{"id":9076,"date":"2023-05-12T11:47:49","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T15:47:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=9076"},"modified":"2025-07-08T06:55:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T10:55:42","slug":"hall-of-fame-lacrosse-players-teamwork-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/hall-of-fame-lacrosse-players-teamwork-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Hall of Fame Lacrosse Player\u2019s Teamwork Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/youth-teamwork.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/youth-teamwork.jpg\" alt=\"Hall of Fame Lacrosse Player\u2019s Teamwork Tips\" class=\"wp-image-9077\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/youth-teamwork.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/youth-teamwork-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Young_Athletes_Should_Park_Their_Egos_Embrace_Teamwork\"><\/span><strong>Young Athletes Should Park Their Egos &amp; Embrace Teamwork<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/hall-of-fame-lacrosse-players-teamwork-tips\/#Young_Athletes_Should_Park_Their_Egos_Embrace_Teamwork\" >Young Athletes Should Park Their Egos &amp; Embrace Teamwork<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/hall-of-fame-lacrosse-players-teamwork-tips\/#Teamwork_Over_Solo_Play\" >Teamwork Over Solo Play<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/hall-of-fame-lacrosse-players-teamwork-tips\/#Related_Articles_on_Kids_Mental_Game\" >Related Articles on Kids&#8217; Mental Game:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/hall-of-fame-lacrosse-players-teamwork-tips\/#Improve_Your_Mental_Game_From_Anywhere_In_The_World\" >Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Syd Abernathy, a two-time All-American former Navy lacrosse player who was recently inducted into the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame, says young athletes should be \u201cserving leaders\u201d who check their ego at the door, embrace open mindsets and focus on being good teammates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During his career, Abernathy\u2019s biggest mental game challenge was playing with very talented players who weren\u2019t <strong>team players<\/strong>, he told us during an interview with our Ultimate Sports Parent podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having talented players on a <strong>team<\/strong> has both advantages and disadvantages, he says. On the one hand, they\u2019re great athletes. But on the other hand, they often focus too much on their own agendas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSometimes it\u2019s better to have enough people of less talent who are pushing the edge of their efficiency to come together because they have more room to grow,\u201d he says. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey can subjugate themselves to the team dynamic in a better way. That in a sense is how sometimes a less talented team beats a more talented team where the players are playing individually.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young athletes can become leaders by supporting the <strong>team<\/strong> from the bottom, rather than the top, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe serving leader is at the bottom of the organization supporting upward. They provide guidance and mentoring,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Teamwork_Over_Solo_Play\"><\/span>Teamwork Over Solo Play<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Lacrosse can be played in different ways. Players can&nbsp;have the ball in their stick and push the pace of the game based on their individual play, Abernathy says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the beauty of the game is when it\u2019s played as a team. That\u2019s when the ball moves to an open player. In fact, players gain points for assisting another player who scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe serving leader tries to find that niche where they\u2019re part of the game, part of the team, and allow for the team overall to perform at the highest level,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young athletes should prepare themselves mentally to play to their strengths as members of the <strong>team<\/strong>. That means checking their egos at the door, says Abernathy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also important for players to have open mindsets, he says. That involves constantly evolving and learning and also observing the team\u2019s group dynamics and understanding the team\u2019s strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a <strong>team<\/strong> is playing the same way at the end of a season as it did at the beginning of the season, the members and the team haven\u2019t grown, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, playing lacrosse requires a lot of mental toughness. Players need the mental toughness to push themselves through the last quarter and take some hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou need the mental toughness to know that you&#8217;re going to take some punishment,\u201d says Abernathy. \u201cThe other portion of that is to recognize that the fourth quarter is really the time to excel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the right mental toughness, lacrosse players can help their team and take pride in what they accomplish, says Abernathy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI took great pride in making sure that I had the competitive advantage and I was in good enough shape and mentally tough enough to prevail in the fourth quarter,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To Learn More Listen to this Podcast:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/26795364\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/no\/direction\/backward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/000000\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"100%\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Kids_Mental_Game\"><\/span>Related Articles on Kids&#8217; Mental Game:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/addressing-outbursts-in-youth-sports\/\">Addressing Outbursts in Youth Sports<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/boosting-athletes-confidence-with-life-skills-lessons\/\">Boosting Athletes\u2019 Confidence with Life Skills Lessons<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-be-team-players\/\">Helping Young Athletes Be Team Players<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a>&nbsp;on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improve_Your_Mental_Game_From_Anywhere_In_The_World\"><\/span><strong>Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/mental-training-for-young-athletes.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6868\" style=\"width:138px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re certain that, as a parent,&nbsp;you want to help your child develop confidence and discipline in sports and life.&nbsp;And as a sports parent, you\u2019d love for your children to reach their potential in sports.&nbsp;But encouraging your child to <strong>strive for greatness without pressuring them<\/strong> can be a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can get expert mental coaching with us from anywhere. Meet with us via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or phone call. With today\u2019s video technology, we are able to connect with athletes and coaches all over the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Call Us Today to Schedule Your Free 15-Minute Session.<\/strong><br><strong>Find Out How Your Athlete Can Benefit From One-on-One Mental Coaching<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Young Athletes Should Park Their Egos &amp; Embrace Teamwork Syd Abernathy, a two-time All-American former Navy lacrosse player who was recently inducted into the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame, says young athletes should be \u201cserving leaders\u201d who check their ego at the door, embrace open mindsets &#8230; <a title=\"Hall of Fame Lacrosse Player\u2019s Teamwork Tips\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/hall-of-fame-lacrosse-players-teamwork-tips\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Hall of Fame Lacrosse Player\u2019s Teamwork Tips\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[661,251],"class_list":["post-9076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-teamwork-in-youth-sports","tag-youth-sports","resize-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9076"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9076\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}