Based on the tweets, I assumed LaPierre jumped in the cage and made a save when the goalie was out of position. I never would’ve guessed that he did this:

Judging by the online response, my reaction to seeing this wasn’t the most common one. I was genuinely worried for him, because the first thing that came to mind was commotio cordis, the impact-based cardiac arrest that you’ve probably heard about if you’ve followed lacrosse for the past few years. For a moment, I completely forgot I was watching a recorded game, and just hoped he’d get back up.

Later I thought about all the kids who watched that play, and wondered if any of them would try to emulate that move. I’ll be honest: If I saw LaPierre make this block when I was younger, I’d start throwing my chest out and jumping in front of every shot I saw exactly the same way.

Everybody calls me a hero, and all I have to do is take a lacrosse ball to the sternum? Sign me up. I wouldn’t give it a second thought, which is why we should probably use this play as an opportunity to address proper shot-blocking technique.

Maybe (and hopefully) I’m in the minority here, but growing up, none of my coaches ever discussed blocking shots. Most players, especially in youth leagues, naturally just tend to use either turtle style (player drops to the ground and crouches), or flamingo style (player lifts one leg for some reason and turns to the side). I wouldn’t recommend either of those approaches though.

Personally, when I’m about to get hit by a shot (and I get hit all the time; don’t ask me why), I prefer an exaggerated goalie stance: knees bent, feet spread apart, hands close together and away from the body. I take up a comparable amount of space, I don’t give up any position in case he’s throwing a fake, and my upper torso is, at least partially, obstructed by my gloves.

Again, that’s just my personal preference, and there may be some expert advice on shot-blocking that I just haven’t heard.  If you have any thoughts on the technique, PLEASE supply them in the comments section!

In the heat of the moment, Chris LaPierre opted for a much different technique.  I’m not bad-mouthing him for it, and hope this post didn’t come across that way. I’m glad it worked out well for him, and it’s taught me that blocking a shot (and doing it in the best way possible) is a topic that bears discussion.

So with that in mind, were you ever taught a right or wrong way to block shots? Is there an approach we should mention when teaching defenders?

If you’ve heard of an official technique, and you’re a lacrosse instructor, maybe you should discuss it during an upcoming practice while the topic is fresh on everyone’s minds. And if we haven’t reached a consensus on proper shot-blocking technique by now, we definitely should.

Last time we talked about lax in Norway, we spoke about the BI Lions out of Oslo, and Rune Andersson filled us in on how many Universities have teams there are (ten) and what the general scene in Norway is like, plus a whole lot more! It was a great introduction to Norsk Lacrosse!  Make sure you check out the BI Lions’ website, where there is a contest going on and LAS is involved!!!

And now we have even more lax in Norway action for you!

Fredrik Annweiler, of the University of Agder, emailed us with this video (which is AWESOME!) and a little more info on his squad:

“The University of Agder, currently Norway’s best college team, just released their new promotional video. This is the first “professional” lacrosse video made in Norway ever and is a indication on how fast the game is growing over here.”

Fredrik nails it, because this video is definitely professional!  And it really does show just how quickly the game has grown in Norway.  When you consider they weren’t even playing the game in that country before 2004, their skills and dedication levels are extremely impressive.  I know some guys who have been playing all their lives who’d love to ball like this!

A lacrosse game in Norway.

The game of lacrosse is growing like crazy, both internationally and abroad.  So what are YOU doing to Grow The Game either at home, or abroad?

MCLA Fans React to first SportsCenter Highlight

May 16th, 2012 – For the first time ever, a highlight from the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) was featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10.

Storified by Lacrosse All Stars · Thu, May 17 2012 03:39:35

Big Mac Attack!

I’ll run through all four games, giving my thoughts on each contest, and then picking a winner.  Later this week, we’ll offer up another Pick ‘Em Challenge for YOU to test your predicting skills.

Denver Vs. #1 Loyola (Annapolis, MD)

The Denver Pioneers knocked off UNC in what might have been the best first round game of 2012.  Denver’s offense was clicking, and their defense came up big when needed.  Loyola used a strong second half to dominate Canisius, and they got scoring from their offensive players, as well as their longsticks.  On defense, they Hounds tightened up and showed why they can straight up dominate games.

I picked one of the two top seeds to lose? Yup.

The match up here is therefore extremely interesting, and very hard to predict.  Loyola can score goals, and they can do so as a team.  And their defense is thing of cohesive beauty.  But if there is one offense that can create confusion and mismatches for Loyola, it is probably Denver.  When the Pioneers are patient, they can score with anyone, and I believe Tierney will have those boys primed and ready to go.

This game will come down to one major match up in my mind, and that is Denver’s defense.  If the D shows up, and plays good team D, Denver wins.  If they don’t show up, Loyola takes it by 3.  I didn’t love Denver’s D against UNC, but UNC is stacked on offense, so I have to figure that in. Even though this is basically a home game for Loyola, I’ll take Denver by 1 in OT.  All the Loyola Steves (you know who you are) hate me right now.

Maryland Vs. #2 Johns Hopkins (Annapolis, MD)

The other game to be played at Navy is Maryland – Hop, and this one is going to be great.  Hop – MD in the regular season is always good, but in the playoffs it’s even better.  I don’t want to hear one word about new gear for this game.  Who cares?  All that matters is the play on the field!

Can the Terps take down Hop in Naptown?

Maryland’s road tilt with Lehigh in the first round will prep them well for a Hopkins team that blew Stony Brook out of the water early.  The crowd will be raucous, and Maryland will respond well to that, as they are a team that seems to feed on emotion.  Hop is a little more level and consistent, but they bring it in big games, so expect an even game, with each team making some runs.

I think this game will be decided at the face off area, and in a unique way.  Hop doesn’t have to kill it on face offs, but they do have to generate some transition goals there.  2 to 3 goals off the face off and Hop wins this one.  Offensively, both these teams are stacked, but I think Maryland can be more explosive.  I also like Hop’s D better.  So in the end, it’s kind of a wash, and that’s why I’m keying on Hop face off goals as the number 1 difference maker.  I might be wrong about that, as it’s an awfully specific call, but watch for it in the game!  I like Hop to deliver and win by 2.

Colgate Vs. #3 Duke (Philadelphia, PA)

Colgate’s offense has seemed explosive as of late, even more so than it did in the regular season.  The Raiders are generating a lot of good shot opportunities, and sniping nicely from the outside.  Duke can extend defensively, and if they can disrupt Colgate’s offense, I actually think the Blue Devils can win by a decent margin.

Duke is going to score goals on Colgate. They’ll put up 12 or more… at least that’s the way I see it happening.  So can Colgate match them in this department?  I think they can, but a lot of their success will rest on the Duke goalie.  If Wigrizer can stop outside shots, and the defense can pressure without overextending, Duke should be in the clear.

My heart tells me this game will be close, but my head is telling me Duke is ready to roll.  I like the Blue Devils by 3 goals, around 15-12.

It's all about goalkeeping for the Blue Devils.

#5 Virginia Vs. #4 Notre Dame (Philadelphia, PA)

I had ND on upset alert last week, but they came through with flying colors, and won in typical Fighting Irish fashion.  Virginia, on the other hand, almost dropped their game with Princeton before they eked out a 6-5 win.

My big question is, “can Virginia score on Notre Dame’s John Kemp?”

The Notre Dame defense creates bad shots, and Kemp is excellent.  But the Virginia offense is filled with shooters, and also have a couple guys who can get it done on the run or off a dodge as well.  Virginia’s stars should each rack up 1 to 3 points, and if their 5th or 6th men can also add a couple markers, the Cavs will be in good shape.

I believe the Virginia defense can play with the Notre Dame offense, and I know ND will be patient, so it’s possible we won’t see a ton of goals here.  But if Virginia wants to win, they’ll have to make Notre Dame play THEIR game, and that means a bump up in scoring.  Virginia will have create goals in transition, and be deadly on long possessions.  If this game goes to double digits, I like Virginia.

And since Steele Stanwick is still playing, I like UVA to score 10 goals or more.  Stanwick was covered well in the Princeton game (for the most part anyway!) and he’ll be hungry to be more involved and effective.  He was actually pretty good against Princeton, but I expect him to better against the Irish.  Virginia by 2, along the lines of 11-9.

So there you have it… all four NCAA Division 1 Men’s College Lacrosse Quarterfinal games previewed and predicted.

Think I missed something obvious? Have a different take on who the winners will be?  Prove me wrong in the comments section!

Today we want to know who YOU think is going to win the 2012 Men’s Tewaaraton Award. It’s time for the greatest fans of the game, and the readers of the best lacrosse site on the web, to make their voices heard!

Before you vote, let’s take a look at each of the 2012 Men’s Finalists.

Could Will Manny take home hardware even though his team's season has ended?

2012 Men’s Finalists

Peter Baum, Colgate - Peter has scored more points than anyone else in the country this year. He set Colgate and Patriot League records, and he dominated in every game he played. He could easily break 100 points this season. Colgate is still alive and fighting, facing Duke this weekend.

CJ Costabile, Duke – Costabile wins face-offs, he plays great 1-v-1 defense on some of the best offensive players in the nation, and he’s the leader of an athletic Duke defense. He also puts the biscuit in the basket like the best of them.  One of the most skilled and versatile LSMs, possibly ever. CJ and Duke face Colgate this weekend.

Will Manny, UMass – UMass is done for the year, and it’s rare that someone wins the Award if their team isn’t in the final four, but it’s certainly possible.  Manny was huge for UMass all year and made impossible plays look easy on a team that lost only one game.

Mike Sawyer, Loyola – Loyola has talent all over the place, and they play team lacrosse, so this makes the fact that Sawyer stands out all the more important.  45 goals during the regular season didn’t hurt either.  He’s the spark that puts Loyola over the top and makes them a contender.  Loyola plays Denver this weekend in what we expect to be a great game.

Steele Stanwick, Virginia – If any of the teams above win it all, their guy probably takes the award.  But if none of them do, or UVA takes it?  Stanwick could win it for the second year in a row.  Steele does it all for the Cavs… he runs the show and he is a human highlight reel. Easily one of the smartest QBs in the attack position in years. Virginia plays Notre Dame this weekend, and Stanwick will have to shine.

Jim Brown congratulating Steele Stanwick at the 2011 Tewaaraton Award ceremony

Reader Poll: Which Men’s Player will win the 2012 Tewaaraton Award?

Got a good reason for your pick? Drop knowledge in the new & improved comments section below!

Now on to the photos, and the wonderful captions supplied by Mike…

GVSU was the first team to arrive.

The conditions got a bit sloppy.

The clouds of Greenville.

The official tournament patch on an Elon jersey.

Minnesota Duluth coaches help a player off the field. This game was epic.

Best hat/hair combo in the tournament.

Tournament announcer John Shuet sequestered under his tent.

LSM Problems.

Three Grand Islanders in one place.

Colorado sticker placement.

Wash U played the consolation game with only 10 dudes.

Part of the Dayton Army.

A very Minnesota handshake.

Ball boy.

The MCLA logo on Day 2. Some wear.

The Chapman halting huddle.

Shaq laxer.

UCSB goalie warmup with their halftime talk in the background.

Cal Poly post-game stretch sesh.

A little more proof "we are here".

Great stuff from Mike Brand!  He’ll keep us visually updated all Summer!

After watching a ton of games so far, I’ve come to a conclusion: basically, the MCLA is the Wild, Wild West of college lacrosse.

The online feeds, the self-run approach, the sheer diversity of teams, and how they are run, at Nationals is staggering.  From the on the fly feed fix, to the interesting mix of commentators, to the most professionally run D1 schools like BYU, to the somewhat rag tag lower teams of D2, the MCLA offers a wide range of options in almost every possible area.

- Diversity in teams: Teams can be awful one year and competitive the next.  And much like the Wild West, you never really know which version of your opponent you’re going to run into.  Sometimes games are broadcast, and sometimes they aren’t.  Some have announcers, and others do not.  No one knows EXACTLY what to expect on a given day.  But doesn’t that make it exciting?!?!?

During warm ups, certain teams fill their half of the field with players.  It looks like they must have 50 guys on the bench.  Other teams seem to barely break 20 players total, and can have as many players on the field as they do on the sideline.  Some teams offer scholarship dollars to lacrosse players, while others require the player to pay upwards of $3000 each year.

Some teams have numerous paid coaches, others run solely on the power of volunteers.  Some teams have all the newest gear, others look like they are playing in 2004.  And at times, none of this seems to correlate to success on the field. And then we get to what the teams are doing ON the field, and it gets even wilder.

- Diversity in style: BYU will use an attackman to face off at times, AND put a pole in the offensive box.  It’s an alignment I hadn’t seen since high school.  One team ran a bizarre offense with three players behind the cage.  I think it was a 3-2-1.  Bizarre. Cal Poly, the #1 seed, was almost knocked off by Minnesota-Duluth, the #16 seed, and CP needed TWO OT periods to win.  That would NEVER happen in D1 or D3 lacrosse.

- TRUE parity AND community: And when Cal Poly finally did beat UM-D, one of their players ran off the field and hugged a UCSB player in celebration.  I don’t care that these guys went to high school together, I don’t think that would EVER happen at an NCAA game.  Just right off the field and onto the sideline.  HOW COOL WAS THAT?

Bro Hug it out after the win. (Screen capture from the AWESOME MCLA BROADCASTS!)

It might just have been the best non-goal-scoring moment in all of college lacrosse this year.

The Wild, Wild West also brings some other strange aspects to the game.  I’m not sure that they’re negative, but they are definitely different:

- Big Fat Goalies: You do see BFGs at the NCAA (really every) level, but I’ve never seen so many BFGs than when watching MCLA D2 games this year.  They must be loving the humidity down in South Carolina.

- Awesome Games vs. Awful Games: The BYU – Chapman game last night was amazing.  Intense, back and forth and some unreal goals were put in.  But they weren’t all that good.  Some of the games I watched were just awful.  The teams were out of shape, had no depth and played extremely predictable lacrosse.  At least one team in NCAA games is going to be good, even in first round match ups.  In some of these games, neither team looked at all ready to play.  So maybe sometimes parity is bad?  Either way, when you consider this is the best of the best, you can only imagine what some of the true bottom teams are like.

- Everyone At Nationals Takes This Seriously: I’ve known most MCLA players were serious about lacrosse for a while now, but watching the MCLA tournament puts this in perspective nicely.  It’s great to see guys lay it all on the line, and the semifinals and finals, especially at the D1 level, are definitely worth watching.  This isn’t just “club” ball.  At the Nationals levels, it’s much more than that.

- The reffing is really pretty good: The refs have been letting the players play for the most part, and I haven’t seen too many bad calls go in one team’s favor. When I have seen bad calls, they’ve been consistently bad, and it seems like most games have not been decided by the refs.  The players aren’t holding back, and the refs are letting them play.

- The announcing is actually decent: Some of the guys are better than others, and some of the announcers clearly still don’t know the game that well.  But they are trying, and they are providing a great additional service.  I’d like to see the scores kept on the screen for the whole game more, but really that’s my only complaint, and it’s a minor one.  If you don’t like the announcers, just mute them, but really… they’re not that bad!

- THIS IS GOOD LACROSSE: There are some players out on the field that could definitely make it at the next level.  The MCLA is not a place for kids who don’t want to try or put in the extra effort.  And if you want to win a title, it’s not a place for second rate players.

I’m excited to take in another day of MCLA lacrosse via the internet, and if you haven’t given the MCLA a chance before, now is a perfect time to do so!

_____________________________________________________________________________

LACROSSE IN OTHER NEWS:

- Jeremy Noble of the Denver Pioneers wears #45 for a reason | Denver Post

- Paul Wehrum takes Union to Cortland for a bit of a homecoming in DIII | Little Falls Times

- Lacrosse still struggling to take hold in Tampa, FL | Palm Harbor Patch

______________________________________________________________________________

LACROSSE VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

If this preposterous lacrosse fight wasn’t enough for you, we also have a Hot Pot Lacrosse Video of the Week…

The Germans are preparing to make a run at the European Championships in Amsterdam this Summer.  Here’s their prep video.  I think they’ve got a shot!

Excellent lacrosse video work from Germany.  Love the black and white footage and the diverse camera angles kept me watching.  Of course the lax action was pretty sweet too!  Good luck Germany!

So who is the next Mark Matthews?  Who will be the next Canadian star to wow us with his creativity and ability to do the impossible on a college lacrosse field?  Our money is on Eric Fannell, a grade 12 lacrosse player out of St. Catherine’s, Ontario.

Eric Fennell (#5) could be a major college baller.

We haven’t heard a ton about this kid… until now.  But you can color us impressed!

Yeah, he did all of that.  Unreal lacrosse moves by an 18 year old kid.  Where is he going?  Wherever it is, they’re going to be happy!  We hear it might be Bellarmine.  Or not.  Seems very up in the air right now.  What we do know is that Eric is not committed yet, but has been approached by a number of D1 schools.

Fannell played for Team Ontario U16, which won the Canadian championship in 2011. He has been an all-star and led every league in scoring for about five years. He is currently playing Junior A box lacrosse in Ontario, but as a goalie, which we find extremely weird given his unbelievable stick skills.

Many thanks to Dalton Follows for the assist here, and we wish Eric the best of luck in finding the appropriate school!

I called the Boston Cannons – Hamilton Nationals game to perfection.  I said the Nats would put up between 9 and 12 goals and they put up nine.  I had Boston going for at least 16 at home and they put up 18, doubling the Nationals up and notching another convincing win.  The Cannons definitely look like the defending champs, and only a complete team playing  complete game will be able to knock them off.

Boston was up 8-5 at the half, and the teams traded 3 goals each in the third.  In the fourth quarter Boston took over and made the difference with a 7-1 final quarter.  Down 3 to Boston is tough but manageable.  But when the Cannons make a run, every team needs to be ready to respond, and with vigor.

I predicted the Charlotte Hounds would beat the Ohio Machine 15-13, or something along those lines, but it was actually 18-15 in the end, with Charlotte still winning.  I’d say that’s close enough to count as a good prediction.

Both of these teams have talent, and could steal some games here and there, but both need to be reinforced and build chemistry before they can truly compete with the best the MLL has to offer.  I like the direction both teams have gone though, and they are playing exciting lacrosse that is sure to draw in the fans.  If you’re in Ohio or North Carolina make sure to go to a game this Summer.  I think you’ll be impressed!

I predicted the Chespeake Bayhawks would win by 4+ goals at home over the Rochester Rattlers, but I should have had that score reversed, as Rochester came into town and shut down Chesepeake’s offense, heading back upstate with a 12-8 win.  This is an impressive win for Rochester, and it signals that this team is a far cry from last year’s “almost there” team.  Rochester is to be taken very seriously.  The Rattlers are responsible for my first wrong pick of the season.  I’d love to be pissed at them, but they’re a good bunch of guys, so I’ll let it slide.

Unfortunately, there are no Rochester – Chesepeake highlights yet.  I’d include them otherwise.  I’m not that spiteful.

The last game of the weekend was the Long Island Lizards visiting the Denver Outlaws, and I thought LI would bring it here and make the game close, so I went with Denver, but only by 3 goals.  Well, the Outlaws had other ideas and won the game 19-11, but I picked the right winner.  That’s all I’m trying to do here.  The score predictions are just added fun.

So now I am 9 for 10 in my MLL predictions with pesky Rochester creating the only upset so far, at least in my mind.  I’ve spoken with a couple of people who have been to MLL games so far this year, and word on the street is that the level of play is as high as ever, and that teams are really starting to settle into their areas, at least for the most part.  The new franchises seem to be doing well both on and off the field, and the MLL seems as solid as it has ever been.  Not a bad start to the Summer!

Deadspin found a box lacrosse brawl video featuring a bunch of 16 and 18 year old kids from Canada and called it “Canadian Lacrosse Brawl Is Best Lacrosse Brawl“, and now that is the lacrosse people outside of the sport are talking about.  Not the real athletes playing in college, not the pros heading to the finals, but a bunch of teenagers brawling under the guise of a lacrosse game.

I’ve said it before, and now that I’ve played full contact box lacrosse, I’ll say it again… Fighting is STUPID.  And completely unnecessary.

It does nothing for the sport of lacrosse overall in terms of bringing in new, legitimate fans, and it turns many field lacrosse people away from box lacrosse, who might otherwise be interested.  Those that do come over “for the fights” want fights, and more of them, and this means less actual lacrosse.

If you think that fighting is pulling in the crowds, please remember the NLL is not filling arenas, and neither is any other box league.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  But it is broke.  And it needs to be fixed.

If fighting is going to be eliminated, some things need to change.  Off ball crosschecking must remain legal, and the rules should not really have to change at all.  BUT, they will need to be enforced more stringently.  This means that a no skill defender who survives by crushing people somewhat legally will soon be out of a job.  The pure fighter will also be lost.

Fighting is old school. So is not wearing a helmet. Glad we changed that!

But that doesn’t mean the sport won’t still be tough.  Guys like Joe Cinosky, Sid Smith and even Jack Reid could become more valuable than ever for what they can do on the floor defensively.  Reid might be on the bubble there, but I think he could change his game if the rules required him to.

But pure brawlers and enforcers, like Matt Bonterre, would be so heavily penalized that they would become a detriment to their team.  Crosscheck a guy in the face?  Penalty. Knock someone over with a hit to the back of the head? Penalty.  Slash someone hard off ball for no reason? Penalty. Why this is called sometimes and not others baffles me.  The refs simply let it go too much, and when that happens fighting IS required.  But it doesn’t have to happen.

At the Ales Hrebesky Memorial, there was no fighting.  The games were intense and there was certainly some pushing and jostling.  But it never escalated, because it simply wasn’t acceptable. The refs called a clean, tight game for the most part.  Emotions were not allowed to run wild. If the NLL ejected someone for fighting and suspended them two games automatically, we would see a vast reduction in fights.

Pair that reduction in fighting with a cleaner game, and box lacrosse could really start to flourish in a larger market.

There are those who will say that my proposal would soften the game, and that it is impossible to eliminate all cheap shots.  To the latter point, I agree.  But there are cheap shots in basketball, football, soccer, field lacrosse, and many other sports where fighting is simply not allowed.  What exactly makes box lacrosse different?  I’ver never heard a convincing argument here.

As to whether or not it would soften games, I don’t think it would.  The game could still be fast and physical, and skill and speed would remain as premiums.  But there would be less cheap play if the refs called it tighter, and didn’t let so much extra stuff go.  The game wouldn’t be slowed down by fights, and losing teams couldn’t brawl or intimidate their way to wins.

If you want to see a bunch of guys knock each other senseless, go to an MMA event, or take in a WWE spectacle.  But this acceptance, and even promotion, of fighting in box lacrosse is getting ridiculous.  The video above starts with one kid bum rushing another from behind.  Later one kid punches another kid who is pinned down by a third player.  Players leave the bench.  It’s like something out of a bad sports movie.

Even under my proposed changes, fighting could still happen once in a while.  Teams could bring in guys to fight in the first period of a couple games a year to “send a message”.  But the penalties would be stiffer, and I really think it would happen a lot less.  When it did happen, it would be a fight between one man and one man.  And it would probably never escalate to a brawl because of the immediate suspensions handed out.

Fighting would again serve a purpose in the sport, and no longer be an expected norm.  Brawls like the one above wouldn’t be looked at as “part of the sport”, but as the black eye that they truly are.

Box lacrosse is a tough, fast sport, but getting so frustrated that you cheap shot or fight someone isn’t tough.  Getting beat on and still scoring 7 goals and winning the game IS tough.  I guess I’d just rather see a lot more of the latter, and this is the perfect way to do it.

Okay, fighting enthusiasts… make your best case.  CONVINCE ME that I’m wrong!

Here at LaxAllStars.com, we are simply determined to Grow The Game of lacrosse. On the web, we do so by providing unique content and blogging tools for passionate lacrosse fans. Offline, every person involved with our website, from the founders to each blogger and contributor, is also deeply committed to the sport at the grassroots level. We have coaches, referees, team administrators, you name it – everyone does something in their own community to give back to the game that has given us all so much.

Today, we are excited to release our second GTG promotional video (view the first one here). Featuring youth, high school, amateur, and professional lacrosse players from all over the United States, the video was filmed during our time at the Las Vegas Lacrosse Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada last November. We hope the video inspires you to join Lacrosse All Stars on our quest to Grow The Game.

A big shout out to Sweet Sweet Lax blogger Josh Rottman who produced and edited the video. We are extremely thankful to have Josh on our video team!

As the number of LaxAllStars.com readers continues to increase, we want to reinforce our mission to fans of lacrosse everywhere – LaxAllStars.com is a lacrosse media company dedicated to Growing The Game. It is our goal to empower fans to consume, navigate, and promote the great sport of lacrosse worldwide, and our diverse network of lacrosse blogs is just the first step in making our vision a reality.

Please consider supporting us by joining the GROW THE GAME MOVEMENT today!

GTG Packs include a t-shirt of your choice plus a pair of GTG Shooters & a very special GTG Wristband.

*All orders ship Monday, June 4th.
**For bulk orders, please email info@lacrosseallstars.com.

This week’s photo comes to us from Daniel, and the shot comes “from a game last week between, Menlo Atherton Grizzlies vs. Livermore Phantoms in the San Francisco bay area. Boys under 11. Grizzlies had a lead of 4-0 up until half time, but the game ended with the Phantoms winning by 5-4 in overtime. It was definitely the most thrilling game of the season!”

Talk about perfecting your jump shot!

Not a bad lacrosse photo either!  These kids in the Bay Area are looking athletic here!

(Editor’s note: Daniel – you just won yourself a pair of GTG Laces! Email us your mailing address and we’ll get those right out to you!)

Got a GREAT Lacrosse Photo? Hit us up!

Training for lacrosse is a little different than training for most sports as you can’t rely SOLELY on your strength or ONLY on your speed. To be an elite lacrosse player, it’s vital that you train hard in several areas: strength, power, speed, agility, and endurance.

The best players in the game move constantly while on the field, running from one point to another as each play progresses. Lacrosse is a very peculiar sport in that way because it requires players to have extreme levels of endurance and the strength to muscle through a check or body up on an opponent.

Simply put, you need to be able to run fast, run all day AND be a beast.

And so 1000 Ways To Train For Lacrosse continues…

31. DB Shoulder Press

What upper body area do we use A LOT of during lacrosse, obviously our shoulders! The dumbbell shoulder press is a great lift to add to your upper body routine to really build-up some strength in your shoulders. Much like a Military Press, this just allows your stabilizers to get some work in too.

32. Dead Lifts

I hear a lot of different opinions about dead lifts, some people love them, some people hate them. I’m a lover for sure. My back has never felt so strong since I started doing these and for anyone who has lower back pain, I would definitely consider trying out dead lifts to help give your back a little more strength.

As with most lifts, you really have to be careful about your form, but even more so when dealing with your back. It is important to use light weight until you can get the form down properly. This is a great read on proper dead lifting form and how to know if you aren’t doing it correctly. One thing I will say, try the alternating grip, it helps a lot.

33. Leg Press

Always a great lift to add to your leg days, it works your quads, hamstrings, partially your calves, and the ol’ gluteus maximus. It is important to remember though, it is more beneficial to do a little lighter weight and use the full range of motion, rather than adding so much weight you can’t lower it down to the recommended 90-degree angle, don’t be that guy.

The Leg Press is also another exercise you can use to tie in even more calves. Me personally, I throw in a set of calves immediately after each set of the Leg Press. Just push the weight back up, set your feet lower on the machine so it is just the balls of your feet touching and push the weight up with your feet and calves.

Notice the 90-degree angle of his legs.

34. Sit-ups

I don’t care what all those commercials say, sit-ups are great and that’s why people still do them. Even better, there are a million different variations you can add to make them harder and even more comfortable on your back, or you could just man-up and stop complaining.

Good enough for the USNA, good enough for you.

35. Bicycle Kicks

No, not soccer, the ab workout. This one is a killer if you do it right. It isn’t so much about speed and air pedaling so fast you could be Lance Armstrong, but form and technique. Keep your kicks and movement in general very controlled. You’ll feel the workout a lot more and you’ll see results a lot faster.

Feel the burn!

36. Hop Scotch

Just like the game our sisters used to always play, just now there is a purpose for it other than throwing something down on the pavement and then hopping based off what happens – I have no idea how to play hop scotch.

Speed ladders are way sweet and really effective, you should know this by now. The hop scotch is another great footwork drill to help change things up while giving you great foot speed and training. Start by jumping both feet outside the ladder, then back in the middle of the next square, then back out and so on.

37. Cross Country Skier

This one is a teeny bit more complicated, but along the same lines as the last one. Start by simultaneously stepping your right foot into the ladder and your left foot outside the ladder. Then moving towards the right, step your right foot out the ladder, while your stepping your left foot into the ladder, like in the picture below.

As the name of the exercise indicates, you will move in sort of a cross country skier-type motion as you move down the ladder. The key to remember though, is that your feet are moving simultaneously, not one at a time like the Step In/Step Out exercise.

38. Single Leg Dissociation (Tap-outs)

The hardest of the three today, is the Single Leg Dissociation or as I like to call them, Tap-outs. There are several single leg dissociation exercises you can do that simulate the jab you take on a dodge and help you develop the necessary steps it takes to break some ankles.

For this drill, your right foot will stay on the same side the whole entire time, simply taking short, quick steps forward as your left foot steps into and out of the speed ladder. Start slow, then speed up as you get the rhythm down. To spice these up a little, put on resistance bands around your ankles – you will really feel the burn then. Or! Check back next week and I’ll show you the harder version of this exercise.

39. Fox & Hound / Figure-8 Chase

This one requires a friend, or friends. Most of us have done the traditional Fox & Hound conditioning around the restraining box on a lacrosse field. The two groups start on opposing corners and both groups race off in a clockwise direction, trying to catch the last guy in the other group. As long as you aren’t the last guy, the pressure is usually minimal.

What happens though when you take away all your other buddies and it’s just 1v1? Well then you have the Figure-8 Chase.

Skip ahead to 3:37 (“Shaw, this is the same video you always show us!” Well maybe it’s because ND knows how to train.)

40. Reader submission by Culz: The Box Run

Thanks to Culz for submitting this one, I will definitely be adding this in the next time I head out to the field for a little running and sprints. This one is somewhat similar to the 4-Cone Drill that Notre Dame does, just on a MUCH bigger scale – a lacrosse field!

For this one you will start on the top left corner of the restraining box. From the top left, you will shuffle down to the bottom left cone. When you reach that cone, sprint to the bottom right cone, drop-step and back pedal up to the top right cone. From here you will turn and sprint back to the top left cone. Take a short break and repeat 4-5 times.

Nicely done Culz!

1,000 is a big number. Please share your favorite lifts and exercises in the comments section (or email us at info@lacrosseallstars.com) so we can add them to our list and reach the big 1-0-0-0!

An important note about training: You should always consider your own goals and decide what you want to accomplish during training. Most importantly though, always learn how to properly do an exercise before you start doing it. As very few of us are experts in Sports Science or Medicine, we always recommend doing your own research and finding credible trainers to teach you how to train. Train smart, train safe, train hard, lax on.

OCC dominated NCC again for their 4th straight title.

Photo Credit: Brendan Morgan

OCC faced Nassau again in the NJCAA finals, and while NCC kept it a little close, the result was very similar:  OCC put up goals of their own and kept NCC (along with EVERY single team they played all year) from hitting double digits.  OCC won the game 15-6.

The most goals OCC gave up all year was 9, and that was to #4 Genesee in the Lazers first game of the year.  OCC put up 24 goals in that win.

As I mentioned above, this is OCC’s fourth straight National Championship in the NJCAA, and it is also their sixth title in the last seven years.  The last time a team won four straight titles, it was Nassau, from 1999 to 2002.

Randy Staats had three goals and three assists to pace OCC offensively.  Staats missed the semifinal game with an injury, but his six points in the final gave the freshman 139 points on the year, which also set a new school record for single season points.  The previous record was 134, and held by current OCC assistant coach, Nick Gatto.

Hank Delisle added four goals and an assist while Gil Connors made 15 saves in net for the win and Defensive MVP honors.  Staats play was impressive, especially when you consider how injured he still is, but Jordan Saunderson was named the Offensive MVP award with three goals in the final and great play throughout the NJCAA tourney.  OCC’s defense was impressive as well.  They killed off ALL 11 Nassau man up chances.  In total, 26 penalties were called in the game.  Crazy intense!

Congrats to OCC on their fourth straight National title in men’s lacrosse!

My trek this summer has me visiting 12 states and three different countries. My goal is to utilize my iPhone to its fullest capabilities, and take you along on my journey via live photos. If you see me out there on the lacrosse road, make sure you say hello!  Maybe you’ll even make it into a post and get “internet famous”.

For now, I’ll start with the end of our season at Brown, an early MLL game, some early Summer relaxing and the MCLA tournament in Greenville, SC!

Brown Head Coach, Lars Tiffany, addressing our team friends and family after our season ending loss to Princeton:

We'd follow this guy. Quite the leader!

I followed this up with a little post-season stress relief with my co-workers…

Off the tree, off that rock, nothing but lighthouse.

And then it was back to lax. This is the endzone view of the PCLL Championship game in scenic Brookline, Mass. My Bulls of Buffalo stamped their ticket to Greenville, SC with a win over Northeastern.

Quite the game! Glad my home town side pulled it off!

I tried to put together a solid bracket for the NCAA D1 tourney.  Busted already…

UMass, UNC and Loyola are killng me here.

Clearly I need Hop to keep winning to even keep it respectable.  Shucks.

Below you can see the mid-process state of Brown’s Stevenson Field, as it goes from grass to turf:

From grass to dirt right here. Field turf is coming though!

From Rhode Island to Massachusetts, to historic Annapolis… I’ve been busy and on the road already and it’s only mid-May!

Classic Naptown.

Why was I in Naptown, you may ask?  For my first MLL game of course!  What a stadium!

Go NAVY! I mean Chesepeake.

Taking this game in meant that I also got to see two of my fellow Brown Lacrosse assistants play some pro ball.  Steven Boyle and Kip Turner are both suiting up for MLL squads this Summer!

Much better lacrosse players than golfers.

From the Pros to the MCLA playoffs!  Welcome to Greenville, SC!  I just love how welcome they make the MCLA teams feel!

Big timing.

Now for some more Greenville, SC MCLA tourney shots… Tournament Director Dan Morris and Ga Tech head coach Ken Lovic prep for the tourney.

Water hoses, signage, snap ties. SUCCESS.

Seriously, how beautiful is this field, especially with the MCLA logo?

If I were Canadian I'd call this a "beauty" of a field.

And to finish up, I’ll leave you with something REALLY special: The empty pool outside my Greenville, SC hotel room, which I share with LAS contributor Bauruck Cullen.

No lifeguard? There's NO WATER!