A LETTER TO ALL FRESHMAN COLLEGE LACROSSE PLAYERS!
Freshman year of college is TOUGH!!!! There is no way Around it!!! You have walked into an atmosphere of players who have been competing against top players day in and day out for 3-4-5-6 YEARS!!
I have received so many calls, texts and emails from former players who are freshman struggling at different times. This is why I knew it so important to write this for anyone who is out there that might be feeling the same way!
TRUST ME I GET IT!
I struggled my freshman year at Notre Dame. I was extremely homesick , battling injuries for the first time, trying to figure out who my people were, and learning an entirely new system with new people who were all bigger, stronger, faster.
I remember just feeling so lost at times. Wondering if I was even good at lacrosse anymore. Wondering if this school and program was the right fit for me.
But I made it through the year! I worked very hard that summer and felt like a completely different player and person my sophomore year.
I write this in hopes it helps, inspires, educates, and lets all freshmen around the country know. You are NOT ALONE! Keep your head up!!
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO OVERCOME THIS STRUGGLE
1-COMMUNICATE YOUR FEELINGS WITH YOUR COACHES
We make up thoughts in our minds- “coach doesn’t like me”
“ I’ll never play, I’m just a scout team player”
“coach is just hard on me no one else“
The reality is : COACHES CARE MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW! Sometimes coaches don’t even know you are struggling! Coaches leave practice and think about their team all day and all night! This is their full time job- and it doesn’t end when they leave practice.
So open up- put yourself out there.
Ask the hard questions-
“What exactly do I need to do better”?
“What position do you see me in”?
“Am I able to try something else”?
“How can I be more of a leader ?”
Ask questions,
listen,
do the work,
do the work again,
check back in,
and truly dedicate 4 years to being the best possible player, person, and teammate you can be!
It is super important not to tuck things under the rug.
Consistent communication- but also ACTION on your part is how you will grow and learn!
2-REACH OUT TO MENTORS!
There is so much knowledge out there and people who care about you!! Sometimes talking it through with mentors, or former coaches and players puts a new perspective in place and can help alleviate the feeling of alienation. Don’t be afraid to send a text, email, or give a call to someone you trust. People are out there that understand exactly what you are going through- and it helps to take the time to reach out and hear their feedback!
3-REACH OUT TO CURRENT TEAMMATES
Within your team, there are players who have been in the same boat as you before. Ask to get coffee with someone you trust. Maybe ask a captain or senior who you aren’t as close with if you can talk for a few minutes. That’s what teammates are for! They might have good suggestions for you, or just an ear to listen to. Either way it will allow you to open up and get your thoughts out in the open.
4- FOCUS ON REFRESHING YOUR MINDSET.
This includes a daily commitment to improving your thoughts!
Thoughts are just things!
We aren’t who we are in whole
We are who we think we are!
We are the thoughts we have created and the emotions we feel because of these thoughts! Thoughts can change in a moment. “You are only one thought away from a good thought”
Thoughts control our feelings and emotions.
When your confidence is down you won’t make good decisions. You have to change your thoughts and take action.
We create this Barrier this story (that usually isn’t real) about why you aren’t playing or why you aren’t preforming well. But we must change this story in our minds in order to change our outcome.
5-STAY STRONG! DON’T GIVE UP!
It’s through these tough times, tough conversations, letting our guards down, and being vulnerable that we truly figure out our role, our path, and our journey. You CAN and WILL get through these tough times and come out a better, stronger, more confident person!
Don’t allow the thoughts and conversations we make up in our heads determine your situation.
Be brave, be open to listen! Most importantly, be willing to commit to the daily work to physically , mentally, and emotionally thrive- even when you think it’s not possible.
