What you Need to Know Before Playing Lacrosse
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Many people watch a lacrosse game and have a yearning to play themselves. Unfortunately, good lacrosse players make the game look deceptively easy. The average person doesn’t know how much practice and physical conditioning goes into making an excellent lacrosse player. If you’re among those that want to try your hand at the game, there are a few things you need to know before playing lacrosse.
Physical Condition
Lacrosse is an active sport, with actual play time that’s typically 60 minutes in duration at the professional level, 48 minutes for high school players, and 32 minutes in length for youth games. It requires strength, stamina and endurance to play hard for that length of time and individuals need to be in good physical condition, even as a novice, as they put in practice time.
Rules and Terms
Like any sport, lacrosse has its own set of rules and associated terms. Even beginning players should have knowledge of the rules and terms associated with the game, along with player positions and the responsibilities of each.
Equipment
Lacrosse has two essential pieces of equipment in addition to safety items – the stick and the ball – both of which must meet specific requirements. Players will need to learn proper handling of the uniquely designed and shaped lacrosse stick and the ball while on the field. Holding and maneuvering a lacrosse stick may seem awkward or uncomfortable at first, but becomes second nature with practice.
Practice
No one becomes good at anything without practice, even if they have a natural affinity for it. The same is true of lacrosse. You must be willing to put in the many hours necessary to hone your skills during regularly scheduled team practices. There will also be hours of solo practice bouncing a ball off a wall if you can’t find a teammate with which to practice.
Dedication
It requires dedication to put in the time needed to become familiar with handling the ball and improving your technique. You’ll find it helpful to your own skills to watch lacrosse games, analyze the moves, and try them for yourself. There are dozens of helpful videos and highlights to be found online to help you on your way.