The purpose of defense is to stop the ball. To do that, players must possess both individual and team skills to work cohesively to limit scoring opportunities and gain possession.

Your defense needs to be able to recognize where the ball is (and where they are in relation to the ball), react to their player and communicate where they are (and what is happening) to their teammates — including the goalie.

To practice this, we implement one-on-one and double-team scenarios to prepare players for game situations.

Players often ask, “How can I get better?” Usually, they are referring to their stick skills and game IQ. What they often do not realize is that one of the main keys to being a better lacrosse player is the same key that makes them a better athlete overall: physical literacy. Physical literacy looks at the key components of movement—motivation, knowledge, competence, confidence, and understanding—for us to engage in physical activities throughout our lives.

As a two-time All-American player, collegiate national champion, and member of the U.S. Women’s Training Team, Haley Warden has battled against a lot of tough opponents in her lacrosse career. Perhaps none more taxing, however, than the diagnosis of a concussion. 

Unfortunately, Warden has experienced concussion a few times, although never on the field. He most recent concussion occurred from a minor car accident last year.

“I didn’t think much of it at the time, but as I tried to get back into training, I felt slow,” Warden said. “I didn’t feel like myself.”

In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic forced the shutdown of most on-field lacrosse activities, USA Lacrosse began hearing about outstanding efforts being made by boys and girls high school lacrosse players to support their community during challenging times.

In order to more broadly highlight those efforts, and to potentially inspire others to similar feats, USA Lacrosse launched the Impact Athletes initiative. We asked for your stories and shared them with the larger lacrosse community.

Last week, Shelley Sheiner, head coach of the Kean (N.J.) University men’s lacrosse team, toured the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame & Museum with his players. It was his first visit to the museum since its re-location to USA Lacrosse’s new headquarters in 2016, and Sheiner was quite impressed. 

Nevertheless, for good reason, his sentimental devotion will always be to the original museum, adjacent to the Johns Hopkins campus, which he first visited in 1998. 

NOCSAE, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, is an independent and nonprofit standards development body with the mission to enhance athletic safety through scientific research and the creation of performance standards for athletic equipment. 

SPARKS, Md. — USA Lacrosse has named the coaching staffs for the U.S. teams that will compete in The World Games 2022 this summer in Birmingham, Ala. The World Games is an Olympic-style, multisport event that will feature men’s and women’s lacrosse using the new Sixes discipline developed by World Lacrosse.

The newly redesigned Mobile Coach, a powerful tool designed by USA Lacrosse to help both new and experienced coaches, came out in January. Members can access all features of the app with select elements available for non-members.

SPARKS, Md. — The 2022 USA Lacrosse Youth Nationals is a sell-out with 92 of the nation’s top girls’ club teams coming to DE Turf in Frederica, Del., from July 12-13 in the 13U, 14U and 15U age groupings. The 14U and 15U championship games will be streamed live on Lax Sports Network for the second straight year.

Good teammates look out for each other. 

That’s the premise behind the Team Up Speak Up (TUSU) campaign, in which players will notify a coach or athletic trainer if they suspect a teammate might have a concussion. 

USA Lacrosse has partnered with the Concussion Legacy Foundation to help promote a healthy team environment in which players are encouraged to speak up on behalf of a teammate who may be injured.