Kinnelon Varsity Boys Lacrosse has Been Putting in the Work
From Conditioning to Winter leagues, Kinnelon Boys are doing their best in preparation for the 2024 Lacrosse Season.
The boys have started their preseason around November. Coach Mott holds speed and conditioning two times a week where the boys do drills that will help make them faster, prevent injuries, make them stronger, etc. They continue to prepare by practicing on their own and having captains practice on the Kinnelon turf. During their captain’s practices, they practice their stick skills and shooting accuracy.
Senior and Captain Jake Piccola says, “We had a great season last year, and we’ve been trying hard to have a very successful upcoming season hopefully.” The boys constantly put in the work to get better, and some of the players even signed up for Turf City which is a winter league where the boys play against other teams. It’s a 55-minute running clock game that gives the boys extra practice during the pre-season.
Deep Dive into Boys Lacrosse Strength and Conditioning
Kinnelon Boys Lacrosse Team Prepares For March 14th.
March 14th is the start of the spring sports season. To prepare, coaches have been holding plyometrics, conditioning, cone work, and weight training in the weight room. Senior and Captain Jake Piccola says, “During speed and conditioning we do cone work to help with dodging and footwork. This is all important because it prepares us for the season, and prevents us from injuries.” This also prepares the boys for the running and weightlifting tests that will be held on the 12th and 13th. There are two running tests, a full field shuttle in under one minute forty seconds. And a mile and a half in under ten minutes, and ten seconds. There are then three workout tests, they have to bench their body weight five times. Do ten pull-ups, and fifteen dips. The players are then ranked by how they perform. Platinum, which is the best level, and gold, which is the second best. If the boys can achieve the running test under the given times and complete the lifting tests with the right weight and the right amount of reps, then they make platinum level. If they can do all but one of the tests, they achieve the gold level.
Team Room Activities
Celebration room, locker room, and halftime room all in one.
The Kinnelon Boys Lacrosse team has a designated room, that they call the “team room”.
The team room holds all the gear for the lacrosse boys, and the boys change in there for games and practices just like a locker room. They also use it during halftime to talk things through, and before games to prepare.
The most exciting part though, is going back to the team room after a win to celebrate.
The Lacrosse team is doing the task lottery. The task lottery is a raffle that the captains organize.
Senior Captain, Jake Piccola said, “We place every player’s number into a bag. Then we read a list of all the jobs like getting the water, the ice bucket, the ball bags, the tool bag, the whiteboard, and more.” He then explains that as they pull people’s numbers out of a bag they are assigned a job. Not everyone gets a job, but it is all randomized.
Saturday Lacrosse Scrimmage Showdown
Kinnelon Boys Varsity Lacrosse gears up for a pre-season scrimmage.
With the lacrosse season approaching, all eyes are on the upcoming scrimmage of the Kinnelon Boys Varsity Lacrosse team against Montclair Kimberley Academy on March 26th at four thirty away. Captain Jake Piccola says, “This scrimmage is very important, because it sets our expectations for the upcoming season, and it gives the coaches the feel of how the players do in the games. The scrimmage is especially important for the players who want to get more playing time during the real season.”
The Kinnelon team is hoping to set a good tone for the rest of the season, getting a win using lots of strategy, and skill that they’ve been practicing with for a while.
To prepare for the scrimmage the boys did a mock scrimmage during practice, playing against each other. The teams were green versus white, and the white team won. This is important because it helped them see if their plays worked well, if their rides were good, and if the clear was good.
