Tamiami Lacrosse is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization and an innovative lacrosse program focused exclusively on the development of youth athletes. Whether kids, and their parents, are looking for a fun, positive, safe and enjoyable learning experience, or seeking to acquire the skills and techniques required to play through high school, college and beyond, TL is the perfectly designed environment to satisfy these expectations.

We use cutting-edge, state-of-the-art concepts and principles to achieve our mission and primary purpose of promoting and growing the game through fun, safe, technically-advanced and sportsmanlike activities. We believe that every interested athlete should have the ability to participate in a variety of competitive settings - including practices, games, clinics, and tournaments - at a level consistent with their dreams, ambitions  and aspirations. 

Everyone knows that playing sport is good for kids. And TL is organized, managed, and delivered with the belief that sport participation should be a stress-free, simple and straightforward experience. We also believe youth sports activities can and should serve a broad and diverse population of interested athletes, from the casual participant to the most serious player with high-level aspirations.   Whether you're a youth program or an athlete participating in our leagues, tournaments or clinics, you'll benefit directly by participating in our activities. Here are a few of the highlighted benefits and advantages: 

1. It’s fun - kids are coached as kids - consistent with their age and stage of development. We do not force fit some extreme notion of training that exceeds their skills, capabilities or interests;
2. It's inclusive - kids must be trained in a manner that is appropriate, inclusive and effective at each stage of their development. The long-term approach is the most effective system for developing physical, technical, psychological and emotional skills and capabilities;
3. It’s low-cost - families should not have to raid their retirement account to pay for their child’s sports fees;
4. It’s convenient - most activities are within minutes of home;
5. It’s high-quality - kids learn from superbly trained and credentialed coaches teaching the most appropriate technical skills essential for athletic success;
6. It’s scientifically-based - research strongly indicates that all kids should participate in programs that are based on the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model, FLYLax principles, and USA Lacrosse standards;
7. It’s for all kids - whether your child has the aspirations and capabilities to play at the highest level or they’re just interested in play for play’s sake, all kids benefit from our league activities. 
8. It's a community - we collaborate with programs and organizations that demonstrably put kids first by embracing the leading edge concepts and principles of youth athlete development.

Our program is conceived, designed, organized and delivered to achieve the following objectives:

• Embrace the simple fact that sports participation, at any level and age, must always be fun first! 
• Treat children as unique individuals capable of developing, designing, and determining their own sports athletic experience;
• Encourage each individual youth athlete to: a) choose which sports they sample; b) select other activities that build their skills and athleticism; and c) participate in total freedom from undue pressure to choose a sport or interest ahead of their awareness and aptitudes;
• Ensure that youth athletes (up to age 15) are served by coaches and organizations that are properly trained, informed and skilled in the various aspects and dimensions of long-term athlete development;
• Optimize the spectrum of youth athletic activities to include a combination of a) personal, independent play; b) casual, unstructured play; and c) a variety of structured, team-oriented sports;
• Reach far beyond competition as the only aspect of a sports training program and instead properly scale and balance a multi-dimensional sports development program which emphasizes tailored practices focused on physical literacy and technical movement skills and solutions;
• Build character traits and values that promote compassion, hard work, persistence, altruism, humility, self-reliance, cheerfulness and constancy to friends;
• Instill the importance of finding the right fit between each individual athlete and the various training programs, services, coaches, and activities from among which the athlete may choose.

Practices

The practice environment is the key critical feature for developing youth athletes. Of course, the assumption is that the practice is led by properly trained and skilled coaches capable of delivering LTAD-based content in a deliberatively fun, targeted, technical, and meaningful manner. Focused on our uniquely designed and emphasized "Lines of Force", this content provides the foundation for every participant to build the capabilities to play the sport for as long, effectively and intensively as they choose. 

Leagues

TL offers a variety of leagues throughout the year, including a USA Lacrosse-sanctioned "Gold" spring recreation league, local summer and fall "Olympic" leagues and a Major League for high school and adult players. Based on the LTAD platform, the Olympic Games model, and FLYLax concepts, TL leagues deploy escalating small-sided field formats.  

Tournaments

TL tournaments are regionally-organized one-day events designed to maximize fun, learning and participation. Like the TL leagues, our tournaments use a combination of field formats that ensure youth athletes get the most out of the experience. Events are  always delivered in collaboration with community lacrosse stakeholder organizations.

Camps/Clinics

Camps and clinics are tailored to the learning habits, styles, preferences and priorities of youth athletes. Coaches representing the local community  - as well as nationally-recognized lacrosse experts - are equipped with the proper training and expertise to teach youth athletes. Offerings are delivered in a variety of formats throughout the year and include day and overnight camps at strategically-convenient locations. 

Recruiting Program

Virtually every existing elite camp, clinic, tournament or showcase is based on an antiquated process called “recruiting”. This predominately one-sided, imbalanced activity is largely disconnected from the preferences of the athlete. 

Our program inverts the process by moving well-beyond the transactional nature and cycle of typical college recruitment. Instead, it’s a platform where multiple opportunities to meet, engage, research and assess the variables relevant to the selection decision cycle exist at the youth level. Because the process is based on establishing longer-term relationships, both the athlete (including family) and coach have the choice and option to engage as deeply, frequently or broadly as desired. This is the essence of what we call matching.

When we plant a rose seed in the earth, we notice that it is small, but we do not criticize it as "rootless and stemless." We treat it as a seed, giving it the water and nourishment required of a seed. When it first shoots up out of the earth, we don't condemn it as immature and underdeveloped; nor do we criticize the buds for not being open when they appear. We stand in wonder at the process taking place and give the plant the care it needs at each stage of its development.

The rose is a rose from the time it is a seed to the time it dies. Within it, at all times, it contains its whole potential. It seems to be constantly in the process of change; yet at each state, at each moment, it is perfectly all right as it is.