Lacrosse players and playettes everywhere... Laxmas has arrived. With it so close, I hope all you chaps have hung up your “adrenaline” stockings, and haven’t peaked underneath that spoon shaped wrapping paper. Laxmas happens every year around this time - domestic players have hung up their boots for the Christmas break (plus five weeks of lame weather) and BUCS players are smashing University socials up and down the country.
Ever wandered what the Christmas break means to the fore runners of our sport? Or just how much Kyle Harrison or Matt Danowski got out on the lash at Uni - whilst still entertaining us with the fantastic level of lacrosse? We are of course referring to the division one NCAA players who give our sport its good name, and here at TopJLax we wanted to have a look at the more casual side of their University life. TopJLax met up with a player who has started games in the top flight of the NCAA even as a freshman – he was scouted by and played under one of the biggest names in lacrosse coaching, and who has decided to remain nameless in his first interview for the site. Enjoy...
Ever wandered what the Christmas break means to the fore runners of our sport? Or just how much Kyle Harrison or Matt Danowski got out on the lash at Uni - whilst still entertaining us with the fantastic level of lacrosse? We are of course referring to the division one NCAA players who give our sport its good name, and here at TopJLax we wanted to have a look at the more casual side of their University life. TopJLax met up with a player who has started games in the top flight of the NCAA even as a freshman – he was scouted by and played under one of the biggest names in lacrosse coaching, and who has decided to remain nameless in his first interview for the site. Enjoy...
Before commencing, allow me to introduce myself, my name is McLaxin and I am a new guest writer for my favourite lacrosse blog site TopJLax. I played lacrosse in the North of England, and currently love playing the game as a University player. For my first article I wanted to start off with something a little light hearted and festive. Topical if you will. Anyway, back to the interview:
McLaxin: Now playing in this country at Uni, there’s one thing that every team LOVES – socials. Stateside do you guys enjoy a good Christmas knees up?
Mystery Laxer: We do in fact have an annual Holiday party. We basically have a party for any holiday/celebration that we can think of, and they all usually turn out to be a great time. The Christmas party usually entails showing up in an ugly Christmas sweater, but as the night goes our parties are always "shirts optional." What better way to show off all the lifting we've been crushing all Fall?
McLaxin: Now playing in this country at Uni, there’s one thing that every team LOVES – socials. Stateside do you guys enjoy a good Christmas knees up?
Mystery Laxer: We do in fact have an annual Holiday party. We basically have a party for any holiday/celebration that we can think of, and they all usually turn out to be a great time. The Christmas party usually entails showing up in an ugly Christmas sweater, but as the night goes our parties are always "shirts optional." What better way to show off all the lifting we've been crushing all Fall?
McLaxin: Sounds a lot like the Sheffield team patented “sh*t shirt social”! Perhaps a sensitive issue – in England many and most of the Uni teams are based around lots of interaction with the girls teams, would you say it works that way for you guys too?
Mystery Laxer: I'd say we definitely "interact" with the girls team quite a bit during the year. However, it is tough to limit yourself to one group of girls, for obvious reasons, so our parties are welcome to all girls from any school or team. The only down side of this is when girls leave the party because there are "too many girls!”.
Mystery Laxer: I'd say we definitely "interact" with the girls team quite a bit during the year. However, it is tough to limit yourself to one group of girls, for obvious reasons, so our parties are welcome to all girls from any school or team. The only down side of this is when girls leave the party because there are "too many girls!”.
McLaxin: Haha wow! I’d appreciate an invite to one of those parties! Touching on the social side again, Uni is a lot to do with going out and having a good time! When you go out how much of that is with your team mates?
Mystery Laxer: To be honest, I never go out without them. As cliche as it sounds, we are all spend so much time together and go through all of the same stuff with lacrosse that we become best friends and we really have the most fun when we are all out together. Whether it be just a small group of us, or we are rolling deep with the whole team, I'll always be with guys. Not only does it turn out to be a great time, but it's also important for us to stick together and be there for each other in case things start to get out of hand.
McLaxin: How long exactly do you fella’s break for over Christmas?
Mystery Laxer: Once we finish exams we are allowed to leave, which is usually the second or third week of December. Then we have to return to school in the second week of January to start practicing as a team and get ready for the Spring season. So we have almost a month to get mentally and physically prepared for the season, and show our friends from home how cool we got at college.
McLaxin: With a lengthy Holiday like that, how the devil do you keep on top of your game!?
Mystery Laxer: We really have to work hard over the break in order to maintain and even try to build on the level of strength and conditioning we reached in the Fall. Being that once we return from break we start our season, it is definitely the most important time to do everything you can to prepare. If we don't get on the wall, shoot, lift, and run then we will just lose everything we worked so hard for in the Fall, and we definitely don't want to digress right before the season starts.
McLaxin: Obviously with all the hard work you chaps put into the season, how do you taper your training coming up to a big break like that!?
Mystery Laxer: Well, the heart of the off season is earlier in the fall when we can scrimmage other college teams, so I'd say the practices were more difficult in September/ October. After we finish our scrimmages we focus on strength and conditioning so our practices aren't as intense. Then before we leave school for Christmas break we have our exams which make it really tough to organize practices and lifts so usually guys go down whenever they can find time.
So there you have it, a lot of hard work with some benefits that leave me shoulder checking in my sleep. What an ideal life, it almost leaves you wandering why the boys at Durham decided to give it up to come over here!? I hope you enjoyed my first article and I hope you will be hearing from me soon, Merry Laxmas everybody - McLaxin.
P.S. feel free to guess the Mystery Laxer...
Mystery Laxer: To be honest, I never go out without them. As cliche as it sounds, we are all spend so much time together and go through all of the same stuff with lacrosse that we become best friends and we really have the most fun when we are all out together. Whether it be just a small group of us, or we are rolling deep with the whole team, I'll always be with guys. Not only does it turn out to be a great time, but it's also important for us to stick together and be there for each other in case things start to get out of hand.
McLaxin: How long exactly do you fella’s break for over Christmas?
Mystery Laxer: Once we finish exams we are allowed to leave, which is usually the second or third week of December. Then we have to return to school in the second week of January to start practicing as a team and get ready for the Spring season. So we have almost a month to get mentally and physically prepared for the season, and show our friends from home how cool we got at college.
McLaxin: With a lengthy Holiday like that, how the devil do you keep on top of your game!?
Mystery Laxer: We really have to work hard over the break in order to maintain and even try to build on the level of strength and conditioning we reached in the Fall. Being that once we return from break we start our season, it is definitely the most important time to do everything you can to prepare. If we don't get on the wall, shoot, lift, and run then we will just lose everything we worked so hard for in the Fall, and we definitely don't want to digress right before the season starts.
McLaxin: Obviously with all the hard work you chaps put into the season, how do you taper your training coming up to a big break like that!?
Mystery Laxer: Well, the heart of the off season is earlier in the fall when we can scrimmage other college teams, so I'd say the practices were more difficult in September/ October. After we finish our scrimmages we focus on strength and conditioning so our practices aren't as intense. Then before we leave school for Christmas break we have our exams which make it really tough to organize practices and lifts so usually guys go down whenever they can find time.
So there you have it, a lot of hard work with some benefits that leave me shoulder checking in my sleep. What an ideal life, it almost leaves you wandering why the boys at Durham decided to give it up to come over here!? I hope you enjoyed my first article and I hope you will be hearing from me soon, Merry Laxmas everybody - McLaxin.
P.S. feel free to guess the Mystery Laxer...
