Lacrosse is an amalgamation of various sports, and playing other sports can provide you with the unique advantage of doing and seeing things on the field for the first time. Becoming a multi-sport athlete is also a major appeal to college lacrosse coaches in terms of recruitment. As the traditional season comes to an end, here are some of the best sports for lacrosse players in the offseason that might interest you.

Basketball

When you break it all down, basketball is very similar to lacrosse, given the high intensity up and down the court, the pick and rolls, cuts, and more. If you are looking to be in great shape right before the lacrosse season begins, basketball is an excellent option that will certainly boost your IQ keep you physically engaged.

Ice Hockey

Ice hockey is another one of the best sports for lacrosse players in the offseason who want to remain in shape and improve their skills. With ice hockey, the main benefit lacrosse players get from the sport is being able to improve their hand-eye coordination. Ice hockey can also help with your stamina and toughness by the time the lax season rolls around.

Soccer

Soccer has seen just as much growth as lacrosse in recent years. There’s also a lot of running involved in soccer, and going with a sport similar to lacrosse in that aspect can help a ton. Footwork is a major component of lacrosse as well, and playing soccer can give you the edge you might be looking for on offense or defense.

Like basketball, soccer is an excellent way to get fit before the season, especially if you are a midfielder in lacrosse. Soccer is also a nice counterbalance to lacrosse since it requires less equipment.

Football

It’s also common for lacrosse players to throw on different types of pads and play football during the fall. Like the other sports listed, there are numerous benefits to playing football, such as improving footwork when you don’t have a stick in your hand.

Jim Brown is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, but he is also just as revered for his lacrosse career at Syracuse. It’s no secret New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick also has an affection and history with the game. Even one of Belichick’s former players, Chris Hogan, now plays in the PLL.

The transition from one sport to the other can be seamless and highly instrumental to a player’s development. When playing another sport, there’s a concern about it being too expensive. What’s great about playing football is that you can also use high-top lacrosse cleats and as one way to save money!

Box Lacrosse

Players should also consider taking their game indoors during the winter and play box lacrosse. All those skilled Canadian players you see tend to learn that from playing box, and you can take your stick handling to the next level, too.

This lacrosse discipline is also more physical and requires players to play both offense and defense in a compact 5v5 setting. If you are looking to try box lacrosse this winter, you can find the additional equipment you need at Lacrosse Fanatic!