Tryouts!

Lacrosse tryouts are coming up! Wednesday November 5th and Saturday the 15th from 7-9 at Basin Recreation Fieldhouse. Tryouts consist of many different drills and tests, including a timed mile timed sprints, wall ball routines, and defense and offense drills.

Here are some great drills and practice things do to at home in preparation for tryouts...

1. WALL BALL

In my opinion, this is the most important aspect of lacrosse- stick skills (catching and throwing). All you need is a flat wall or bounce back, and you're set! 50 right, 50 left, see how high you can go! I also time myself and see how many I can get in a minute. Keep clear of windows, animals, and people all together while wall ball can get intense.

2. Shooting

Shooting is an important part of lacrosse for attackers. Most fields (City Park, Basin Rec, etc) have lacrosse goals, so bring some balls and work on placement and power. Just make sure nothing is behind the goal that you wouldn't want your ball to hit. I've had some bad experiences with balls running into people, glass, and well, things they shouldn't....

3. Ground balls

Get with a friend and roll some balls to each other. Mix it up and throw them to the side, bounce them, and more. If your friends are busy, you can always do this against a wall or to yourself. You can also invite your enemy and throw some "oops sorry my hand slipped" throws.

4. Go for a run!

Cardio is extremely important in lacrosse. Running back and forth across the field gets tiring, so build up your endurance and speed. Throw in some sprints and dodges while on your jog. A lot of coaches also tell you to bring your lacrosse stick to cradle while you run. This is a great way to become more comfortable with your stick in your hands.

Overall, your attitude during tryouts is most noticed. Stay positive, confident, and work well with your teammates and coaches.

Jeni Gordon, photo courtesy of parkcitylacrosse.org