Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/29/17
From Press Release
NXT Lacrosse proudly announces the return of the NXT Lacrosse Academy (NLA), a premier winter training program at Main Line Sports Center in Berwyn. The NLA was created three years ago with the elite male and female player in mind, and it continues to push serious players to realize their maximum potential in the off-season.
This winter will feature January and February sessions led by NXT girls’ and boys’ program directors Kate Henwood and P.T. Ricci. Henwood and Ricci will be accompanied by an elite group of coaches executing advanced, position specific, fast-paced training in small-group settings.
The NLA curriculum incorporates the latest training methods from Division I lacrosse. Said Peter Lawrence, CEO of NXT, and himself a former head Division I coach “NXT chooses to have former Division I coaches lead our NLA trainings because we want elite players to understand what lacrosse at the next level looks like.”
The girls NLA begins January 6th, and runs for 120 minutes. Past girls sessions have sold out at 100 players per session. “Elite players crave the training that they experience at the NLA”, said Henwood. “They learn a season’s worth of information in 120 minutes, they are drenched in sweat, and they are smiling about it!”
According to Henwood the girls NLA will feature an upgraded format this year, “we have divided the high school and middle school age groups this year to ensure that every player works with and gets feedback from our top coaches.” Players in the graduation years of 2018-2021 will train from 12-2pm, followed by 2022-2024 grad year players who will train from 2-4pm. Henwood is finalizing the college coaches who will also participate, but currently expects the coaching staff to be rounded out by college coaches from Delaware, Princeton, Drexel, La Salle, Temple, Rutgers, UMBC, Bryant and Monmouth.
Beginning on January 7, 2018, The boys NLA will take place on Sundays for two hours with the first 30 minutes taking place in the classroom. The classroom portion will cover college level film breakdown, white board time, goal setting and a detailed breakdown of the skills and drills to be covered.
The NLA will be position specific for the first hour of field training, and will conclude with 30 minutes of small-sided drills designed to test the skills learned. “The NLA is our highest level application based training for elite players. Each player will be coached by current and former Division I and Division III college coaches just like at a college practice, said Ricci, it’s intense!”
For the first time ever NXT will also offer a separate “Committed” winter session for high school boys who are currently committed to a college program. The “Committed” is meant to be for the best local players who desire to improve and compete against the areas best, and build’s off the success of NXT’s summer-only girls committed training sessions. “Having the opportunity to get some of the best high school players in the area together to compete for four consecutive weeks in the winter is something that is new to the area.” said Ricci. Past committed participants in the NLA have gone on to play for college programs including Ohio State, Notre Dame, Hartford, Maryland, and Richmond, and others plan to return again this winter.
Players in the graduation years of 2022-2024 will train from 12:30-2:30pm, 2021-2018 grad year players will train from 2-4pm, and high school Committed training from 3-5pm.
Those interested in learning more about the NXT Lacrosse Academy can read more about it here. Any player wishing to participate must apply here. The two- step registration process exists to ensure the correct amount of elite players are enrolled in each position at each age group.