5 Keys to Understanding Lacrosse for Beginners

Lacrosse is a sport that is played as a team. Players use a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. Lacrosse is the oldest played sport in North America. The sports origins are from a tribal game that was played and enjoyed by indigenous people of eastern woodlands and the plain Indians tribes that lived in Canada and the United States. The game was initially very violent.

However, after some years, it was modified, making the sport less violent. The European colonizers were the brains behind this. The colonizers ensured that the game embraced a more professional form. To date, the sport is very organized and is governed by the World Lacrosse board. It’s the only and first international sports organization to identify Native American and First Nations tribes as sovereign nations.

Lacrosse players utilize the head of a lacrosse stick to pass, catch, carry, and shoot the ball into the goal post. The game has four versions that have unique fields, sticks, equipment and rules. They include:
• Intercrosse
• Women’s Lacrosse
• Field lacrosse
• Box lacrosse
Men’s field lacrosse which is played outdoors and box lacrosse which is played indoors are all contact sports. All the team members wear protective gloves, helmets, elbow pads and shoulder pads. On the other hand, the women’s game is played outdoors and doesn’t condone any body contact. However, it allows stick to stick contact.

The protective gear that is required for women is eye gear. For goalies, they are required to wear protective pads and helmets. Intercrosse version is a mixed-gender type of sport. It is non-contact, and it’s played indoors. The game uses a plastic made kind of stick and the ball used on the field is much softer.

Lacrosse is a famous sport. It’s loved and enjoyed by thousands. For experienced sportspersons, they are familiar with the game, and they play very well. However, it’s always a challenge for beginners to clearly understand the rules of engagement when it comes to the sport.

For beginners, it’s always easy to lose focus and sight of very crucial things that the sport requires. However, these minor things like practicing and adhering to instructions make an inexperienced player be a better player. The following are five tips that can make a beginner comprehend the sport.

Attitude

Lacrosse is a demanding sport that requires anyone interested in the game to have the right attitude. A beginner should be prepared and be willing to learn and listen. A good attitude ensures that you accomplish most of the minor things without knowing. Sportspersons with good attitude achieve remarkable results.

Work Ethic

Beginners should be willing to put in hard work. A better part of the work ethic is the willingness to learn by working very hard. You need to be time conscious and know how to utilize it well. Apart from other life aspects, a beginner should create time to practice to be the best in the sport.

Attentiveness should be implemented during drill time. You should be productive during these sessions. They are crucial and play a significant role in determining whether a team will win or lose. Beginners with excellent work ethic become good players in a short duration.

Ability to understand the game

Problem with beginners is that they fail to understand the game successfully. Lacrosse is a sport that requires players to be learning something new every day. The same happens to the coaches. For beginners to understand the sport, they need to learn why teams do various things.

Beginners fail to be successful in the sport because they don’t have the personality and talent that Lacrosse requires. The first thing that beginners in the sport should do is to understand the game by researching and asking fellow players and the team coach questions.

Communication

This is an area that can improve a beginner’s game. You should be a better communicator. Team defense and attack requires team communication. This type of communication is learnt during training sessions and when on the game field.

Don’t take things personally.

Coaches will always pressure you to give results. At times they may say things that they didn’t intend to say. However, that’s how they push you to perform the way they want. As a beginner, take such moments positively and work hard.