tips for making the highschool team!!!

[artist28kal]

I am in ninth grade and I have been on a no-cut team for 3 years. I want to make the highschool team. I am asking you guys(who are already on a highschool team) what would it take to make varsity and really impress the coach. I am not the fastest but I have good defense and stick work. Are there any specific running drills that i should do everyday to properly prepare. .....Also, on defense when the ball is at the other side of field is it wrong to just stand there and wait or should i be moving around :thinking: ??? I am really dedicated to/nervous about making this team, please help and tell me what things to do before and during tryouts. Thanks :bye: -:crazy:

[Denis_callahan]

yeah i dont play girls lacrosse but i know that coaches look for players who have a passion for the game, you should hustle all the time, if the coach tells you to gather around him u dont jog to him you run to him, you need to want to make the team try to always play your best and stay calm. i know i used to get nervous when the coach would watch me, but i just started to get used to it and i just relaxed. all i can say is to hustle relax and have fun

[artist28kal]

thank you so much to Denis_callahan and lilaxgurl23 i'm sure your tips will help me a lot and I will put a lot of effort into practicing for the next few months i'll talk to you some other time oh yeah our school doesn't have any winter programs but i did just finish a short indoor clinic with the wesleyan team ---- again thank you, bye :crazy:

[Garor]

Coaches aren't expecting to see perfect playes. They are looking for people who keep a positive attitude, encourage their teammates, and people who know when it's time to pass or run the ball. Don't ever look upset, and always keep a positive attitude even if you do get your butt kicked one on one. It happens to all of us. Just keep trying, coaches respect that.

[artist28kal]

thanks garor when the ball is thrown down the middle of 2 players I am usually the slower one I'll try to keep a positive attitude and I will work on sprinting
please everyone-- reply i would love to hear your comments :o)

[CTLaxer]

Since lacrosse starts so early out here, I've had 2 weeks with my girls. I'll tell you what I like to see and have seen this year with new and old players. I love seeing girls that are the first ones at practice and the last ones to leave. Doing things with 100% intensity whether it's going after a ground ball or running to get water for a water break. I love it when my girls come to me and ask me what they're doing wrong/right and ask me how to improve. Yelling and cheering on teammates for doing things well or encouraging them during conditioning is always awesome. Positive attitudes are a must, even if you have to fake it just be positive. When I get to practice and see girls doing wall ball or showing eachother how to do a fake or a dodge, that's also a plus.

It doesn't matter if you're the fastest, best lacrosse player on the field. I look for effort and attitude. I'd rather have a girl on my team that was real slow, could barely catch and throw that had a great attitude and never gave up and always put forth an effort rather than a girl who is really good and in great shape but has a really bad attitude, is always trying to get out of conditioning cause she thinks she's above it cause of her skill and just doesn't give any effort.

Oh yeah, and all the little comments players make when they think coaches can't hear or when they're doing conditioning....we *can* hear it so becareful. So there's a coaches perspective for ya. Hope it helps and good luck with tryouts!

[Lax101]

My advice here is pretty similar to what others have said...but first I have some questions...

How serious does your school take lacrosse?

Is this a JV team? Varsity team? Freshman team?

Heres just a few tips no matter what team you're trying out for:

Get in shape. Coaches love to see players in great shape at the start of the season (I'm sure CT can agree on that). Running is the first priority for most coaches. Find a way to get running.

Make a good impression on your coach. I hate to say it, but suck up a little bit. Don't suck up too much that you're at the point of annoying the coach, but just make him/her remember your name by the end of the first practice. Volunteer to get the water. Hustle every time. Show a positive attitude. If you go on long distance runs, lead the runs.

And for raw playing ability, you really don't need to be the best player. Just don't mess up. Don't be the person to make that really obvious dropped pass, or get burned 10 times on defense. If you don't do anything bad, a lazier coach won't find any problems with you. If you're looking to make a team, the players with the obvious weaknessess will be the ones cut...not the ones who "don't stick out" (unless this team has VERY limited spots).

Finally, show leadership. Help players out. Coaches love to see players who help others on the field. Leaders on the team won't get cut. The coach will see that you have an essential role to the team.

Running drills: uhh...run. If you have a treadmill use that. Sign up for a gym if you can. Stay after school and run around your school's indoor track if it has one. Or just do some long distance runs around your street.

Defensively with that groundball situation...ummm...if you're on the other side of the field, the groundball really isn't your responsibility, and by running all the way over there, you're getting out of position and leaving someone open. Unless the closest people can't get the groundball and it's going on for a long time, don't go for it. Or maybe I'm wrong...but one thing that really annoys me is when an entire team gets out of position and huddles to that one ground ball...soccer players call it "bunching" when an entire 5 year old youth team runs to a groundball so they're all kicking at it in a circle.

[artist28kal]

your replies were awesome ctlaxer and lax101 ! I am a freshman but I would love to at least get on JV because the girls who have just started usually get on the freshmen team -- as for "when the ball is thrown down the middle of 2 players I am usually the slower one" I mean like that drill where you get in 2 lines and the coach throws a ground ball away from you (this is weird because when a ground ball is going out of bounds near me, I beat my offensive person to it the majority of the time...) tell me how your girls do CTLaxer. -thank you

[Lax101]

Heh...don't we all want to make JV or varsity our freshman year?

depending on how serious your school takes lacrosse, it could be easy or hard. A school with a not so serious program will probably have a devoted player like you make jv. I hate it when high schools don't put you on jv or varsity teams because of your age.

[laxgirl45]

Like mentioned before...
A positive attitude always helps! They aren't going to select people to be on their team if they have a crapy attitude. If some girl was the best player out there but had crapy attitude, they probably will go for someone with the better attitude.

Another thing...
Don't slack! Hustle your @§§ off every time. Prove to the coaches that you are a serious player and that you deserve to be on that team.

When the coach offers advice or trys to talk to you, it always helps to take him/her seriously even if you don't agree or something like that.

Every thing mentioned by others is great too!

[artist28kal]

thanks for all the help --I would just like to say what a great forum this is... I haven't been to any others to compare it but everyone is so nice and helpful!! -thank you

[ljlax]

well i dont have much to add bnecause everyone gave some rpetty good advice.

but for running, u should be working on sprints. like at most 100 yards. but ur body needs to be able to sprint the length of the field recover quickly and do it again. because it happens a lot in games. so i recommend doing somewhere between 20 - 100 yard sprints with a veryy short break inbetween them

also, i made varsity as a freshman last year. but our team lost a lot of players the year before. i think i made it because a) i played often when other girls hadnt touched their stick in months until the week before tryouts b) i already kenw the coach from clinics winter leagues etc c) i hate to admit this but, my sister is like the best player on the team so she knew me from that.

so if there is anyway u can get the coach to see u play before tryouts u should. run! and go to the wall daily for like 15 min - a half hour. u will be ready. also since ur a defender u might want to do footwork stuff like ladders etc

[Laxer23]

Everyone else's tips have been great. Here are some of my own.

For running, stick with distance running at first. When I played, I rarely ran more than about 30 mins, and that was sufficient, but if you like running and can stand doing more, then go for it!

Once you've built up a good "base" so a 30 min run is a piece of cake, keep doing distance running 2-3 times a week, but add one or two days of sprint workouts. Some suggestions:
* Warm up, 1 minute on (full sprint)/1 minute off (slow jog) for 10-20 mins, cool down
* Warm up, suicides (sprint out 10 yds, sprint back, sprint out 20 yds, sprint back, sprint out 30 yds, sprint back... rest), cool down
* Ask the cross-country or track coach at your school (or your friends who run track) for other workout suggestions
* If you know your coach has "favorite" sprint drills, do those

You may surprise yourself with your speed. I was never considered to have much speed in high school, but I did a lot of running and sprint work during the summer between HS and college, and lo and behold, my college coaches thought I was "fast" when I showed up for tryouts.

If you can run someplace you know your coach will see (at school, if s/he is a teacher there, or around their neighborhood, if you live nearby) -- even better :)

Have a good attitude. I coached a high school team last season, and the head coach and I nearly sent a couple of girls down to JV for having a poor attitude. Missing practices, not working hard when they did show up, causing trouble on road trips (having boys in hotel rooms after curfew, etc.)... and then having the nerve to whine about their lack of playing time! Also, when I was in high school, there was a junior who got put on JV. She was in tears about it at the first practice. Our awesome JV coach said, "Go over and talk to the varsity coach and see if she'll take you. Because I don't want you." The girl was lucky that our varsity coach was not too bright and agreed to take her... otherwise, she would not have been playing lacrosse that season.

It is awesome that you have a goal (making varsity) and you are working hard to achieve it, but don't be crushed if you fall short. I wanted to make varsity my freshman year in high school, and I didn't. Didn't make it my sophomore year either, although two other sophomores did. I worked hard, was named JV MVP, and made varsity as a junior. By my senior year, I had surpassed the other two girls in my class who had made varsity our sophomore year... I was named MVP and was the only girl in my class to go on to play in college. My point is, it's easy to get wrapped up in what's happening (or not happening) right now, but keep your eye on the big picture. You have four years of high school -- focus on being the best player you can be at the end of this season, whether you're on varsity, JV, freshman team, whatever!

Good luck!

[Garor]

I'd have to agree with Laxer23. It isn't bad to not make varsity your freshman year. Our team makes it manadory to play freshman as a freshman just so newcomers can get a feel of the program. We take a lot of pride in what we do, and freshmen get a year to just watch and see the level and the pride they need to instill in themselves. As a frosh, I made JV only because they had one goalie. As a sophmore I worked my butt off to make starting possition. I'm glad I had that one year of JV under my belt, because I knew what was expected of me at the varsity level. It made me a better player to come out and work very hard to earn the respect of my teammates. Whatever team you make, play with pride and intensity, it will only help you later.

[Plummer]

what would it take to make varsity and really impress the coach.
buy the coach some see's candy

[LacrosseFox16]

haha good one^^

to get faster i suggest maybe lifting some with your legs to make them stronger and allow you to be more explosive and doing hill repeats.. find a hill thats not necessaily really steep and sprint up it and try to go around a block as a recovery run... then sprint up again about 6 times at first and then keep increasing how many you do

[celtlax]

I am in the same boat as artist28kal...I'd like to make the varsity team as a freshman too...I started and lettered for the field hockey as a freshman, but lax is my first love...

Okay this is what I've done so far:

Since the end of field hockey season (October), I've attended 3 camps (not too many here in central ohio, and one coming up in a few weeks with the US National Team), played in a 3 v 3 turkey shoot with two other freshman (came in third), currently playing in a 3rd indoor varsity league, taking speed and agility training at a sports performance center and doing off-season conditioning with another local high school team (their coach runs one of the indoor leagues and was kind enough let me in their sessions..another reason why I love lax...everybody supports each other). So...if that's not enough...I won't be dissapointed...I figure I gave it my best and the more talented players deserve their spot...I will be there to cheer them on...and hey I am happy as long as I get to play any lax...so good luck!! :thumbsup:
and to everyone have a great season.....

[ljlax]

yeah, and make sure u are doing wall ball or atleast passing/shooting daily. just a half an hour a day makes a huge difference in ur game

[artist28kal]

thanks guys
our lacrosse coach is also the field hockey coach (which i don't play)
so the girls that she had probably have an advantage but they are just starting ..... and i have been playing for 4 years. I has been very snowy/ icy here in CT but i am still trying to practice and train. I even started training in the weight room after school with the big football guys. That was an experience. :o) I am feeling a little less pressure because i began to think : why do i want to make varsity? for the glory and social status of it? HECK NO ---I WANT TO PLAY LACROSSE BECAUSE I LOVE THE SPORT WHICH EVER TEAM I MAKE I WILL STILL BE HAPPY BECAUSE I WILL BE DOING WHAT I WANT TO DO! AND I WILL TRY JUST AS HARD NO MATTER WHAT :nofear:
feel free to leave more messages!
i've appreciated all the help

[ljlax]

with that kind of attitude and love for the sport you are bound to succeed, even if u dont make varsity this year. you are going to develop into an awesome lacrosse player :) good luck with everything!

[celtlax]

here is my dilemma...the school I attend is brand new...our coach is a transfer from another local h.s. and most of the girls that will be playing are her former varsity players that either were redistricted to the new school or open enrolled from the other school. So..I am sure there will be some bias because of familiarity.....Luckily most of them want to play offense or mid....although I like playing up...I am going to tryout for defense...it's a longshot...for me the whole varsity thing isn't for ego...the varsity team just plays more....play days/tourneys on weekends and the state tournament...jv gets to watch....they won't even let jv play in the stadium on the cool super-turf and lights....in the fall I played field hockey and lot of the jv games were called short cause of darkness...talk about a bummer...anyway good-luck and post back when you make varsity. :-)

[CTLaxer]

artist: with that attitude you can come play varsity for me :-)

[artist28kal]

haha ....thanks celtlaxer
and CTLaxer- maybe you should move back to connecticut :o)

[OutBurst]

Like a circle girl, like a cirlce.

[CTLaxer]

I don't think that's gonna happen any time soon. It was 70 and sunny today. How about you come out here to lovely Arizona? :-P

[wings]

oh man, speaking about location, my friends and i have been meaning to go out and throw the ball around. the only thing holding us back is the stupid SNOW. jeez, there's still a foot and a half of white stuff on our lawns. snow in abundance is not so good if it's not for closing school.

and.. somethign else to stay in topic with the thread-- i'm trying out for the highschool team, and since this is going to be the first year our HS is having a lax team, everyone who is trying out is a newb. the thing is, there are a couple of nerds (for lack of a better word) who are trying out. why? because of college applications. they BRAG about it, saying, "oh, i'm trying out for lacrosse because it's going to look SOO good on my apps." they don't even know anything about lax in the first place and are definitely NOT joining to have fun and simply play the awesome sport. that pisses me off soooo much. [i know "nerds" is being a bit stereotypical--some smart people are very athletic--but you know what i mean.. nerds as in those-who-have-never-played-a-sport-in-their-stinkin-life]

[ljlax]

i hate people like that. who only join a club or play a sport or do volunteer stuff for college. but most people at my school who play lacrosse are pretty chill, a couple of weird ones but no one plays it just for college, they do other sports that dont requrie so much work (badminton anyone?) anyway good luck with tryouts everyone. and about weather--move to san diego way better than arizona. we got the beach lol. zonies = :( no beach

[wings]

hm, i just realized that i'm also in ninth grade and trying out for the highschool team. there's no freshman team--only jv and varsity--and this is going to be the first year lacrosse will be at our school. that means everyone who's trying out is new. i am positive there will be cuts because there are a lot of girls trying out, and frankly, i'm really nervous. i know there are some girls who are trying out because they think the lax advisor is really hot (which he is NOT.. jeeeeeez) and want to get on his good side, so hopefully theyre not going to take the sport seriously. the thing is, the lax advisor is a pretty self absorbed guy. he acts as if he's all that and i heard from his students that he BRAGS in class about how younger girls hit on him. can i hear an EW?! i'm afraid he'll favor those girls. =/

i was just wondering about my chances on making the team. USUALLY, how many girls are on a team? thanks!

[ljlax]

my team only had 16 last year. but thats a small varsity team. but we usually dont sub and didnt have any injuries. so we didnt need more players. we do a lottt of conditioning so everyone just plays the whole game usually. but some teams are up to the low 20's even i think

[CTLaxer]

I spent the first 20 years of my life right on the ocean, I figured it was enough. Now I am in a place where it's always sunny and warm....if I want water I just go out into the backyard and into my pool :-P

[NewMillAttack]

Yeah i agree with Callahan, when i first started playing the coach would like to watch his team and i would get nervous and mess up. Little things like over throw a pass or under throw it. If its a new program you just want to make sure the coach knows you have skills and your not one of those ditsy chicks just in it for a laugh. Always keep in shape and just relax. Lax is to much fun to go soo nervous about.

[artist28kal]

:agree: I MADE IT!!!!!!!!

[celtlax]

sweet!! congratulations!!!

[laxchic369]

awsome! congrats!!

[CTLaxer]

Congrats! And to keep you informed of my how girls do, we just lost to a team we should've beat today to bring us to 2-4 on the season BUT the junior high guys I coach finally won a game (first win for the junior high team since it's inception 4 or 5 years ago) so I can't complain about that!

[wings]

Ohhh good luck on your season! Be prepared for your typical day to go like: school to lacrosse to home to dinner to homework to sleep and repeat. That's my schedule.. lacrosse has taken over my life--and I'm lovin it!