OFF-SEASON PROGRAMS

For a few very talented clubs the season is still going or perhaps just ended. They no doubt will be enjoying some much deserved time off before regrouping and looking ahead to 2015. For other teams the season has officially been over since the first week of May. In terms of post season aspirations most teams chances ended earlier than that.

(More after the jump)

Which brings us to the topic of this article, what is the best way to improve a high school lacrosse team during the off-season? Their is a large gap between the haves and the have nots in the Mid-Penn and in order to close that gap programs need to take advantage of any and all opportunities to improve. Time is one of the most critical components in building or maintaining a successful program. Ask any coach what they wish they had more of and we guarantee you that time to prepare is in their top 5 (along with speed, numbers, health, etc.).

In our opinion maintaining and improving stick skills/fundamentals should be at the forefront of every player and coaches mind from here till the winter. Systems take time to be put in place, and are no doubt of a high importance, but without those critical fundamental skills the best offensive and defensive sets will not be effective. If we look to Hershey and Carlisle one thing is apparent, any player on the field has a high level of stick skills. This doesn't happen by accident. It is achieved through hard work and dedication, often times starting at a very young age. 

As the sport has grown locally players have countless opportunities to improve their game over the summer. Weather it's camps, club ball, summer league, pickup, or simply hitting the wall this is a great time to gain on the competition. In the world of sports, and especially lacrosse, your either moving forward or falling behind. There is not maintaining the status quo.

Additionally a lot of teams offer voluntary off-season workout programs. With increased participation in lacrosse comes increased athleticism and if you want to be the best this is quickly becoming a cornerstone of that process. Participation in other sports is also, in our opinion, a great way to improve your lax game. Lets face it, no matter how determined you are you won't push yourself to the limits that an in season sport like high school football, basketball, or soccer would. Along with the improved conditioning you'll learn to use your athleticism in different ways. Think about playing defense in basketball and boxing out. Like lacrosse it involves footwork, communication, and physicality. 

Let us your thoughts on the best way to improve a team during the off-season in the comments section.