A Lacrosse Weekend 7.31.21

Welcome to "A Lacrosse Weekend" my weekly compilation of thoughts, ideas, stories, myths, truths, about the great game of lacrosse. I hope you enjoy it!   

If you are a men's or women's lacrosse player, coach, or parent, I think you will love the weekly content, videos, and analysis!

DRILL | 1 v 1 + Picker

This drill is one of the best ways I have found to teach 2 Man concepts! Both the dodger and picker learn how to read the defender and attack accordingly. Here are the basic reads we are looking for: 

If the defender goes UNDER the pick:

• Shoot if you are within range
• Hesitate in the pocket (the space provided by the defender by going under the pick) and have the picker reset the pick closer to the net. 
• DO NOT put your head down and run full speed only to be met by the defender on the other side. 

If the defender goes OVER the pick:

• Invite him over the top using your double threat posture. 
• Turn the corner around the pick just enough that it puts the defender in a permanent trail position. 

Mindset Skill of the Week | Focus

Studies suggest that 47% of the time the average person is thinking about something other than what he or she is doing. Staying focused on one thing at a time is harder than ever due to the number of distractions on our screens. Here are a few suggestions to stay focused and increase productivity:

• Stop multi-tasking. Switching from one task to another in a short amount of time is exhausting for the brain and the result is a half-baked version of both tasks.
• Put your phone in another room and close irrelevant tabs on your browser. Every time you go to check that text or social media notification you are breaking your concentration and it will take a while to get it back.  
• Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness allows you to become more aware of your thoughts and when you're off task. It allows you to stay in the present moment and focused on the task at hand.
• Experience solitude. Waiting in line at the grocery store? Stopped at a red light? Walking around the house? Resist the urge to whip out your phone. Cal Newport defines solitude as "a subjective state in which you're isolated from input from other minds." Our minds need these built-in breaks when we used to experience "boredom" in pre-smartphone times. Click here for more from the author of "Digital Minimalism" and "Deep Work", Cal Newport. 

The king of focus and solitude: Alex Honnold. Check out his movie, Free Solo to witness the power of a rare mind! 

Have a great weekend!