The Mixed Message Problem in Lacrosse: “Be Well-Rounded… But Don’t You Dare Fall Behind.”
Every few months, someone prominent in the lacrosse world makes a statement that reminds you just how confused our sport can be about its own development philosophy. The latest came from a respected figure who warned that once athletes commit to college, many of them begin stepping back from clinics, camps, and skill work. The message was clear: Exercise is fine, but you need real lacrosse reps in the offseason if you expect to survive the jump to college play.
On its own, that statement isn’t unreasonable. The college game demands a different level of speed, physicality, and skill. No one disputes that. But the problem isn’t the statement itself — it’s the context.
These very same coaches, often in the same breath, preach an entirely different philosophy when it comes to youth development: