Shanghai Lacrosse Adult League is in its first season, and has quickly joined the ranks of other legitimate leagues that are home to sports in Shanghai like baseball, softball, and rugby. “We’ve already seen that this is a banner year so far and it isn’t over yet” says Mike Elefante, the resident coach, exec, and general of the league.The inaugural season landed more than double its anticipated signups.

Meanwhile, lacrosse’s boom in interest (unlike many other sports in Shanghai) is not limited to its adult “beer league”. Participation has run the gammut from more than 100 university students participated in “University Lacrosse Day”, to Active Kidz Lacrosse becoming a popular event in bi-weekly doses.

Much of the credit belongs to Mike, who is responsible for organizing everything from the league to coaching events, and anticipates that “a little more traction from parents, next year might see the launch of one or maybe more independent school teams in Shanghai”.

The best news is that this swell of interest is coming principally from first-timers newly introduced to the sport. Only a handfull of league players classifly themselves as “experienced” lacrosse players and more than half are players without any serious lacrosse experience.

And you can count on every event being lined with spectators, curious about the sport.

So how good is this year? ‘Fastest growing sport in Shanghai’ good? Okay not quite yet. But for a sport that originated in America as a way for native American warriors to train, the “fastest sport on two feet” is making waves internationally. So don’t count out Shanghai (or China for that matter), as the sport with undoubtedly continues to gain a rush of new converts and fans.

The post Lacrosse, the fastest growing sport in Shanghai? appeared first on Shanghai Lacrosse.

The Feild -- Source:: Isport.com

Lacrosse is most often played on a standard soccer field but it has a few important differences that help shape the game.

There are two lines and two circles that make the most important difference from a standard soccer pitch and help guide the basic play of the game of Lacrosse.

The two lines are the “Restraining” lines running parrallel to the mid-feild line 20yards to either side. There are several significant rules that these lines help police but they primarily designate the “Box areas” or restraining areas (between that line and the end line on either end of the feild). The box restrains attack and defense-men during face-offs. When possession is called the attack and defense are allowed to roam as far as the half.

The circles on either end denote the goalie crease within which no attackman can step foot. It also affords a few seconds protection to the goalie on clears.

Shanghai Lacrosse Adult League typically plays in Hongqiao and if you’ve been there you know that the feild is smaller than 100yards. Still the same rules apply on a smaller scale with 8 to a side.

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Shanghai Lacrosse is dedicated to becoming a first rate lacrosse club and supports Youth Lacrosse and University Lacrosse in Shanghai and around China. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sports Clubs in Shanghai like Shanghai Lacrosse are made possible by dedicated athletes, competitors, and those eager to learn.

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POSITIONING

Typically there are three attack positions: point, bottom right and bottom left. They make up an Attack Triangle much like the middies typically make up a Middie Triangle. They work as a 3 person unit and shift according to the ball position and game situation.

Point

Point’s job is to be a moving threat. The point should be an excellent ball-carrier meaning he will be able to get by defenders and loose a quick shot when called on. On fast breaks his position typically takes the top of the box opposite the side the ball is coming from forcing his defenseman to split.

Getting a little more into it, the reason the point should be a great ball-carrier is because to be most effective he will need to beat the first defenseman slide and force a second slide from one of the defenseman guarding a bottom attackman. This will free up a lane for a quick pass and shot.

Bottom

As descibed above, the Attack works in a rotating triangle according to the game situation. The Bottom attack position themselves to catch and shoot, or give and go. They typically do not handle the ball for more than a second or two unless forced to reset the play. Their top hand should be upfeild to have maximum angle on the net when they catch the ball (so if you’re on the bottom right you have the stick in your right hand, bottom left = left).

Remember:: A good shot comes from an open man, which comes from drawing the defense out of position. Great Attack do this by playing as a team and forcing / reacting to defensive slides.

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There are many Sports in Shanghai but only one that is meets at Hongqiao field on Sundays. Be there!

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When the opposing player’s stick is in triple threat, and he is in front of you or to the side, then slam your stick between his and his body. When the ball falls (or the opposing player does) run through the ground ball and go on attack.

The post What is a Guillotine Check? appeared first on Shanghai Lacrosse.

Once separation is created (7+ yards) , a player must then square his shoulders up to the defender. This means lining up to the defender, so that the lacrosse player would run in a straight line towards the defender’s chest. The goal is to make the defender back peddle so that his momentum is negated against the offensive players.

The next steps are critical for successfully executing the split dodge and the many techniques that will be laid upon the groundwork of footwork. A split dodge is built upon quick change of direction and explosive speed. In executing a split dodge, the goal is to bait the defender into opening his hips and committing his momentum to an area of the field opposite of where the offensive player wants to go.

Here, a player wants to work on the footwork mechanics of lacrosse dodging which is far and away the most important part. The key is learning how to exaggerate your step without losing balance and stability. When dodging, a player wants to lunge in the direction that will fool the defender thus opening up an angle for the offensive player to attack.

There are numerous splits, shakes, and hesitations one can combine to perfect the lacrosse dodge. For example, an attacker may start a dodge with the stick in his right hand, take a left step, a right lunge, and an explosive left step while switching hands so the stick is finishes in the left hand. It depends on your comfort level and your ability to execute.

Once a player is comfortable with footwork mechanics of the spilt dodge, he can add additional points that will make his dodging ability more potent.

Hand placement is very important. Many players initiate their lacrosse dodge with a wide grip, with hands at the bottom near the end cap and the top near the throat. This hand placement hinders quick stick change and forces players to hang their sticks in order to gain the leverage needed to shoot and pass effectively.

The solution is to choke up the on stick so that the hands are placed closer together around the middle of the stick. This will allow more leverage for passing and shooting and quick stick change.

Take a look at the video with Mike and Zach demonstrating the split dodge and bring it to the pitch on Sunday.

Don’t forget that lacrosse dodges occur at full-speed. It’s much harder to defend against the split dodge when you’re running fast.

[source]

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This now gives Asia seven regional FIL members and the Latin/South American region a fifth member.

This Photo Was Taken During a Recent Clinic in Shanghai

China has been playing lacrosse in Beijing since the 1990s and in Shanghai since the 2000s. The Japanese Lacrosse Association has conducted numerous clinics and tournaments in assisting with the growth of lacrosse in China. They have invested hundreds of hours in developing lacrosse in this region and are to be congratulated on their efforts. The China Lacrosse Association (CLA) submitted a joint FIL associate membership application in 2011 and was approved for membership at the 2012 FIL Board annual meeting on January 15, 2012. The CLA participation level is over 300 members with plans to reach 3000 within five years. The CLA development plan also includes expansion to 15 Chinese provinces in the future.

The FIL welcomes one of our newest members from Asia and looks forward to their participation in FIL events in the coming years. We plan to conduct clinics and assist their programs with equipment grants and coaching seminars.

China Lacrosse Association Contacts: CLA Membership Listing

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If you want to play a sports in Shanghai you’re probably a competitive person. In Lacrosse, if you want to be a winner you need to get by your defender. Part of the point of competition is after-all beating your opponent.

The first move in any player’s arsenal (whether goalie, defense, mid, or attack) is the facedodge. Don’t forget, DO IT AT FULL SPEED.

This is the first in a series of lacrosse tutorial vids Shanghai Lacrosse will be releasing over the coming months. Please share.

For more here is a Shanghai Lacrosse article on the 4 dodges.

The post Face Dodge:: Video appeared first on Shanghai Lacrosse.

First, RUN FAST, REALLY FAST, RIGHT AT HIM

Remember first and most importantly that from the perspective of the defenseman the most difficult situation to defend is when a ball-carrier is running directly at him at full speed. From your perspective, that is the time when you want to step into your dodge.

MAKE YOUR MOVE

• Face Dodge
  • The easiest dodge is probably the Face Dodge. Its just straight forward you draw the defender to you with a fake shot or pass, and then quickly transition the stick acrossyour own face to avoid the defender and then accelerate toward him. to setup a shot or pass once you get by. With the face dodge you are really just moving your stick from a shooting or passing position quickly across the front of your face to the opposite side tucking it close to your ear. When you have the ball as a defender comes out to attack, you fake a shot and then transition from a shot/pass position to protect the stick with your head and body, and you accelerate past the Defender to an opening for a shot on goal, or a pass to another teammate.
• Split Dodge
  • Split dodge is like the Face dodge in that it is a straight ahead dodge (no roll). This time instead of trying to fake the defender into thinking you are going to shoot, you are going to make him think you are trying to blow by him on one side, but instead quick plant your lead foot and switch directions. You switch your stickside hands in front of your face, and then blow by on the other side of the defender. Basically just getting the defender off balance with the quick change of direction and stick hands, and protecting the stick near your opposite ear as you scoot by on the other side.
• Roll Dodge
  • No doubt the roll dodge is one of the most effective dodges especially in the open field, run with the ball and stick in the left hand to your left side lets say that you are stickside left, stay fairly tight to the defender, get them to commit a little, and then spin to the leftkeeping your back to the defender basically rolling off of him protecting the stick with your body,while switching to right hand. The goal is to get the defender to over commit and get off balance before you roll. you also have to be very close or touching the defender to make the roll really effective.
• Bull Dodge
  • Is generally for bigger stronger players. The key to a Bull dodge is that it really isn’t a dodge in the true sense of the word. Unlike the previous dodges, the bull dodge is really won by getting close to your opponent, and running him over, always keeping the ball to the free hand side, away from the defender. Make sure you are at full speed when you try a bull dodge.

Looking for a new Sports Club in Shanghai? The Shanghai Lacrosse Adult League meets every Sunday at Hongkou Stadium. Make sure you come out and practice your dodges with us.

[source]

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