Training Academy


ACES TRAINING ACADEMY

ACES Academy is the Sacramento Valley’s premier lacrosse training organization. ACES Academy consists of bi-weekly training sessions designed to enhance skill, athletic ability, and lacrosse acumen. No detail is too small when it comes to developing a player’s game. ACES Academy features the most experienced coaching staff in the region; ACES Academy staff consists of college coaches, current and former professional and NCAA players, and some of the top area high school coaches and has over 500 years of combined coaching and playing experience.

 

ACES Academy members are coached in bi-weekly training sessions, they participate in local games, and they have the potential to play in local tournaments.  Academy members have the opportunity to be selected for ACES Elite teams which participate in regional west coast tournaments.  The highest performing members of the Academy may be selected for the Pinnacle team which attends the top recruiting events in the country.





Are you interested in joining the

ACES ACADEMY for training in 2023

but can't make out tryout?


Please register for a group assessment and we'll coordinate a time for evaluation.


ACADEMY 2023 SCHEDULE

Halloween Shootout 
October 29 (Gilroy)
 U12, 2028/29, 2027, HS Academy

Vegas Showcase
November 4 & 5 (Las Vegas)
2025/26, JV Elite

Sactown Sixes
Nov 11 (Sacramento)
JV Academy, U14 Academy

Turkeyshoot 7v7
Nov 18 (Petaluma)
U10, U12

Turkeyshoot 7v7 
Nov 19 (Petaluma)
U14 Academy, 2027, JV Academy, HS Academy, 2024

Legends National Cup
Dec 2 & 3 (Oceanside)
2024, 2025/26, 2029

King's Showcase
Jan 20 & 21 (San Francisco)
Varsity, JV, 2028/29, U12, U10

SB Winter Showdown
Jan 27 & 28 (Carpenteria)
HS Academy, 2027

2023 ACES Practice Schedule

DayDateFieldTimeTeams
SunSeptember 17thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunSeptember 17thMather8am-10amHigh School
SunSeptember 24thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunSeptember 24thMather8am-10amHigh School
SunOctober 1stStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunOctober 1stMather8am-10amHigh School
SunOctober 8thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunOctober 8thMather8am-10amHigh School
SunOctober 15thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunOctober 15thMather8am-10amHigh School
SunOctober 22ndStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunOctober 22ndMather8am-10amHigh School
SunOctober 29thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunOctober 29thMather8am-10amHigh School
SunNovember 12thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunNovember 19thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunNovember 19thMather8am-10amHigh School
SunDecember 3thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunDecember 3thMather8am-10amHigh School
SunDecember 10thStone Creek8am-10amAll Teams
SunDecember 17thStone Creek8am-10amAll Teams
SunJanuary 7thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunJanuary 7thMather8am-10amHigh School
SunJanuary 14thStone Creek8am-10am2028-2033
SunJanuary 14thMather8am-10amHigh School

TEAM

  • Small sided team concepts to maximize repetitions

  • 6v6 Samurai style games

  • Settled and Transition team play dynamics

  • High repetition play to ingrain concepts at game speed

OFFENSE

  • Teaching the fundamentals of passing with correct form from various release points

  • Catching the ball with appropriate grips in tight, mid range shallow cuts, coming up field below goal line extended and posting

    up top. Catch the balls with soft hands and deep or catching in front and keeping in front to avoid a trailing defender.

  • Dodging approaches & options coming coming out of the dodge as well as dodging off the pass with an approaching defender.

  • Swing passes or one more feeds

  • Taking off ball inventory

  • Finding cutting lanes or skip passing lanes.

  • Offensive communication.

  • Shooting techniques from different release points.

  • Odd man situations to identify the 2 on 1

  • Man up offense-Small sided games.

  • Riding affectively.

  • Ground Balls

  • Creating slickness via multiple stick handling progressions

  • Learning to utilize stick fakes to freeze slides, shift defenses and misdirect sticks in passing lanes

DEFENSE

  • Defensive positioning, footwork and approaches.

  • Off ball positioning.

  • Defensive toolbox checks and bumps.

  •  Man down defense

  • Getting sticks up in passing lanes.

  • Sliding the correct way and teaching how to make contact the correct way

  • Being a threat to pass, feed and shoot.

  • Creating slickness via multiple stick handling progressions

  • Defensive communication.

  • Ground Balls

  • Small sided games.

  • Odd man situations and reads.

GOALIES

  • Goalies will work on positioning, baiting, stance, not giving up rebounds, communication, outlets, playing small sides games to work on stick skills and footwork.

FACE OFF AND WING PLAY

  • Stance, reads, outs, wingmen adjustments, listening for calls from sideline, shooting, feeding, passing, defensive toolbox building to be confident if they get stuck on defense. We will also cover the cat and mouse game of substitution.