Top Sports for Lacrosse Players in the Offseason
In today’s world of youth sports, it feels like it’s just as popular to specialize in one sport as it is to play multiple sports throughout the year. When comparing these two options together, it may actually be more beneficial for competitive athletes to play sports other than their “top” one.
Why is that, exactly? Well, doing so allows them to get a mental break from the daily grind any sport can have on an athlete. Playing a different sport forces an athlete to think in a different way, which can translate to other athletic endeavors at the end of the day because they can see things from a different angle and be a little more creative. While playing another sport still physically taxes an athlete’s body, not playing the same sport all year round works and train muscles in a slightly different way.
Plus, the chances of an athlete burning out are much lower if they get a chance to do other things (if they want to, of course). Lacrosse players will probably want to spend their offseason in different ways. Some will want to try and take their lax game to the next level, which can be done at one of our New Jersey Lacrosse Camps, along with a bunch of other summer lax camps throughout the country. Others will look to take a full break and pick up another sport for a short period of time.
Which sports could be a good fit for lax players looking to stay active while also taking a break? We’re glad you asked! Here are four to consider if you’re looking for ideas.
Cross Country
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that lacrosse involves a ton of running. A great way to build up your endurance during the offseason would be signing up and participating in cross country, which is basically just a bunch of 5K races. Partaking in this activity will help lax players keep up late in games when every minute counts, but don’t forget to do some weightlifting and sprint work on the side in order maintain whatever explosiveness you’ve gained in recent months.
Soccer
There are some similarities between lacrosse and soccer, making it not too surprising for this to be a fall sport that a number of lax players would gravitate toward. The conditioning and endurance work are there while also being able to maintain or even improve upon explosiveness and foot speed/footwork based on the natural ebb-and-flow of the sport itself.
Golf
When talking about getting an actual break from a physical perspective, golf would be a good way to rest those weary muscles after a long season on the lax field while still honing certain parts of your game. There are lots of similarities between a successful lax shot and golf swing, which includes core strength, quick wrists, and hand-eye coordination.
Basketball
Similar to soccer, there are some transferrable skills for lax players who also hit the basketball courts. There’s a ton of footwork and explosiveness that comes on both ends of the court, especially when talking about playing defense.
