http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2012/01/31/il-fitness-one-sided-victory-%E2%80%94-benefits-unilateral-training
I really like how this training is working on balance as well as strength -- very related to on field performance. Check out the link above for pictures showing the drills.
Are you looking to improve your speed and agility? Do you want to increase the velocity of your shot? Would you like to become stronger and better able to resist injury? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, I've got some good news for you. Despite what caliber player you might be right now, there's plenty you can do from a strength and conditioning standpoint to help improve your game. It doesn't matter if you're just a little guy trying to make the travel team, or a high school age girl looking to avoid knee injures. Even seasoned collegiate and professional level players can make major gains with the right strengthening approach. Just don't fall into the trap of thinking that exercises like squats, hang cleans and bench presses offer the best way to improve athleticism.
Not that I'm trying to imply that the exercises mentioned above are somehow worthless — when done with proper technique, they, as well as many others that fall under the umbrella of traditional "gym-based" training can be quite effective. It's just that lacrosse, like most sports, is a game where things rarely happen in a symmetrical fashion. Meaning that you'll seldom have two feet plated firmly into the ground applying even pressure, or attempt to stick check an opponent by firing both arms out at the same speed and trajectory. Typically, one limb, or side of the body will be applying most of the force, while the other acts to help stabilize your position, in preparation for its chance to shoulder most of the load. This is exactly what happens in running, for instance, where one leg drives down into the ground to propel you forward as the "recovery" leg cycles through and readies itself to strike with your next stride. Similar things occur when you make a quick cut to change directions, or fire a shot on goal.
Seeing as how so many of the things you do on the lacrosse field happen asymmetrically, does it make a lot of sense to do most of your training with both limbs working at the same rate? Or, instead would it be a better idea to start doing more unilateral exercises (where the focus is more on one limb at a time) so that in addition to increasing strength, you could also work on improving things like balance, coordination and dynamic flexibility? Or, in other words, the kinds of things that are going to help make you a better, more well-rounded athlete. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.
The other great thing about unilateral training is that its an excellent way to help detect strength and flexibility imbalances. Granted, we all have a dominant side that we're going to be a little better at using. However, if you find that one side is significantly weaker, or less flexible than the other, that's ultimately going to have a negative impact on your athletic ability and leave you more susceptible to injury. Keep in mind, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If you have a major weakness that's not being addressed because all of the strengthening you do is bilateral in nature, sooner or later you're going to run into a problem. So, why not fix it now, before it has the chance to wreck your game?
The drills featured below can either be sprinkled in to your current regimen, or used to make up a workout all their own. One of the first things you'll notice is that none of them require a lot of added resistance, at least at first. This means they're great for athletes of all ages and ability levels. Younger kids, or those with less training experience can do them using their own body weight and light resistance bands, whereas stronger, more fit athletes can add in a little more in the way of external loading. Be careful though; regardless of which category you fit into, they're bound to present a real challenge. So don't look to load them up until you've mastered the proper technique for each.
Lower Body
Unilateral RDL
Stand balancing on one leg, holding a medicine ball, or dumbbell in your hands (younger athletes can do the drill with just body weight). Keeping your torso erect, begin by hinging at the hips and lowering your chest toward the floor, while simultaneously driving your hips back and lifting your other leg up until it's just about parallel to the ground.
Unilateral RDL
In the finish position your body should form a straight line from your head to your back leg and your support knee should be slightly flexed. After pausing for a second, stand back up by driving your heel into the ground to emphasize your glutes and hamstrings. Repeat until you've completed 8-10 times and then switch legs.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Begin standing about 2-3 feet in front of an exercise bench with your back to it. After reaching back to place the instep of your back foot on the bench, gain your balance and then maintain an upright torso as you descend into a squat.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Once your forward leg is parallel to the ground, pause for a second and then press back up to the starting position. Continue until you've completed 8-10 repetitions per side, then switch legs. *Note: Once you've mastered the form you can hold light dumbbells to increase the difficulty level.
Side Lunge
Even though both feet are on the ground for this drill, the uneven weight distribution makes it great for helping improve your ability to change direction. Begin standing with your feet positioned about twice shoulder's width and your feet and knees pointed straight ahead.
Pick one side to start to and sit back into your hips as you attempt to get your thigh about parallel to the floor. As you do this, your torso should stay as upright as possible, with your heels flat on the ground, your knees and toes pointed straight ahead your opposite leg completely straight.
After pausing for a split second, push back up to the starting position and repeat to the other side. Continue until you've completed 8-10 repetitions on each side.
Upper Body
Unilateral Band Row with Rotation
Attach a resistance band to a sturdy object and stand several feet back from it. Hold the band in one hand with your arm completely extended and feet about shoulder's width apart, with your knees slightly bent. Keeping your torso up tall, begin pulling with your upper back as you simultaneously rotate your body to face to that same side.
In the finish position, your legs will remain slightly bent and core braced tight, with your elbow pointed directly behind you.
Return to the staring position and then repeat until you've completed 8-10 repetitions and switch sides.
Windmill Push-Up
Once again, despite the bilateral start to the exercise, the addition of the rotation helps improve both shoulder and core stability. Get into a push-up position with your shoulders lined up directly over your wrists, your back flat and feet about shoulders' width apart.
Begin by descending down into a push-up until your chest is slightly below the level of your shoulders. Pause for second, then push back up and as you near the top of the movement, lift one arm off the ground as you rotate towards one side.
As you do this, turn your feet to the side so that in the finish position your weight is on the sides of your feet, with your arms stacked in a vertical line as you balance on one side. Hold that for a split second, making sure your hips are held up high and then return to the starting position and repeat the entire sequence to the other side. Continue until you've done 8-12 repetitions in total.
Mike Mejia is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and the president of B.A.S.E. Sports Conditioning Inc., on Long Island, New York. For more great conditioning tips, check out his website at www.basesportsconditioning.com.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Great set up for a goal by Casey Powell
Really great off ball play -- note how the player get into open space so one player can make a fast pass, the second player is open to catch and instantly pass to a third player. Casey Powell does a great job using the d-pole to screen the goalie. Passing is much faster than running!
Highlight video -- SFU Lacrosse
Highlight reels are fun to watch, but one thing that I like in this one -- it shows more than most the off ball play.
When you are making a recruiting video the college coaches don't want to see just a goal, they want to see how you set up your plays.
Even the very best players have the ball for only a few minutes per game -- off ball play puts good players into position to get the passes and make the impressive shots.
Enjoy this video and look for the off ball positioning.<,br>
When you are making a recruiting video the college coaches don't want to see just a goal, they want to see how you set up your plays.
Even the very best players have the ball for only a few minutes per game -- off ball play puts good players into position to get the passes and make the impressive shots.
Enjoy this video and look for the off ball positioning.<,br>
Ideas for training.
I think team practice is very important and as athletes get older so is strength and conditioning training. There is often a component for teams -- school or pro -- that integrate the two, but as I have also stated it is important to work on one's own.
Playing wall ball is great, practicing moving and shooting on goal (not standing still) is great.
Another thing to work on is strength and conditioning. Gyms are great and I am liking what I see Rashad Devoe Human Performance training and from The Perfomance Science Training Institute. If one can go see their camps in action, I think it would be a good move. Rashad Devoe is more specific to lacrosse, but both seem focused and have YouTube videos.
The point I would like to add -- watch their YouTube videos and get creative ideas how to make your own work outs. This will make it much more fun which allows one to to focus on the fun and take your mind off muscles on fire and feeling like jello.
Note with some creativity you can have great workouts any where and no need for super expensive equipment.
Lastly -- make it fun -- I know not every minute is fun, but over all make it fun -- checkout the interview with Connor Martin -- a really hard working laxer and person. Note in the last sentences -- one has to make choices. So figure out what is most important to you and then Go For It.
http://laxallstars.com/music-monday-con-bro-chill-makes-3d-music/
Below is the text from the link above -- clearly Connor Martin is a great example of working very hard but having fun doing so.
Meet Con Bro Chill, the band. Over the past few years, a humble long-haired kid from Portland, Oregon, has quickly risen to the top of the lacrosse world. His name is Connor Martin, but most people know him as Con Bro Chill - all thanks to the wacky YouTube videos he began creating back when he interned for Warrior Lacrosse during college and more recently, his budding musical career. A standout lacrosse player at Chapman University (MCLA D1), Connor Martin finished his collegiate lacrosse career as one of the best players to ever play in the Men’s College Lacrosse Association. Major League Lacrosse officials quickly took notice, and the next thing he knew he was a professional lacrosse player. While lacrosse is a huge part of his life, music has always played an equal role. In an attempt to carry out his post-collegiate days on his own terms, Connor started seriously pursuing music, continuing to cleverly market his goofy Con Bro Chill persona. One album and two MLL seasons later, Connor Martin has taken center stage in the lacrosse world whether traditional lacrosse fans like it or not. On the musical side, Con Bro Chill has evolved from one person to a four man band. Connor’s brother SAMM, an Atlantic Records producer, and a couple of talented friends have joined in on the fun. Earlier this month, the band’s new single “Power Happy” gave fans a taste of a new and improved CBC – one that may in fact drive mainstream appeal. CLICK HERE TO ORDER CBC’s NEW ALBUM Tomorrow, January 31st, Con Bro Chill’s new album, 3D Music, will be released on iTunes. Produced by his brother SAMM, the “visionary catalyst” to CBC, and packaged for a larger audience, this new album is something for the lacrosse world to stand behind and support. Because truth be told, Con Bro Chill hasn’t just become a lacrosse celebrity, he’s also helped kids everywhere find a passion for our sport. What follows below is a recent conversation we had with Connor Martin about CBC, the new album and his love for lax. LAS: You’re a professional lacrosse player, a musician, and a spokesman, so we know you must have a lot on your table. How much of your personal time went into putting together the new album, 3D Music? Connor Martin: You nailed it on the head there. I put a lot of time, musical input, heart, soul, (all that good stuff) into the album, but all the credit in the world goes to my brother SAMM. He’s a signed producer for Atlantic Records and our jump in quality musically has 100% to do with him. The man spent 8 months creating this party opus. The great thing about “Con Bro Chill” is it’s a band and everyone contributes to the fun, but on the musical side, we’d be pumping out “Come To My Party” quality songs at best if I were left to my own (SAMM even helped me a bit on that track too). The simple point is my brother is sick and he produced an album I am incredibly proud to have contributed to. The video for ‘Power Happy’… how much fun was that to make? Can you tell us a little about the experience? We try our hardest to have as good of a time when producing these videos. What people may not understand is how intense pulling off a video shoot is. Once we’ve finished the concept/script and finally prepared all the sets, costumes, lighting equipment, crew, extras, schedule, locations, budget, stunts, etc. we get to perform and capture the madness. It’s just like game day… All the practicing, running, lifting, hitting the wall, watching film, getting yelled at by your coach, all of it is worth it to finally get to strap it up and play in that big game. So much of growing up playing competitive lax has prepared me for what we try to pull off on film. The teamwork it takes to pull some of this off is incredible. We just got done shooting a video on Saturday that involved 3,000 extras and 3 different sets managing this mob. I had like 25 people helping us crank it out, not to mention the month it took to prepare everything for the shoot with the band. The relief and the accomplishment you feel after a shoot like that are the exact same as winning a huge game. With a couple years of music under your belt, you seem to be making a push at the mainstream with CBC. Do you think you’ll ever have to decide between lacrosse and music? We definitely want all of planet globage to hear our music, because sadly, it’s not just exclusively for our core fans in my lax family. I love lacrosse and I love music. I started playing lacrosse and piano at the exact same time when I was 14 and have pursued making these two beauties my life. So far I’ve pulled it off and I plan on playing lax as long as my body lets me. There is still nothing more fun than suiting up in an MLL game and playing with the best players in the world. The question you bring up is also why I’ve created Boom Town Lacrosse. That way wherever CBC goes, I’ll always have a place for lax so I can coach and be apart of lax. BOOM TOWN! AND…… if you look at lax and music from a logistical standpoint, the MLL is not to a point yet where they can make it a full time job. Even when we’re producing these videos and music I’m lifting and doing cross fit 4-5 times a week in the morning and then taking care of CBC stuff the rest of the day. I’ve probably got one of the best schedules for training in pro lacrosse. Just trying to keep it flexy! Interesting and fun time to be a laxer… Hope to blow it out so we can all make pro lax a full time gig! On the lacrosse side of things, are you playing right now or just staying loose for the 2012 MLL season? Def not staying loose. This fall I was training for Indoor like crazy. Hired a trainer and got introduced to cross fit lovin. So when indoor fell through I was in pretty good shape. I’ve kept it up but I’ve put the stick down a bit. Our shoot for “Partied Out” is over this week and I got the alumni game at Chaptown to kick off the beginning of heavy lax for the next 3 months getting ready for season. Sometimes it’s good to put down the stick so when you pick it up for the first time after a while you’re as excited as a little school girl and you lax your face off. Con Bro Chill Band The whole Con Bro crew As arguably the most well-known former-MCLA laxer AND MLL Lacrosse player, do you ever feel any pressure to deliver out on the field? Ya, I’m in quite a funny situation. So being from the MCLA I honestly should be an underdog when it comes to playing in the MLL. As competitive as I believe the MCLA is I still wasn’t playing against any of these guys in college so this is still generally new to me. But when I get to step on the field and suit up I’ll sometimes see kids with signs saying “Do It For Bruce Con Brewfus”, wearing a CBC shirt or whatever and I’m like, “These kids think I’m just gonna go out there and score 5 G Notes a game because they saw Flowseidon on Youtube”. It’s still a game, the guy guarding me is a 1st team All-American, and I’m a role player in the MLL. But pressure from fans is fun and it makes you play harder and better. Sometimes the pressure of whether you’ll play or not play from the coaching staff is what has gotten to me before. Funny situation but all it does is get me fired up to keep working hard and get a real spot on a team. Excited for Ohio to say the least. What are some of the positives and negatives of being so well known in the lacrosse world? All positive. I’ve gotten try outs for the MLL, opportunities to be apart of an expansion team, had a great endorsement from Flow Society that has allowed us to keep doing what we love. I mean, if I drive across the country I got a place to stay in almost every state. And the lacrosse community is the overwhelming majority of people who support what we do. I love the lacrosse world and have no problems with it. There is nothing better than when a little laxer from somewhere like Boom Pueblo, Arkansas looks up to you as a role model and tells you he’s gonna play in the MLL just like you. It’s all about the kids, and I’m hoping because I’m in known in certain areas they’ll hear my story and start to believe that they can use lacrosse to have as much fun and opportunity as I have. Con Bro Chill Denver Outlaws Connor signing autographs after his Player of the Game performance against the LI Lizards Which would you say is harder: competing against other musicians to get your name out there or competing against other players to earn a roster spot in the MLL? The odds are insane in each. No matter what you have to differentiate yourself. Don’t just be a punk band, and don’t just be a middy that shoots from the outside. It’s a good lesson that tells you to expand what you do. Expand your game, expand your mind, expand your talents. Pick a couple things and get good at them. Don’t just settle and be comfortable. It’s amazing how much lax correlates to anything you do in life. We play because we love the game, not because we’re gonna making an incredible living and retire off of it. There’s million dollar lessons in lacrosse that will help you crush life long after your body can’t handle lax anymore. So screw the odds and go hard after whatever you want! Any tips for fellow musicians-slash-lacrosse-players looking to make a name for themselves? You can do it! I love what I do so it’s not work yet. I think my only trick is I don’t watch tv, play video games, or get partied out all the time. Think about how much time you have to do activities if you nix out one of those! ACTIVITIES! Love Life! Con Con Bro Chill Keytar Solo CBC Keytar Solo
Playing wall ball is great, practicing moving and shooting on goal (not standing still) is great.
Another thing to work on is strength and conditioning. Gyms are great and I am liking what I see Rashad Devoe Human Performance training and from The Perfomance Science Training Institute. If one can go see their camps in action, I think it would be a good move. Rashad Devoe is more specific to lacrosse, but both seem focused and have YouTube videos.
The point I would like to add -- watch their YouTube videos and get creative ideas how to make your own work outs. This will make it much more fun which allows one to to focus on the fun and take your mind off muscles on fire and feeling like jello.
Note with some creativity you can have great workouts any where and no need for super expensive equipment.
Lastly -- make it fun -- I know not every minute is fun, but over all make it fun -- checkout the interview with Connor Martin -- a really hard working laxer and person. Note in the last sentences -- one has to make choices. So figure out what is most important to you and then Go For It.
http://laxallstars.com/music-monday-con-bro-chill-makes-3d-music/
Below is the text from the link above -- clearly Connor Martin is a great example of working very hard but having fun doing so.
Meet Con Bro Chill, the band. Over the past few years, a humble long-haired kid from Portland, Oregon, has quickly risen to the top of the lacrosse world. His name is Connor Martin, but most people know him as Con Bro Chill - all thanks to the wacky YouTube videos he began creating back when he interned for Warrior Lacrosse during college and more recently, his budding musical career. A standout lacrosse player at Chapman University (MCLA D1), Connor Martin finished his collegiate lacrosse career as one of the best players to ever play in the Men’s College Lacrosse Association. Major League Lacrosse officials quickly took notice, and the next thing he knew he was a professional lacrosse player. While lacrosse is a huge part of his life, music has always played an equal role. In an attempt to carry out his post-collegiate days on his own terms, Connor started seriously pursuing music, continuing to cleverly market his goofy Con Bro Chill persona. One album and two MLL seasons later, Connor Martin has taken center stage in the lacrosse world whether traditional lacrosse fans like it or not. On the musical side, Con Bro Chill has evolved from one person to a four man band. Connor’s brother SAMM, an Atlantic Records producer, and a couple of talented friends have joined in on the fun. Earlier this month, the band’s new single “Power Happy” gave fans a taste of a new and improved CBC – one that may in fact drive mainstream appeal. CLICK HERE TO ORDER CBC’s NEW ALBUM Tomorrow, January 31st, Con Bro Chill’s new album, 3D Music, will be released on iTunes. Produced by his brother SAMM, the “visionary catalyst” to CBC, and packaged for a larger audience, this new album is something for the lacrosse world to stand behind and support. Because truth be told, Con Bro Chill hasn’t just become a lacrosse celebrity, he’s also helped kids everywhere find a passion for our sport. What follows below is a recent conversation we had with Connor Martin about CBC, the new album and his love for lax. LAS: You’re a professional lacrosse player, a musician, and a spokesman, so we know you must have a lot on your table. How much of your personal time went into putting together the new album, 3D Music? Connor Martin: You nailed it on the head there. I put a lot of time, musical input, heart, soul, (all that good stuff) into the album, but all the credit in the world goes to my brother SAMM. He’s a signed producer for Atlantic Records and our jump in quality musically has 100% to do with him. The man spent 8 months creating this party opus. The great thing about “Con Bro Chill” is it’s a band and everyone contributes to the fun, but on the musical side, we’d be pumping out “Come To My Party” quality songs at best if I were left to my own (SAMM even helped me a bit on that track too). The simple point is my brother is sick and he produced an album I am incredibly proud to have contributed to. The video for ‘Power Happy’… how much fun was that to make? Can you tell us a little about the experience? We try our hardest to have as good of a time when producing these videos. What people may not understand is how intense pulling off a video shoot is. Once we’ve finished the concept/script and finally prepared all the sets, costumes, lighting equipment, crew, extras, schedule, locations, budget, stunts, etc. we get to perform and capture the madness. It’s just like game day… All the practicing, running, lifting, hitting the wall, watching film, getting yelled at by your coach, all of it is worth it to finally get to strap it up and play in that big game. So much of growing up playing competitive lax has prepared me for what we try to pull off on film. The teamwork it takes to pull some of this off is incredible. We just got done shooting a video on Saturday that involved 3,000 extras and 3 different sets managing this mob. I had like 25 people helping us crank it out, not to mention the month it took to prepare everything for the shoot with the band. The relief and the accomplishment you feel after a shoot like that are the exact same as winning a huge game. With a couple years of music under your belt, you seem to be making a push at the mainstream with CBC. Do you think you’ll ever have to decide between lacrosse and music? We definitely want all of planet globage to hear our music, because sadly, it’s not just exclusively for our core fans in my lax family. I love lacrosse and I love music. I started playing lacrosse and piano at the exact same time when I was 14 and have pursued making these two beauties my life. So far I’ve pulled it off and I plan on playing lax as long as my body lets me. There is still nothing more fun than suiting up in an MLL game and playing with the best players in the world. The question you bring up is also why I’ve created Boom Town Lacrosse. That way wherever CBC goes, I’ll always have a place for lax so I can coach and be apart of lax. BOOM TOWN! AND…… if you look at lax and music from a logistical standpoint, the MLL is not to a point yet where they can make it a full time job. Even when we’re producing these videos and music I’m lifting and doing cross fit 4-5 times a week in the morning and then taking care of CBC stuff the rest of the day. I’ve probably got one of the best schedules for training in pro lacrosse. Just trying to keep it flexy! Interesting and fun time to be a laxer… Hope to blow it out so we can all make pro lax a full time gig! On the lacrosse side of things, are you playing right now or just staying loose for the 2012 MLL season? Def not staying loose. This fall I was training for Indoor like crazy. Hired a trainer and got introduced to cross fit lovin. So when indoor fell through I was in pretty good shape. I’ve kept it up but I’ve put the stick down a bit. Our shoot for “Partied Out” is over this week and I got the alumni game at Chaptown to kick off the beginning of heavy lax for the next 3 months getting ready for season. Sometimes it’s good to put down the stick so when you pick it up for the first time after a while you’re as excited as a little school girl and you lax your face off. Con Bro Chill Band The whole Con Bro crew As arguably the most well-known former-MCLA laxer AND MLL Lacrosse player, do you ever feel any pressure to deliver out on the field? Ya, I’m in quite a funny situation. So being from the MCLA I honestly should be an underdog when it comes to playing in the MLL. As competitive as I believe the MCLA is I still wasn’t playing against any of these guys in college so this is still generally new to me. But when I get to step on the field and suit up I’ll sometimes see kids with signs saying “Do It For Bruce Con Brewfus”, wearing a CBC shirt or whatever and I’m like, “These kids think I’m just gonna go out there and score 5 G Notes a game because they saw Flowseidon on Youtube”. It’s still a game, the guy guarding me is a 1st team All-American, and I’m a role player in the MLL. But pressure from fans is fun and it makes you play harder and better. Sometimes the pressure of whether you’ll play or not play from the coaching staff is what has gotten to me before. Funny situation but all it does is get me fired up to keep working hard and get a real spot on a team. Excited for Ohio to say the least. What are some of the positives and negatives of being so well known in the lacrosse world? All positive. I’ve gotten try outs for the MLL, opportunities to be apart of an expansion team, had a great endorsement from Flow Society that has allowed us to keep doing what we love. I mean, if I drive across the country I got a place to stay in almost every state. And the lacrosse community is the overwhelming majority of people who support what we do. I love the lacrosse world and have no problems with it. There is nothing better than when a little laxer from somewhere like Boom Pueblo, Arkansas looks up to you as a role model and tells you he’s gonna play in the MLL just like you. It’s all about the kids, and I’m hoping because I’m in known in certain areas they’ll hear my story and start to believe that they can use lacrosse to have as much fun and opportunity as I have. Con Bro Chill Denver Outlaws Connor signing autographs after his Player of the Game performance against the LI Lizards Which would you say is harder: competing against other musicians to get your name out there or competing against other players to earn a roster spot in the MLL? The odds are insane in each. No matter what you have to differentiate yourself. Don’t just be a punk band, and don’t just be a middy that shoots from the outside. It’s a good lesson that tells you to expand what you do. Expand your game, expand your mind, expand your talents. Pick a couple things and get good at them. Don’t just settle and be comfortable. It’s amazing how much lax correlates to anything you do in life. We play because we love the game, not because we’re gonna making an incredible living and retire off of it. There’s million dollar lessons in lacrosse that will help you crush life long after your body can’t handle lax anymore. So screw the odds and go hard after whatever you want! Any tips for fellow musicians-slash-lacrosse-players looking to make a name for themselves? You can do it! I love what I do so it’s not work yet. I think my only trick is I don’t watch tv, play video games, or get partied out all the time. Think about how much time you have to do activities if you nix out one of those! ACTIVITIES! Love Life! Con Con Bro Chill Keytar Solo CBC Keytar Solo
Friday, January 27, 2012
A bit of the auditions for Crooked Arrows
We are looking forward to the upcoming movie "Crooked Arrows"
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Really some great passing and playing in this video.
Here is a highlights video from 1992.
Sorry that the video quality is really low, but it is worth showing because there is some super teamwork going on.
Note the quickness of the passing. These players realize that the pass is faster than running with the ball.
One key to this of course is excellent passing -- with both arms -- but another very key concept --> OFF BALL PLAY. Getting open and ready for a pass before the passer is totally ready to make a pass helps him be able to catch the pass to him and pass to you -- this is much faster than starting to get open for a pass after that second person has the ball.
Sorry that the video quality is really low, but it is worth showing because there is some super teamwork going on.
Note the quickness of the passing. These players realize that the pass is faster than running with the ball.
One key to this of course is excellent passing -- with both arms -- but another very key concept --> OFF BALL PLAY. Getting open and ready for a pass before the passer is totally ready to make a pass helps him be able to catch the pass to him and pass to you -- this is much faster than starting to get open for a pass after that second person has the ball.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Easton Lacrosse explains the design of their new head.
A nice explanation by Cort Kim of Easton Lacrosse of the thinking that went into the design of their brand new head.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Having fun is so important -- check out pro laxer Connor Martin's fun.
Having fun is important -- work hard then have some fun. Taking a break from lacrosse Connor Martin makes some really fun music.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Highlights of Mike Powell (and a few of his brothers) college playing days. Players should note how quickly he changes direction.
This is a great video to enjoy, but not what college bound kids should be sending to coaches -- they will want to see more play development.
Players should really pay attention to how quickly MP changes direction. Attack needs to practice at home away from team practice making these quick moves. D players need to dump the stick off and have a buddy move like an attack and work on body position. Notice when the d-pole goes for the stick MP often makes his move at that point and gets free and the goalie is often screened by the d player.......................
This is a great video to enjoy, but not what college bound kids should be sending to coaches -- they will want to see more play development.
Players should really pay attention to how quickly MP changes direction. Attack needs to practice at home away from team practice making these quick moves. D players need to dump the stick off and have a buddy move like an attack and work on body position. Notice when the d-pole goes for the stick MP often makes his move at that point and gets free and the goalie is often screened by the d player.......................
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Perfect practice is great -- but making it fun helps exponentially.
Super video -- the way it is shot and the attitude of the pros. Easton Lacrosse pros at Lax Con putting on a demo of stick skills.
The message is clear -- practice is important, perfect practice is much better, but best is if you make that practice really fun you will want to really put in more focused and enthusiastic effort.
http://verdictphotographyblog.com/2012/01/15/verdict-video-powell-bros-stick-tricks/
The message is clear -- practice is important, perfect practice is much better, but best is if you make that practice really fun you will want to really put in more focused and enthusiastic effort.
http://verdictphotographyblog.com/2012/01/15/verdict-video-powell-bros-stick-tricks/
Saturday, January 14, 2012
A great view of Lax Con but look at the great stick skills.
Eaton Lacrosse is one of the sponsors of the 2012 Lacrosse Convention and had a group of their sponsored athletes there to give a demo to the crowd. In addition to all the fun the are some really good examples of stick skills in action. It is important to keep your practice fresh -- especially when you are alone or with a buddy -- which is really important for getting better. Team practice is of course extremely important, but to master stick skills and shooting skills one needs to spend a lot of time in private (which certainly includes a buddy or two) experimentation. Just keep it fresh; this video gives some fun ways to muck about and learn at the same time.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Cool an app to keep up to date on you lax info.
Screen Shot 2012-01-10 at 9.30.43 PM MCLA LAX IPHONE APP Derek O. Hanley 01/11/2012 After much anticipation, the MCLA Lacrosse iPhone App has finally been unveiled, and the lax world is buzzing. Now keeping track of your favorite teams and players is easier than ever with this remarkably comprehensive and user-friendly program. Check the info: The MCLA (Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association) app brings you the most comprehensive lacrosse app on the market. With over 200 teams and 6000 active players, the MCLA is represented by the biggest universities in the U.S., from Boston College to San Diego State and Florida State to the University of Oregon. The MCLA boasts the biggest college lacrosse footprint in the US. Never miss a score from around the league with the MCLA app on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Features: -Latest Headlines and News from the league -Scores -Standings -Statistics -Players -Scoring Leaders Follow over 200 teams including: Division I -Arizona State -BYU -Texas -Colorado State -Oregon -Georgia Tech -Michigan State -Pittsburgh Division II -Davenport -Dayton -St. Thomas -Cal State Fullerton -DePaul -Gonzaga
Screen Shot 2012-01-10 at 9.30.43 PM MCLA LAX IPHONE APP Derek O. Hanley 01/11/2012 After much anticipation, the MCLA Lacrosse iPhone App has finally been unveiled, and the lax world is buzzing. Now keeping track of your favorite teams and players is easier than ever with this remarkably comprehensive and user-friendly program. Check the info: The MCLA (Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association) app brings you the most comprehensive lacrosse app on the market. With over 200 teams and 6000 active players, the MCLA is represented by the biggest universities in the U.S., from Boston College to San Diego State and Florida State to the University of Oregon. The MCLA boasts the biggest college lacrosse footprint in the US. Never miss a score from around the league with the MCLA app on your iPhone or iPod Touch. Features: -Latest Headlines and News from the league -Scores -Standings -Statistics -Players -Scoring Leaders Follow over 200 teams including: Division I -Arizona State -BYU -Texas -Colorado State -Oregon -Georgia Tech -Michigan State -Pittsburgh Division II -Davenport -Dayton -St. Thomas -Cal State Fullerton -DePaul -Gonzaga
Mike Powell joins Easton Lacrosse
From Lacrosse Playground a summary of the videos that were posted today from Easton Lacrosse welcoming Mike Powell to join their efforts.
Mike Powell is one of the most decorated lacrosse players in NCAA history in the last decade. A four-time First Team All-American at Syracuse University, Powell is the only player to win the Jack Turnbull Award as the top attackman in Division I lacrosse four consecutive times. Powell was also a four-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy, the lacrosse equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, and is the only player to win the award twice. He led Syracuse to two national championships and holds the school record for most career points.
After a brief stint in the Major League Lacrosse circuit, Powell decided to take his talents on the road to tour with his band. Imagine Michael Jordan at the top of his game deciding to “retire” to play music. After a return from his hiatus, Powell was spotted at several lacrosse events in the last few months. Today, he has finally announced he’s back!
It has been exactly three months to the day since Easton Lacrosse announced the signing of Casey Powell, Brett Queener and Michael Evans to multi-year endorsement contracts. The players have been involved in developing new products for the company and creating exclusive content for EastonLacrosse.com, as well as participating in camps, clinics and other events for Easton. The three have been extremely instrumental in growing the brand and its products, but now they will have a little more help from a familiar legend.
Mike Powell, one of Casey’s younger brothers, has joined the team. Usually, two Powells on any team is a good thing. Mike joining Casey and company, however, is a great thing. Mike’s view about the game of lacrosse strikes a chord because of the spiritual aspect he pours back into the sport. Listening to Mike talk about the game’s roots, one gets a sense of what you should feel when you play lacrosse. And he makes everyone around him a better person for it.
Along with the news of Mike joining the team, Easton also released moving and inspiring videos featuring the legend. The first up is a followup to their mysterious video earlier in the week. The subsequent one places Mike in a “North Country Landscape.” The final and third will blow your mind. Easton and Mike just took lacrosse to a whole new level.
Lacrosse and art have gone hand in hand for centuries. An emotional voice over, with spiritual aim, carries the viewer through the North Country landscape and onto the wall of a dirty warehouse. Combining shots of forever fields and raging waterfalls with footage of MP hand painting portions of his statement, this piece goes beyond the surface and reaches for the athletes inner game.
MP visits an abandoned concrete manufacturing plant in Jamesville, NY with a camera, a stick, and a ball. A lacrosse/parkour hybrid video that blends “never before seen” stick tricks and physical maneuvers set against a distressed factory backdrop. Fast paced editing and driving roots music takes the viewer on an original ride that demonstrates the unmatchable creativity of the game and brings lacrosse to a new place. Truly, the first video of its kind.
We’ll keep you in the loop as we go on this magical Easton ride throughout the 2012 season. The videos were created by Verdict Photography. ttyl, B.R.O.
Monday, January 9, 2012
A great link to check out of Paul Rabil
A really great highlights video of Paul Rabil in action. This is a very nicely done video, but as this follows some previous posts this is not what college bound players need to be producing for their recruiting efforts. Coaches will want to see more of the play unfold and get more of a sense of the players field position.
What is very worthwhile for players of all ages, but especially for players that are just starting out -- notice how often Paul Rabil not only changes direction, but switches the crosse between hands and uses his body for stick protection!
Enjoy: http://www.paulrabil99.com/2012/
What is very worthwhile for players of all ages, but especially for players that are just starting out -- notice how often Paul Rabil not only changes direction, but switches the crosse between hands and uses his body for stick protection!
Enjoy: http://www.paulrabil99.com/2012/
Friday, January 6, 2012
Tips for college lacrosse recruiting.
If you are thinking about playing lacrosse in college read these tips from Tom Kovic of Victory Collegiate Consulting
http://laxbuzz.com/2012/01/06/college-lacrosse-recruiting-recruiting-strategies-to-kick-off-the-new-year-by-tom-kovic/
College Lacrosse Recruiting: “Recruiting Strategies To Kick Off The New Year” By Tom Kovic Posted on January 6, 2012 | Leave a comment
http://victoryrecruiting.com
Recruiting Strategies to Kick Off the New Year
By Tom Kovic The New Year offers change, new commitments, a clean slate and fresh opportunity to approach the recruiting process with renewed passion. Below are class by class suggested tactics.
Seniors The early decision and signing periods are behind you and if you were not picked up in admissions or offered an athletic scholarship you now have new life in the regular decision and regular signing pools. Will the regular recruiting period be competitive? Yes. Will there be plentiful opportunities? No. Try not to focus on what was not accomplished during the early recruiting process, but re-group and control your playing field. Cast a narrow net in selecting the colleges you will pursue and focus on the following: 1) Meet all admissions application deadlines. 2) Update your personal profile with any pertinent academic and athletic information. 3) Edit your recruiting highlight video with footage. 4) Ping the coaches regularly and avoid incommunicado. 5) Ask your club or high school coach to reach out on your behalf to speak directly with the college coaches. 6) Take another road trip to your top schools and set a meeting with Coach. Your strategy and operative should be fresh. Provide the coaches with the unique resources to help them see you in a new and different light that will convince them to recruit you earnestly.
Juniors If there is an operative for juniors that should be referenced regularly as you build the recruiting effort it is “momentum.” As a junior prospect, you want to remain highly visible on the college coach’s radar and provide them with regular updates to your academic and athletic progress. I suggest you focus on the following: 1) Update your YouTube video with new highlights that will get the attention of the coaches. 2) Be sure you are on target academically and registered for and preparing for standardized testing. 3) Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. 4) Line up a campus visit and work with the college coach to include a possible overnight stay as part of the trip. 5) Cultivate relationships with each of the coaches you have connected with. The “grey area” character component can evolve here and help separate you from the rest of the pack. Re-assess your recruiting strategy and look at the “end game.” Identify your ultimate goal in the recruiting process and use it as your catalyst. From here, work backward and identify working targets, each building and surging from one to the next until you reach your present point of reference. Now start from your new “launch point” and surge forward in building upon the plan, one brick at a time.
Sophomores Information gathering and learning the “new language” of college recruiting should be the mantra for the sophomore prospect, but it goes further than that. As I mentioned early in this article, the college search for athletes has accelerated to a mind bending rate and one way to keep pace is to embrace and understand it. I suggest focusing on the following: 1) Develop a “cliff notes version of “impact” NCAA rules and procedures. Go to the NCAA website (www.ncaa.org) and download the recruiting manuals and pay attention only to the chapters on recruiting, financial aid and eligibility. 2) Put yourself down on paper by creating a 1 page personal profile and developing a 4 minute highlight video. 3) Do a self-evaluation (I have a great 10 question assessment I ask all my students to answer before we launch) and get a grasp on what you are potentially looking for in the college experience. 4) Develop a group of 20-25 colleges, diverse in community, academic offering and athletic strength (D-1, 2, 3). Locate the home and athletic websites and poke around to get a feel” for the different environments. 5) Take 3-5 campus road trips during the year. Don’t just show up. Be sure you have introduced yourself to the coaches through regular communication and line-up a face to face meeting.
http://laxbuzz.com/2012/01/06/college-lacrosse-recruiting-recruiting-strategies-to-kick-off-the-new-year-by-tom-kovic/
College Lacrosse Recruiting: “Recruiting Strategies To Kick Off The New Year” By Tom Kovic Posted on January 6, 2012 | Leave a comment
http://victoryrecruiting.com
Recruiting Strategies to Kick Off the New Year
By Tom Kovic The New Year offers change, new commitments, a clean slate and fresh opportunity to approach the recruiting process with renewed passion. Below are class by class suggested tactics.
Seniors The early decision and signing periods are behind you and if you were not picked up in admissions or offered an athletic scholarship you now have new life in the regular decision and regular signing pools. Will the regular recruiting period be competitive? Yes. Will there be plentiful opportunities? No. Try not to focus on what was not accomplished during the early recruiting process, but re-group and control your playing field. Cast a narrow net in selecting the colleges you will pursue and focus on the following: 1) Meet all admissions application deadlines. 2) Update your personal profile with any pertinent academic and athletic information. 3) Edit your recruiting highlight video with footage. 4) Ping the coaches regularly and avoid incommunicado. 5) Ask your club or high school coach to reach out on your behalf to speak directly with the college coaches. 6) Take another road trip to your top schools and set a meeting with Coach. Your strategy and operative should be fresh. Provide the coaches with the unique resources to help them see you in a new and different light that will convince them to recruit you earnestly.
Juniors If there is an operative for juniors that should be referenced regularly as you build the recruiting effort it is “momentum.” As a junior prospect, you want to remain highly visible on the college coach’s radar and provide them with regular updates to your academic and athletic progress. I suggest you focus on the following: 1) Update your YouTube video with new highlights that will get the attention of the coaches. 2) Be sure you are on target academically and registered for and preparing for standardized testing. 3) Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. 4) Line up a campus visit and work with the college coach to include a possible overnight stay as part of the trip. 5) Cultivate relationships with each of the coaches you have connected with. The “grey area” character component can evolve here and help separate you from the rest of the pack. Re-assess your recruiting strategy and look at the “end game.” Identify your ultimate goal in the recruiting process and use it as your catalyst. From here, work backward and identify working targets, each building and surging from one to the next until you reach your present point of reference. Now start from your new “launch point” and surge forward in building upon the plan, one brick at a time.
Sophomores Information gathering and learning the “new language” of college recruiting should be the mantra for the sophomore prospect, but it goes further than that. As I mentioned early in this article, the college search for athletes has accelerated to a mind bending rate and one way to keep pace is to embrace and understand it. I suggest focusing on the following: 1) Develop a “cliff notes version of “impact” NCAA rules and procedures. Go to the NCAA website (www.ncaa.org) and download the recruiting manuals and pay attention only to the chapters on recruiting, financial aid and eligibility. 2) Put yourself down on paper by creating a 1 page personal profile and developing a 4 minute highlight video. 3) Do a self-evaluation (I have a great 10 question assessment I ask all my students to answer before we launch) and get a grasp on what you are potentially looking for in the college experience. 4) Develop a group of 20-25 colleges, diverse in community, academic offering and athletic strength (D-1, 2, 3). Locate the home and athletic websites and poke around to get a feel” for the different environments. 5) Take 3-5 campus road trips during the year. Don’t just show up. Be sure you have introduced yourself to the coaches through regular communication and line-up a face to face meeting.
Some good videos -- perfect for indoor training.
Here are some videos from
C.J. Easter Stanford Football Player Turned Fitness Expert
He is starting a conditioning program in the SF Bay Area -- and is posting these videos. If you are local it would be very well worth checking him out. Especially for female athletes knee injuries are very common -- some of these exercises could be a big help in preventing future problems.
In lacrosse short high speed runs are what is important for the Fastest Game On Two Feet. These videos are very helpful for building up strength for the first few powerful steps.
Agility and Dynamic Stretching are also very important.
C.J. Easter Stanford Football Player Turned Fitness Expert
He is starting a conditioning program in the SF Bay Area -- and is posting these videos. If you are local it would be very well worth checking him out. Especially for female athletes knee injuries are very common -- some of these exercises could be a big help in preventing future problems.
In lacrosse short high speed runs are what is important for the Fastest Game On Two Feet. These videos are very helpful for building up strength for the first few powerful steps.
Agility and Dynamic Stretching are also very important.
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is vital. Lacrosse is a tough game -- it can be played hard, but good refs are needed to ensure safety and fun. Here is a video of some very unsportsmanlike basketball behavior. Note that pushing from behind and grabbing by the neck can be very dangerous -- look at fouls #4 & #5. Why there were no ejections is not clear to me.
I do not like to see this type of action in any sport!
I do not like to see this type of action in any sport!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Keep an eye open for more news in 2012, but check this lax lesson out.
Inside Lacrosse has a nice article about LaxLessons Playbook: Thunder
Note it is worth going to the link to see the diagrams and video: http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2012/01/04/laxlessons-playbook-thunder
http://insidelacrosse.com/sites/default/files/RRabidou_il/Thunder_ILplay.jpg?1325629044 http://insidelacrosse.com/sites/default/files/imagesimages/Thunder_ILplay.jpg
LaxLessons Playbook: Thunder Ryan Rabidou January 4th, 2012 0 InsideLacrosse.com LaxLessons Playbook: Thunder Text Size Email Print LaxLessons.com, the source for animated plays, drills, and practice plans, shares another 3D play and animation. The play being broken-down today is "Thunder," a quick inside-look play that is best ran at the end of a quarter. Under Armour
The Set-Up: 2-3-1 invert set, with both middies who have short sticks (M2 & M3) inverted behind the net. The third middie (M1) who has the long pole is at the top of the restraining line preventing a fast break. The attackmen (A1 A2 & A3) are set up three across - meaning one on each wing in shooting position and one on the crease. It’s best to have your middies with the short sticks (M2 & M3) controlling the ball behind. This way they can eat the clock until 15 seconds are left. LaxLessons.com play: Thunder The Play: Have your middie (M3) dodge up left-handed. As he starts his dodge the ball side attackmen (A2) pinches in and sets a pick on the crease for the crease attackmen (A3). The crease attackmen (A3) then pops off the pick calling hard for the ball. If he is open feed it to him. If not, the dodging middie (M3) should roll back away from pressure and pass the ball behind to (M2) at X. (A2 now becomes the crease attackmen) The middie at X (M2) catches and dodges up the opposite side. As he catches the pass, the left side attackmen (A1) should be pinching in to set a pick for the new crease attackmen (A2). The middie dodging up (M2) should be looking to time up his pass with the new crease attackmen (A2) popping off the pick for a quick shot. Thunder animated play video:
LaxLessons is all about revolutionizing the playbook. Their mission is to make drills and plays as realistic as possible in hopes that players (and coaches) new and experienced can learn a new play at the press of a button. Even better LaxLessons playbooks and drillbooks are compatible on that new iPad and iPhone you got for the holidays. Pssshh: There are rumors of a LaxLessons app for 2012... Check out the LaxLessons HeadWrapz in the Gear Zone here. Want to take your programs Playbook or Drill book to the next level? Subscribe to LaxLessons coaches page by clicking here. Download them, print them, even watch plays on your phone. About LaxLessons.com LaxLessons LLC, founded in 2009, is the premier source for everything lacrosse in the Nation’s #1 Lacrosse Hotbed: Hudson Valley/Long Island/Connecticut region. Providing player recruiting profiles and video highlight packages for players, a massively popular high school lacrosse blog for fans, and animated playbooks / drills / practice plans for coaches. LaxLessons.com is for everyone and anyone involved with the fastest game on two feet. LaxLessons.com: Players - Fans - Coaches
Note it is worth going to the link to see the diagrams and video: http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2012/01/04/laxlessons-playbook-thunder
http://insidelacrosse.com/sites/default/files/RRabidou_il/Thunder_ILplay.jpg?1325629044 http://insidelacrosse.com/sites/default/files/imagesimages/Thunder_ILplay.jpg
LaxLessons Playbook: Thunder Ryan Rabidou January 4th, 2012 0 InsideLacrosse.com LaxLessons Playbook: Thunder Text Size Email Print LaxLessons.com, the source for animated plays, drills, and practice plans, shares another 3D play and animation. The play being broken-down today is "Thunder," a quick inside-look play that is best ran at the end of a quarter. Under Armour
The Set-Up: 2-3-1 invert set, with both middies who have short sticks (M2 & M3) inverted behind the net. The third middie (M1) who has the long pole is at the top of the restraining line preventing a fast break. The attackmen (A1 A2 & A3) are set up three across - meaning one on each wing in shooting position and one on the crease. It’s best to have your middies with the short sticks (M2 & M3) controlling the ball behind. This way they can eat the clock until 15 seconds are left. LaxLessons.com play: Thunder The Play: Have your middie (M3) dodge up left-handed. As he starts his dodge the ball side attackmen (A2) pinches in and sets a pick on the crease for the crease attackmen (A3). The crease attackmen (A3) then pops off the pick calling hard for the ball. If he is open feed it to him. If not, the dodging middie (M3) should roll back away from pressure and pass the ball behind to (M2) at X. (A2 now becomes the crease attackmen) The middie at X (M2) catches and dodges up the opposite side. As he catches the pass, the left side attackmen (A1) should be pinching in to set a pick for the new crease attackmen (A2). The middie dodging up (M2) should be looking to time up his pass with the new crease attackmen (A2) popping off the pick for a quick shot. Thunder animated play video:
LaxLessons is all about revolutionizing the playbook. Their mission is to make drills and plays as realistic as possible in hopes that players (and coaches) new and experienced can learn a new play at the press of a button. Even better LaxLessons playbooks and drillbooks are compatible on that new iPad and iPhone you got for the holidays. Pssshh: There are rumors of a LaxLessons app for 2012... Check out the LaxLessons HeadWrapz in the Gear Zone here. Want to take your programs Playbook or Drill book to the next level? Subscribe to LaxLessons coaches page by clicking here. Download them, print them, even watch plays on your phone. About LaxLessons.com LaxLessons LLC, founded in 2009, is the premier source for everything lacrosse in the Nation’s #1 Lacrosse Hotbed: Hudson Valley/Long Island/Connecticut region. Providing player recruiting profiles and video highlight packages for players, a massively popular high school lacrosse blog for fans, and animated playbooks / drills / practice plans for coaches. LaxLessons.com is for everyone and anyone involved with the fastest game on two feet. LaxLessons.com: Players - Fans - Coaches
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Lax players heading for college need to read this carefully
I am posting this article from Laxmagazine: http://www.laxmagazine.com/high_school/recruiting/2010-11/news/031611_how_to_make_the_most_of_your_recruiting_videos
This is is a really good summary of things to be aware of starting in your sophomore/junior year. If you are aiming at D1 schools there are certain tournaments and camps you should consider. This article discusses the importance of sending a really solid high quality video. The one point that I learned directly from the coaches of Brown and North Carolina is they are not looking for a series of a few seconds of someone scoring or a d-pole making a big play. The coaches want to see how the play unfolds -- make sure to have shots that show the big picture -- not just a lot of close-ups of a player doing high fives after scoring.
Enjoy the article:
Touch Screen Make the most of the recruiting videos you send to college coaches by Nelson Coffin | LaxMagazine.com
Notre Dame coach Kevin Corrigan values recruiting videos as a huge piece of the recruiting process. "There are just too many kids to cold-call," he said. "We give everything that comes here a look."
© John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com
Seeing is believing. For coaches scouring the lacrosse landscape for the next creative left-handed middie with speed to burn and a shot to match, there's no substitute for actually seeing that player breeze past befuddled defenders with glazed expressions on their faces and too much ground to make up. Yet the only way for Coach X, who might boast a team already in playoff contention, to see Johnny Fast or Jenny Quick deliver the goods against a hated high school archrival is through the technological gift of a video or digital recording. Sure, the coach, depending on how many assistants are available, can send an underling on a scouting mission. But the best way to make a personal personnel evaluation is to either be on site or check out the game footage later in front of a flat screen. Increasingly, the latter method is preferred by bosses too busy to find travel time outside the office or practice field. Plus, it's a terrific tool to pare down to a precious few those who the coach will attempt to see in person, saving time in his or her schedule. "On average, there will be four or more major recruiting events each weekend from June until the end of July," says Chris Meade of LacrosseRecruits.com, the official recruiting tool of US Lacrosse. "The coaching staffs will divide and conquer by taking responsibility for tournaments in certain areas of the East Coast or the entire country. At larger programs, a staff of four paid coaches will have much better coverage than a smaller D3 program that consists of two paid coaches. "To help coaches recruit you, especially the coaches from smaller programs or outside your geographic region, you have to give them the opportunity to see you play," Meade adds. "Seeing your game video can ultimately lead a coach to plan on attending a specific tournament or make sure they are on Field 12 at 2 p.m. to watch you play in person. The video package that you provide is the first opportunity for a coach to evaluate you. You get to pick the clips and performances that best exemplify the type of player you are. The process is not easy, but the time and effort you put into your video will help yield greater results with coaches." After all, coaches need all the help they can get in uncovering the next 50-goal guy or gal. "It's a huge piece of the recruiting process," says Notre Dame men's coach Kevin Corrigan. "There are just too many kids to cold-call to get to." Corrigan says that no video is turned away.
Recruiting Video Do's and Don'ts DO * Send a video of your best game * Highlight "ability, athleticism and attitude * Hire a pro videographer OR * Invest in a digital video camera * Use a digital media card to store/send
DON'T * Send grainy, out-of-focus images * Shoot footage without a tripod * Send video on a tape * Use footage from a poor performance * Make your video longer than five minutes
"We give everything that comes here a look," he says. The chances for a longer look increase with the quality of the product, meaning the player and the video. "First of all, it needs to be of a decent quality," Corrigan says. "You don't want to look at something that looks like 'The Blair Witch Project.' And you want to see the player in context, not just some guy running past a lamp post. You want to see him against the best competition." Remember, putting a prospective player's image in the hands of a professional videographer can be money well spent. It's the kind of tool designed to put a potential recruit's assets in the best light, especially if he or she comes through in a big game. "For example, if you are an attackman and have a great game against a UNC commit, that game video will allow coaches to compare you to DI talent," Meade says. "If you play in developing areas, you may not have many opportunities to play against great competition, so I suggest that you focus on getting film from tournaments or camps over the summer." Meade says that many tournaments offer professional videography staffs for entrants, so be sure to check ahead.
This is is a really good summary of things to be aware of starting in your sophomore/junior year. If you are aiming at D1 schools there are certain tournaments and camps you should consider. This article discusses the importance of sending a really solid high quality video. The one point that I learned directly from the coaches of Brown and North Carolina is they are not looking for a series of a few seconds of someone scoring or a d-pole making a big play. The coaches want to see how the play unfolds -- make sure to have shots that show the big picture -- not just a lot of close-ups of a player doing high fives after scoring.
Enjoy the article:
Touch Screen Make the most of the recruiting videos you send to college coaches by Nelson Coffin | LaxMagazine.com
Notre Dame coach Kevin Corrigan values recruiting videos as a huge piece of the recruiting process. "There are just too many kids to cold-call," he said. "We give everything that comes here a look."
© John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com
Seeing is believing. For coaches scouring the lacrosse landscape for the next creative left-handed middie with speed to burn and a shot to match, there's no substitute for actually seeing that player breeze past befuddled defenders with glazed expressions on their faces and too much ground to make up. Yet the only way for Coach X, who might boast a team already in playoff contention, to see Johnny Fast or Jenny Quick deliver the goods against a hated high school archrival is through the technological gift of a video or digital recording. Sure, the coach, depending on how many assistants are available, can send an underling on a scouting mission. But the best way to make a personal personnel evaluation is to either be on site or check out the game footage later in front of a flat screen. Increasingly, the latter method is preferred by bosses too busy to find travel time outside the office or practice field. Plus, it's a terrific tool to pare down to a precious few those who the coach will attempt to see in person, saving time in his or her schedule. "On average, there will be four or more major recruiting events each weekend from June until the end of July," says Chris Meade of LacrosseRecruits.com, the official recruiting tool of US Lacrosse. "The coaching staffs will divide and conquer by taking responsibility for tournaments in certain areas of the East Coast or the entire country. At larger programs, a staff of four paid coaches will have much better coverage than a smaller D3 program that consists of two paid coaches. "To help coaches recruit you, especially the coaches from smaller programs or outside your geographic region, you have to give them the opportunity to see you play," Meade adds. "Seeing your game video can ultimately lead a coach to plan on attending a specific tournament or make sure they are on Field 12 at 2 p.m. to watch you play in person. The video package that you provide is the first opportunity for a coach to evaluate you. You get to pick the clips and performances that best exemplify the type of player you are. The process is not easy, but the time and effort you put into your video will help yield greater results with coaches." After all, coaches need all the help they can get in uncovering the next 50-goal guy or gal. "It's a huge piece of the recruiting process," says Notre Dame men's coach Kevin Corrigan. "There are just too many kids to cold-call to get to." Corrigan says that no video is turned away.
Recruiting Video Do's and Don'ts DO * Send a video of your best game * Highlight "ability, athleticism and attitude * Hire a pro videographer OR * Invest in a digital video camera * Use a digital media card to store/send
DON'T * Send grainy, out-of-focus images * Shoot footage without a tripod * Send video on a tape * Use footage from a poor performance * Make your video longer than five minutes
"We give everything that comes here a look," he says. The chances for a longer look increase with the quality of the product, meaning the player and the video. "First of all, it needs to be of a decent quality," Corrigan says. "You don't want to look at something that looks like 'The Blair Witch Project.' And you want to see the player in context, not just some guy running past a lamp post. You want to see him against the best competition." Remember, putting a prospective player's image in the hands of a professional videographer can be money well spent. It's the kind of tool designed to put a potential recruit's assets in the best light, especially if he or she comes through in a big game. "For example, if you are an attackman and have a great game against a UNC commit, that game video will allow coaches to compare you to DI talent," Meade says. "If you play in developing areas, you may not have many opportunities to play against great competition, so I suggest that you focus on getting film from tournaments or camps over the summer." Meade says that many tournaments offer professional videography staffs for entrants, so be sure to check ahead.
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