In this podcast, Jamie talks to 2nd year VMI Head Coach James Purpura about his lacrosse journey, from growing up in Rochester to playing collegiately at Mt St Mary's and SUNY Geneseo, his assistant coaching jobs, becoming a head coach at Arcadia, playing for Coach Whipple & what he learned from him, playing against Blaze Riorden in high school, the culture he is trying to build at VMI, what makes VMI special, his philosophy on player development, how he develops IQ, how he and his staff continue to educate themselves,  the importance of watching film, what VMI does offensively, defensively, and what he & his staff are looking for in recruits.

Phi - Lacrosse - Ophy Podcast Season 4, Ep. 2, VMI Head Coach James Purpura

World class lacrosse analysis and consulting for both players AND Coaches.

Sports

In this conversation, Jamie and Michael Sowers discuss various lacrosse teams and players, focusing on Princeton lacrosse and the Waterdogs. They talk about the offensive strategies and innovations of Princeton, including the use of different positions and overwhelming opponents with multiple offensive options. The conversation then shifts to the Waterdogs and the recent coaching changes, with Coach Copeland leaving and Coach Tierney and Coach Sheridan joining the team. They discuss the qualities and skills of their teammates on the Waterdogs' offense, including Zach Currier, Connor Kelly, Ethan Walker, and Ryan Conrad. They also delve into Sowers' training regimen and the use of contextualized environments for skill development. They explore the concepts of deception and variability in training, as well as the role of two-man game and off-ball play. The conversation highlights the importance of being intentional in training and the benefits of the CLA (Constraints Led Approach) in improving lacrosse skills.

Phi - Lacrosse - Ophy Podcast Season 6, Ep. 20 PLL Waterdogs Attackman Michael Sowers

Ecological Psychology Phd studdent and Director of Strategy for Transforming Sports Gray Thomas joins Jamie to discuss the concepts of ecological dynamics and constraints-led approach in coaching, emphasizing the importance of adapting behavior based on the relationship between the player, environment, and task. The conversation explores the challenges of adopting an evidence-based approach in youth lacrosse and the need for coaches to focus on time on task and small-sided activities. The 80-20 split between contextual activities and stick work drills is discussed, along with the importance of changing and officiating constraints. The conversation concludes with the significance of understanding the phases of the game and the principles of play as the true fundamentals of lacrosse.

Phi - Lacrosse - Ophy Podcast Season 6, Ep. 19 The Constraints Led Approach with Gray Thomas

This episode of the Phi-Lacrosse-Ophy podcast features Quarterback Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coordinator Danny Shaechter, who is an expert in throwing mechanics. Learn how to generate more power and accuracy when shooting!

Phi - Lacrosse - Ophy Podcast Season 6 Ep 18 - Throwing Mechanics Expert Danny Shaechter

Heading into their 2024 season opener, Harvard Head Coach Gerry Byrne joins Jamie on the show to discuss some of the  concepts he's been thinking about as he prepares the Crimsom for the Spring season.

Phi - Lacrosse - Ophy Podcast Season 6 Ep 17 - Harvard Head Coach Gerry Byrne

Delaware Offensive Coordinator Matt Rewkowski joins Jamie to talk about player development, using constraints as opposed to skeleton drills, variability, and man-up situations.

Phi - Lacrosse - Ophy Podcast Season 4, Ep. 2, VMI Head Coach James Purpura

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