I hope everyone is staying warm this windy and frigid winter. I know there are a lot of indoor lacrosse games being played all over the Island that are keeping the kids occupied. Since the games and practices are few and far between, it is a great time to learn new moves and techniques by watching video tapes of games past.
There have been great college and club (after college) championships played over the years, with the best players showing their trademark moves for all to see. For example, the Powell brothers like to use "the finalizer" behind the cage to beat the d-man covering them. It would be worth it to invite a couple of teammates over and spend an afternoon planning new plays for your upcoming season.
The college final four, last season, was very exciting and the Virginia-Princeton game was an excellent example of discipline on the field. Every possession was packed with patience and pin-point passes. I remember when I was in High School, and this was not so long ago (WM-1992), I watched tapes of Syracuse and North Carolina, as well as many club playoff games. I studied Paul and Gary Gait, John Tucker (JHU), and Ryan Wade, who I played with at Carolina. These players dominated their opponents and I wanted to play to that level. I learned footwork, stick drills, and shooting which made my game more complete. Now a days, the players are Casey and Ryan Powell and so on, but the level of competition is the same. There are always new moves to learn and exciting athletes to learn them from. It is important to always be confident on the field and play at 100%.
After watching and learning, you also have to condition to be totally prepared for the upcoming spring season. I like to run on a track initially and then when the fields thaw, practice moves on the grass. On the track, 1/2 mile, 1/4 mile, 200's, and 100's are good to build a base. This helps burn off a little fat from the holidays and also gets your lungs cleaned out. Then, when you get to the field, you work on the lateral movements. Going side to side makes your legs stronger and you a little quicker. Lacrosse has always been the fastest sport on two feet and to get better, you have to dig down deep and work harder than the next player.
If you have any questions or feedback, please email me at info@learnlax.com. Thank you for your time and good luck this indoor season.
Jason Sanders