The 5 Absolute Best Things Your High School Lacrosse Team Can Do Now to be Successful in the Spring

At any level of organized sport, it’s critical that team members create a bond and work toward one goal. The way an individual interacts with another player can influence and determine a team’s performance and overall success. To have a powerful team that will reach optimal performance in competition, creating a bonded squad that plays with enthusiasm, confidence, and shared goals both on and off the field is paramount. Team building practices are beneficial in many ways, facilitating better communication, motivating the squad, developing group problem-solving, and breaking down barriers in between individuals to help further the team goals. We’ve put together a list of five great things your team can do to gel during the off-season in preparation for spring lacrosse.

1. Team Training

It’s no secret that teams that stick together, win together. A great way to get ahead of the game is to start training with your high school lacrosse team indoors this Winter. Time spent with your squad is invaluable to having a successful season of spring lacrosse. Take advantage of the time and space to boost your game. In addition to the culture that a coaching staff fosters to best serve the goals of the whole team and the needs of all of its athletes, training groups or position groups like faceoff specialists,defensemen, or attackmen within the larger team can also create their own cultures. These training-group cultures better reflect the individual personalities of theircoaches and athletes and the unique goals that they are pursuing, while still being part of the bigger picture. These subcultures also allow athletes who may be unable to take a leadership role in the team as a whole to exert influence within their group, thereby becoming more confident in their play.

2. Conditioning

Conditioning is not always fun. Athletes would much rather be playing the sport they love on the field instead of doing sprints or agility drills in a gym. But it’s the sprints and agility drills that end up making the sport even more fun in the long run. Conditioning not only helps to limit injury, but also it increases strength, muscle function, endurance, and eventually and inevitably confidence in your game. Studies by the American College of Sports Medicine show that training may prevent injury from occurring during the season. Since kids are at risk of repetitive injury and physical overuse, body strengthening and education (i.e., how to properly cut on the field) can prevent injuries during and after game time. It also gives a basic level of fitness by using a wide range of exercises to promote flexibility and coordination, lowering the number of injuries. An athlete who works hard and adheres to a strength and conditioning program will display more confidence on the field because of an improved performance, thereby improving the team dynamic. The hard work and discipline it takes to do things in life that are difficult, like conditioning, make you a better person and athlete. And the best part of all of it is that you’re all doing it together, as a team.

3. Play as a team indoors

Although the field and playing conditions are different, the fundamental principles are the same. Getting in valuable live games as a team will only help your squad learn to work together in game situations and outline what your team excels at and what needs to improve. Participating in indoor lacrosse leagues where you can keep your team together is a great way to get those games in with other high schoolers in the area, who your team will inevitably compete against during the regular season. League play is a great hybrid of both practice and game that is relaxed, while still being competitive and simulating a regular season game. Playing in a low stakes environment will allow the team to focus on what needs to be worked out without feeling the pressure of having to win important conference or tournament games. This type of practice is invaluable and will be the closest thing to experiencing the regular season.

4. Play as a team during tournaments against club players

There is something to be said about a team who faces challenges together and pulls through them together. Often times when teams face a challenge and do not approach it from a healthy angle, the team dynamic suffers. The best thing you can do to push your team to that next level is to enter them into local tournaments made up of mostly club level teams. This way, your team will learn how to face tough teams and inevitably some tough losses with a healthy outlook. Experiencing losses outside of the regular season will be great practice emotionally and fundamentally and will help gel the team. Coaches will be able to see what the team needs to work on as a whole during the upcoming season and the team will be able to exercise mental toughness in sticky situations.

5. Team Bonding Exercises

Team bonding can be something as little as hanging out together outside of practice and games, to something as organized as a team retreat or team building seminar. No matter what the exercise, it’s great to build camaraderie with your teammates outside of the season so that you can all stay in sync when the season does arrive. Social activities like barbecues and potlucks allow team members to connect in a casual, non-competitive environment. This team-building exercise develops relationships and can boost player morale. According to “The Expert Coaches’ Perceptions of Team Building,” a study published by The Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, team-building exercises are most pertinent in the preseason and at the start of the season to acquaint players, but they are generally effective at any time during the off-season. The study also showed that activities can be timed to increase player motivation, for example – before or after big games when the team’s level of confidence might be rattled.

Trust is another important factor to instill among the group. Establishing trust between team members will reflect in their overall performance. Having individuals share their personal challenges, hardships, or fears will allow team members to know one another outside of the sport. High-performing teams are developed through great communication, which includes sharing positive experiences, common challenges, and vulnerable storytelling. Discussing defining moments in life, either positive or negative, can connect teammates on a deeper level.

Building communication by engaging players in activities outside of regular practice heightens the connection they have with one another in competition. Activities can include obstacle courses, paintball, rowing, or ultimate frisbee, among many more. When playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning, veteran forward Adam Hall told NHL.com that exercises like paintball were powerful team-building tools. This activity made him more conscious of each teammate’s voice and their location when he called their names. He translates this awareness to communicating on the ice when making split-second decisions and trusting that his teammates would quickly respond to his voice.

Training with your team in the off-season will only benefit your program, form long-lasting bonds, and create a powerhouse team that will make its mark in high school lacrosse history. If you want to keep your team together during the off-season, New Wave has options for you. Teams from all areas have the chance to improve and thrive at our High School Indoor Leagues, Team Training, Position Specific Clinics, andIndoor Tournaments. For team training, please contact paul@newwavelax.com, otherwise, just visit newwavelax.com or click the above program that interests your squad!