The Pros and Cons of a Tough Lacrosse Schedule
10/25/2024 09:20 AM
The Pros and Cons of a Tough Lacrosse Schedule
At every level of lacrosse, there's a big question every coach or program director has to answer: do you schedule easier games, or do you pack your lacrosse schedule with tougher opponents? In travel lacrosse, this could mean deciding which tournaments to attend. In high school, it's all about filling up your non-conference schedule with challenging teams. And at the college level, it could mean committing to long bus rides to face top-ranked programs with national implications. Sure, the stakes might vary depending on the level, but the main question stays the same: what are the real pros and cons of scheduling a tough out-of-conference slate?
Let's dive into that and see where it lands.
The main reason anyone would schedule a tough lacrosse schedule is to play the best opponents. It's really that simple. Playing stronger opponents puts you in a position to understand exactly where your team stands, especially if you're aiming to compete for a championship. If you only go up against teams that aren't at your level, you'll never really know your full potential until it's too late. Early-season out-of-conference games are exactly where those big games come in, and they're critical for building a team that knows how to handle high-stakes moments before conference play even begins. It's just like practicing how you play. If you've never put yourself in those pressure-cooker games, don't expect to perform at your peak when those situations finally come around.
Playing against top-tier opponents also raises the bar for your team's overall skill and chemistry. When you go up against good teams, you quickly find out what works—and what doesn't—because there's no room for mistakes. If you can't execute fundamentals like clearing the ball, a tough team will expose that, no questions asked. This forces your team to make adjustments, and fast. Going up against quality opponents means every goal and every defensive stop has to be earned, which is how players and teams really develop. If you aren't being tested, you're just not going to grow. And let's talk about confidence. Beating a challenging opponent early in the season can give your team a massive boost, setting a tone of belief and momentum that can carry through to the next game. Confidence is everything. If you're not confident, executing becomes nearly impossible. When you pull out a gritty win against a solid opponent, that sense of confidence starts to grow within the team.
Now, let's get into the cons. The biggest downside to a tough lacrosse schedule? You're more likely to lose. That's just reality. Playing teams at or above your level means taking on the risk of losing, and if you lose enough games, or even just one tough one early on, it can derail an entire season. For teams with a shaky culture, back-to-back losses to strong opponents can start chipping away at their confidence. And if confidence goes out the window, it's a tough road to get back on track. Everyone would love players to be focused purely on their personal process and development, but that's not always the case. If a team keeps racking up losses, morale can take a serious hit. It's tough to stay motivated if it feels like you're not getting closer to your goals.
Then there's the mental toll of constantly gearing up for big games. If you're playing top teams week in and week out, it's easy to slip into complacency or burnout. If "big game" becomes the norm, players can lose that edge to fight for a win. This exhaustion isn't just mental; physical fatigue can creep in too, especially if you're up against opponents that push you to play more physically. And when you're constantly in those intense, physical games, injuries become a real risk. You're just not going to get through a season like that without bumps and bruises, and sometimes worse.
Scheduling tough opponents can also limit a coach's ability to experiment. When you're locked into win-now mode, trying new things can feel risky. If you're playing against teams you're expected to beat, there's more flexibility to try different lineups or test out new plays. But if you're going up against top competition, you have to stick to what you know works, or face answering tough questions if it backfires. In these situations, experimenting can lead to losses that may put the coach's game plan under scrutiny.
At the end of the day, it's all about balance. A balanced lacrosse schedule allows for a season with highs and lows that lets you test your team while still building confidence and keeping morale high. It's a yin and yang scenario; you can't have one without the other. Running your team through a gauntlet of games week after week can make or break a season, depending on the results. Mixing in winnable games with the tougher ones is the best way to set your team up for mental and physical success, building confidence while still getting tested in ways that count.
