Depending on who you ask, the definition of toughness in the world of sports varies based on the situation. What one person thinks is toughness may or may not cross over into other sports. Even if an athlete seems to be naturally tough, it’s a quality that has to get honed over a period of time for it to really make a difference on the field or court.
Whenever we’re in the heat of the moment, athletes believe that they’re tough – until they use the benefit of hindsight to see that they could’ve been much tougher than they actually were (or are now). This is all true on the lacrosse field, too. When it comes to our GameBreaker Lacrosse Camps, we try to focus on both what happens on the field and what takes place off it.
After all, character is what happens when nobody is watching you. When the “lights” aren’t on, are you finding ways to get better and improve yourself, or are you lazy and let others fly right by you from a development perspective? We try and focus on the physical and mental aspect of lax at our New Jersey Lacrosse Camps each summer because while this game is inherently physical, it can also mess with your head if you’re not careful enough.
So, you’ve gotten to this point and have determined that you want to work on your toughness the next time you step foot on a lacrosse field. Great! But how does that happen? What aspects of your game should be zero in on to improve? We’re glad you asked. Here are three things to keep in mind.
Lacrosse Mentality Tips
Keep Your Focus
This idea of “taking plays off” doesn’t resonate in the mind of a tough lax player. They concentrate on every single play because every single play is important in the broader scheme of an entire game. That means there are very, very rare situations where it’s a good idea to take a breath and let your foot off the proverbial gas pedal. If you bring the intensity and focus on every play throughout the entirety of a game, it’s going to wear your opponent down and make it easier for you to take advantage of them on the field.
Stop Standing Still
If there’s one quality of a tough player that easily stands out to anyone who is watching a lacrosse game, it’s the fact that they’re never standing still on the field. After all, they know they’re not a fan sitting in the stands, and if they want to do something like that, then there are plenty of other opportunities to watch and take in games that they’re not competing in. Some tactics for this quality include keeping your defender engaged at all times, never waiting back on a pass, and understanding how to use their own momentum to gain a step – especially when it means absorbing a check.
Be Cool with Criticism
Tough lacrosse players also know they’re not perfect and opportunities to improve their game are always there. So, when someone provides a little bit of criticism, they don’t immediately challenge it – they actually expect to be challenged. Tough lax players know the importance of listening and are most certainly not afraid to say what their teammates need to hear for the greater good of the team.