NFL examples of the value of playing more than one sport.

It seems clear playing different sports in different seasons is a good idea. Here are two solid lax players that ended up in the NFL.



Just like lacrosse players all over America, Will Yeatman and Chris Hogan don helmets, pads, jerseys and prepare to take the field against some of the fastest athletes on the planet. But unlike their brothers in lacrosse, Yeatman and Hogan will leave their sticks in the locker room. Instead of taking shots and scooping up groundballs, the two have made their way into the National Football League. Both Yeatman and Hogan started the 2012 NFL season with the Miami Dolphins (1-1). Yeatman, an All-American attackman at Notre Dame and Maryland, is a tight end turned offensive tackle. Hogan was a midfielder at Penn State before playing football for a year at Monmouth University. He was a free agent pickup by the Dolphins this summer, and spent training camp and the first week of the regular season at wide receiver before being released on Sept. 11. The level of athleticism needed to compete on the highest levels of lacrosse made both attractive to NFL scouts. “The physicality, endurance and stamina from lacrosse helped me play football at a higher level,” said Yeatman. “He’s just a terrific athlete, and has been since he was young,” said Yeatman’s father Dennis, a lacrosse coach and former Navy player. “Then he grew to be 6-6, and that size helps in football.” Hogan’s agility and nimbleness was a trait he focused on as a young athlete, and it helped open doors on both the lacrosse and football fields. The ability to dodge and field vision made that made him a high level midfielder also made him a popular target for Dolphins quarterbacks in the preseason. Hogan even found a few minutes of fame in HBO’s Hard Knocks due to his preseason performance and his nickname of “7-Eleven” — a moniker earned by always being open for a pass. “The eye-hand coordination I developed in lacrosse helps at wide receiver,” said Hogan. “Being a midfielder, the time spent running up and down the field trained me well for the uptempo offense the Dolphins run.” When Yeatman earned his keep at tight end, he also found route running made easier because of time on the lacrosse field. “Playing attack helped me with the route running needed for playing tight end.” Evan Royster, who is one of the Washington Redskins running backs, is the all-time rushing leader at Penn State and was a 2006 Under Armour All-American and stud lacrosse player in high school (170 career points at Westfield High School in Fairfax, Va.). Yeatman’s pro potential at tight end was originally recognized at the NFL level by former Wesleyan lacrosse player and current New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in July 2011. He spent last year’s training camp with the Patriots, but was cut before Week One. The Dolphins picked him up and he saw time in the last three games of the regular season, starting in two. A new season brought a new position for Yeatman. His tight end career came to an end this summer, when he made the switch to tackle. In theory, the position switch does not seem like much of a stretch — tight ends were designed to be a wide receiver-offensive line hybrid. But in today’s NFL, tight ends find themselves leaning more towards the yard-gaining target, making Yeatman’s move to tackle a bit more of a sea change. “It’s been different, having to put on so much weight and having to be heavy for the first time,” said Yeatman. “But I love it. It’s where I’m meant to be. I think I can play tackle longer than I might have been able to play tight end in the NFL.” The tackle position is much different than any lacrosse position, with the movement lower to the field. Tackles are not focused on spanning the field, but playing crouched and low. “The technicalities are the biggest transition,” explained Yeatman. “Just getting the muscle memories down, learning the body placement, when to move your hips, you fett and how to have good ankle bend, all of that stuff is a challenge. But I’m getting the hang of it.” “(The Dolphins) see a real upside because of his build, heart and determination,” said Dennis Yeatman. “He’s been able to do it, and he’s defied a lot of people in making this transition.” Yeatman saw action in all four of the Dolphins preseason games, but the team is not rushing him into regular season play. While he is on the full roster, he has yet to see game action through two games. For Hogan, the road was a bit rougher. He had four receptions for 34 yards in four preseason games, with three of those receptions coming in a Aug. 17 tilt versus the Carolina Panthers. Though his speed and footwork were praised by both teammates and coaches, he was not able to maintain his practice squad spot. Hogan is awaiting his next football move. Despite the uphill climb both Hogan and Yeatman have in the NFL, they both agree that they would not trade their lacrosse backgrounds for a singular focus on football. They encourage young players to take any advice to specialize in only one sport with a large grain of salt. “I think it’s a fraud to make kids only play one game,” stressed Yeatman. “They should play as many sports as possible, because it makes them so much better at every game.” “I used to go into summer football workouts in so much better shape because I played lacrosse. I was already in shape by the time the preseason came around because of lacrosse.” “There are benefits of focusing on only one sport. But there is so much you can learn from playing multiple sports,” said Hogan. “The footwork that I use at receiver is helped by the footwork I learned in lacrosse.” Even in a football environment, Hogan and Yeatman found time to bring a bit of lacrosse to Miami. “They both had their sticks ready and played a few times after training camp practices,” reported Dennis Yeatman. To the elder Yeatman, he hopes that his son’s and Hogan’s time in the NFL might help expose lacrosse to more sports fans, though he is quick to point out that the sport does not need the NFL’s help to prove its worth. “(Lacrosse players) are world-class athletes. I think the world is starting to see that, with or without the NFL exposure.”

Putting holes in the net during a game -- Easton Lacrosse Player Sean Lindsay

Sean Lindsay talking about shooting form.

Here is why one should practice shooting this summer while on the run.

Practice shooting on goal this summer -- do it on the run -- not just standing in front of the goal.

Stick tricks are not goofing off -- they are a fun way to develop skills.

Stick trick help with hand eye coordination, stick speed and ball feel.

A great thing to work on this summer.

Tennis not lacrosse here but a great example of sportsmanship.

Andy Murray wanted to break Britain's 76 year no win streak at Wimbledon -- he did not win, but clearly he won the hearts of his country. No excuses -- he tried and he congratulated the winner.

I put this here because it shows both the emotion of sports and particularly the great sportsmanship of both the loser Murray and the winner Roger Federer. Federer clearly lets Murray take his time -- well done by both players.

Really solid lesson on shooting -- foot work is important

This video on shooting sponsored by Golden State Lacrosse Academy does an excellent job of explaining foot position.

This is ideal to watch before you go out and do some of your own practice after going to some of the great lacrosse camps this summer.

After a bit of July 4th fun -- time to think about lax skills again.

Here is a great reason for d-poles to think about doing hand speed drills.

Listen to how much this goalie communicates -- this really helps the d-poles.

Enjoy this great check

Great lacrosse history here.

Some great lacrosse history shared by Easton Lacrosse -- watch goalie Jim Beardmore show some amazing lax skills outside of the cage.

Great goal -- well worth watching and learning.

A great goal from the air.

A very nice spinning behind the back goal.

D-pole Over the Head Check by Kyle Hartzell

Note the variety of types shots on goal by this terrific shooter

Some really nice lax shooting -- this video is better than many as it shows the assisting pass from the feeder -- much better for viewers and for youngsters learning the game.

Top notch high school lax Gilman vs Boys' Latin

This is really good lax action and very well done video. A lot of slow mo face-off shots -- really good for those working on this important skill. I would like to see more of the passing/feeding leading up to some of the great goals. Some of the goals are simply amazing fast breaks.

Enjoy !

A great way to learn is from the classics !

Watch the Gait brothers in action -- the hidden ball trick. Many of their creative ways of scoring lead to rules changes -- they were brilliant.

Note the wide variety of types of goals scored in this game.

Great video - a high scoring game that shows the importance of using different types of shots on goal. Note the number of high to low and especially bounce shots. - http://snip.it/s/35d8 @snipit

Two views of one crazy goal.

A wide shot and a closer cut view of an crazy goal.



Note it is well work clicking on the link to see the vimeo closer cut of the action:

http://vimeo.com/41208098

Fun GoPro fueled video by Easton Lacrosse

This video will get kids excited about lacrosse:

Cool Slow Mo look at shooting.

Great training ideas.

Great ideas -- here is the link so you can see the original article:

/laxallstars.com/1000-ways-to-train-for-lacrosse-2



As lacrosse players, we love to stay in great shape and train ourselves in new ways that push our limits and help us stay competitive. In an effort to give you the upperhand, we’re working to supply you with a list of 1,000 training methods that will assist you in your quest to be the next Lacrosse All Star. Whether your goal is the Tewaaraton winner or Summer League MVP, add these workouts to your repertoire and prepare the best.

1000 Ways to Train 11-20

Training for lacrosse is a little different than training for most sports as you can’t rely SOLELY on your strength or ONLY on your speed. To be an elite lacrosse player, it’s vital that you train hard in several areas: strength, power, speed, agility, and endurance.

The best players in the game move constantly while on the field, running from one point to another as each play progresses. Lacrosse is a very peculiar sport in that way because it requires players to have extreme levels of endurance and the strength to muscle through a check or body up on an opponent.

Simply put, you need to be able to run fast, run all day AND be a beast.

And so 1000 Ways To Train For Lacrosse continues…

11. Burpees

A classic, I feel like any athlete over the age of 8 knows what a burpee is and most likely hates them when it comes to conditioning. Burpees combine four main movements to make a complete workout that helps you build strength and increase your endurance, which makes this workout perfect for lacrosse.

The best part about burpees though, is that there are many different variations of the original that you can do to help push yourself a little harder – jump up burpees, dumbbell burpees, one leg burpee, double burpees, the list goes on.

12. Step In/Step Out (Speed Ladder)

While facing one side, you simply move sideways down the speed ladder stepping in and then out of each square with both feet. Your lead foot never changes and the key is to move as quickly as possible while staying as close as you can to the either side of the edge. Speed Ladder - Step In/Step Out

13. Middie Runs

I was really disappointed to find out that Google didn’t know what a ‘Middie Run’ was. These have been a staple in conditioning through my entire lacrosse career. These are great for not only building up quickness but also a little endurance as well.

Depending on how much you want to punish yourself, set-up two cones 10-20 yards apart and start at one of them. The distance from one cone to the other is one sprint or leg of the sprint. From here it’s a piece of cake, sort of. You start out with one and just sprint to the other cone and rest. Then you do three and rest, then five and rest, then seven and rest… you get the picture? Normally you work your way up to 11 or 13 before coming back down.

The picture below shows how we run this as a team, but as you can see it isn’t hard to change it so you can do it alone. As a team you can split everyone up by position and have them just go one after the other. Attack would start out and sprint their one, then middies would go, then the defense, and then attack would sprint their three and so on.

Middie Runs

14. Ball Transfer Crunch

When I think of these, I think of my Fitness teacher from high school. Whenever we were in the weight room he would always be doing some sort of extreme ab workout to pass the time and this was always one of them. The guy was a beast and these were a big indicator of that.

Start flat on your back with a Swiss ball between your legs and your arms straight out over your head. Lift the ball up with your legs and raise your arms to meet it like your trying to touch your toes but grab the ball instead. Extend your arms back down to the starting position with the ball and your legs without. Now you just transfer it back and forth, restarting flat each time. Feel the burn!

15. Front Squats

Front squats are always great for changing up your leg days when you’re tired of doing normal back squats. They are really effective because they give your back a rest from all the strain of back squats and force you to keep a more upright torso. This allows your quads and upper-back to engage a lot more.

Here is a great article on proper front squatting form and technique.

Borrowed from games2010.crossfit.com

16. Calf Raises

They aren’t just for looks. While those of us with bird legs add these in hopes of a little more definition in our calves, these actually help quite a bit with lower leg strength. Make sure to add these as a supplement to your leg days, while calf raises are helpful, it is more important to look at the big picture of overall leg strength.

17. Wrist Curls

Wrist strength is very important in lacrosse, from simply holding onto your stick to snapping your wrists in your shot to give it that little extra oomph. That’s where lifts like wrist curls come in. There are several variations of wrist curls that you can use to help target your wrists and forearms but when you have a firm hold of your stick as you dodge through barraging checks from defenders you’ll be glad thought about your wrists. I wonder if Arnold Schwarzenegger would have been a good defenseman?

Borrowed from www.emusclor.com

18. Dips

Dips are a great body weight exercise that hit three major areas used in lacrosse – the chest, shoulders, and triceps. If just your body weight isn’t enough, than grab a weight vest or dipping belt to help add some weight to it. Don’t have access to a gym? No problem – use a chair or the edge of your desk to get your reps in.

Dipping at Home 19. YOGA!

Yoga was a Godsend for me in college. One semester I needed an extra credit so I figured “why not?”. I signed up for a Yogalates class with my roommate and teammate on the lacrosse team. While the pilates part of class sucked (it was tough!), the yoga part was amazing and became such a nice reprieve after two-game weekends and very little time to recover between practices and games. It gave me the chance to stretch out those tight hammies and give my shoulders some much needed recovery through working out any soreness.

The best part about yoga is that all you need is some floor space and a little time to yourself. There are so many different types of yoga too, from the individual poses to the actual type of yoga you are doing. One of my favorites for in-season is called ‘Power Yoga’. It is a little more fast-paced and gets your muscles nice and warm while still allowing for all the stretching of normal yoga.

Yoga

We even brought it with us on roadtrips!

20. Shoot 100 ball before/after Practice

One of my favorite quotes of all time is, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”Aristotle dropping knowledge on you with that one. I couldn’t find the video, but Paul Rabil used to have a great shooting routine that consisted of something like the following:

- 10 shots right at the 5×5 - 10 shots left at the 5×5 - 10 shots right at the 10×5 - 10 shots left at the 10×5 - 10 shots right down the alley - 10 shots left down the alley

I took this and always did each group of shots twice before I moved on to the next set and then added in a couple different ones at the end. This was an exhausting shooting routine, but it helped my game so much.

The whole idea in my opinion is to develop muscle memory of hitting the exact same spot with the exact same motion each time you shoot. That way, when it comes to those in-game situations in which your adrenaline is pumping, your body already knows what to do and it is basically second nature.

Whew, only 980 to go. I hope you can take some of these and add them to your daily or weekly workouts. Until next time!

1,000 is a big number. Please share your favorite lifts and exercises in the comments section (or email us at info@lacrosseallstars.com) so we can add them to our list and reach the big 1-0-0-0!

An important note about training: You should always consider your own goals and decide what you want to accomplish during training. Most importantly though, always learn how to properly do an exercise before you start doing it. As very few of us are experts in Sports Science or Medicine, we always recommend doing your own research and finding credible trainers to teach you how to train. Train smart, train safe, train hard, lax on.

This is why I say to get better at lax one needs to just play with the ball at home.

Team practice is very important, but to become one of the best one needs to spend time simply messing around with the ball in the crosse. Learning how the ball feels in the pocket when you are spinning and twirling you and the stick in all sorts of crazy directions.

Then you can do this:

Lacrosse fans need to check out the fun MCLA ads made by Zach Heffner and Verdict

Work done by former pro laxer Zach Heffner -- check out his series of ads for MCLA Lacrosse:

Connor Wilson predicting more one-handed lax action.

I made a couple of predictions earlier this week, and while you can question my 2012 college national champion picks all you want, my other two predictions are rock solid, and a great example of one of those predictions made its way onto Yotube within hours of my post hitting the ‘net. One handed lacrosse is here to stay, and we’re only going to see more of it as time goes on!

Wells Stanwick Johns Hopkins Lacrosse

How many one handers can we expect this Stanwick to throw in his career?

My point is not that the one handed shot is new to lacrosse. As anyone who knows the game well can tell you, the one handed shot had been around for years. My point is that the newest, lightest sticks and improvements in flex technology (both in the head and shaft) will make one handed lacrosse easier, and therefore more popular, than ever.

I run through the WHY and HOW of one handed lacrosse in This Lacrosse Swami Says: The Future Is Coming!

The only problem with the argument I’ve made is that almost all the players I mention, who play one-handed, are the BEST guys in the world, and the best guys in the world have been doing the one hand thing for quite some time. So what exactly is NEW about that? Nothing.

What is new is that younger players are now shooting and passing one handed, and it’s working for them. The one hand flip pass can be seen in college and high school games across the country right now, and this is a big change from when I was playing the game at these levels, only 10-20 years ago, when that type of play was much rarer, and often vehemently frowned upon by the coaching establishment.

However, the one handed flip pass is now widely accepted, and the one handed shot is well on its way. Check out this High School game below for proof:

This game was played by the Providence School and I believe, Fletcher, and was played in North Florida. Neither of these teams are considered to be top level teams in Florida, but I think that only strengthens my point. Kids at all levels of the game, in every possible place, are learning to play one handed, and many are seeing success. And they actually look pretty natural doing so.

Watch that high school player score one handed again. Now watch Blake Miller score one handed for Team USA back in 2007 against Loyola.

Now try to tell me the high school kid didn’t look a little more natural shooting one handed… I know, I feel crazy just writing that. Blake Miller is one of the best ever, and the high school player is… well, a high school player. But he still looks really comfortable shooting one handed, whereas Miller seems as surprised as everyone else that the ball went in.

Miller shot one handed our of pure need and creativity. The Providence players almost seemed to set his one handed shot up before hand with his dodge. And it has everything to do with lighter sticks and better ball retention.

The changes in stick technology over the last few years have definitely impacted the game, and I think they will continue to impact the game in a major way. So much so that if I posted something like this in two to three years, the only comment I would probably get is “duh.”

As a coach or a player, will you start adding one handed passing or finishing into your training plan? Do you use it already?

Or do you think I’m crazy and have no idea what I’m talking about?

I’m excited to hear what people think about the impending invasion of one handed lacrosse.

Check out this High School Lacrosse Hidden Ball Trick

Great interview with Mike Powell.

Off the Rug, The Life

Off the Crosse-Bar Podcast with Mike Powell

April 18th, 2012 by Teddy Jenner



Inevitably, as kids grow up there is an immediate comparison to those that have come before them. People will always draw parallels to the names of the past putting unnecessary pressure on young minds before they even grow and become their own person. Well when your older brothers are two of the greatest players to ever play at Syracuse University people will automatically think you can do what they did. Mike Powell was put in that situation. He set records at Carthage High School in upstate New York and when he agreed to attend SU, the shadow was cast to repeat the feats of Casey and Ryan. He did that and more, setting the SU all time points record of 307, was a 4x All American, 4x Tewaaraton nominee, winning it twice and a 2x National Champion. But after his senior season, he didn’t want to continue down that path anymore. The idea of being a professional lacrosse player like his brothers didn’t appeal to him so he put down his stick and became his own man, did what he wanted to do and set out on a journey to find out who Mike Powell was. Well this week on the OTCB podcast, we find out who Mike Powell IS!

Many people criticized Mike Powell when he opted to completely walk away from the game of lacrosse after his senior season at Syracuse. They jumped to conclusions as to why he was choosing not play NLL or even MLL. What they didn’t know was that Powell was making the choice for himself, not those that watched the game. “I have so much respect for guys like John Tavares and John Grant Jr. and the others that play lacrosse full time, all year around. It’s so taxing on the body and I wasn’t ready to make that commitment.”

So with one tough decision behind him, he set off on a journey to find out who he was, what made him happy and what path he was going to go down. Powell packed up his car and traveled the US sleeping in a tent and allowed himself to find the things that made him happy.

After a short stint as a traveling musician playing in a couple different bands he realized that the game of lacrosse was drawing him back and in 2005, he suited up along side lacrosse legend Gary Gait to help lead the Baltimore Bayhawks to an MLL title. Even though he was out of the game for a year, he picked up right where he left off and it was like he never left.

However, he continued to ply his trade outdoors on the big field. “It would be like a top level boxer thinking he can just walk into the Octagon and be succesfful,”remarked Powell sitting that his game was modeled for the outdoor game and not indoors. You can’t blame the guy for knowing his strengths.

Like many Americans, Mike admits that his knowledge of the indoor game was and still is very minimal but since he’s been apart of the CBS Sports Networks broadcasts he started to learn the intricacies of box lacrosse. “Casey and I were filming a sequence on pick and rolls for one of our segments, Tracy Kelusky was standing on the side watching. When we were done he came over to us laughing and said, you guys are doing that totally wrong,” obviously, it’s still a learning process. That’s what makes Powell such a great piece to the CBS puzzle. He’s very similar to the common newbie and together they can learn the game.

So have a listen and not just to the podcast(check out ‘The Polite Rebel’ on YOUTUBE and iTunes) as Mike Powell and I cover a ton of topics from the NLL, MLL, his music why his game doesn’t fit the indoor game, his growth as a person and “The Move”.

This is a must listen for all lacrosse fans!

http://www.ilindoor.com/2012/04/18/off-the-crosse-bar-podcast-with-mike-powell/

Box Action with Jay Jalbert

Connor Wilso gives his thoughts on how to be a better middie.

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve talked about how to become a great lacrosse shooter. We’ve also talked about how to become a dominant lacrosse defenseman, and we’ve even given you a drill called the Takeaway Teacher. Now it’s time for us to bring it all together for you lacrosse midfielders out there. Syracuse Vs. Duke Lacrosse - Big City Classic

Rotanz is a pretty solid midfielder!

Today, we are supplying you with three tried and true keys to being the best lacrosse midfielder you can be. We’ve even brought in the big guns to lend a hand!

First, I’ll run through what some of the best midfielders in the game are thinking. These guys are the absolute BEST, and their experience in the game is invaluable. Learn from Sean Lindsay, Peet Poillon, Max Seibald, and Jay Jalbert. Next, I’ll break down their responses and add in my own knowledge to provide you with THREE keys to being the best midfielder you can possibly be. Are you ready for this?

3 Keys To Becoming The Best Lacrosse Middie

A Word From The Pros

Peet Poillon is a budding household name in the lacrosse world, and one heck of a player! I just love his hard and spirited style of play. This Maverik Lacrosse athlete and MLL star had to say:

“I want midfielders on my team to be tough, fast and quick, versatile, selfless, and scrappy.”

I really like the scrappy adjective. It encompasses the whatever it takes attitude, that so many players mention, nicely.

Max Seibald, current MLL star, Nike Lacrosse athlete and owner of Maximum Lacrosse Camps laid out the following traits that any great middie should possess:

A great midfielder should have the following: 1) A great work ethic 2) Grit, toughness and resilience 3) Speed and strength 4) versatility and intelligence 5) HUSTLE!

All in all, Max summed up a great midfielder as a “two-way Stallion” that can do it all, play hard, play smart and run all day.

Jay Jalbert was one of the best middies of all time while at University of Virginia. He went on to be an All-MLL fixture, and he’s now producer of the Maverik Lacrosse videos. Jay kept it relatively succinct, but was also incredibly insightful. Not a big surprise as this guy is an absolute lax legend!

I think a middie should possess strength, speed, endurance, toughness. He needs to be relentless, and awesome.

Great qualities form a great player! Stand out by doing it all, and doing it all really well. There is nowhere for a truly great lacrosse middie to hide, so prepare to be excellent! Jalbert drops knowledge.

Sean Lindsay was always a pleasure to watch while he was winning titles and All-American awards at Syracuse, and befitting of an Orange lacrosse legend, his midfield qualities vary from the others just a bit, in that they include a little more flair for the dramatic.

My ideal midfielder is versatile and unpredictable. Toughness is key. They need to be a leader. And I want them to be clutch.

Now that you’ve heard from the best to play the game, here are three major keys to becoming the best midfielder and how you can improve on each and every one of these aspects of the game.

1) Focus On Your Legs

The Reason: Three of the four greats we spoke with mentioned some combination of speed, quickness, endurance and strength. This is no coincidence. Great midfielders have to be able to run hard, run fast, and do it all day. Knowing where to be, or what to do, means nothing if your legs can’t get you there.

The Answer: Run. When you think you’ve run enough, run some more. Distance is ok, sprints are ok, interval training is ok. Running around on a field with a stick, picking up a ground ball and sprinting down the field, and then repeating that for 20 minutes? Well that’s just ideal. You’re working your legs and doing so with a stick in your hands.

When you’re done running, do some body weight lunges and squat jumps. Beat your legs up when you train and come game time, you’ll be in great shape. Literally.

The other part of the answer is to stretch and be flexible. Lacrosse puts an incredible amount of strain on your body, so make sure you are limber and flexible. Spend 10 minutes stretching out your legs and core each morning. More flexibility means a greater range of motion, and more speed and power.

2) Be A Tough Player

The Reason: The greats ALL mention toughness as a key trait, and yet none of these guys are “fighters”, or “big hitters”. They CAN hit big, but it’s not what they are known for. Being tough isn’t about being a tough guy at all. It’s about being able to take it, and dish it out, but all in the quest of winning the game.

Getting slashed and then turning around and pushing the guy who just slashed you doesn’t make you tough. Getting slashed and going hard to the cage anyway DOES make you tough. This is where being “scrappy” really comes into play. A scrapper isn’t a thug, they just go out and give it 100% at all times. There is no quit in these types of players, and it is almost impossible to get in their head as an opponent. They play to win.

The Answer: Take pride in your bruises and keep your eyes on the prize. When an opponent hacks you in a game but you come up with the ball, don’t complain. Relish the moment and make them pay by burning them for a goal. Want to “learn” how to do this? It’s simple… make a conscious decision to act this way ALL THE TIME. In practice, in class, in life.

This one is all about personal responsibility, accountability and the ability to control yourself, and is one of the most important life skills one can learn via this sport. There is no shortcut to toughness. It’s earned through effort and attitude. Watch Jalbert take an NLL beating and laugh it off. True toughness!!!

3) Be Versatile

The Reason: Each and every midfield great we talked to mentioned some variation of speed, and they all talked about toughness. But they also hit on the ideal middie’s ability to do it all, be versatile, or just “be awesome” as Jalbert might say. A great midfielder can ride, play defense, clear the ball, and then play offense in the span of less than a minute, and the diversity of skills required to do this well is almost staggering. There are just so many aspects of the game to master! But to be truly great, you simply have to be able to do it all. It’s just the way the game is played by the best.

The Answer: This is a great opportunity to ask for a little help. Seek out one of your coaches, and ask them what the biggest “holes” are in your game. Do you dodge well but struggle to shoot on the run? Do you play good defense but miss ground balls? What aspects of your game need the most improvement? Ask for honesty, and be prepared to hear things you don’t want to hear. Then get to work!

How do you get to work when there is so much to do? You have to train intelligently. If your coach tells you that you need to work on shooting, ground balls and your weak hand, and then you spend 3 hours working on your time and room sidearm shot, then you are cheating yourself. Stick to fundamentals and train intelligently. Spending 1 hour on wall ball with your off hand, 1 hour of pass with a friend while you run around, and 1 hour of shooting on the run off a ground ball pick up would be better.

Want to be a diverse midfielder? Train in a diverse manner. To Sum Up…

Being a great midfielder requires you to be in great shape, and you have to be tough. You need to be able to do it all and do it all consistently well.

Becoming a great midfielder doesn’t happen overnight. It’s something you work for constantly. But once that work gets put in, and is continued to be put in, the sky is truly the limit.

Here are some additional pointers from the likes of Peet and Max…

What else do you think aspiring lacrosse middies should focus on?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

A good video that really shows play development.

Great to get video with well played lax action but to have footage that really shows play development is terrific -- the best way to learn is to see the whole play develop -- not just a ball going into the net.

Two very different types of goals but great examples of how to score.

Wow -- two great goals -- one is a d-pole who does a great job paying attention to the opponents' field position and shooting where the goalie was not -- in the goal. The second goal is a brilliant flurry of action and a sort of behind the front backwards goal -- really a well earned goal. - http://snip.it/s/2tb1 @snipit

For those who like lax scoring action.

Great to pick up tips from the college players.

Some of the best from the first half of 2012

Being an elite player takes brains too.

This article is about soccer, but clearly to be an elite player in any sport the mental component is the deciding factor.

The original article.

Hey soccer fans, here's something to think about at the next game: The best players may be quicker thinkers than you.

A study led by Swedish researchers suggests that elite soccer players outperform players in lower divisions in tests of certain cognitive abilities, and both groups bested the general public. The results were published recently in the journal PLoS ONE.

Specifically, the study focused on executive function, which is involved in working memory. Whenever you bring forth a memory that you need to solve a task, such as make a phone call or tie your shoe, that's working memory in action. Executive function is also involved in creativity, multi-tasking and inhibition.

"The successful player must constantly assess the situation, compare it to past experiences, create new possibilities, make quick decisions to action, but also quickly inhibit planned decisions," the authors write.

The phenomenon has not been studied in detail before with regard to professional athletes. But previous research showed expert sports players have enhanced abilities in things like evaluating probabilities, recognizing patterns and using information from peripheral vision.

Participants in the Swedish study included 57 males and 26 females, all soccer players from the country's top three national division soccer leagues. The players took cognitive function tests, which had well-established average scores for the general population in the fall of 2007.

Information about the players' goals and assists was obtained from January 2008 to May 2010. The Swedish researchers then looked back at the players' test scores to see if cognitive function could help predict later performance.

It turned out that higher performance on the cognitive test was correlated with the subsequent performance of the players, based on a subsample of the original group.

The theory is that playing soccer may have improved the players' executive function. But they wouldn't have been able to get to such a high level of professionalism if they hadn't already been good at these mental tasks, said study co-author Predrag Petrovic of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

Should soccer players be recruited on the basis of cognitive tests like these?

The study points in that direction, but the number of participants is small, and the conclusions do not prove causality. It's a question for further research whether playing soccer causes better cognitive processing, or if cognitive processing leads to better soccer performance. This study also does not say anything about the genetic component of mental or athletic performance.

Bradley Hatfield, professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, who has researched the link between executive function and exercise independently of Petrovic's group, says the study is based on a reasonable conceptual model. It doesn't make definitive statements about the role of these brain processes in soccer success, but its suggestions are plausible based on research that has come before it, Hatfield said in an e-mail.

"I think it's relevant to the public interest, and the quality of the work is supported by its appearance in a peer-reviewed journal," he said.

But Mark Williams, professor of motor behavior at Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom, is more skeptical. He points out that since cognitive abilities have been previously shown to be correlated with aerobic capacity, it's possible that the most elite athletes performed better on tests because they are more physically fit.

On the whole, more research must be done before definitive conclusions can be made.

Really great lacrosse action and what make this video significantly better than most is the excellent pacing.

The video is not just showing the goals -- a bit of play development, faceoffs, d-pole action are all included.

The best part of this video is the clever use of slow motion -- never overdone -- the SloMo is used to allow one to better see the action.

One of the best lax highlights videos of 2012

Great ideas for d-pole development from Connor Wilson

If you want to be a dominant defenseman, you’ll need to master three major skill sets: Footwork, Sticks Skills and Lacrosse IQ. I laid out these key aspects of player development in my post, How To Become A Dominant Lacrosse Defenseman, and today I’ll go a little deeper into the stick skills portion of this. The Takeaway Teacher

Throw GREAT checks and be FEARED by all who carry the ball! Princeton vs. Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse 23

Learn to throw checks with the best of them!

As I said in my defensive post, wall ball is extremely important when it comes to stick skill development and becoming comfortable with the ball. However, it isn’t the only stick drill you can do to improve your game! This drill is an oldie but a goodie, and it will allow you to really focus on your wrist strength, timing and stick skills. It’s perfect for first time long poles but can still help the best of the best become even better! Drill Requirements

To get started, you’ll need the following:

- 1 short stick

- 1 goal

- 1 long pole

Preferably, the long pole you use will be a heavier back-up stick, as this will help you build up strength and stamina. Also, when you pick up your gamer after using a heavier pole, it feels like a feather in your hands!

Drill Setup

Step 1: Take the short stick and slide the shaft through the back of a lacrosse goal’s netting. The shaft should be placed through the goal so that the head of the short stick is at or below your head level, placed about 10-15 net rows in from the goalpost. The stick is positioned like this in the goal to simulate a ball carrier with a vertical cradle and good stick protection.

Step 2: Take two steps back from the goal, standing on goal line extended and pick up your long pole.

Step 3: Start throwing PRECISE checks on the stick hanging in the goal as two of my HS freshman defenders are doing here:

Ok, so they aren’t young Joel Whites just quite yet, but they are improving! This was probably the first time they ever got a lesson in throwing checks, and later in the day, during 6 on 6, it showed with multiple takeaways.

Drill Progression

At first, stick to simple checks like the poke check, two-handed front wrap check, and slap check. Then, as your strength and comfort with a long pole increases, you can start throwing more advanced checks. If you can’t throw a kayak perfectly on a set up like this 20 times in a row, you’re not ready to use it in a game. Use this drill as a barometer to test how well you know your own checks, and avoid getting in trouble with your coach!

Build up to combination checks. By throwing two checks to the front of the goal, the stick will begin to sway back and forth. Time this sway like an attackman’s cradle and then work on throwing the over the head check. This drill truly allows players to learn how to set up checks, and throw them effectively.

Do’s and Don’ts

When doing this drill yourself, try to focus on the following things:

- DO throw sharp, accurate checks. With a heavier shaft, you will be amazed at how quickly your arms will get sore. But that means they’re also getting strong!

- DON’T take a big back swing on your checks. This will lead to bad habits on the playing field!

- DO time your checks. As the short stick swings, focus on timing your checks to navigate around the goal pipes.

- DON’T hit the goal with your stick. Hitting the pipe is equivalent to slashing an attacker on his free arm, and it means you are not reaching AROUND the player enough with your stick, or timing your checks well.

- DO stay in control. Tighten your core when you do this drill. Focus on your positioning and be precise with your stick checks at all time. Get ready to work!

- DON’T be lazy and step around the goal. Stand on the balls of your feet, like you would in a real game, and bend your knees. Challenge yourself.

- DO be diverse with your checks. Practice throwing checks to the head of the short stick and then to the butt end. Some players hang the head of their sticks, while others show the butt end. Get used to going after either.

- DON’T throw one-handed checks. This is another horrible habit to fall into. Effective and efficient use of a 6-foot long lacrosse stick requires 2 hands! The Only Drawback

The only real drawback to this drill is that the defensive players are standing still, and we all know that standing still is bad! So as a coach, if you’re going to use this drill in practice, I recommend having the poles go at it like this for 5 minutes, and then moving DIRECTLY to 4 on 3s. Players’ arms should be tired from throwing all those checks, so they will have to use their feet. After you see that they are moving their feet again, you can get into 1 on 1s, 3 on 3s or 6 on 6.

The Art of Checking

This drill really breaks down the art of defensive checking to its most simple form. It is all about short, strong and precise checks while working on timing. By placing the short stick on either side of the goal, you can mimic a lefty or righty ball carrier.

There is no limit to what a defensive player can learn from this drill, it just depends on how far they’re willing to take it.

Here is why just messing around with your crosse pays off !

Team practice is important. Wall ball is important. Running, passing and shooting on goal with just a buddy is important. To really get good one also needs to spend time with a ball in your crosse twisting, turning and doing all kinds of crazy moves while keeping the ball in your crosse.

Then you can do this:

Face-Off: Sean Morris

Face-off instructions by Sean Morris:

Face-off Instructional w Paul Cantabene

One method of face-off as instructed by Paul Cantabene:

Connor Wilson using Lehigh as an example of improving a defense unit.

The Lehigh men’s lacrosse team just might have the best defense in the country right now, and the Mountain Hawks defensive prowess has definitely contributed in a major way to their overall success. Right now, the Lehigh squad is rolling and looking to make 2012 their year. Let’s take a closer look at what they’re doing right on the defensive side of the ball!

Lehigh runs a complicated defense, with a number of different schemes. It obviously takes time to learn the D, and feel comfortable, but it’s not ALL about experience, as Lehigh starts a freshman in goal named Matt Poillon, and their best defender is probably Ty Souders, who is only a sophomore.

So, how has Lehigh gone from giving away close games to winning them? It all stems from a more cohesive team approach this year, especially on the defensive end. Lehigh Lacrosse defense practice

Lehigh going to work in practice

In the past, Lehigh allowed defenders to be put on an island, and relied too heavily on solid one-on-one defending. I recently laid out three things that anyone can do to become a dominant defender, and in years past, many Lehigh players really only hit two of the three aspects of the game.

The team had players with good footwork, and good stick skills, but the third part of the equation, a high lacrosse IQ, was still lacking to a certain degree. Lacking so much that the Mountain Hawks were losing games they felt they should be winning.

To bump that Lacrosse IQ up, the coaches switched things around a bit on defense, and now they are much more “slide and recover” heavy. Check out the video below for a firsthand run down of what the Lehigh men’s lacrosse team has going on…

The Lehigh defense is no longer waiting for a player to get beat and then reacting. Instead, the defense is sliding with purpose, before a teammate is cleanly beat, and their schemes prepare them for this. The defensive player that was “beat” quickly recovers inside, and by the time most teams have cycled the ball to the backside, the whole unit has recovered, and they are ready to stop the next offensive advance.

This switch in defensive approach relies heavily on a high team lacrosse IQ, and it is clearly something that has taken time to build and learn. It seems a though Lehigh laid the foundation in the fall, and made sure that it was strong. From there, new layers of slides have been added, and tweaks and adjustments have been made. The players have fully bought in, the Lehigh defensive unit is now a single cohesive unit. This unit is winning games for its team.

I went through a very similar defensive transformation when I played at Wesleyan, and it was the linchpin to our success. Like Lehigh, we weren’t blessed with 5 or 6 poles who were all beasts – who could take the ball from anyone. We had talented guys who were willing to play team lacrosse to win games. We were willing to swallow our individual pride, and do the dirty work. From watching Lehigh play, you can tell they are in that same boat now as well.

At Wesleyan, we switched from man-to-man defense to an aggressive, doubling zone defense, which at times closely resembles the schemes that Lehigh runs now. People often disregard defensive players in a zone defense, or in Lehigh’s case, a slide and recover defense, because no ONE person really stands out.

However, if Lehigh is leading the nation in goals given up per game, they must be doing something VERY right. If that thing is relying on a well-orchestrated “no name” defense, then I think Head Coach Kevin Cassesse and the Mountain Hawks will be just fine.

So what kind of defense would YOU rather have?

Seven guys on D (including a goalie!) who are all studs but play as individuals? Or seven guys who play team ball and rely on each other to win games? From personal experience, I’ll take the latter.

A great example of why to practice at home with your stick

Having great stick does not come from going to practice. Practice is very important, but you need to experiment at home, move the crosse around while keeping the ball in the pocket. All sort of crazy twists and turns. Find a wall, make crazy bounces and catches. Then you can do this:

Great hidden ball trick.

Connor Wilson thoughts on being a better D-Pole

1) Footwork And Training

A good defenseman plays defense with his feet more than anything else. As a pole, being able to get your body between the offensive player you are covering and the goal is priority number 1. Defenseman have a number of tools at their disposal to get this done, but without good footwork, those tools will all be dull instruments at best.

The key to good one-on-one defense is dictating play, and remaining one step ahead of the attacking player at all times by maintaining good body position. Against a skilled opponent, staying in front of your man is almost impossible if you can’t move your feet effectively. The drop step, side shuffle and a lateral change of direction are an excellent defenseman’s best friends.

When you train, focus on the things that will help you the most. Bicep curls and bench pressing are NOT the keys here. In this case, you’ll want to work out your legs as much as possible. Using a speed ladder can be great for quickness and body control, and plyometrics can certainly help with speed and power. The focus should be on getting faster and quicker, and also on the ability to play a full game at 100%.

Work a good deal of leg and cardio conditioning in as well, and always go hard when you train. Long breaks between sets don’t replicate game situations, so stay active and keep your feet moving.

Jumping rope for 4 sets of 3 minutes each with 1 minute breaks is a great example of conditioning training. You can also do sprint-jog intervals – sprint for 50 yards, jog for 50 yards, repeat for 20 minutes. Playing good defense for 1 minute is easy, but stopping a 6 minute possession is hard. Prepare for those hard situations so you can dominate on the field!

This focus will lead to strong legs that are there when you need them the most. As an aspiring defender, you want your legs to allow you to float like a butterfly and sting like a giant concrete bee. I’m mixing boxing metaphors now, but if you focus on speed and leg power, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a dominant defender.

2) Stick Work

It’s truly amazing what some of the best defenders in the game can do with their sticks, both when playing one-on-one defense and when carrying the ball. Often times, the best takeaway guys are also the best ball handlers, and I’ll tell you right now, that is NOT a coincidence.

As a defensive player, you want to always be in control of your stick. It is the biggest tool in your toolbox, and when you’re in full control it can fix any situation. Having a great stick is about comfort, confidence and ability, and the only way to develop these three things is practice.

Wall Ball is a huge component of practice. The passing, catching, shooting and ground ball benefits are extremely obvious, yet many young players do not use the wall to their full advantage. Since no one else is for a solid Wall Ball session, hitting the wall is really your best opportunity for self-improvement.

Just as basketball players imagine last second situations while playing on their driveway, it is important that you pass and catch off the wall like you mean it. Work up a sweat while you hit the wall and visualize situations in which you want to improve. This will help elevate your game.

By hitting the wall, you will also see an improvement in your ability to time checks and control your stick, simply because wall ball builds up your strength and eye-hand coordination.

3) Lacrosse IQ – Know The Game!

This one is simple, easy and fun. Watch as much lacrosse as you possibly can.

When you’re watching lacrosse game on TV, pick out a defensive player on the field that you want to play like, and watch him religiously throughout the game. Don’t focus on the ball, or the “action”, but focus on the one guy you think is the best defender.

- Where does he position himself when he’s defending off-ball?

- How does he set up and manipulate the motion of his dodging opponent?

- Can you hear him and his teammates communicating on the field?

- How does he set up his stick checks?

- When does he pressure out, when does he sit back and/or move in toward the crease?

- Where does he go during clears? How comfortable is he with the ball in his stick?

These are all questions to ask yourself as you’re watching the player on TV. Collect all the answers – even write them down. Know it all and value all portions of the game. By focusing on a certain player, you can more effectively learn from the best. And if you can develop an understanding of a player’s actions and reactions on the field, you will raise your Lacrosse IQ tremendously.

While you’re watching, you can also do a little fact checking on this very article. Do the best defenders play primarily with their feet? Do the best takeaway guys also have the best stick skills? Do the best players stand out and go hard 100% of the time?

Try these three approaches for yourself, make an honest effort, and I guarantee you’ll become a much better defenseman.

This is what make certain players great.

Check out this tremendous effort by goalie Brett Queener -- what a great example of both conditioning and heads -up play. The first save was really solid, but check out the second save -- that is Epic. - http://snip.it/s/2ijx @snipit

More lax highlights -- Calvert Hall -- this one shows some play development.

Many lax highlight videos just show one shot and the ball in the net. I like that is one shows a series of passes -- a much better way to enjoy and learn the sport.

MLL All-Stars

A teaser video for the June 2012 MLL All-Stars game.

Loyola vs UMBC highlights.

Some exciting action. This type of highlights video is fun to watch and great to get players pumped up, but I will make two points. To really learn one needs to see games/video that shows more of the play development and if you are making a recruiting video this is not the type of film you need to make. For a recruiting video you will want to show more of your whole series of actions that show how you move, how you think and more of both your offensive and defensive skills.

Keep things fresh -- try new ways to train.

Lacrosse and Rugby 7′s both rely on speed, excellent passing, and top level conditioning. I have developed a new training drill for lacrosse which takes full advantage of all the similarities. This drill is almost entirely based on the rules and principles of Rugby 7′s and it focuses on both creating and defending good dodging opportunities. craigwell-1-dobson rugby 7s

Rugby 7's - physical, fast-paced and exciting. Just like lacrosse.

When I’m watching other sports, I’m always looking for ways to pull over skill sets to my favorite game. While I enjoy regular (Union) rugby, I really like Rugby 7′s; a lightning fast variation of the game that is often used as an out of season training tool by Rugby Union players.

Watch the video below to get the feel for a Rugby 7′s game, and then we’ll get into the specifics of the drill. The action starts around the 2:30 mark.

It’s an impressive game, right?

Since lacrosse also emphasizes the importance of speed, passing, and conditioning, I found a way to develop them using Rugby 7′s as my starting point, and it has grown into an exciting brand new lacrosse training drill. This drill will help your players learn how to move the ball sideways and backwards, while moving the overall possession of the ball forward and down the field as a team.

Many lacrosse players are skilled at finding open men in front of them, but not so much behind them or to the sides. This drill helps teach awareness, creativity, and requires excellent sticks skills for all players. It is also extremely beneficial for defensive players. All of the benefits will translate directly to success on the field.

The Basic Principles Of The 7′s Drill

The coach will create two (or more) even teams, and all the teams will be populated with middies, attack, and defensemen as evenly as possible. Team B will throw the ball from one end of the field to the other, much like a kickoff in football. Team A receives, and carries the ball upfield. The object of the game is get the ball into the other team’s “end zone”. Team B can stop Team A by creating a turnover (takeaway, interception, ground ball, etc).

Forward passes are NOT allowed. The only time a forward pass can be made is as a “punt”, and then the other team must touch the ball before the punting team can regain possession. A team might punt the ball if they are deep in their own territory and under pressure, with nowhere to go but into their own end zone. A player might also “punt” the ball if he is about to go out of bounds with possession. It’s a turnover, but it pins the other team back in their own end.

Team A is only allowed to throw the ball laterally and behind them when retaining possession. Team A can also run the ball down the field (or in any direction) at will, just like they do in the 7′s video I included above.

Full Breakdown Of The Rules:

- Create teams of even strength mixing poles, middies and attack men. Each team should have 7-10 players on it.

- You can play half field or full field. At each end of the field, there should be a defined “end zone”.

- The goal of the game is to run the ball into the end zone.

- Players can run with the ball in any direction.

- Players can ONLY PASS the ball backwards.

- A forward pass is regarded as a punt. If the ball goes out of bounds, the team that threw it (pass or punt) immediately goes to defense and must give the ball carrier 5 yards.

- Picks are legal. Moving picks are NOT legal.

How Play Will Often Shake Out

Team A is on offense. Since the ball can not be thrown forward, Team B should form a defensive line across the field. As a player on Team A tries to break through the line with a dodge, players from Team B must come and meet him to prevent him from just running through. It is likely that more than one player on Team B will be required to stop the player from Team from dodging through the line of defenders. And this is where the drill gets REALLY interesting.

A strong dodger may be able to get through one or two players, but if Team A realizes this, they will bring 2 or 3 defensive players to meet the dodger every time. In this case, the dodger must then know how to draw the double or triple, and THEN make the pass laterally or behind him to move the ball. And there are a vast number of ways for him to do this, with each one hitting on a certain set of skills.

1) Roll away from the pressure, switch hands, throw the look back pass we so often see in the college game.

2) Orchestrate a flip pass behind you to an overlapping teammate.

3) Notice the D has overcommitted, and swing the ball to the opposite side of the field laterally. Basically a side and away look.

These three basic approaches then allow for a lot more creativity and experimentation. Maybe your team will run a double reverse, or start throwing more behind the back flip passes. Maybe your kids will develop perfect throw back passes. It all depends on what the coach emphasizes. How do YOU want to get the ball through the defense? Pick out what you want to work on and make it happen.

Offensively, your players will be tested as skill will trump athleticism, and vision will trump set plays. Forcing your kids to make backwards and lateral passes will only make them more aware of the option on the actual game field. Stick skills will be sharpened, and team chemistry will develop as players will be forced to use the guys on their team to see success. Players will be forced to carry the ball, and make good decisions under heavy pressure while also learning to switch sides while clearing.

Defensively, this drill emphasizes communication and using your feet more than anything else. It prepares the defense to move together, and cover backside players and off ball, often down a man (splitting offensive players off ball). It teaches them to slide with the body and STOP someone, instead of swinging at sticks.

The drill will help your players clear the ball, and possess it on offense, even under pressure. It will open their eyes to new ways of moving the ball, and it will force defenders to communicate, run, and play solid team defense.

Defensive Keys To The Drill:

When a dodger threatens the line that the defense has set up, multiple players will need to meet the dodger. The basic set-up of the drill requires the defense to force the dodger either back, or into a double. That in turn Forces the dodger to move the ball laterally or backwards, and then resetting the line to prepare to stop the new dodger. From there, the defensive team can begin to try to pick off passes, create takeaways with checks or force bad passes which go out of bounds.

If offensive players are dodging through the defensive line with ease, then you know your defense needs to really step it up. Defensive players MUST meet dodgers in bunches, and then recover to find the next dodger. This is the perfect to drill to focus on playing team defense in smaller groups (2-3 guys), sealing off a side, doubling, managing the approach and breaking down to recover.

Offensive Keys To The Drill:

This is a great way for offensive players to learn how to draw two or three men, turn, move the ball and get reinvolved in the offense as it shifts to a new section of the field. A successful team will be able to draw defensive players to one area, move the ball, and then attack the weak side. Quick ball movement, good stick skills, and understanding your teammates are the keys to focus on here. It is also important that your players learn to recognize when it’s a good time for hard dodging, and when it’s a good time to move the ball on.

If your offensive players are having a hard time breaking through the line, the cause is most likely a lack of stick skills and confidence in their ability to make good, accurate passes and dodges while moving their feet. Being able to move the ball to set up strong dodgers on weakened defensive areas is key.

Additional Notes:

Endzones can be replaced with trashcans or goals with goalies in them. Then the offense can shoot from anywhere, but a missed shot is regarded like a punt, and the other team takes over the ball.

There are a ton of little tweaks that can inserted into this drill to make it more appropriate for your team like adding goals, trash cans, or even disallowing punting (to really put the pressure on the team with possession). If your defense is dominating, make one of your attackmen all-time offense, that way, the defensive team will always be a man down. If the offense is dominating, take a pole and make him all-time defense.

Final Thoughts

The benefits of this drill are truly endless and with a couple tweaks to fit your program, it might just become one of your go-to drills. It is fun, requires the kids to run and play as a team, has lots of hidden conditioning, and the benefits a team can experience by looking at something in a new way cannot be underestimated.

By putting our players in new and challenging scenarios, we can truly prepare them for whatever will come their way on the field. Add this drill to your arsenal and you’ll see improvement from your guys at both ends of the field! If you have any questions on how to run this drill effectively, PLEASE ask me in the comment section.

Video on Wing Dodging.

Great ways to improve your lacrosse shooting skills.

Great advice from Connor Wilson -- some very basic points which if followed will make a huge difference in your lax shooting. - http://snip.it/s/2gze @snipit
My one addition and one that Kyle Harrison is always mentioning. Practice your shooting while moving. You don't stand stil in a game -- so don't stand still when you practice.

http://laxallstars.com/5-ways-to-become-a-great-lacrosse-shooter/

When I played midfield in high school, I could shoot the rock hard, but my accuracy was suspect. REALLY suspect. If the ball consistently traveled within 10 feet of the cage I was “on”. I once shot a ball so hard, so sidearm, and so poorly, that it went onto the highway, which was easily 75 yards away from the field and separated by a line of trees. Even my own teammates were laughing at me. Totally fair and completely embarrassing. Needless to say, when I got to college, my coach put a longstick in my hands as quickly as he could.

But after graduating, I stuck around to help coach, as an assistant, and somehow I drew the assignment of warming up and working with our goalies. Due to constant heckling from the kids I was coaching, I quickly realized that my shooting had better improve, and it had better improve quickly! So here is how I made a change in my shooting technique and how YOU can prep to be much better. Syracuse vs. Army men's lacrosse 22

Time to become a great shooter!

These FIVE Tips can help you become a better shooter in only a couple of weeks:

1) Forget Power, and Focus on Accuracy

It is extremely hard to learn how to shoot hard, and THEN work on your accuracy. I tried this in high school, and it does NOT work. The form you develop by focusing on power only is almost universally AWFUL. Focus on shooting the right way, and focus on putting the ball where you want it, THEN work your way up the power scale. Without control, pure power is garbage.

2) Train Simple, Train Hard

So many athletes today think they need to have a personal trainer or be on the cusp of training technology. Bologna. If you want to shoot accurately and hard, you don’t need a trainer. You need a pull up bar and some running shoes. Do pulls ups every other day for your back and arms. Do push ups every other day for your chest and core. Do sit ups or other ab exercises religiously. RUN and work those legs! Great shooters generate control and power with every portion of their body. Be strong, train hard and your shooting will improve. If you are going to hit the gym, focus on Olympic lifts for total body power.

3) Play Wall Ball

It seems like I always use wall ball as a “way to improve”. This is because it is the SINGLE most important aspect of becoming a good lacrosse player. If you can really pound the ball off the wall, it means you can catch and then move the ball accurately. Shooting is very similar, and the skill sets translate effortlessly. Like I said in point 1, focus on accuracy. When you shoot on a cage, the ball can go anywhere. Who cares? But when you play wall ball, you need to be accurate. It’s a great shooter’s best friend.

4) Keep Your Shooting Skill Set Diverse

There are guys out there who are time and room shooters (Forrest Sonnenfeldt, Kyle Wharton) and there are guys who are better on the run (Mike Kimmel, Hakeem Lecky) and then there are guys who are great at both (Colin Briggs, Paul Rabil, Jay Jalbert). You want to be the guy who is great at both. Maybe you’ll be better at one, but practice both. Going out and ripping shots all day from 13 yards is a mistake. Take some on run, take some from low angles. Mix it up and be diverse, because you’ll probably have to do that in a game. Don’t be a one-dimensional shooter.

5) Partner Up For Better Training

I don’t mind seeing a guy out on a field with a bag of balls all by himself. Nothing wrong with that at all. But if you have the chance to partner up when shooting, take it! It is much easier to replicate catching a pass on the run and then shooting, or catching a pass for a time and room shot when you have someone to throw it to you. This partner can be a parent, coach or teammate. Reliance on a partner should NOT be used as an excuse (e.g. my shooting partner can’t make it so I’m going to play video games instead) but it can definitely help you improve!

I’d mention SHOOTING OVERHAND as a sixth tip, but at this point, you should really know better. Don’t believe me? Shoot Overhand. And Shoot Overhand Under Pressure. There, NOW you should believe me.

Got some shooting tips you’d like to share with everyone? Hit up the comments section!

Chapman vs Arizona State

In depth video showing what it is like to travel with a top college lacrosse team.

Good video creating awareness of women's lax.

A great way to learn is to watch game videos -- Minnesota vs Chapman

Another great thoughtful article by Connor Wilson

http://laxallstars.com/how-to-speed-up-lacrosse-stop-crosschecking/

How To Speed Up Lacrosse: Stop Crosschecking Posted about 5 hours ago by Wilson 529 Views, 12 Comments

There is so much talk about speeding up the game of lacrosse, and making sure that the sport remains the fastest game on two feet. Proposed solutions have included adding a shot clock, changing sideline horn rules, changing the stall warning, and I’ve even come up with some interesting rule change propositions myself! Then there’s some people who think the game is just fine the way it is.

Today we’re going to take a look at another option, and in this case it’s simply enforcing a rule that already exists: Crosschecking. Towson Hopkins Lacrosse crosscheck



Crosschecks are no good.

Some longsticks crosscheck quite a bit, but the biggest offenders are usually short stick defensive middies. I’ve noticed it before, and I continue to notice it this year while watching lacrosse on ESPNU or in person. Of course, the fact that they do it so much makes a lot of sense to me.

First, we’ll talk about WHY it’s done so much, and then I’ll explain the actual legal alternative when playing defense with a short stick.

The Reason for So Much Crosschecking

The first reason that defensive midfielders crosscheck so much is that they are often the guys that are being isolated and dodged on. They have to play as physically as possible, trying to intimidate their opponent at all times. The cross check fits into this mentality perfectly.

As a middie playing defense, you can be more physical by moving your hands apart because this gives you a wider impact area to use. This means you can be less accurate, and focus more on power. The guys dodging on you are going hard, and you’ve want to do everything you can not to get burned.

The second reason that defensive middies crosscheck is much more simple. It’s because the refs let the players get away with it, and not just off the dodge, but ALL OVER THE FIELD. If a ref won’t call a crosscheck when a guy isn’t even dodging, but just carrying the ball, why would that same ref call it on a dodge?

The crosscheck has become popular amongst college lacrosse players because it works and because it is rarely called.

What Players Did Before the Crosscheck

As the sticks have become more advanced, I have wonder, has the art of the short stick poke check been lost? Admittedly, it is a less effective tool than the crosscheck, but unlike the crosscheck, it is actually legal. It is the type of play that we need to get back to promoting in the game. It would speed things up, create more transition play, and allow for more dodge and dump, quick-passing lacrosse.

The poke check was disruptive, but it also took real skill and timing to throw correctly. The poke check took time to master, while the crosscheck can be done by anyone who likes to bench press.

Why Crosschecking is Lame



Right now, the approach is to make the offensive dodging player or ball carrier pick a side. Once they go to the side you want them to, you crosscheck them in the side or back. It is not hard enough to knock the offensive player over usually, but it does throw them off their trajectory and slow them down. It prevents the blow by dodge, AND the roll back, and most offensive players need a step or two (or more) to recover. Like I said, it’s an incredibly effective tool. Is it good for the game?

Two crosschecks, right in front of a ref, not called. Devastating penalties? No. Disruptive game slowers? Yes.

The crosscheck disrupts the flow of the offense, and slows down the game every single time it is used. Add on to the fact that, according to the rules, you can not move your hands apart and hit someone with your stick, and it should be called every time for good reason. It’s bad for the game AND illegal.

Furthermore, it allows coaches to have their teams play even more conservatively on defense, and with college lacrosse begin such a “coaches’ game” right now, taking away some of this power might be a really good thing.

The Return of the Poke Check

The poke check approach will have some people here up in arms. You’ll say offensive players are too good, or too fast, or that the ball just doesn’t come out like it used to, but to that I say “so what?” The poke check can still help players out here, even if the chance for a takeaways is diminished in the modern game.

When a player dodges on you, and you use the poke check technique, you can really take one of two approaches:

1) play the guy straight up and time his move. When he tries to make the move, you poke check him in the chest as hard as you can, trying to dislodge the ball on a split dodge, or slow him down with your stick.

2) play the guy on an angle and drive him down the side, throwing a poke check to the chest if the offensive tries to cut back. On the roll dodge, you have to drop step and recover with a push. Not a crosscheck. What if Zebras Called Every Crosscheck?

We would see more scoring. Offensive middies could get free much easier, and teams would be forced to slide hard. This would result in required ball movement, a premium placed on skill and a lot of action. The pack it in defense (at least when it came to the shorties) would have to change, and defenses would have to press AND help more to keep easy shots off dodges from developing.

And defensively more transition would be generated. You RARELY see a turnover result from a crosscheck. All it does is throw the offensive player off of their current route. They keep the ball, move it on, and set up again. It doesn’t result in good opportunities, and it’s boring to watch. It’s also not that fun to play. When you beat your guy but get crosschecked at the last moment, and it isn’t called, it feels like you got cheated, right? The crosscheck is skill-less defense.

With a poke check, you might actually put the ball on ground. It won’t happen all the time, but it will definitely happen more than with your average crosscheck. If you don’t throw a good poke, the offensive player might get a clean look at goal, and to me that’s a lot better than watching a team cycle the ball around again.

For this rule to have a HUGE impact, the only thing that would have to change is the crosscheck actually being called. It’s already illegal, and I don’t think it’s helping the game.

So, what do you think? Should the Crosscheck stay or go? Is it a necessary evil or are we making life too easy for defensive players right now?

Rusty Gate viewed via a GoPro

A great example of being ready to shoot quickly in traffice

The camera misses the catch and release but a very nice pass and quick reaction to score. -

This game is a shoot fest!

A bit too edited to see full play development, but a lot of action and hidden ball trick in this action packed video:

Faceoffs are a key part of lacrosse -- this is a detailed video.

A goalie making a goal !

Denver win over Penn

College Lax -- UMASS vs Hartford

A good video that explains lacrosse basics.

This is a great video for those that are trying to learn what lacrosse is all about and differences between the women and men's game. Experienced laxers should keep this link handy to share with non-playing friends so they can learn about the sport.

A great way to learn and enjoy lacrosse -- watch some box action.

Make sure to checkout the NLL Netowrk to catch lacrosse action -- here are some great examples:

Two great lacrosse players will be on CBS

This is from the link: http://www.nll.com/news_article/show/137796?referrer_id=389128

CBS Sports Network has announced the broadcast team that will announce National Lacrosse League games on the network this season, starting on April 7. The network announced that Casey Powell, a previous winner of the National Lacrosse League’s Most Valuable Player Award, and Mike Powell, who along with Casey was a former All-American at Syracuse University, join CBS Sports Network as game analysts for the Network’s NLL schedule. The action debuts Saturday, April 7 as the Philadelphia Wings visit the Buffalo Bandits (7:30 PM, ET). The Powell brothers, who were each four-time All-Americans during their college careers, will be joined in the booth by veteran play-by-play announcer Brent Stover.

“I’ve enjoyed playing in the NLL, and I’m looking forward to this exciting new chapter”, said Casey. “I’m excited to bring my perspective as a player to the booth, and really excited to work with my brother Mike and the entire CBS Sports Network team this season.”

“I’ve been a huge fan of the indoor game for a long time”, said Mike. “I’m excited for this opportunity to work with Casey. I’m sure we’ll have some fun in the booth.” Mike has previously served as an analyst, calling Syracuse Orange lacrosse games in the Syracuse area on Time Warner Cable Sports.

NLL on CBS Sports Network Schedule:

Saturday, April 7th Philadelphia at Buffalo, 7:30PM Eastern Saturday, April 14th Toronto at Colorado, 9:00PM Eastern Saturday, April 21st Rochester at Buffalo, 7:30PM Eastern Saturday, April 28th Colorado at Minnesota, 7:30PM Eastern

Playoff Telecasts

Saturday, May 5th Divisional Semifinals

Saturday, May 12th Divisional Finals (Eastern & Western Divisional Finals)

Saturday, May 19th Championship Game

CBS Sports Network is seen in 44 million homes and is available to 98 million households across the country. The Network is available through local cable and video providers (Verizon FiOS Channel 94 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 643 and 1643-HD), and nationally via satellite on DirecTV Channel 613 and DISH Network Channel 152. CBS Sports Network is also available in Canada on the following cable providers: Bell ExpressVU, Eastlink, Cogeco Cable, Rogers Cable and Bell Aliant. For more information and to access the CBS Sports Network channel finder, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.

Get a feel for the drive of Brett Wueener -- and watch great stick -- well shaft -- skills.

I am Brett Queener. from Michael Powell on Vimeo.

Using the Lytro camera at lacrosse practice.

Another look at night lacrosse:

Single click on different parts of the image to refocus and double click to zoom in.

Using the Lytro camera to capture some night lacrosse practice.

Single click on different parts of the image to refocus and double click to zoom in.

Wall Ball Tips -- make practice fun by making it a game.

Ned Crotty shows his wall ball ideas:






For goalies:



For the ladies wall ball is great.

Wall Ball --- great fun -- make it a game -- get better.

A really good article about improving the sport but getting parents involved -- specifically by learning to play wall ball too.

http://laxallstars.com/why-lacrosse-parents-should-play-wall-ball/

Last night I went to the CityLax Gala in New York City, and of course it got me thinking of how we can TRULY Grow The Game and continue to Break Down Walls. The event itself was fantastic with big time lacrosse names in attendance, from Billy Bitter to Max Seibald to Jack Kaley, and a lot of money was raised for a great cause. As we all know, it takes money, but it also requires time, to really grow lacrosse. And here is how parents, and other adults, can get even more involved, simply by learning the game.

Maybe you are a parent who has already given financially, or maybe you’re a parent who can’t afford to give any more. Perhaps you’re a teacher, or school administrator, that is working with the lacrosse team. Or maybe you’re just interested in the sport, and want to help the kids in your local community.

There is simply no better way of doing this than by playing wall ball. wall ball artoflax

Wall Ball is SOOOO important!

Photo courtesy the ArtOfLax blog Quick Intro to Wall Ball

For those of you out there that are unfamiliar with wall ball, let me quickly introduce it to you: Wall ball involves a player, a stick, a ball and a surface that they can throw the ball against. It is THE key ingredient to developing great skills with a lacrosse stick, and every great player in the world has spent thousands of hours throwing a ball against a wall. It is also the key to success that every single lacrosse player has at their disposal. ANYONE Can Be Good At Lacrosse!

Wall ball is the great equalizer. Nothing levels the playing field, and land of lacrosse opportunity, like wall ball. So obviously it is something that every player should be doing. But it isn’t limited to players by any means, and in the end, wall ball presents one of the biggest opportunities to really connect with a player, whether the kid is your child, student, or just a youth from the neighborhood.

WHY Adults Should Play Wall Ball

The first reason to play wall ball is that the “do as I say, and not as I do” thing only works for so long, if at all. So if you’re telling your child, student or player to play wall ball, they might. But if you were to take the lead, and actually play wall ball yourself, those words would mean so much more.

And it really doesn’t matter if you played lacrosse in high school or college. In fact, you don’t have to have played lacrosse ever! The point is that wall ball can make any player much better, regardless of their history with the game, and that by getting out there and doing it, you’re setting a good example.

The other big line of reasoning behind adults involved in lacrosse playing wall ball is that it gives you something to talk about with the kids. It’s not a topic like drugs, alcohol, sex, or even school and grades, and it won’t elicit the knee-jerk reaction of “I can’t talk to YOU about this!”, which so many young people possess. It’s an easy bridge to further communication via a safe shared interest. Wall ball can be a great starting point. Keeping It Real

If you’re new to the game, kids will see you struggle. But hopefully, you’ll use your adult maturity levels to just keep at it, and not get frustrated. And after some time and dedication, the kids will see an improvement in skill from you. And THAT will cement how important wall ball is more than anything. If Mr. Smith, the physics teacher, can get that good in only a couple of weeks, you can bet the kids will believe that they can too!

If you’re an experienced player, playing wall ball with kids still sets a great example. The kids see how good you are, and yet they also see that you’re still practicing, and still trying to improve. It can be easy for kids to fall on to the train of thought that they are “good enough” already. But if they see you striving to improve, they may realize that the journey never really ends when it comes to skill development. They will see how much you value wall ball, and hopefully, because they respect you, the kids will want to emulate that behavior. Time to INTERACT!

For parents looking to get their kids off the couch, or find a way to connect again with a teenager that is distancing themselves, wall ball is perfect. It’s something you can do, and learn, together. It’s harmless on the surface, but it can open doors to bigger issues. It creates a bond, often via a shared struggle to improve. It gives you something to talk about on an even footing, or it could even allow for your kids to teach YOU something. If you listen, and keep at it, you might just impress them! And maybe they’ll listen to you more next time you’re lecturing!

For teachers and school administrators, it’s a great way to keep in touch with the kids on another level, outside of schoolwork. And it’s a great opportunity to show the kids you’re more than “just their teacher”. For the adult that wants to get involved with their community and help out, it presents an opportunity to get involved, and help future generations grow as players, and people.

The value of wall ball is clear on the field. It improves a player’s skills, and can help them reach whatever goals they might have. But the activity also improves confidence, and it shows kids how hard work pays off.

So if you’re a parent, teacher, or just a person looking to get involved and do some good, why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that?

Plus wall ball is a lot of fun! So get out there and hit the wall!!!! Want to learn a little bit more about the benefits of Wall Ball? Check out our interview with John Galloway, All-American goalie at Syracuse, and wall ball fanatic!

And if you still have no idea what I’m talking about, check out Ned Crotty and Trilogy Lacrosse’s wall ball video which I will put in a separate post above.

Box lacrosse is a great sport with really great action -- and a great way to get younger players motivated

Mike Powell gives a great tip for shooting.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2432431790157 This link will work for Facebook users -- I will look to see if MP or Easton Lacrosse puts this video on YouTube. The major tip of the video was to take a extra long step behind the front leg (crow hop) to get some extra extension and really allow the hips to torque and provide power to the shot. A really good one minute video.

A really great list -- not just for kids dreaming of playing in college -- this should start before high school. Many of these suggestions apply to all sports. For lax I really like #4 here.

http://laxallstars.com/so-you-want-to-play-lacrosse-in-college/

I was out at lacrosse practice today from noon until 2pm with a team of freshman high school boys I coach in Brooklyn, NY. A topic we often cover is how to get to the next level in lacrosse and gain the opportunity to play in college. When we talk about making it at the collegiate level, we try to stress points about both on-field requirements and off the field life, and the kids who have the most potential to play college lax are the ones who take it all in. Today, I’d like to go through what I believe are the top Ten Ways To Become A College-Ready Lacrosse Player. Johns Hopkins vs Towson men's lacrosse 30

So you want to be like this guy, do you?

10 Ways To Become A College-Reader Lacrosse Player

1) Have a GREAT Stick!

I’m not talking about owning an expensive stick, or making sure it’s taped up correctly. Oh no. I’m talking about having world class stick skills, of course! Ask ANY pro or college player today, and they will tell you how important stick skills are. Even the D-middies will tell you to have great stick skills. Otherwise you’ll be a d-middie too. All joking aside, even d-mids at the D1 level have really solid stick skills. After all, if you can’t clear the ball, you’re a liability.

2) Be An Athlete

We don’t ask kids who are little heavy set to run a 4.4 40. But we do ask that they try to improve their athleticism. Kids need to run, come to practice in shape, and develop their skills primarily, because that is part of athleticism. The focus isn’t on getting huge in the gym, or becoming the fastest player on the field. The focus is on being athletic on the field. So make sure a lot of the running you do includes having a stick in your hands. And we do run the kids. It’s a part of the game, and if you want to play in college, it really helps to be able to run all day.

3) Pay Attention

Your coaches are here to help you become better players. Do they know everything? No. Does that matter? Not at all. Listen to them, and take away positive things you can learn from. This is a skill college coaches need you to possess, so there is no better time than to work on it in high school.

4) Work On Your Game On Your Own

Showing up to practice is simply not enough. If the coaches are going to be able to teach the finer points of the game, the players need to show up in shape and with sharp stick skills. A low lacrosse IQ can be improved, but only if a player can catch and pass and run at a high level. If you want to truly learn the game, you need pre-existing skills. And this MUST be done on a player’s own time. Players owe, at the very least, a week of wall ball for one hour a day before practice starts. Funny how so much of this comes back to stick skills!

5) Be A Good Teammate

Lacrosse is a team game. And if a player wants to improve, and play in college, they need good teammates. Part of having good teammates is being a good member of the team. This means leading by example, playing on your own time, and dragging reluctant friends to hit the wall with you. It’s keeping in mind that you are all fighting on the same side, but knowing that going hard in practice helps everyone improve. Star individuals who aren’t great teammates (not saying the two are always, or even often, linked) tend to struggle in college a lot more, and coaches look for kids who will make their team stronger, not divided.

6) Be A Good Student

If you want to go to college, you need to have good grades in school. But it’s more than that. Going to college is an opportunity, and a great one at that. Don’t take it for granted. Be stimulated by SOMETHING in school, and pursue it with vigor in college. Otherwise, you’re just wasting everyone’s time. I could have worked harder in the classroom when I was in college, and not doing so is actually one of my biggest regrets in life. Don’t take the college experience for granted. Soak it in.

7) Be A Good Person

Most coaches out there aren’t looking for “ok guys”. They want good people on their team who are awesome at lacrosse. Will teams take some not-so-awesome guys? Yes. But it’s certainly not helping ANYONE in the long run. Lacrosse will always be the Creator’s Game, and this separates it from other sports in a way. It gives us the chance to live by a hard-fought code but still walk the path of harmony. If you feel better when you’re playing lacrosse than when you’re not, then you know what I’m talking about.

8) Help Win As A Team

This is a broad topic, and it ranges from playing hard and honest in practice, to playing team lacrosse in games. It covers attitude, respect, and camaraderie. It means picking your teammates up when the fall, and not blaming each other when things go wrong. It’s knowing that you are only as strong as your weakest link, so instead of trying to break the link, you make it stronger. It’s about helping your teammates improve their play, and knowing they will do the same for you.

9) Understand The Game

It’s taken me a while to get back to the stick skills thing, but here we are! Get the stick skills down and then learn the game of lacrosse! This mean watching games on TV, using youtube, asking other players questions, reading books and magazines and then going out and trying it. It means listening to Quint during ESPNU games and then asking your coach what the heck he was talking about. It’s about listening to your coach explain things like subbing through x, or the concept of high and away. It’s about knowing when to throw a face dodge, and when to just shoot the ball. It’s the finer things, and the points that will make a good player great. And once a player has stick skills, they are ready to step up to this realm.

10) Have Fun!

The points aren’t put in any order, but Having Fun is probably number 1. It does NOT mean that you can do whatever you want, goof around, not listen to the coaches, etc. It means doing things the right way, and ENJOYING IT. When I was in high school, I didn’t get it. I really didn’t. I was elected captain, but I was not a good leader. I didn’t enjoy practice. I saw it as competition, and remember getting angry quite often. I wasn’t helping anyone out there. And no matter how much I complained or swore or got angry, practice didn’t change.

Once I got to college, and I was extremely lucky to be able to play in college at all after my showing in high school, I started to enjoy practice for what it was. It was a chance to go out and get better at something I realized I absolutely LOVED doing. I got to do it with 40 other guys who wanted the same thing. I had 4 dedicated coaches who only wanted us to be better players. It was heaven! And I only wish I had possessed the same attitude in high school. That’s another big regret of mine.

To sum up…

You’re going to get bruised up and battered. Sometimes you’ll win, and sometimes you’ll lose. You’ll get tired and beat up, possibly even yelled at a little, and maybe hit so hard you land on your back. But that’s being a lacrosse player, and it’s being alive! Enjoy it ALL while you still can. I took a hit on the back in New Orleans and I’m pretty sure I’ve now slipped a disk. It doesn’t last forever. Savor your youth, play hard in practice and enjoy yourself. It’s literally the only shot you get at this, so make it count and make it memorable!

These Ten Points might seem pretty obvious to most players out there. They would have seemed obvious to me when I was in high school too. But I wouldn’t have read them anymore seriously, or truly questioned my own attitude and behavior. And all I can do now looking back, is hope that you won’t repeat the same mistakes I did.

Man, I feel like a real old timer! Maybe I should move to Baltimore and join 24SevenLax. Old person joke!

What are some other ways high school athletes can prepare themselves for college? Let us know in the comments section below!

For more on how to become a better player, and more ready for high level college lacrosse, check out our High School section or our Training section. You’re guaranteed to find something that will help you fulfill your potential!