FIGHTING CLAMS & LITTLENECKS

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIGHTING CLAMS

The Clams are one of New England’s elite club lacrosse programs, featuring top players from the region's most competitive high school programs. In tandem with some of the region's best coaches’, Clams receive year round instruction on how to improve themselves, their lacrosse game, and prepare for the next level. However, the Clams program is more than just a select, club or all-star team; it is a comprehensive recruiting service. The Clams are not only coached and taught to be better players, but are also guided and “marketed” extensively through channels and relationships with college coaches that we’ve developed over the many years since the Clams’ inception.

 

Fighting Clams Director's Mission Statement: The Fighting Clams exist to ensure that our athletes excel as high-level high school lacrosse players and get placed into elite NCAA institutions that are the best fit for each individual athlete. Since 2000, we've placed over 800 stellar lacrosse players into over 100 collegiate lacrosse programs. We strive for industry leading communication, player-coach relationships, and on field experience.

LITTLENECKS

The Littlenecks are one of the region's elite youth club lacrosse programs. In addition to being closely tied with the Fighting Clams, our high school program, the Littlenecks offers young athletes the opportunity to play highly competitive lacrosse year-round. Through tournaments against some of the region’s top competition, year-round skills training, and consultation with coaches from the area’s most competitive high school programs, the Littlenecks focus on player development and preparing young players for higher levels of lacrosse. As young athletes approach high school, the Littlenecks help them navigate the transition to high school lacrosse and offer athletes an opportunity to play for the Fighting Clams, a nationally recognized club program.

 

Littlenecks Director's Mission Statement: As a youth development program, the Littlenecks aim to develop young athletes into smart, skilled, and relentless lacrosse players to ensure they have the most meaningful high school and eventual college experience possible. We strive for industry leading communication, player-coach relationships, and on field experience.

ON FIELD EXPERIENCE

TEAM PLACEMENT / TEAM SELECTION

“THE HYBRID METHOD”

AA vs. A 

When you join the Clams (high school) or Littlenecks (youth), you are not put onto a specific team. There is no permanent "A" team or "B" team. Every player is simply a member of their respective class. As part of a player pool, every player is considered for AA and A placements when applicable. Each player has the opportunity to defend and/or EARN their placement on AA rosters, rather than being stuck on a specific team based on a singular beginning-of-season tryout. The fluidity of our rosters allows us to continue to field top teams at the best events in the country while at the same time giving a high percentage of our athletes the opportunity to experience the highest levels of club lacrosse.  We pride ourselves on PLAYER MOBILITY. If a player excels, he won't have to wait a year to be rewarded for it.

 

PRACTICES AND TRAINING

All members of a class play and train together. It is equally valuable for players to play in both a highly challenging environment (one in which most players better than they are) and in an environment that is less challenging and allows them to thrive. These concepts, sometimes referred to as overloading and underloading, respectively, are crucial to player development and roster mobility. Everyone gets a lot of looks against as many players as possible = everyone wins.

 

TOURNAMENT SELECTION

Prior to each tournament season (Fall and Summer), every player in the Clam and Littleneck program receives a personalized "tournament selection sheet" with the slate of events that best fits their developmental needs and the needs of their class. At many tournaments, team placements (AA vs. A) at these events are decided in the weeks leading up to the event, giving all players as much time as possible to earn or defend their roster spot on a specific team.

 

PLAY STYLE

TRAINING PHILOSOPHY

 

READ – DECIDE – EXECUTE

 

In order to play the way we want to play and achieve our goal of always preparing players for a higher level of lacrosse, we pride ourselves on maximizing the amount of game speed repetitions every player at our training sessions is able to accomplish. In every moment on the lacrosse field, players are asked to do three things over and over again:

 

  1. Read - gain an understanding of what teammates and opponents are doing, where they are, and create a prediction of what is going to happen next. In order to train our players to read more effectively, we must constantly put them in situations where there is complicated information coming their way. Just like learning to read written language, we start with simple reads ("draw and dump"). After a while, just as kids progress from picture books to chapter books, we present our players with more nuanced situations, and further train their ability to process information while tired and under pressure.
  2. Decide - when a read is made, every player makes a decision about what to do next. Through games and drills that reward certain actions, motions, and decisions, athletes are trained to make certain decisions based on certain reads. Whether a player is on offense with or without the ball, or on defense covering the ball or in a "help" decision, there is rarely one right answer to a situation. Our training focuses on providing every lacrosse athlete with a consistent mental "playbook" that allows them to make as many correct decisions as possible!
  3. Execute - If training reads and decisions is training the mind, training execution is training the body. Through thousands of reps every year, we master shooting and passing form, footwork, team offense, team defense, and everything need to make sure that good reads and good decisions can come to fruition. Through a renewed focus on position specific training, we have every position on the field covered!

FAQ'S

TESTIMONIALS

2027 PARENT

“I’ve been meaning to tell you what an exceptional job you’ve both done with the Littlenecks over the past few years and the results this summer are a testament to your efforts.  The number of players, consistency of play, and competitive outcomes are leaps and bounds ahead of where the program was just a few years ago.  The process is working and you both should be very proud of what you’ve built.”

2032 PARENT

“Just wanted to let you know that as a family we have been very happy with our Littlenecks experience and all you are doing to support Kellen's growth as a lacrosse player. Kellen loves being a Littleneck and looks forward to each and every practice and game. As parents, we appreciate all of the communication from the club and the time and effort you put into developing the program.”

 

2029 PARENT

"On behalf of Caden - thank you for extending a formal invitation to continue with the LN's. Caden has loved the summer practices and tournaments and all he has learned. We look forward to the upcoming year and appreciate all the communication. 

 

It has been a pleasure being part of such a well run organization."

 

2028 PARENT

“Thanks so much for your kind words about Zach.  He absolutely loves playing for you guys and on your '28 team. We've thrown a bunch of sports at Zach and he has grown to love lacrosse - we credit you guys for making that happen. As a parent, it's so nice to sit on the sidelines watching you guys manage the team culture so well while at the same time pushing them to work hard, remain committed to each other, and develop as players. It's been a great experience all around and we are already looking forward to next year.”

 

2028 PARENT

“The 28A group played one of their best events in recent memory.  There is little doubt this was due to the coaching of Tim Fallon.  This is no disrespect to the coaches from the past but it was clear he had the boys hustling, moving the ball, and in the best position to win. This was a common feeling of all the parents on the sidelines!”


 

 

 

 

 

2030 PARENT

"I just wanted to send a quick note about Coach Cayer and Coach Auble and the great job they did this summer with the 2030 AA team.  They kept it fun while at the same time pushing the kids to always be better. 

 

Grady had a great summer of lacrosse with them and said many times that his coaches were the best. We could see his love for lacrosse come alive under coach Cayer and Coach Auble and we appreciate their energy and enthusiasm they brought to every practice and game.  I also know for sure we are not the only family that feels this way.  Thanks to all of you for giving Grady a great spring and summer of lacrosse and we are looking forward to it starting back up again."

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