Although some of our most exciting lacrosse this season is still in front of us, our coaching staff is often asked, "what should I do to prepare for next year?". With families busy planning their summers, we thought we'd get this post out. Before hashing thru all this, know that Coach Teeter, Bergman or Flynn would be glad to meet with each family individually to discuss what is right for you and your athlete.
By far and away, the very best way to prepare for lacrosse in the Spring is to play a sport in the Fall. Any sport? Yes. Of course, some are better suited for the lacrosse experience. Obviously, soccer maps well to our sport with the field size, number of players on the field, teamwork, spacing, running without the ball, and the discipline. Cross-country is a good way to condition in a structured environment with the added team competition element. Volleyball too, especially at HCS, has the regiment and discipline and team coordination aspects that map well to our program. (We know that some of you on this distribution consider those your primary sports. That's great! This perspective is addressing the lacrosse question listed above.)
A second way to prepare and give oneself a platform for health beyond sport is to participate in a structured, measured, fitness and conditioning program. Some of you may be aware of the school's new arrangement with Hoffacker Fitness that offers programs to our athletes in the summer and off-season (e.g. in the Fall and Winter for lacrosse players). We'll work to get you more information on this as individual athlete assessments are currently being scheduled by team but we have been focused on completing the season at hand. In short, Hoffacker, takes the arrangement we had with PASS to a new level. ... adding measured discipline, consideration for the individual athlete's current status and the Coach's desire for their development for their role in the sport. For now, for more, see:
http://www.hoffackerfitne
http://www.hoffackerfitne
A third way to prepare is to play Club lacrosse as part of a regional club in Columbus, Ohio or Cincinnati, Ohio. This is a major commitment of time and resources. (If an athlete dedicated themself to conditioning and wall ball locally versus the travel time alone, they could improve their contributions to the sport substantially!) However, it is excellent for players interested in playing beyond high school. We have a couple of players who've done this in the past and we have a few players who will be participating at this level after the season concludes. Talk to Coach Teeter or Bergman if interested in pursuing the game by playing with a regional club.
If not playing a Fall sport or conditioning, playing lacrosse in a Fall recreation league, indoor or outdoor, is really a supplement to other activities. In and of itself, it is not a way to get to the next level. Most programs in the area lack discipline and some lack organization. That said, it is a great way to maintain relationships with teammates from our program and other teams and it sure beats not touching a stick at all.
Finally, with any of the options above, attending a collegiate camp for a few days in the summer can provide the focused instruction and atmosphere that motivates players to take their game to the next level. We had 14 players on this year's team attend a camp last summer. It shows! There are a lot of great camps. Two that our players have had success with and are in the area are the Northwestern/Amonte Camp and the Notre Dame Camp. Links to each are embedded below. As players indicate they are signed up for these camps (or others) we'll update this post with the names and dates. That might aid others in their decision making on which to attend.
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