Wellness

Striving for good physical and mental health are important components in a young athlete's development.

Wellness is an active process of making good choices toward a healthy life. As athletes, we perform our best when our body is well cared for, with the proper balance of training, nutrition, rest and renewal. But more than just the physical, wellness also includes making good choices to avoid risky behaviors that can hamper our development and performance.

Avoiding Burnout

Coaches and parents should encourage players to take some time off from lacrosse, especially if they've been playing in multiple leagues or consecutive seasons. This can prevent burnout and overuse injuries, which is extremely important at the youth level. The American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness recommends that children and adolescents play on only one team per season and take a vacation of 2-3 months from a specific sport (not all sports necessarily) each year.

Sport Specialization

Athletes should not specialize in a single sport at least until they reach puberty, and preferably not until later in adolescence (approximately 15-16 years of age). The biggest risks associated with early specialization are intense training leading to overuse injuries; being socially isolated from their peers; burnout, anxiety and depression; and missing out on exposure to other sports that they may find more enjoyable and rewarding.