things i need help on....

[destructivelax]

i need
faster- i'm pretty fast but i want to be one of the fastest on my team i want to make varsity next year. i was just going to go to the track and sprint the long parts and walk the bends till i drop. any suggestions? i play middie. i want to fast as kryptic by next season. i also want some more endurance.
faster direction switches- i'm totally lost on how to practice this
better dodges-how can i practice this by myself
catching- i can fine usually excpet when in games. i'm totally shot with my left hand and OTS becuase i'm scared i'll mess up and let the team down cuz alot of the people on my team think i suck already because i used to suck at the beginning of the season. i've gotten alot better but they recognize that.
someone want to help me?

[Big-Red]

It sounds like you need a lot of help. Do tons of recreational running. switch off daily between long and short distance (short = 2 mile RUN FAST long = 4+ mile jog). This should help your speed. While doing it have a lacrosse stick and a ball to help your stick skills.

Dodging
While you jog 4 miles constantly be switching hands and cradling and doing quick face dodges etc. Also, get a rock or a friend and just practice juking on them. Look to the stickies for advice on how to juke.

Direction Switches
If you mean running, and doing a complete 180, right before you turn around take a bunch of smaller steps, throw your elbow and explode in the other direction. If you mean something else please clarify for me :P

Catching
Wall ball or with a friend, pass and catch as much as you can. it really helps.

[destructivelax]

on direction switches i meant like if i'm driving in n i do say a split, be able to change directions so fast that the man guarding me can't keep up.
and for catching, i practice for hours on the wall everyday. i think its just nerves. can someone help me calm down during games?

[the next 'one']

look at garts or dicks or another store like that, and they have these kits that have ladders, cones, hurdles, and all this other stuff to help with agility. they also have some that have weights that you can strap around your ankles and thighs to help you get faster. (like a donut for a baseball bat)

[Big-Red]

on direction switches i meant like if i'm driving in n i do say a split, be able to change directions so fast that the man guarding me can't keep up.
and for catching, i practice for hours on the wall everyday. i think its just nerves. can someone help me calm down during games?

When your going to dodge you should be jogging, but right when you preform the dodge you isntantly start going full speed, making it so the dodge and everything after is impossible to keep up with. Don't go running full speed and expect to be able to dodge. Also, just practice keeping the stick close when you switch hands and you will get better at dodging.

If you are nervous, try and forget your coach is watching you. Also, just practicing along or with a friend will help you become more confident.

[destructivelax]

red i'm kinda confused. have u seen kryptic's hilight's video? u know how when he rolls or splits he changes direction extremely quick? i want that. than if i keep running, i'll be able to follow that with speed right?

[Big-Red]

Yeah, what I mean is before you start the change direction be going 50% of your speed, and then quickly do a stutter step / juke as fast as you can and start sprinting. This way it is a gradual increase. After you get used to this style of juking slow to fast then try full out jukes (eastiest being rolls and swim moves).

Basically you want to start slow and explode out of your juke so that the sudden speed burst gets the dman off you for enough time to give you a shot or pass.

[destructivelax]

o n also i tried looking up juke. i searched too but i can't find it. can u tell me wat it is?

[dschrammie]

Well, I'm not a big fan of long-distance running when it comes to preparing for lacrosse. Some say it increases your endurance. Yes, it increases how long you can endure running at a controlled pace...that's not lacrosse. I recommend training that simulates what you do in a game. This can be accomplished with 'suicides' (or 'ladders'). The key to this is that you can't cheat...you have to force yourself to sprint. But what helped me the most was when I read an article on what the trainer for Serena Williams does. He has her warm up with a 3-4 minute jog. Then she runs for a full minute...and not just a fast jog...she RUNS. Then she jogs for a minute...then she RUNS for 2 minutes...then jogs for a minute...then RUNS for 3 minutes. And so on (you get the idea). The goal should be that you get to the point that you can do an all-out run for 5 minutes. Believe me, this seriously increases your endurance and at the same time puts your body into doing what you do on the lacrosse field...you RUN, you don't jog (especially as a middie!).

The quick change of direction dodges come (mostly) from power in the legs. You'll hear about running backs that have "explosive speed". It means that they're able to get to their top speed within only a couple of steps. You'll see they usually have ridiculously muscular thighs & calves. This is where I tend to stress strength training. Weighted lunges, both front and to the sides. Calf raises. Another great one is to use a medicine ball (or something heavy that you can easily hold) and do a squat then power up and jump. As you jump up, turn 90 degrees and do it again, but turn back the opposite way; basically turning left/right. Go for a total of 20 jumps...rest a minute then do it again.
As far as practicing HOW to do it, think it out first. Then do the move just walking so that you're sure you get the footing and the stick movement down correctly. Walk through it over and over so you don't even have to think about it anymore. Then increase it to a jog, and then a run. When you're ready, practice these on a tree, particularly a tree that has branches sticking out in your way (hmmm, like a poke check!). I know that sounds stupid, but it works...it forces you to learn when to start the dodge. One other key to a good dodge is really selling out on the fake. I really push it to make it look like I'm going right and then as soon as my defender follows that way I explode to my left off my right foot, swing my stick across my body and switch lefty. This is certainly effective if you're predominantly right-handed and they predict that you will absolutely not go lefty.

And then catching...you're right, it is all nerves. I dealt with this with my freshman players all season long. You have to practice more than just catching. You have to practice catching and throwing while on the run. Then when you're at the point that you can do that regularly with no drops, you have to practice it under some sort of pressure. Make a game of it. I have a bounce-back and a goal in my back yard. I set up one of those goal-pracitce-net thingies (it covers the goal and leaves only a few holes where the ball can actually go in) and I lay out 2 dozen balls. I toss the ball at the bounce-back and then cut...the bouce-back feeds me the ball while I'm on the run and I try to get off a shot. The point is to get all of them in the goal...not just a shot, get them IN the goal. For each one that doesn't make it in, I owe 5 push-ups. So I've put myself under some amount of pressure. I do it both lefty and righty. If you have a couple of buddies then you can do the same thing but do it with a feeder and a person playing light defense on you...this is even better because you're under even more pressure, you're practicing a very real scenario.

[BigKLaxer]

For speed you want to practice sprints alot; short distance, medium distance, and long distance. Maybe you could also try winter track or a speed program like Velocity.

For change of direction I think your talking about are things like ankle-breakers. We have a drill called the man in the middle drill that is set up like monkey in the middle except the middle man can get the ball. The two outer people each have a ball. The middle man starts by running towards one person with a ball, calling for the ball, catching it, throwing it back, and cutting back to the other man. You just keep doing this until you can't anymore. This also helps with conditioning and endurance. Also, I do ultimate frisbee in my school to practice.

For dodges, just practice on a tree or a friend or while you are running distance.

For playing under pressure, I like what dschrammie said. Try doing one on one's with a friend or assign push-ups for every time you mess up.

Another thing, endurance is not as helpful as people think it is. You won't be running at a constant pace throughout the entire game like you would for running. The man in the middle drill works for this as well as fartlek training. (I know it has a funny name, but it helps!) Here's a site with different excercises. See which one you think you would benefit most from. http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/fartlek.htm
This site also has tips and excercises for a wide number of different athletic aspects.

[Big-Red]

o n also i tried looking up juke. i searched too but i can't find it. can u tell me wat it is?
Juke is the same thing as a dodge, and there is a sticky on it.

And what I was refering to is just stuff he can do for no cost to help him out.

But yeah in lacrosse sprinting is key, since the only time I ever job is right before I sprint, which is just to keep the person covering me confused..

The exercise you do really depends what kind of shape you are in, if you are overweight long distance will help you get in better shape and burn more but if you are perfectly athletic and want to work on speed listen to the advice of these guys, especially if you have the money.

[destructivelax]

i'm in great shape. i'm near 12-3%ish body fat i'm getting it measured tues. i'm 5'4 n i run a 6:30ish mile i haven't run it in a while