Buffs Wrap-Up Preseason, Look to 2009                                                                               
By: Scott Cunnigham; Public Relations, CU Men's Lacrosse

Boulder, CO (Jan. 8, 2009) - The fall season for the 2008-09 University of Colorado Men’s Lacrosse team has been about a little bit more than just lifting weights and scrimmaging. Though the Buffs have pushed themselves through three hard months of strength and speed training, as well as two hard fought battles with rival Colorado State, the team has experienced some less traditional methods designed to increase team unity and to prepare the team for redemption after a disappointing spring season.

After the 2008 season was in the books, a reading list and a movie viewing list were issued to returning players for completion during the summer. The films and literature focused on the values of hard work (e.g., King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero) and redemption (e.g., The Count of Monte Cristo).

The first activity for the team this fall started with a week-long tryout for new, incoming players only. The group included talented walk-ons, recruited players, and transfers from schools such as Saint John’s NY and the former Butler University Lacrosse program. The incoming class will help shore up a roster that remains largely intact from the spring.  New players were then invited to compete in a second week of tryouts with returners before the fall roster was set.

Throughout the fall, players worked hard to increase their strength and stamina, and their 16 weeks of weight lifting and speed training, which was administered by a professional athletic training staff, has paid off.

“Guys have shown a tremendous amount of progress this fall,” says CU Assistant Coach Dave Leach. “Players have increased strength across the board, and most of the guys have shaved significant time off of their 40-yard dash times.”

Also thrown into the training mix was eight weeks of yoga. A lot of people may think that yoga is just a fancy way to stretch for a new-age life style, but the practice has many athletic benefits. Enough, in fact, that a number of professional and collegiate teams, including the NBA San Antonio Spurs, have added it to their training regimen. The not so easily achieved yoga positions greatly increases balance, strength, and flexibility.

Taking Advantage of Your Surroundings

It has become very popular for athletes to travel hundreds of miles to gain the benefits of training at high altitude. Luckily for the University of Colorado, it only has to take a short bus ride. In September, the Buffs gathered in beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park for a 12-mile trek through the thin mountain air. The hike took the team above timberline to Lawn Lake, a picturesque glacial lake located at over 11,000 feet above sea level. The Buffaloes already play and practice above 5,300 feet, so the team hopes to enjoy an endurance advantage over teams located outside of the Rockies.

This season, fans and coaches should see a stronger, fitter, more flexible group of Buffs ready to return to their winning ways and find a comfortable spot atop the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference in 2009.