Is 6th grade too late to start a boy in lacrosse?

[Anonymous]

I’d like my son to start, but it feels like other kids have been playing for years. He’s a talented football and basketball player but has zero lacrosse experience.

[Anonymous]

This is about when most of the kids in our nova neighborhood start playing.

Before then they are all in soccer or little league.

[Anonymous]

He'll be fine and will pick it up quickly given his other sports. Tell him to ignore any kids who may talk down to him as a new kid - hopefully he won't experience this but our DS did (now being recruited for college lax, all divisions). He should play wall ball daily. He'll be fine with all his football and soccer skills.

One thing that kids who play football and lacrosse have to know is you don't need to play "agressively" but learn to play "smart" - it will look aggressive to observers though. Also it's important for kids who played football to not drop the shoulder (and lift it up) when engaging with an opponent - as someone who knows zilch about football, I'm not sure if that makes sense but that was how our DS has described situations when he's had a collision with another player - our DS never played football but has seen several HS kids who play both concuss themselves doing this and concussions in lax are not nearly as frequent as in football.

Good luck to your son. Lax is fast-paced and fun to watch.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the insight! Definitely familiar with the ‘new kid’ syndrome from my other children who have tried new things including lax.

Pp, if you don’t mind me asking, did you start in a rev league? I figured that would be my best bet for my son— fall ball seems like a good low key option.

[Anonymous]

About should say REC not rev! ?

[Anonymous]

Son perfectly fine all the way to 10th grade to start lacrosse. As a team sport athlete, he will pick up so many things quickly. His defensive instincts will shine as he's used to contact and playing both zone and man-to-man scheme.

My suggestion simply is for him to play "wall ball" this summer. Take a stick and a ball and find a cement or brick wall. Throw and catch.

Try to throw 5 times without missing it. Then 10 times. Then throw with right to left Left hand to right. The moment he gets the ability to catch and throw, he's in.

If he can ultimately catch low throws and high throws and throw/catch on the run, he'll make the higher levels.

At 6th grade, let him enjoy the game with his friends. When he tries out for a team, merely tell him to hustle and pay attention during the drills.

As a referee, I know that coaches will take 20 coachable kids over 15 lax bros. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the insight! Definitely familiar with the ‘new kid’ syndrome from my other children who have tried new things including lax.

Pp, if you don’t mind me asking, did you start in a rev league? I figured that would be my best bet for my son— fall ball seems like a good low key option.

PP with comments about football here. Yes, started in rec league. Didn't move to upper level lax until high school. Did do light summer travel with local rec team in jr high but nothing serious until 9th grade.

I agree with all 15:40 said. Wall ball, ground ball pickups, catch and throw accurately and he's good to go. All the game skills from his other sports will translate wonderfully. It is all about enjoyment, working hard and listening and applying everything coaches tell all team members, including him. If he wants the next level, he will let you know.

[Anonymous]

Not too late at all. In addition to wall ball I would sign him up for clinics or even some private lessons just to accelerate the learning curve. Watch YouTube videos as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d like my son to start, but it feels like other kids have been playing for years. He’s a talented football and basketball player but has zero lacrosse experience.

What does you son want to do?

[Anonymous]

Probably the sports most successful player, Paul Rabil, didn't begin playing until 12 years old. If the kid has the desire and/or the interest, he can easily pick up the game quickly. https://www.redbull.com/us-en/athlete/paul-rabil

[Anonymous]

He'll be fine.

And his basketball experience will help him in lacrosse, there are a lot of the same skills in terms of setting up plays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d like my son to start, but it feels like other kids have been playing for years. He’s a talented football and basketball player but has zero lacrosse experience.

What does you son want to do?

He wants to play but he's slightly intimidated that he's starting later. He likes to get himself up to speed on his own before joining a team (he did that with basketball, was outside every morning noon and night shooting hoops before the season started). He ended up being a great player and didn't look at all like a newbie when he started. Definitely a confidence thing for him.

[Anonymous]

If he’s good at basketball and football he’ll be great at lacrosse. Coaches will be thrilled to have him, the stick skills will come naturally especially if he’s a good athlete. I started playing lacrosse in the 10th grade and by the middle of the season was one of the better players on the team

[Anonymous]

If you have "REAL" athletic skills and talent, it's never too late to start lacrosse. Most lacrosse kids default to lacrosse because they can't excel at "REAL" sports: basketball, soccer, baseball, football and hockey.

And that's the truth, Ruth!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Son perfectly fine all the way to 10th grade to start lacrosse. As a team sport athlete, he will pick up so many things quickly. His defensive instincts will shine as he's used to contact and playing both zone and man-to-man scheme.

My suggestion simply is for him to play "wall ball" this summer. Take a stick and a ball and find a cement or brick wall. Throw and catch.

Try to throw 5 times without missing it. Then 10 times. Then throw with right to left Left hand to right. The moment he gets the ability to catch and throw, he's in.

If he can ultimately catch low throws and high throws and throw/catch on the run, he'll make the higher levels.

At 6th grade, let him enjoy the game with his friends. When he tries out for a team, merely tell him to hustle and pay attention during the drills.

As a referee, I know that coaches will take 20 coachable kids over 15 lax bros. Good luck!

I agree with this statement. There are boys that play varsity football in the fall and lacrosse in the spring. If you son is naturally athletic, he will do fine. My son played for one of the top clubs talked about on this forum. He did not play much in freshman year of HS and no club. He went to lacrosse camp at Naval Academy and had not picked up a stick in over 6 months and won the tournament they had at the end of camp. He is good at basketball and is very fast. You need speed in lacrosse. He is also having a growth spurt, which helps. Most top athletes in most sports are tall. So, if your son has height, coaches will develop him.