There will come a point in time where you’ll want to increase your exposure, and even learn more about yourself as a player. It’s hard to learn about your capabilities and push your limits with the same local team for your entire career. At this point, you’ll probably want to look for a club team. This will help you get into more tournaments, experience a play style that you are unfamiliar with as you play with new coaches and new players, and push your limits as a player. You’ll also meet a lot of new people and be able to travel to new places for tournaments. Joining a club team is a great way to take the next step in your lacrosse career.
Research
The first thing you want to do is hit the internet. On whatever search engine you use, type in “club lacrosse teams near me” and sort through the results. There should be a number of results, especially if you live in a hot-bed lacrosse state like New York, Maryland, Jersey or Connecticut. Vet through these results, reading about the coaches, the director, the team’s history and competitive level, etc. Make sure your research is thorough, because remember, this is a step towards growing as a player, so you want to be sure you are going after a team that best suits your needs. Remember, a lot of these teams act as a business, and you want to be sure to find one that will care about each player’s growth and individual needs as much as they care about the team as a collective. It’s a good idea to even talk to your current coach and other people you know in the lacrosse community to get some feedback. By the end of your research process, you’re going to want to narrow down to 2-3 teams you’d be interested in joining.
Work ‘em on Your Game
You’re going to need to work on your skills. Earlier when we said “joining a club team”, it wasn’t entirely accurate. You have to earn it. There are tryouts, and then more tryouts. Make sure you’re working on your fundamentals on your own time, and going 100% at organized practices. These tryouts get a lot of turn out, especially in hot-bed states, and you’re there to prove why you deserve a spot more than the next guy or girl. Keep your nerves under control, and go in confidently. Be sure to take advantage of each opportunity you are given to shine, and don’t be afraid to be a little greedy in scrimmages/6-on-6 in order to show your ability (but don’t forget – feeders are some of the most valuable people on the field).
Lastly, be sure to show up for the tryout. Mark it on your calendar and don’t miss the date. There aren’t make ups. Stay dedicated, stay sharp, and stay vigilant. Opportunities are endless once you find the team right for you.
