Playing well is one thing but being a good player is another. A good player is not only good at his defenses or attacks, but overall, a teammate on whom the team can rely on. What makes a good lacrosse player? You can become one by:
Learning forever
The right attitude lies within humbleness. No matter how well you play the game, you must always remain ready to listen and learn. You learn a lot when you remain calm and compose. Many people focus on their mistakes when they lose, but a good player knows that there is a lot to learn from a victory as well. Also, when a team wins, the other team has made some blunders as well. Learning from their mistakes could turn out to be very beneficial.
Taking the game seriously
What you will do will be evident in your performance, but you have to follow the game ethics. What you can do is to follow your timetable. When it is time to practice, you must become serious. Whatever your practice goals are, you must achieve them. When you have a game to play, adjust your time accordingly. Set your priorities and stick to them. When you take your game seriously and don’t goof around, you will see the difference in your performance yourself.
Improving communication
One way to be a better player is by improving your communication. From practicing time to playing in the field, you must be clear with your communication.
If your coach is telling you something to do, and you don’t understand, so, instead of being worried, just go to the coach and talk about it. Ask directly what he means. If not clear, ask again. Your communicating skills are the key to understanding the game as well.
Also, you must remember that lacrosse requires team play. You cannot win the game alone. So, to be better at lacrosse, you need to communicate with your teammates. You have to learn their body language and also make them understand what you are trying to communicate. When the communication is strong, there is a good chance of winning the game.
Not only that, there must be communication outside the field as well. When the players connect freely, your game improves at a faster pace.
Thinking lightly
When a coach scolds you, or the team player guides you about anything, it doesn’t mean that you have to fight back. Some things are for your benefit. So, when someone says anything, take it lightly and ponder on what they say. A good player is always ready for good advice.
Having a deep understanding of the game:
Many players don’t perform at their full potential because of the lack of knowledge of the game. Playing a game with a deeper understanding improves performance as well as winning chances. Questioning is one way to understand deeper. You can ask the coaches or other players about the performances and expectations. Also, you can go for the game videos. Cover your game in a video and then see what are the mistakes further help to understand the play.
Being in good shape
Staying in good shape is important for any athlete. If you want to be a good lacrosse player, then you must stay healthy and fit. Other than playing games and practicing drills, a good player runs, jogs, or walks, and does light exercises to remain fit. The fitness routine doesn’t come around during the game season only but stays all around the year. A good physical shape improves the game directly.
Other than physical fitness, a good player also keeps checking on his diet. Eating healthy helps in keeping the body in good shape and augments the effects of exercising. Additionally, staying hydrated is also important. Along with a good diet, good sleep is essential as well.
Trying new things
It is said that failure comes to those who stop trying. One amazing tactic is to try new things to confuse the offensive team. When you are learning from others’ games, others are learning from you as well. So, what you can do is learn new tactics every now and then. It will make your play unpredictable. When others cannot predict your game, it will augment your winning chances too. Other than that, any new play can be proven beneficial for you and improves your game overall.
Being ambitious
A good athlete is ambitious and motivated. He plays the game to win. Losing is not what he desires, but if he loses, he tries to never repeat the mistake. You must have this attitude. If you do these things, you will surely see the difference in your game.
Other than that, a good lacrosse player also motivates other team members. When things are going bad, he boosts the morale of the team to keep them going.
Having mental toughness
To be a good lacrosse player, mental toughness is necessary. It is the key ingredient to remain focused in the game. It is important to focus on the next play rather than the last one. Whether it’s a victory or a defeat, you must keep your mind in control. It doesn’t mean that you show a negative attitude. You must play with a smile and celebrate but don’t overreact.
Trusting your coach
Last but not the least, you must understand that experience matters. You must trust your coach. What your coach decides for you is the best. However, if you have any concerns about the decision, you must talk over it rather than going against it directly and damaging the team’s spirit.
Conclusion
For an athlete, there is something more than shape and size. What’s count the most are discipline, confidence, character, and work ethic. If you have all these characteristics, you can master any game. What remains comes with practice. The more you practice the better you will become. You can even jump from good to great in no time by using the above-mentioned tips.
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