players can be on the field at any given moment, everyone involved in team sports knows that it takes many more athletes than just those in the starting lineup to maintain a successful team. Injuries, academic ineligibility, schedule conflicts, and unforeseen circumstances have challenged very talented Westwood teams in the past two years, due to lack of depth at each position. These same teams even practiced with a disadvantage, as they did not have the ability to conduct game-like full field practices.
In order to address all of these concerns, our teams will now maintain a 28-athlete roster. These 28 roster spots are position specific, so that, at full strength, a practice can be conducted with a "team" at each end of the field (a goalie, three attackmen, three close defensemen, three short stick middies, a long stick middie, and a second line of middies = 14 players x 2 = 28). On theVarsity team, we will cap our roster size at this level so that every player has a well defined role in contributing to the team's success.
Those players who do not earn one of the 28 Varsity positions will play for the Junior Varsity team. The JV team will serve to develop players' skills, while ensuring that every young man who joins Westwood Lacrosse will have an opportunity to play.. In fact, Westwood JV players will play a mixed schedule against Division 1 JV teams and Division 2 Varsity teams. Facing D2 Varsity competition will prepare each player for their next opportunity to earn a position on the Westwood Varsity squad.
With an established method for developing team rosters, our program is now prepared for the future. Should our numbers continue to grow, Westwood can consider adding additional teams at the JV level, as long as we have at least 28 athletes for each one. This is similar to the structure that allows Westwood's football program to continue without cuts (maintaining one varsity team and multiple JV teams).
The Junior Varsity team will be composed of players in two main sets: those that will have significant playing time against D2 Varsity teams and those that will have significant playing time against D1 JV teams. Of course, many, if not most, players will actually fit in both categories, filling significant roles in games against all opponents. With development in mind, the coaches will ensure that every JV player has an opportunity to put their skills to the test in live game environments.
For Varsity players, first line players will play significant roles in games against the team's strongest opponents, while second line players will have significant roles against other opponents, with most players contributing in all games.
It is important to note that every single player who joins our program will have an equal opportunity to earn a Varsity roster spot. As parents and coaches, we can not predetermine any player's specific playing time. The players alone, via their actions and demonstrations of commitment to their team's success, can determine the amount of time they will play in each game. This is the ultimate character building lesson learned in playing a team sport.
We are proud to move forward, even beyond this season, knowing that our program's structure will now purposefully facilitate our team's success while keeping the door open to any player who is willing to carry on the proud Westwood Warrior tradition.
Thank you for your continued support of your son and his team!
2009-2010 Board and Coaching Staff of the Westwood Boys Lacrosse ClubPractice Attendance & Uniform
10/9/20092:04:07 PM Link | | Add comment
Practice Attendance Expectations
Parents of players who will miss any practice must inform the coaching staff or the player's absence will be counted as unexcused; do not assume the coaching staff knows that your son will be absent due to other commitments (other sports, band performances, tests, school activities, etc.).
Accepted Practice Uniform
SHORTS: black or black/white Westwood Lacrosse shorts
SHIRTS: black, white, black/white Westwood Lacrosse shirt or last year's orange shooting shirt (only last year's shirt)
SWEATS: grey
All plain, without logos, characters, campaigns, etc., other than Under Armour or the Nike swoosh, for example.
Practice 10/3 - Attendance
10/2/200910:49:29 AM Link | | Add comment
Reminder of Practice Attendance Expectations: parents of players who will miss practice must inform the coaching staff or the player's absence will be counted as unexcused. In addition, if a player will be missing practice tomorrow, October 3rd, a copy of the player's report card must be sent to Coach Pailes via email. Players missing tomorrow's practice will also need to contact Coach Pailes to find out which positional practices they should attend (see Fall Practice Schedule).Practice, October 3rd
10/1/200910:53:04 AM Link | | Add comment
Our first, full team practice is this Saturday, October 3rd, 10:00am - 12:00pm at CMVS. ALL PLAYERS MUST HAVE ALL FORMS AND CHECKS TURNED IN BEFORE THEY WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE FIELD. Please plan to arrive before 10:00 if you need to turn any of these in. Players also need to bring their report cards to practice.
