Our Mission
Cultivate a love for lacrosse via fundamental skill development and a positive, educational environment. Foster athletic growth and game understanding via comprehensive training. Emphasize fun, fair competitive play, focusing on player development and engagement over winning.
A Developmental Paradigm Shift
R3VA offers a complementary path alongside travel clubs and recreational leagues — a cost-effective ethos focused on the holistic, long-term development of the athlete.
The brand identity is built on balance: synthesizing competitiveness and peace, individual drive and collective responsibility, rigorous fundamentals and creative play. Lacrosse itself is a balance of physicality and finesse, strategy and instinct. R3VA’s approach mirrors this duality — we want players to be competitive and driven, but also to find joy in the process and camaraderie with teammates.
Coaching Continuity
One coach. One season. Ideally, several seasons.
We believe player development works best as a relationship. A coach who has worked with a player over time gets to know their shot, their footwork, their confidence patterns, and the small cues that bring out their best. That kind of familiarity takes weeks and months to build, and it is part of what makes a season feel like progress rather than a series of disconnected practices.
Our approach is straightforward: the coach who runs the first practice is the coach on the sideline at the final tournament, and — wherever schedules allow — the coach who picks back up with that player the following season. We staff and plan with continuity in mind because we think it is one of the most meaningful, and most overlooked, parts of youth player development.
How We Coach: The Talent Code & Deep Practice
R3VA’s developmental model is rooted in maximizing touches and stressing the fundamentals. This means we focus on deliberate, high-quality repetitions that push players just beyond their comfort zones, fostering rapid skill acquisition and game understanding. We prioritize deep practice — breaking down complex skills into manageable chunks, practicing them slowly and deliberately, and then integrating them back into game-like scenarios. This method is proven to accelerate learning and build a strong foundation for future growth.
Practice Structure
We follow POWLAX-inspired 1.5-hour modules to maximize touches and decision-making:
| Segment | Time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Warm-up | 5 min | Physical literacy, max speed |
| Fundamental Chunking | 20 min | Stickwork & footwork reps |
| Ground Ball / “Scrap” | 20 min | Physicality, body positioning |
| Concept Integration | 20 min | Transition, Offensive, Defensive IQ |
| Competition / Sixes | 15 min | High-tempo game play, Scrimmage |
Our “Hard Rules”
These are non-negotiable:
Correction, not criticism
Coaches give short, rapid-fire instructions à la John Wooden — never lectures.
Fun first.
If kids aren’t having fun, nothing else matters.
Development over winning
Getting better is the goal. Winning is a byproduct, not the focus.
Man-to-man defense only (except man-down)
Zone defense at 8U–10U levels stunts defensive IQ — we mandate man-to-man to force active footwork.
No long poles at 8U/9U/10U.
Forces development of footwork and body positioning over stick reliance. We strive (not always possible) to enter tournaments with small field games without Long Poles. This is a core developmental philosophy — we want players to learn to defend with their feet and body first, and then add the stick as a tool, rather than relying on the stick to compensate for poor footwork. This is a number one issue we see with youth defense — players rely on the long pole to make up for lack of defensive fundamentals, which leads to poor habits and limits their growth as defenders. This leads to players having unnecessary time in the penalty box for illegal checks, and it also leads to a lack of defensive confidence and skill development.
Beyond affecting the individual player when being in the penalty box, it also has a significant impact on the team as a whole. When a player is in the penalty box there is less opportunity for other players to get in and thus reducing maximum touches for the rest of the team. Additionally, it can lead to a negative feedback loop where players become hesitant to defend aggressively for fear of getting penalized, which can further stunt their development and impact the team’s overall defensive performance.
No EMO / Man Down Units
As with the poor defensive habits mentioned above this often leads to players getting in less. Think about it if you have kids in the box then a dedicated Man Down unit is going to be on the field for a significant portion of the game, which means that the rest of the team is getting less touches and less development.
The reverse side of the coin is EMO and a dedicated unit. Again, if you’re playing a team which has a man in the box frequently, then you’re not getting other teammates in except for your exclusive EMO unit, which again reduces touches and development for the rest of the team. As before, this is another negative feedback loop which revolves around winning.
No drama families.
Disruptive behavior, parent or player, is incompatible with a healthy learning environment. Winning is not a cure for poor conduct.
2025 Season Highlights
In 2025 we ran two successful 6-on-6 sixes tournaments:
- August 2025 — summer program, 4 practices, Elite Sixes tournament play
- November 2025 — fall program, 5 practices, Elite Sixes tournament play
Both seasons ran with strong player development outcomes, with players quickly adjusting to the fast-paced sixes environment — more touches, faster decisions, and constant transition. We had a high retention rate, with many players returning for the fall / winter season after participating in the summer. The focus on skill development and fun created a positive feedback loop, leading to enthusiastic participation and strong word-of-mouth growth for the program.
Formats:
Sixes Lacrosse
Sixes is a faster, more skill-intensive format that:
- Gets every player more touches
- Forces faster decision-making
- Runs on smaller fields (easier to book, less cost)
- Is the growing format at youth and elite levels globally
Links:
Small Field / Half Field 7v7, 8v8
We focus on 6v6 / 7v7 / 8v8 / 10v10
We prioritize smaller-sided games to maximize touches and development. We run 6v6 for all age groups. However, the younger age groups tend to thrive in 6v6, 7v7, and 8v8 formats, which provide a good balance of space and player involvement without overwhelming them.
Note: 7v7 or 8v8 are typically for younger age groups or as a transition format before moving to 10v10.
10v10 standard format
If we run 10v10, it’s typically for older age groups (10 and up) or as a special event. This is mainly dependent on player availability and field logistics. However, our core developmental focus remains on smaller-sided formats to ensure maximum engagement and skill development for all players.
Who Runs This
R3VA is run by Richmond-area lacrosse parents who played and coached the game. We’re not a big business — we’re parents who want their kids to have the opportunity to love lacrosse.
Cost model: Cost-effective and transparent. We charge a per-player rate that covers all team expenses (tournament entry, refs, fields, insurance, coaching admin) plus a small ~15% operational margin for sustainability. No hidden fees. The full cost breakdown is shared transparently.
Contact us if you want to get involved as a coach or volunteer.