Welcome to the fun, fast paced sport of Lacrosse!! Also known as Lax.
First thing is to get yourself the correct gear. There is a difference between boys and girls gear. Check out our gear page for more information on that.
Athletes-
Your first time picking up a lacrosse stick you will quickly that it is not as easy as it might look when you watch a skilled player. In fact, catching and throwing is a hard skill to learn and for most it takes quite a bit of time and practice to start to get it. Throwing correctly is a bit of an awkward motion until you train your body to do it. I tell you this so you know to not get discouraged when you first start, it takes time.... and practice to get it.
When I say practice, it is important to practice correctly. They say practice makes perfect, but that is only true if you are practicing the correct motions and skills. If you're not, that practice only creates bad habits that will need to be broken. So learn how to do a skill correctly, and take your time doing it right before you try to do it fast.
Parents-
You are in for a treat as you watch your young athlete grow in an exciting game to watch! You have a very special role in the progression of your child's growth. Your main job is not to be their coach, but to be their cheerleader. Before the first game of each season I send a letter out to the parents with a few suggestions to make their athletes experience a much better one.
Probably the most important suggestion is for you to see the good. As a new player in a very hard sport to master, see the good in your athlete. They may do 20 things wrong in a game and 2 things right. Focus on the 2 things. This means they learned 2 new things.... let the coaches work on the things they did wrong, as a parent celebrate what they did well!
Also, get yourself a stick and practice with them. This does 3 things.... most importantly, it is a bonding experience. 2- It will help your child with their skills. 3- and my favorite, you get to see how hard it really is. And I LOVE watching the new athletes coach their parents how to catch and throw!
Again.... welcome to the world of Lacrosse. Lax is growing in our area and we at 215 Lacrosse are excited to be a small part of that growth!