Fairfax Police
Youth Club

Mission Vision (Objectives)

Mission

The mission of Fairfax Police Youth Club (FPYC) Lacrosse Program is to promote and honor the sport of lacrosse among our community for the purpose of developing a love of the game through:  positive coaching; sportsmanship among players, parents, coaches and officials; teaching life lessons beyond the playing field; and recognition of all players’ effort and participation regardless of ability, talent or skill.


Vision

The vision of the Fairfax Police Youth Club Lacrosse Program is to be recognized by our community, players, parents, and competitors as a distinguished program for the development of proper lacrosse skills, sportsmanship, and character in our youth athletes.


The focus of the spring lacrosse season is the development of a player’s individual and team skills on a competitive FPYC Lacrosse team which plays against similarly skilled teams in the Northern Virginia Youth Lacrosse League (NVYLL).

We have five primary coaching objectives which we believe are equally important:

  1. To have fun and have the players develop a love for activity and the game of lacrosse.
  2. Help your child develop the fundamental skills necessary to be successful at this level and to prepare them for the next level of play.
  3. Learn about the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship.
  4. Provide positive reinforcement based on effort rather than results.
  5. Provide a safe and healthy environment for all the players on the team.

    Overview of FPYC Lacrosse

    Why lacrosse?  Lacrosse is the original American sport and is known as the “fastest game on two feet.”  Lacrosse requires the boys/girls to use endurance, quickness, hand-eye coordination, and some strength to create a fantastic all-around athlete.  Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in America for youth.  Additionally, among NCAA Division I athletes, female lacrosse players experience the highest graduation rates in women’s sports, while male lacrosse players experience the third highest graduation rates in men’s sports, making lacrosse players true scholar-athletes.

    Program Goals – This is a simple topic.  The number one goal for our boys/girls this & every season is to have fun.  While we strive to field competitive teams, please remember that this is a Rec Lacrosse League and players will have different skill levels.  The second is for them to learn about lacrosse and improve their skills so they can have the opportunity to move on to the next level, whether it be high school or a travel program.  The third, in-line with the Positive Coaching Alliance, is to develop life lessons through sport.  The fourth, is to grow the program.  The true success of a youth program is not measured by how many trophies sit on the wall, but by how many children come back.  Growing the program will not happen overnight and will require the hard work and dedication of our volunteers.

    Playing other sports – WE encourage this! Some coaches from other sports don’t like their athletes to play lacrosse or other sports; however, we strongly encourage it.  Basketball teaches close defense and movement, especially off ball; soccer teaches spacing, field vision and movement with the ball and believe it or not, baseball/softball is valuable teaching hand-eye coordination and timing.  Of course football helps with the “pushing and shoving” that comes with the game as well as cutting and dodging. If a coach from another sport tells your son/daughter he needs to make a choice, please let me know.  I would love to chat with them and ask why they feel that way, especially at this age.

    We are an effort program – show us effort and you will go far.  Not every boy/girl will have the same skills set, but every boy/girl can show effort.  We know when one of the boys/girls isn’t giving the effort we want or need and we will let them know it.  If they don’t want to give us the effort required for the finite time we practice or play, we can get together and either find the root reason or come up with alternatives. I’ll take 50+ players with average skills that give us every ounce of effort, over 30 players that rest on their laurels, have top notch skills and only give effort when it’s convenient for them.

    We are an attitude program – This means we will lose our egos and attitude when we step on the field.  We will treat each team member, ourselves, coaches, officials, other team’s players, and parents with dignity and respect.  We will not belittle any player for performance or take on the persona that we are better than anyone else.  That goes for everyone in the program – parents, players, and coaches alike!

    Although it is not currently mandated, we strongly encourage you to sign your players up for a USA Lacrosse Membership.  Please visit their website by clicking on the “USA Lacrosse” menu at the left side of this page.

    Please take the time to explore our links to learn more about the program.