High School Lacrosse

Recently, high school lacrosse has become a popular item throughout high schools. Although Lacrosse is very popular in Northern states, it has just emerged in states such as Florida. Because the first signs of the sport were spotted in North America, it is more known in those states. However, this trend is rapidly declining. Lacrosse is becoming extremely widespread in southern states. This year was the first year that South Florida schools have enabled lacrosse to become a varsity sport. This was a major step in the progression and popularity of the game. This is because lacrosse was able to gain more rights, mainly the ability to be sponsored by the school. Before it was a varsity sport, not many people heard about it. If you were previously into the sport, you would know to try out for the club team, but if you had not known anything about lacrosse, you would not no to tryout. Now that is is a varsity sport, the school makes announcements about when tryouts are and pays for the uniforms, referees, and fields we play on. These are major advancements and will help in spreading the word about the game of lacrosse. Building it's way up since 1982, the women's NCAA division is now home to eighty teams. 


Tucker, J. (2008). women's lacrosse: A guide for advanced players and coaches. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=8QXZFgaZxBgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=women's lacrosse

Method of being recruited

Drew Jackson, a native of Georgia, has been playing midfield for eight years. She is a sophomore at Woodward Academy, and aspires to be recruited to a D-1 college for lacrosse. In order to be recruited, she is writing a segment on herself to colleges. In this she explains why she should be recruited. She explains how her team went 16-4 in their last season and made it to the quarter finals. During this season, Jackson scored 116 goals and had 25 assists. She was the only sophomore in her state to make first team All American lacrosse. Within her school she has broken 8 school records, including one for career goal scoring. In her story, she explains the activities she partakes in during the off season, in her case she plays basketball in order to stay in shape. She explains how the plays in basketball are similar to lacrosse and how she learns new strategies from basketball that she can sometimes apply on the lacrosse field, which help her become an even better player. Not only does she play for her school team, but she also plays on XTEAM. XTEAM is designed for girls who live in nontraditional lacrosse areas. It gives higher level players the ability to compete with other players and supplies superior coaching to prepare her for the next level and attend very competitive tournaments against top competitors. In order to become recruited, you must put it strenuous hours of hard work. It takes true talent and dedication to be recruited for D1 schools. Why do you think it is so difficult to become recruited for college sports? 

Jackson, D. (2011, June 23). Women's lacrosse recruiting diary: The road to being recruited . Retrieved from http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2011/06/23/womens-lacrosse-recruiting-diary-road-being-recruited

Attack

The attackmen are typically the team's goal scorers. This position requires quick reflexes and agility. Quick stick skills is an important aspect of playing attack, along with the ability to score a goal on command. It is important to learn tricks in this position because you have a greater chance to score. There are several tricks to the position, and with a lot of hard work and practice, one can master the game. Attackmen are only exert energy when the ball is on offense, thus they don't become as tired as the midfielders. You must always have a visual for the whole field. In other words, you must have eyes in the back of your head so you can see everything that is going on. When running with the ball, it is imperative to always keep your head up while running or else you will not be able to see everything going on in front of you. Because the main goal of an attackmen is to score, it is vital to practice shooting techniques and ball placement. Goalies are trained to guess where you're aiming your shot, therefore if you work on skills to trick the goalie, it will benefit your performance. There are three attackers and than four midfielders also come down on offense, adding up to a total of seven players. Why do you think that it is important to learn tricks when playing attack?

Lacrosse information. (2010). Lacrosse positions. Retrieved from http://www.lacrosse-information.com/lacrosse-positions.html

Cradling

Cradling is the most important fundamental to master when playing lacrosse. Although it is easy to learn if practiced continuously, if you are not able to cradle you will not be an essential asset to the game and your team. Lacrosse cradling is a technique used for maintaining the lacrosse ball in the pocket of the stick. Lacrosse sticks are designed to make it difficult to keep the ball in your stick, thus allowing the ball to fall out very easily. Cradling involves the player to twist their wrists back and forth in a steady rhythm. Once a person masters the art of cradling, they don't even have to think about doing it. Once mastered, cradling is not forgotten.

Cradling can be performed with one or two hands. Most commonly, women use two hands because you have the most control over the ball. Also, if checked, you have a stronger chance of withstanding the force if you use two hands. Typically, the player holds the stick in an upright vertical position, with one hand at the bottom of the shaft and the other between the middle and the top. The video above shows a player explaining the basic skills to mastering the cradle. Why do you think so many women have trouble cradling when they first begin lacrosse?

How to Play Women's Lacrosse : Basic Cradling in Women's [Video file]. (2008, February 10). 

Retrieved from Youtube database. 

Basic essentials of lacrosse

In the sport of lacrosse, there are many rules and regulations that must be followed at all times. Although field dimensions may vary, there are common rules that are always followed. Typically spray painted yellow or blue on the field, the restraining line divides area where a maximum of seven offensive players and seven defensive players  are allowed; otherwise, a team foul is called. In other words, there must always be four players from each team behind the restraining line. On both sides of the field, there is a twelve-meter fan. This is utilized when minor fouls are called, while the eight-meter arc is used to administer free shots. During this free shot, usually brought about from penalties such as shooting space, the shooter must stand on a hashmark. These hashmarks are spread out amongst the eight-meter arc, in which players must clear the inside of the eight meter and stand along the hashmarks. Around the goalie there is a goal circle. This surrounds the goal and indicates the area in which only the goalie can enter. This is also known as the “crease.” If any other player steps foot in the crease, a penalty is called and the ball is turned over. Lacrosse is a very fast pace game, however there are many rules to follow. Direct contact is minimal, and usually result in a penalty. If the foul is extremely agressive and potentially dangerous, the player will either receive a yellow or red card, depending how bad the foul is. The yellow card is for a first-time penalty and results in the player being removed from the field for two minutes. Any player receiving two yellow cards in one game, is not permitted to participate in the rest of the game. Red cards are issued when a flagrant foul is committed or extremely unsportsmanlike behavior, and causes the player to be ejected from the game and the game after. Due to the potential aggression, it is important to take precautions to maintain a safe game. 


USLacrosse. (2012). Women's lacrosse rules. Retrieved from http://www.uslacrosse.org/the_sport/womens_rules.phtml

Defending

Defense is a very important position in women's lacrosse. Although every position has significance to the game, defense is the only position in which every player on the field is playing at all times. Yes, there are specific roles for the defenders, but the midfielders and attack players are considered defenders in the sense that you must always protect the ball. Defense is composed of the point, center point, third man, center, and  defense wings. Within each of these, each player must be a versatile player in order for the team to flourish. These players must have a high lacrosse IQ at all times. There decision making skills must be fast and on point, while they must also be aware with their positioning on the field. Positioning is key in success on the field as well as the ability to block shots.
The point and cover point are key for one on one defending, which requires speed. The third man's main purpose is to disturb the opposing teams attack in the midfield. They are vital in intercepting the ball and picking up and open attacker so they don't have a fast break. The center, perhaps the most tiring position on the field, is a pivotal player. The center not only plays both defense and offense, but also controls the draw. The draw is when two opposing players stand with one foot on the centerline. They hold their sticks in the air, at about hip level so that the ball can be placed in between them. When the whistle is blown,  they should draw their sticks up and away from each other so that the flight of the ball is above their heads. The draw is performed to begin the first and second half, and after a goal is scored. The most important defender, and perhaps the most important player on the field, is the goalkeeper. The goalie attempts to save each shot with her stick, also utilizing her body parts. The goalie must have quick reflexes and extreme bravery. Defense, may not get enough credit because they don't typically score goals, however defense is what makes teams win championships. 


Sport Spectator. (2005). Field diagram and positions. Retrieved from http://www.sportspectator.com/fancentral/lacrosse_women/guide03.html

Brands of Lacrosse

       Throughout the evolution of lacrosse, there have been many sport brands that have also emerged. In order to rise to the top these brands must produce the greatest product. A few of the most popular brands include STX, Brine, and deBeer.
       STX is a sports manufacture located in Baltimore, Maryland. Its main purpose is the production of men and women's lacrosse sticks and protective gear. This brand is very popular in the lacrosse world and each year continuously proves to create the best, most effective gear. DeBeer is not only a sponsor for teams, but also one of the oldest lacrosse manufacturers in America. DeBeer first began modeling women's sticks in 2000. This stick was called The Apex, which had a significant impact on the game of lacrosse. Founded in 1922, Brine corporation has improved the game of lacrosse immensely. It is now founded by New Balance, recently producing some of the best sticks on the market.
      These companies all produce sticks to improve efficiency and stability in a game. They all design sticks for certain positions. By doing this, players get the most use during a game and are able to play to their best ability. Although it is the skill of a person that makes them a great player, it is important to use a high quality stick so they can perform to their fullest potential. Why do you think it is so important to have a high quality lacrosse stick?

2012 STX LLC|. (n.d.). Stx equipment . Retrieved from http://www.stx.com/index.cfm?