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!

Crooked Arrows movie -- a trailer to get us excited.

A great way to improve your lax skills is to watch others play.

Check out IL Television.com:

http://television.insidelacrosse.com/

Mental focus in a game.

This post is not about lacrosse, but about the need to not just play hard but to understand what exactly are the team's needs in a game.

Here is an example of a pro basketball player not thinking about what the team needs:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/video-minnesota-martell-webster-forgets-dunk-isn-t-152607231.html



It happens to the best of us. There we are at work, with a mohawk. We use our considerable length and expert timing, as one of 450 professionals in our field amongst potential millions, to steal the ball and dash from one end of the court to another to possibly pull up for a 3-point basket (based on our ability to hit 37 percent of the shots we've taken from 24 feet and out over our seven-year NBA career). But in the heat of the moment and in that thin Denver air, we forget our team is down three points with mere seconds to go, and move in for a 2-point dunk attempt that sees us bounding through the air and throwing a basketball down into a goal that is perched 10 feet in the air. Typical Monday, for most of us. Not unlike Minnesota's Martell Webster: Oh, Martell. And Brad Miller's expression (at the 24-second mark of this clip) is the best, though we assume he sits and reacts like that through most Timberwolves games. Here's the team's explanation to Wolves beat writer Jerry Zgoda, working with the Minnesota Star Tribune, following the game: "We talked about we needed a three," Adelman said. "I think he caught the ball, stole it and maybe emotions got the best of him." Webster afterward said he was well aware of the time and situation. He said he hoped to either create a foul and 3-point play or score with enough time to foul the Nuggets yet again. "I don't know, I don't know if it was a mental thing, like I shot [a three] before that and didn't knock it down," said Webster, who missed a three with the score tied with 53 seconds left. "I just wanted to be aggressive, get to the rim, possibly get a foul. But I didn't. "Most people probably would have pulled up for the 3-point shot. Yeah, I can see why they would. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably pull up for a three. Why not?" Agreed. And Martell continued that positive tone following the game on his Twitter account. Salutations to him for that: (Courtesy twitter.com/MartellWebster) Thanks to Trey Kerby at The Basketball Jones for the heads-up on this.

The first D1 game of Univ Michigan

Lacrosse Overtime.

Great videos with a lot of excitement and lessons.

This is an excellent pair of videos of a classic 1983 game for the National Championship.

Just note how quickly momentum can change. Up or down in a game one must always keep focus. This high scoring game shows how quickly the tide can turn.

A terrific article about how to be a great lacrosse player.

This article has some great points that if taken to heart will help players improve their game. Many of the points are broader and apply to any athlete.

The article is from Lacrosse Allstars:

[Editor's note: Please welcome Dylan Sheridan to LAS. A 3-time MCLA All-American and Offensive Player of the Year at Claremont McKenna, Dylan is currently assistant coach of the Lebanon Valley College men's lacrosse team. LVC is in its first year as a DIII program and is led by legendary head coach John Haus. Prior to moving to LVC, Dylan coached DI women's lacrosse as an assistant at St. Mary's College in CA.]

After reading the article on “toughness” in college hoops, I instantly put it in terms of college lacrosse. As a player in college, I, (like Mr. Bilas) thought I was tough. I wasn’t. If it weren’t for some incredible teammates my career probably would have fizzled out after my sophomore year. I’ve had old coaches tell me that lacrosse is a game wasted on the youth. Maybe I’m just getting old, but I’m starting to see their point. My biggest regret as a lacrosse player “is that I didn’t truly ‘get it’ much earlier in my playing career.” Now, as a coach, my feeling about the composition of a truly great player has much less to do with size, strength, and athleticism and much more to do with character, toughness, and dedication.

At the end of last season, not much was made out of a kid like John Glynn (Cornell ’09). But every kid that first picks up a stick has been exposed to Mikey Powell. Marketing isn’t ahead of the curve in today’s lacrosse culture, it controls the curve. What’s been lost in the shuffle are the truly tough lacrosse players, the students of the game, the kids that make the smart play, plays that help their teams win.

Patton helped lead UCSB to 2 straight National Titles Quite frankly, I feel there is a lack of toughness permeating throughout our sport. I believe in many ways style has transcended substance. The sad irony is that our sport, once considered exclusive, is actually losing its toughness during a period of huge gains in mainstream credibility.

Call me old school… but tilt, flow, and eye black don’t make you tough and won’t help you get a W. I’m a firm believer in the philosophy “look good to play good,” but lacrosse players today spend more time studying each other’s kits than they do their scouting reports. In an attempt to bridge the gap, I thought about some players from my generation that defined “toughness.” Guys like Will Patton (UCSB ‘05) and Steven Merrell (USD ’06).

Metoyer lookin' tough Surprisingly, one of the toughest players I’ve ever been around is a product of Chapman University. By most accounts, Chaptown is Mecca for all aspiring lax bros: “babe city,” home of the undyrun and the flowbucket. Don’t get me wrong, the Panthers have had their share of great players, but as a fan and an opponent, Danny Metoyer was TOUGH.

Completely average height, a buck fifty (soaking wet), and yet the kid absolutely dominated the MCLA ranks throughout his career. Danny was perpetual motion; like Rip Hamilton or Ray Allen, but on the lacrosse field. Other than Chad Donnelly, there is nobody more integral to the growth of Chapman Lacrosse. Without Danny, there would be no Con Bro Chill. He was the embodiment of west coast lacrosse – adrenaline named socks after him – but make no mistake, Danny was all substance; Danny was the part, looking the part came naturally.

Here are some ways toughness is exhibited in lacrosse:

FOCUS

Tough lacrosse players are smart. They hustle. They are constantly thinking ahead of the play. Tough players work hard to concentrate on every play. Nowhere is this more evident than in the clearing game. The tough player communicates who has onside responsibility. The lazy player uses dead ball situations to catch his breath, jogs, and his team gets burned by the quick whistle. The tough player understands the importance of being pre-whistle ready, sprints to his spot, even if it’s from the box to the far corner…especially if it’s to the far corner.

RIDE

Tough attackmen ride hard. If defense wins championships, the toughest attackman realizes he becomes a defender the second the ball is turned over. Riding creates extra opportunities, often times easy transition goals. Riding disrupts substitutions and adds a dimension of pressure that wears down an opponent.

The lazy attackmen trails the ball carrier, throws a one handed hack, and hurts his team with penalties for slashing. Tough attackman do the work, take good pursuit angles, turn the ball carrier back toward pressure, and force them to make an extra pass. Tough players go as hard as they can for as long as they can. A tough player is not deterred by a missed shot. A tough player values his performance first by how well he defended.

NEVER STAND STILL

Toughest players rarely make skip passes. They communicate and carry the ball with confidence until a safe pass can be made. They seldom put their teammates in a bad spot to receive the ball. On the flipside, the toughest players never stand and watch. They keep their defender engaged at all times, making it difficult for their defender to talk and identify slides. They never wait on the pass; they always run to the ball. They understand how to use their own momentum to gain a step, even though it usually means absorbing a check.

#8 Merrell, 2006 Championship Game Defensive MVP WEAK SIDE D

The toughest defenders are in and out on a string. They understand team defense. They fill on the weak side no matter how quickly the opposition moves the ball, and they communicate what they’re seeing. When on defense, the tough defenders move as the ball moves. The toughest players move on the flight of the ball, not when it gets to its destination. In lacrosse, like basketball, defenders cannot see the ball and hug their man, because they are afraid to get beat. A tough defender plays the ball and sees his man. There is a difference.

STICKS HIS NOSE IN THERE, HENCE THE EXPRESSION “TOUGH NOSED”

Whether it’s at the X or right in front of the cage, the toughest players aren’t afraid to get hit. They’re usually in the middle of a GB scrum or catching and finishing in traffic. Tough players get hit, hard, a lot, and they pop right back up.

FINISH CHECKS

Whether it’s just getting the ball around or after a shot attempt, the toughest defensemen are in position to finish with a hard check: legal, annoying, often painful, reminders that they are gonna be there all day.

FINISH PLAYS

They don’t give up on a play or assume that a teammate will do it. A tough player plays through to the whistle. Tough players study the opponent. They understand the match ups, they work to exploit the mismatch, and they execute whether or not it means points in their stat column. Hockey assists aren’t a stat in lacrosse; however, the toughest players regularly draw the slide and unselfishly move the ball setting up his teammate two passes away.

TAKE AND GIVE CRITICISM

Tough players can take criticism without feeling the need to answer back or give excuses. They are open to getting better and expect to be challenged and hear tough things. You will never again in your life have the opportunity you have now at the college level: a coaching staff that is totally and completely dedicated to making you and your team better. Tough players listen and are not afraid to say what other teammates may not want to hear, but need to hear.

GREAT TEAMMATES

Tough players take nothing for granted. They keep their foot on the accelerator. Tough players don’t waste time celebrating a good play or lamenting a bad one. They don’t care about the weather. They don’t whine to officials, coaches, or teammates. They never react negatively to a mistake of a teammate.

They make the extra pass. They chase shots to the end line like their lives depend on the next possession. They move the ball immediately after getting it off the ground. They always look coaches and teammates in the eye, because if they are talking, it is important to them and to you. They treat the locker room better than they treat their pocket.



Tough players never cheat the game.

Hokey start, but this video is really a good introduction to players and parents new to lacrosse.

Box lacrosse is great for stick skills.

Box is great for sticks skills and they are clearly evident in this great video, but what I really like is how well this video shows the off ball play. Getting into position for a pass ahead of time is what makes these players pros.

Nice highlights video of high school lacrosse.

Get excited about the season:

This video will inspire players to practice their fakes!

Lacrosse on TV -- MLL & CBS

PRESS RELEASE February 2, 2012 For Immediate Release Contact: Aly Morrissey 617-787-6634 Major League Lacrosse MLL and CBS Sports Network Announce 2012 Television Schedule CBSSN to Televise 14 Live Games and all 18 Episodes of 'Inside the MLL' BOSTON, Mass. (February 2, 2012) - Major League Lacrosse (MLL) and CBS Sports Network (CBSSN) announced Thursday the television schedule for the 2012 season. The network will air live 14 nationally televised games in addition to all 18 episodes of 'Inside the MLL,' the League's 30-minute magazine show. "We are very excited about this new partnership with CBS Sports Network," said MLL Commissioner David Gross. "We're thrilled to bring 14 live games to fans in addition to our magazine show 'Inside the MLL,' which will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at Major League Lacrosse and its star players." The first nationally televised game of the season will be Friday, June 1 featuring a matchup between the MLL Champion Boston Cannons and the Rochester Rattlers at Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. The game will air live at 7:00 PM, ET on CBS Sports Network. CBSSN will feature several high profile games this season, including the Denver Outlaws' annual fireworks game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Wednesday, July 4. The Outlaws will play the expansion Ohio Machine at 9:00 PM, ET. Additionally, CBSSN will televise a number of games featuring two of MLL's 2012 expansion teams, the Charlotte Hounds and the Ohio Machine. In addition to regular season matchups, CBSSN will also air the second Semi-Final Game on Saturday, August 25 during the 2012 MLL Championship Weekend in Boston, Mass. The No. 2 seed will play the No. 3 seed at 4:00 PM, ET. Play by play announcer Dave Ryan and analyst Evan Washburn will call the MLL action. Both Ryan and Washburn were announcers for the Rochester Rattlers last season. Washburn also will be the host of "Inside the MLL," along with features reporter Chantel McCabe. CBS Sports Network is seen in 45 million homes and is available to 98 million households across the country. The Network is available through local cable and video providers and nationally via satellite on DirecTV Channel 613 and DISH Network Channel 152. CBS Sports Network is also available in Canada on the following video providers: Bell TV, Eastlink, Cogeco, Rogers, Bell Aliant, and Sasktel. For more information and to access the CBS Sports Network channel finder, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com. 2012 Major League Lacrosse Schedule on CBS Sports Network Date Game Time (EST) FRI 6/1 Cannons @ Rattlers 7:30 PM SAT 6/2 Nationals @ Hounds 7:00 PM SAT 6/9 Lizards @ Cannons 7:00 PM SAT 6/16 Cannons @ Hounds 7:00 PM SAT 6/16 Rattlers @ Outlaws 9:30 PM SAT 6/23 Nationals @ Rattlers 7:00 PM WED 7/4 Machine @ Outlaws* 9:00 PM FRI 7/6 Lizards @ Rattlers 7:00 PM THURS 7/19 Outlaws @ Cannons 7:00 PM SAT 7/21 Nationals @ Lizards 7:00 PM SAT 7/28 Hounds @ Lizards 7:00 PM SAT 8/4 Lizards @ Bayhawks 7:00 PM SAT 8/11 Cannons @ Machine 7:00 PM SAT 8/25 MLL Semi-Final* 4:00 PM *Machine @ Outlaws = Fireworks Game *MLL Semi-Final = No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed (Boston, MA) Inside the MLL Broadcast Schedule on CBS Sports Network Episode Air Date Time 1 SUN 4/29 5:30 PM 2 SUN 5/6 5:30 PM 3 SUN 5/13 5:30 PM 4 SUN 5/20 5:30 PM 5 SAT 6/2 6:30 PM 6 SAT 6/9 6:30 PM 7 SAT 6/16 6:30 PM 8 SAT 6/23 6:30 PM 9 SAT 6/30 6:30 PM 10 FRI 7/6 6:30 PM 11 SAT 7/14 6:30 PM 12 SAT 7/21 6:30 PM 13 SAT 7/28 6:30 PM 14 SAT 8/4 6:30 PM 15 SAT 8/11 6:30 PM 16 SAT 8/18 6:30 PM 17 FRI 8/24 6:30 PM 18 SAT 9/1 6:30 PM About Major League Lacrosse: Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league, was founded by Jake Steinfeld and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Major League Lacrosse commenced play in June of 2001 and will enter its twelfth season in 2012. MLL has continued to lead the sport of lacrosse into the mainstream of competitive team sports. The league is made up of eight teams: The Boston Cannons, Charlotte Hounds, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Denver Outlaws, Hamilton Nationals, Long Island Lizards, Ohio Machine and Rochester Rattlers. The 2012 season will commence on April 28, 2012. More information about the league can be found at www.majorleaguelacrosse.com, Facebook or Twitter. About CBS Sports Network: CBS Sports Network, the cable channel of CBS Sports, features comprehensive sports programming. The Network covers more than 300 live games annually, showcasing 30 men's and women's sports, in addition to a variety of studio shows, documentaries and original programs. CBSSN's live programming is highlighted by college sports including, teams from the Mountain West, Conference USA, Atlantic 10, Patriot League, the United States Naval Academy and the United States Military Academy, as well as Major League Lacrosse and National Lacrosse League. The Network also airs the weekday "Tim Brando Show" and is the new home of Professional Bull Riders (PBR). CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers on Verizon FiOS Channel 94 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 643 (1643 in HD) and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 613 and Dish Network Channel 152. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com. # # #

Highlights of college lacrosse from 2009 to 2011

Wow -- watch how stick skills can lead to goals.

College lacrosse coaches talking about the 2012 season

Two nice interviews with Casey Powell

Clearly Casey Powell -- one of the best lacrosse players ever -- enjoys the sport and is working hard to help it grow.