Agility and speed are key to lacrosse, according sophomore Sierra Purden. Since Nov. 7 new and returning players have been showing up on Mondays and Thursdays at the soccer fields to train and prepare for the upcoming season.

The main purposes of the conditionings are to prepare players for the upcoming season.  But according to Florida High School Athletic Association guidelines, the use of lacrosse equipment before Jan. 30 is in violation of the rules. Until then, the girls will focus on agility and speed workouts,  So when they are allowed to incorporate equipment, they won’t need to spend time on speed and agility skills.

At the conditionings the girls do a lot of cardio and flexibility training as well as a lot of endurance training.

“I try to fit a lot of different activities into a small amount of time and change it up so they do not get bored with what we do at the conditioning sessions,” Coach Shelia Owen said. “In a lacrosse game, there is a lot of quick sprinting and stop-and-go action, so I am trying to get the girls prepared for that type of physical activity. My main goal is to prepare the girls for the upcoming season. They are all in pretty good shape already but need to get back into the lacrosse mode.”

Purden says she’s pleased with the way the team is shaping up.

“We do a ton of running, distance and sprints,” she said. “So far, conditioning is going good. It’s going to improve our speed and agility, and it’s really helping to get us into shape which will be one less thing to stress about when the season arrives.”

By Jack Moore