Hey Folks -

Happy Friday! This week’s thought comes from our conversation with Army Head Coach Joe Alberici. He said something on the podcast that stayed with us, and it’s something most coaches know is true:

The way you plan practice shows up in how your team plays.

Not the plan you throw together right before you walk onto the field. The plan you build well in advance. The one that gives your staff direction and gives your players clarity.

Coach Alberici explained how they approach practice planning at Army, and his process is simple, intentional, and easy to use. We pulled the key points for you below.

While the focus is on practice planning, we believe this mindset translates into many aspects of life — prepare to be great.

Let’s get into it. Happy Friday ☕️,
Matt & Deemer

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We’ve all heard it, and as coaches, we all believe it. But belief alone doesn’t create great practices. Intentionality does.

This week on our podcast, we sat down with Army Head Coach Joe Alberici, and one theme kept resurfacing: the best programs don’t just run practices, they build them. Coach Alberici said something that stuck with us:

That idea guides everything they do at Army, starting months before the team even touches the field.

Before fall or spring practices begin, Coach Alberici and his staff map out the entire season. This includes:

They are not just planning a practice, they are engineering the progression of the whole program.

Takeaway: Great practices start long before the whistle blows. They start with a blueprint.

Each week, Coach Alberici revisits the seasonal plan and identifies the core priorities for the upcoming practices. These are the big ticket items like transition, 6v6, evens, odds, etc.

This ensures that every practice in that week moves the team toward what actually matters long term, not whatever feels urgent in the moment.

Takeaway: Weekly priorities prevent you from drifting. They anchor your coaching staff in what the team needs most right now.

Before the week begins, the staff meets to compare the big-picture plan with the priorities Coach Alberici laid out. From there, they start building practice.

They discuss:

Once the drills are locked in, they finalize the practice timeline: when each drill starts, when it ends, and how to transition from drill to drill while maximizing time.

Takeaway: A well-designed practice has intention behind every minute. Efficiency is built, not assumed.

Right before practice begins, the staff meets one more time to confirm all logistics:

This prevents slow starts, confusion, and wasted minutes.

Takeaway: The smoothest practices don’t happen by accident. They happen because the staff eliminates chaos before players ever take the field.

Instead of players walking to the sideline or stopping practice for everyone to get water, Army has managers bring water to players. Hydration happens without breaking tempo.

Rather than a separate conditioning block at the end, design drills that demand pace, repetition, and competitiveness. This keeps practice competitive and maximizes time.

List out:

Then ask: How can I deliver this so players grasp it quickly and clearly?

If your drill explanation is sloppy, the reps will be sloppy too.

What stood out the most from Coach A in this conversation is preparation and professionalism. Army’s staff could *probably* get by with less effort for practice planning, but that would fall below their standard. Your standard is shown by your actions, not what you say.

Coach Alberici’s message is clear: practice isn’t where you get organized — it’s where your organization shows.

Your players will execute at the level you prepare at. The more intentional you are in the planning stage, the more purposeful and productive your team will be when practice begins.

Coach Class and Coach Dunn

Our Fall Showcase was a success! Over 330 athletes set foot in Delaware to learn, train, and compete. Check out some Inside Lacrosse evals of some of the top men’s 2028 players in attendance.

“Ferrucci plays under complete control at all times and constantly makes the simple play in a way that leads to great offense. Furthermore, he makes the tough plays look elementary and consistently finds the back of the net. As a dodger, he makes one move and goes, he initiates and absorbs contact, and plays with fundamental tendencies. In off-ball situations he senses space and cuts hard to his target. For Ferrucci, it's rarely flashy, but always effective.” - Inside Lacrosse

“Paltos is Jersey tough and plays with an edge that shows in how hard he works between the lines, riding and when tasked with having to match up defensively. Speed and a level of explosiveness aid the ability to be relentless riding or automatic in self-clear situations. Offensively, he makes quick decisions and is a dangerous dodger that both attacks in a snap and shoots without hesitation.” - Inside Lacrosse

“Hayden is a powerful lefty with ability as a close defender or between the lines at LSM. He has great strength in his base and strong on-ball technique making him a great cover defender and allowing him to be effective close to the cage. For a player with as much ability around the cage, he also has great instincts around the midline and playing LSM. He's strong on wings and really impactful given the green light to apply pressure between the lines.” - Inside Lacrosse

Check out our @fclbestinclass Instagram page for the best highlights and content from our Fall Showcase and read the full list of standouts from Inside Lacrosse below.

We are pumped to announce the addition of Boston College senior defender Shea Baker as an FCL Athlete! Stay tuned for drills, tips and advice from Shea throughout the year. We will be announcing more in weeks to come.

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