This Fall at MCHS, boys and girls lacrosse camps were held at McCracken Field as opposed to the usual summer camps.
The boys camp was held on Sept. 29 and Oct. 6, and the girls camp was held on Sept. 15 and 29.
The camp’s date shift was meant to allow more returning players to attend the camp because of the busy sports summer camp schedules, and for potential new players to get more exposure in front of the coaches during the fall. Athletic Director Chris Madson felt the camps were a success, as it gave players something to do in the fall.
“Camps were this fall, as opposed to the summer,” Madson said. “Due to the time demands players had in the summer. It was a creative solution that the coaches for each program came up with, in an attempt to promote the sport and offer a fall camp for the athletes. The camp was successful and offered athletes something fun to do on the weekends in the fall while they await their seasons to start in the spring.”
During the camp, players practiced skills such as passing, scoring and understanding the fundamental skills of the game. The camps served as an important opportunity for coaches to get an idea of how the team will perform in the spring and to learn more about new players. Boys Head Coach Sandra Lidbury also feels the camp was successful, and that it was an important time to grow team chemistry before the season starts.
“The main idea of the camp was to get out and have some fun playing lacrosse, which they did,” Lidbury said. “The new guys got started with the basic skills needed to play lacrosse and we’re able to work through some progressions with the returning players, and the returning players got to put in some work with their teammates allowing everyone to get back on the same page and start to play as one team,” Lidbury said.
Heading into the spring season, Lidbury feels the season is looking good for the team based on the improvements made at the end of last season.
“The spring season looks good for us. Our team is fairly young but they’ve been playing together for a few seasons now and really started gelling at the end of last season,” Lidbury said. “We have some really talented players on the team and everyone is looking to improve over what we did last year. The guys are hyped to play and looking to get new players into the sport to help grow the team. With everyone putting in the work we’re on the right track.”
Lidbury isn’t the only coach in the program who feels their team is headed in the right direction, Girls Head Coach Charles Solomon also sees room for improvement from his team heading into their season, and is excited for the opportunity.
“I chose to come to McHenry because I had heard great things about AD Madson and the mentality and work ethic of the athletes,” Solomon said. “To be able to teach a sport I love which also happens to be the greatest opportunity for high school players to continue playing in college makes me excited, and I know our players feel the same way .”