Which position is right for you?

Consider the following points to determine which position is right for you:

• Do you want to score goals?
• Are you willing to watch your team play defense since you are on the other side of the field and unable to help?
• Are you tough enough to have your arms whacked and bruised constantly by defensemen as you try to score?
• Are you tough enough to withstand a body check from a defender after you shoot the ball?
• Are you willing to be responsible for how successful your team's offense is?

If the answer to most of these questions is "yes", then you should consider playing the attack position. Attackmen are goal scorers. They have to stay on the offensive half of the field and their primary role is to put the ball in the back of the net to ensure their team's victory. The glory comes with a price though, as they are the primary targets of defenders looking to dish out punishment.

• Do you want to use your footwork, body position, and a long stick to try and stop your opponents from scoring?
• Are you able to constantly shout on the field to communicate and direct your teammates?
• Do you want to be responsible for stopping the other team from scoring?
• Do you want to poke, whack, and constantly pester your opponent with your stick?
• Would you enjoy legally hitting opponents when they are in front of the lacrosse goal?
• Are you willing to watch your team play offense without your help?
• As a long-stick is more difficult to handle, are you willing to put in extra work to improve your stick handling skills?

If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, then you should consider playing defense. Defenders are essentially "enforcers" on the lacrosse field. They must stay on the defensive end of the field. Their main responsibility is to try to knock the ball out of their opponents' sticks with body contact or by checking their opponents stick as they carry the ball. Defenders are allowed to use lacrosse sticks twice the length of other sticks so that they can poke, check, and slap their opponents with great force and try to jar the ball loose.

• Do you always want to be involved in the action of the game?
• Do you want to play both offense and defense?
• Are you willing to hustle back and forth across the field?
• Do you want to dictate the flow and speed of the game?
• Do you want to be responsible for getting the ball from the defensive half of the field to the offensive half of the field?
• Do you want to "face-off" at the beginning of the game?

If you answered "yes" to most of these questions, then you should consider being a midfielder. Midfielders are the "utility men" in the lacrosse game as they play both offense and defense. Since they get to play both sides of the field, midfielders get to see the most "action" but also are frequently substituted in and out of the game as running from one end of the field to the other becomes tiring.

• Would you be able to defend the goal even though you may be hit by shots?

If you answered "yes" to this question, then you should consider being a goalie. Goalies can't be afraid of being hit with the ball. Even if you answered "yes" to this question, you should perform this test to see how well-suited you are for the goalie position. Stand in front of a goal and pretend to be a goalie with your normal sized lacrosse stick, not a goalie stick. Have a partner stand 10-15 yards away with a tennis ball (a tennis ball is softer than a lacrosse ball and won't hurt nearly as much if it hits you). Have the partner "shoot" at the goal 5 times, as hard as he can, while you play the goalie position and try to stop the ball. Were you able to save his shots? If so, great! But that still doesn't mean you'd be a good goalie. Did you flinch when the ball was coming at you? Did you scoot to the side just a little bit as you tried to catch his shot? Did you duck at all? This is the true test to determine whether or not you're suited to be a goalie, NOT whether or not you were able to save the ball. Someone who is ready to be a goalie will not be afraid of a lacrosse ball, let alone a tennis ball. Being unafraid of getting hit with the ball is the most important part of being a goalie. If you want to be a goalie and passed this test, work with your lacrosse coach on technique and developing hand quickness. You will then have all the tools you need to become a great goalie.