by Mitch Belisle | May 5, 2021

4 Reasons Summer Lacrosse Camps are Still Key

4 Reasons Summer Lacrosse Camps are Still Key

In 2012, Trilogy Lacrosse ran an overnight lacrosse camp just outside Lexington, KY at Georgetown College, home of the Cincinnati Bengals’ NFL training camp (which you may have seen in HBO’s Hard Knocks).Β  The lacrosse camp helped develop more than 250 players over the course of 2 sessions and brought together some of the best coaches in the game. There was 1 club team in Kentucky at that time.

Fast forward to 2021 – there are now dozens of club programs in Kentucky (many of which feature coaches who are former campers from that 2012 Georgetown KY Camp) and with current COVID regulations and the proliferation of club lacrosse, overnight lacrosse camps are nearly extinct. Are lacrosse camps…dead?

Absolutely not! While the classic 150+ player overnight lacrosse camp may no longer be the norm, we are still firm believers in the power of the instructional summer lacrosse camp. And while we won’t be back in Kentucky in 2021, we do have 11 summer lacrosse camp options for every type of player (boys and girls), from those just starting out to those looking to make their mark in the NCAA. Because even if the lacrosse landscape has changed, summer lacrosse camps still provide huge benefits to players and their families. Here are 4 reasons why summer lacrosse camps are still key!

  1. They offer players the opportunity to work on THEIR individual skills. Club programs provide varying levels of individual training, but summer camps are ALL about making YOU a better player. Club teams need to focus on putting offenses, defenses, rides and clears in so that teams can stay competitive during tournaments. At camp, the entire curriculum is focused on players’ individual and positional development. By spending time on the fundamentals of shooting, dodging, defending or stopping the ball, players get to spend time working on their own game, which in turn helps their lacrosse progression.
  2. Players can explore new positions, be creative & try new skills. Without the pressure to win tournaments, the end goal for camp directors (or at least the good ones like those we hire at Trilogy) is to make sure players are having fun, getting better and staying safe. Which means if a player wants to try a new position, they can go for it! If they want to spend time choreographing an epic goal celebration, let us join in. Camp gives players the freedom that can lead to break throughs and new discovery, whether that is attempting and perfecting behind the back shooting or switching from attack to goalie.
  3. It is cheaper than day care. AND you get the added benefit of your child improving, making new friends and building their self-esteem. Day camps allow busy parents to spend their day working or enjoying some much deserved down time while knowledgeable and passionate coaches keep them active and engaged. It’s a win-win for everyone in an already busy summer.
  4. Relationships built at camp can take you places you never imagined. Whether it is facing off against a coach or teammate from camp a decade later in an NCAA playoff game or getting a letter of recommendation from your first camp coach, we have seen it all over the years. Camps are often where relationships that span the sport are built, and a full week of interaction (especially year over year) ensure they last.

So there you have it, 4 great reasons why summer lacrosse camps are not only still relevant, but are still crucial in players’ development! To explore Trilogy’s camps in 2021 check out our options HERE.