-January 13th, 2020-
On December 22nd, 2019 66 of the top Midget lacrosse players were at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre for the Top Prospects Canada Showcase event.
It was an opportunity for players eligible for the Junior A draft to show their skills to the scouts.
I was in charge of the lacrosse specific Combine portion of the day (there was performance testing, a practice, and a game). We had an hour and all the athletes had a busy day so we picked 4 tests that would let the players display their athleticism without the testing detracting from their practice/gameplay.
We chose the 20 Yard Dash, Pro Agility, Vertical Jump, and Chin Ups.
Check out the breakdown of why we chose the test and view the results to see how you would compare.
20 Yard Dash:
Although the 40 yard dash is used at the NFL Combine and more widely known, the 20 yard dash is a better indicator of acceleration and quickness. Rarely in lacrosse do you sprint for 40 yards in a straight line. Much more often it is 10-20 yards in a battle to get to a loose ball first, or to sprint to the bench to change, or to beat your opponent to lead a fast break.
Also, of all the segments of a 40 yard dash, its the first 10 yards that you make make the greatest improvements in speed when training. Therefore the 20 yard dash is a much better indicator for lacrosse specific training. We timed this using electronic timers.
View this post on Instagram
Pro Agility (5-10-5):
Pro Agility is the most widely used test of agility and change of direction, including at the NFL Combine. This is a great test for lacrosse players as it requires the ability to decelerate/change direction/re-accelerate with good body control. Higher scores in this test would tell you who can cut or dodge more efficiently and quickly. We tested this using the FitLight Training System.
View this post on Instagram
Vertical Jump:
Another widely used test for lower body explosiveness. The more explosive lacrosse player tends to be quicker, to be able to absorb force better, and the potential to shoot and hit harder. We tested this using the Just Jump jump mat.
View this post on Instagram
Chin Ups:
This is a great test of relative strength. Many would think the Bench Press is a more lacrosse specific test as it resembles a cross check however it is not. For one it favours larger athletes that may be carrying extra weight, whereas the chin up rewards those with better body composition. The test was done with strict form by St. Lawrence College Head Strength Coach Jason Melhado.
View this post on Instagram
Tags: 20 Yard dash, acceleration, agility, change of direction, Chin Ups, performance testing, Power, pro agility, vertical jump
Leave A Reply (No comments so far)
No comments yet