Christmas Gifts for the Lacrosse Player On Your List

If you’re like me, you have had way too much to do the past couple weeks to focus on Christmas shopping. 

To me, Christmas is that awesome holiday that is coming in....how many days?....20?...

No, it's 11 days away at this point. (...whaaat?)

Whether it was because of work or (like me) finals at school taking over your life(!), the pressure is still on for you to get the perfect gifts for the ones you love.  

Sometimes the hardest part of Christmas shopping is simply getting an idea of what to get the person. If you are looking for presents for a lax player, I can help! 

Below are 7 gifts that will have your lacrosse guy or girl singing “Fa-la-la-la-la-lacrosse” with glee when they receive it Christmas Day.  Each gift is around $25 or less (for those of us on a budget). 

                                           1. Lacrosse Balls: 

A lax player can never get enough of these......(we lose them constantly). You can buy them in pretty colors or create a custom lacrosse ball online.

Or, you can get a Cradlebaby.

(For your lacrosse player who insists on cradling around the house. And, for the sanity of lacrosse mom who is constantly worried about said lacrosse player tearing the house apart).

Pack of 6: $20

Custom Ball: $10



CradleBaby $15
http://www.laxcb.com/

CradleBaby in action

2. Skunkies: 

Skunkies are a great way to manage the battle ever being waged against the stench of sweaty lacrosse gear. 

 

Skunkie: $7

3.  Lacrosse Ornaments 

What better way to spread a little Christmas cheer to a lax player than to let them add a little lacrosse to the tree?!

Lacrosse Ornament: $10-$15

4. Lacrosse Posters/Signs/Decals/Keychains/Magnets

Every lacrosse player loves showing off their devotion to the sport.  Thus, we decorate ours bedrooms, our study cubbies, our lockers, our cars, our bookbags...and basically our lives with it.

Poster prices increases with size: $10-$30

Bumper Sticker: $5

5. Phone Covers

We also like to cover our phones in lacrosse.

Phone Case: $13-$20

 

6. Lacrosse Notecards/Journal

Cafepress.com has some great lacrosse themed stationary. 

Pack of 10 Cards: $16

7. Lacrosse Jewelrey/Ties/Belts

Lacrosse players may want to have few of these on hand for when they need to dress nice for away games or for the end of season ceremony. These also work well for lacrosse coaches.

Necklace: $14

Belk Saddlebred® Lacrosse Bow Tie: $19

 

Comment Below: 

I'd love to hear about the best lacrosse gift you ever received or if you have any further questions about potential lacrosse gifts.

Playing Lacrosse In The Big Apple: A Comprehensive Guide To Playing Lacrosse In New York City From Youth To Pro

If you are reading this post, you are likely either new to lacrosse or new to New York City. In either case, welcome! Welcome to the best sport in the world in arguably the best city in the world.

So, you want to play lacrosse. You're excited about the sport, and you've started practicing a little wall ball with your lacrosse stick. You might even have aspirations of playing college and professional lacrosse. However, before you can play college or professional ball, you have to get a lot of experience and develop your lacrosse skills.  And, as of yet, you have not connected to a team. 

Here’s some suggestions to help you go from zero to hero at lacrosse all right here in New York City:

In New York City, there are actually a good number of lacrosse programs you can plug into, and that number is constantly growing.  Many of our middle schools and high schools have lacrosse teams.  You will also find intercollegiate or club teams at many of our colleges/universities. Not to mention a Major League Lacrosse Team right next door in Long Island. Right here in the city you can get your fill of lacrosse, if you know where to look.

Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Program

Recreational Lacrosse:

For young players there are many recreation level programs in the city to help you learn the basics of lacrosse.  Here are a few programs where you can get started.

• City Lax (www.citylax.com) is a non-profit dedicated to developing student athletes in under-served communities.  Lacrosse is not just a white person’s sport.  Lacrosse has a diverse origin and following.  After all, lacrosse was invented by native Americans! 

•  There is a great lacrosse program in Harlem called the Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Program (http://www.harlemlacrosse.org). These guys are doing great things to open up lacrosse in a place where knowledge of the sport and resources to play are few. I have not had the opportunity to meet the the guys that run this program in person yet, but I continue to hear nothing but great things about their program.

Brooklyn Lacrosse

•  If you are in Brooklyn, check out Brooklyn Lacrosse (http://www.brooklynlacrosse.org). I used to volunteer with these guys the first year the program was up and running. They are FANTASTIC. The coaches are fun, know the game inside and out, and can really break down the details of the sport for the kids.

• There are also recreation level leagues sponsored by Doc’s NYC  Lacrosse (http://www.docsnyclax.usl.la) at several locations throughout the city. Several of the kids I currently coach started playing lacrosse with Doc's and were ahead of the game in my class because of it.

Private Instruction:

Once you get your feet wet playing lacrosse, you may want to get some group or private instruction.  For elementary and middle school students, there are private sports programs.

• Corbins Crusaders (www.corbinscrusaders.com) where you can learn the game in a friendly and fun environment.  I have been a coach at Corbin’s for over a year, and I know how valuable this kind of program can be for developing basic skills and a love for the game.  

Corbin's Crusaders

• There are many other places where you can get private lessons like Velocity Sports Performance – NYC (https://www.facebook.com/VelocityNYC).  Just Google “lacrosse lessons” in NYC and you’ll find many qualified mentors..

Club Teams:

As you improve in your lacrosse skills, you may be ready for more than just middle or high school level lacrosse.  You can boost your development by getting involved in one of the many lacrosse clubs in New York City.  Here are just a few:

• City Stars Lacrosse (http://www.citystarslacrosse.com)
• New York Hitmen Lacrosse Club (https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?v=info&expand=1&id=239248971425)
• Brooklyn Crescents (http://www.brooklyncrescents.com)
• Topside Lacrosse (http://www.topsidelacrosse.com) is another private developmental club league just outside the city in Westchester County.  Last year they provided free clinics for the Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Program.

College and Beyond:

Just inside the five boroughs, you will find intercollegiate or club teams at NYU, Columbia, City College of New York, Manhattan College, Wagner College, St. John’s (men’s lacrosse), Queen’s College (women’s lacrosse), ASA College of New York City, and Pace University.  

If you desire to play professionally, then why not aim to play Major League Lacrosse for the New York Lizards?! http://www.nylizards.com/

Hope this helps you take your game to the next level and helps you realize your every lacrosse dream in New York.  Go get ‘em!

Feel free to comment if you have any further questions about the aforementioned lacrosse programs or you want to comment on your experience with any of these programs.

 

Also, please let me know if there are are any NYC lacrosse programs I have not included here that you think should be included.

Thanks!

America's Oldest Sport May Become Its Most Popular Sport

Americans are sports obsessed.  We have sports both popular and obscure with professional leagues for many of them.  Did you know that the Professional Disc Golf Association, Major League Cricket, the American National Rugby League, and the Association of Surfing Professionals are all professional sports in America?  Of course, most everyone is familiar with Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the Professional Golf Association, Major League Soccer, the United States Tennis Association, and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.  These are big sports in our country, and most are uniquely American sports.

However, these sports were all invented in the last 150 years, with the exception of soccer which is an ancient European sport.  The oldest American sport is not basketball (1891), baseball (1845), or football (1869).  The sport that has been played the longest on the North American continent traces back to at least 1100 AD.  Native Americans invented the sport of lacrosse long before Europeans arrived in the New World.  My high school mascot was the Chiefs.  We affectionately and somewhat provocatively used to claim that lacrosse was invented by Indians, but perfected by Chiefs!  The game has grown and developed into the game it is today with Major League Lacrosse being the professional league that is the pinnacle of the sport.

Native Americans played lacrosse to build young warriors, settle disputes with neighboring tribes (occasionally the losing tribe lost their lives!), for religious reasons, and many times just for fun.  Early lacrosse games could involve 100-1000 players and last for one or more days.  Only men played, medicine men coached and refereed, and the women provided refreshments for the non-stop action.

I know that the sports that America loves are the Big Three (football, basketball, and baseball).  Look out though.  ESPN and CBS Sports Net are already devoting more and more broadcast time to college and Major League Lacrosse.  It may be that instead of being New York Giant fans, more Americans will pack the stadium as rabid followers of the New York Lizards.  Just watch.  That day is coming!

Hit the Boards! It's Box Lacrosse

Ok, so you’ve caught the lacrosse bug.  You carry your stick with you wherever you go, you’re doing your stick drills, and you can’t wait for spring to come so you can hit the field.  Well, you don’t have to wait for the cold weather to thaw before you can play the game we love so much.  There is a version of lacrosse that you ought to try.  It’s called box lacrosse.

While lacrosse was invented my native Americans centuries ago, box lacrosse was created in the 1930’s by a bunch of Canadians.  You may not know this, but Canadians are becoming obsessed with lacrosse.  It was declared in 1994 as the official national summer sport, just as hockey is it’s official winter sport.  What does a Canadian lacrosse junkie do if they don’t play hockey?  It is a long wait in the Great White North before the lacrosse fields are free of snow.

Some enterprising hockey arena owners in Canada figured out that if you remove the ice from a hockey rink it makes a great place to play lacrosse anytime (and they could make more money, too!).  In the US it is typically a winter sport, but it is becoming more of a year-round game in Canada where it is a professional sport.

 

If you think lacrosse is a fast-paced game, box lacrosse is absolutely frenetic.   The rink is smaller than a regulation lacrosse field, so you only need six players.  Also, there is no out of bounds like field lacrosse unless the ball goes over the boards, and playing the ball (and other players!) off the boards is fair game.  Box lacrosse is a great workout and loads of fun. 

Football or Lacrosse

If you are a guy, you may be wondering which sport is better: football or lacrosse.  After all, both sports require athleticism, heart, body contact, intensity, and a special kind of brotherliness that makes both sports fun.  I have been around a lot of guys who play both sports, including my own brother.  NFL legend, Jim Brown, played both sports.  Here are some reasons why I think lacrosse is better than football.

First of all, lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in America.  The number of NCAA colleges with lacrosse programs has grown 67 percent in just the last decade.  That is amazing!  In some areas of the country like Maryland and the Northeast, lacrosse is actually more popular than football.   Where I grew up in Georgia lacrosse has absolutely exploded.    There is a lot of excitement around lacrosse, and it is fun to play a sport where there is a lot of excitement.

One aspect of lacrosse that really appeals to many players and fans is the speed of the game.  People don’t have to endure a 30 second wait between every play.  Play doesn’t stop unless the ball goes out of bounds or there is an injury.  Since the action keeps going, lacrosse is much more fluid and free flowing.  That makes lacrosse more fun in my book.

Additionally, there are fewer injuries in lacrosse.  Sure, guys look like armored robots like in the movie Real Steel, but lacrosse is not as hard on the back and knees as football.  There is also much more helmet to helmet contact in football than lacrosse.  My high school aged brother has played both sports for several years now.  He is recovering from a significant concussion from football this fall.  He has never had a concussion playing lacrosse.

All these things add up to lacrosse being more fun and safer than football.  That’s a big plus if you are an athlete who wants to keep playing for many years to come.

Wall Ball: Just Do It!

Lacrosse games are won or lost with ball and stick skills.  Period.

Everyone on the team must be able to quickly pick up the ball and reliably move the ball up the field and around the goal without dropping it or missing a pass.  While working with teammates during team practices builds ball and stick skills, team practice is not enough. To get to a competitive level, you need to practice on your own in between team practices.  Sometimes you can practice catching and throwing with a friend, but many times, when you are by yourself, you will have to turn to a tried and true technique: Wall Ball!

However, as effective as wall ball is at building your ball and stick skills it has a significant downside: it can get downright boring. :(  My high school coach recommended that we get in 100,000 bounces (or “touches”) on the wall during the off season.  How do you throw the ball against a wall 100,000 times over four months without giving up or going crazy?

1)Well, first try to bring music with you when you practice.  That by itself helps the time go by faster. And, it keeps your energy flowing.

2) Second, make challenges for yourself. See how fast you can do fifty right and left handed touches. Count how many times you throw and catch without a miss. Set personal records and constantly try to break them.

3)Third, unless all you have is one wall, there is no rule that says you have to stand in front of the same old wall to do your drills! Find a high school or college campus with multiple buildings with lots of walls and work your way around the building or campus.  These 11 year-old boys  have the right idea to turn a practice session into an adventure!

When you toss the ball, start with the basics. Throw right - catch right, throw left - catch left, throw right - catch left, and throw left - catch right. Once you have those down, why not mix it up more?  Flip the ball behind your back right - catch right and do the same with your left.  Move around and work around the wall.  Try throwing and catching with one hand.  You can even try throwing lefty with your right hand and righty with your left hand.  That's called a backhand "Canadian" pass. Build your personal throw-catch streak record.  Keep the music pumping, and you'll have 1000 touches in every time you play wall ball!

Four Ways to Practice Lacrosse On Your Own In The City

In the City, you are often on your own to keep up your lacrosse skills. In my hometown, I not only had my own backyard to set up a lacrosse bounce-back or a goal in, but I had an outdoor recreation center dedicated to lacrosse that anyone in the community could use. When I moved to New York City, none of these resources were available. Over time, I learned how to improvise.  Below are my tips on how to keep practicing lax in the City:

1. Handball Courts are your best friend
For those unfamiliar with American Handball, the game is played in a rectangular court with a 40 x 20 ft wall at the end.  A handball court’s massive concrete walls are regularly used for games by handball players, as well as for bounce back practice by racquetball and tennis players. For a lacrosse player, they are perfect for wall ball practice. Concrete underpasses can work as well. The City is full of concrete--Find a wall; hit on it!

2. Always keep chalk /masking tape and a measuring tape on hand

When lacrosse goals are not available, make one!  A lacrosse goal's dimensions are 6 ft high by 6 ft wide. At any handball court, you can mark out the outline of a lacrosse goal on the concrete wall using your measuring tape and chalk/masking tape. Put "X's" in the four corners of the goal to serve as targets for shooting. Then, shoot away (and carefully dodge or catch the ball as it flies back)! You can do the same thing on any available chain link fence. Mark the goal’s outline in tape for practice and remove the tape when you leave. The chain link backstops at baseball fields or the high fences at tennis courts work wonderfully.

3. Light poles or trees lining your street make great pretend defenders

Practice offensive dodges on the poles, signposts, trees, or fire hydrants that fill your streets. Yes, neighbors may look at you crazy as you run down the street, roll-dodging the signpost at the corner of the road. Just think of it as your opportunity not only to get in some good practice but to inform said “hater” about the awesome sport you are practicing for! You can also visit your local park and practice dodges on the trees there.

4. You can practice cradling anytime, anywhere

Are you a student and need a study break? Practice cradling. Are you about to sit down and catch the latest Knicks game? Bring your lax stick and cradle while watching the game. About to go on a run around the block? Bring your lacrosse stick and cradle on the go.  If you invest in purchasing a few soft lacrosse balls, you can practice cradling with a ball and not be afraid of hurting anything or anyone around you in the small space of your apartment or your street.