How Taking a Break Can Actually Make You Better
Summer lacrosse season is no joke. Between club tournaments, recruiting events, and all the training in between, your body and mind have been in overdrive for months. Not to mention that you had just come out of a high school season before that started up.
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How Taking a Break Can Actually Make You Better
1. It’s Okay to Feel… Everything
Now that the summer has mostly wrapped up, you might be feeling a mix of emotions from relief, to overwhelm, to even guilt if you want to take a break.
Maybe you’re asking yourself:
“What if others are still training? Am I falling behind if I take some time off?”
“I know I need a break, but I’m getting pressure from parents, coaches, or teammates to keep pushing.”
“I feel exhausted, but I’m scared of losing my edge.”
These feelings are normal. Summer ball is intense. By the time July ends, many players are physically drained and mentally burnt out. Some might feel frustrated with their performance, replaying mistakes from tournaments. Others might feel pressure to jump straight into fall club or private lessons to "keep up" with everyone else. Some may be anxious about that September 1st date coming up when college coaches may (or may not) call. It’s a lot.
Here’s the truth: Stepping back right now isn’t falling behind—it’s actually how you stay ahead. Without proper rest, all the work you just put in this summer can turn into fatigue, injuries, and mental burnout. Taking time to recharge doesn’t erase your progress—IT PROTECTS IT.
2. Rest is Part of the Process
Every athlete knows about the importance of training, but the best athletes also know how to recover. Your body needs time to heal from the wear and tear of summer tournaments/training. So does your mind. If you’re starting to feel tired of lacrosse or a little burnt out, that’s not weakness—that’s your body telling you it needs a break.
Think of it like a phone battery: You can’t keep going without recharging. The “off” season is what sets you up for the next-level performance when you step back on the field.
3. Don’t Feel Guilty About It
There’s so much pressure to play year-round, but breaks don’t mean you’re lazy. They mean you’re being smart.
Taking 1-2 weeks off lacrosse won’t erase your skills. It will actually give you a hunger to come back sharper, both mentally and physically.
4. Find the Fun Again
Sometimes we get so caught up in the pressure of club, showcases, and stats that we forget why we started playing in the first place—because it’s fun. You can use this time to bring that feeling back if you’re up for some light play. If not, take some time totally off. But if you get a little bit of the itch and want to keep it light:
Play pick-up with friends.
Try new stick tricks.
Hit the wall with music blasting just because it feels good.
No stress, no coaches watching—just you, your stick, and the game you love.
5. Stay in Shape Without the Grind
A “break” doesn’t mean sitting on the couch for a month. It just means switching gears. Do things that make you feel strong but aren’t as mentally draining as practices or tournaments.
Get outside—bike, swim, hike, or go for a fun run.
Do quick bodyweight workouts or yoga to stay loose and mobile.
Try some boxing classes.
Join a pickleball league.
Sometimes the best “training” is just moving your body in ways that make you feel good, and maybe taking a break from the same things you’ve been doing all year so far.
6. Challenge Yourself in New Ways
If you still crave competition or a little fun with some pressure that YOU are choosing and controlling, then create your own mini-challenges:
Make up some fun wall ball challenges for yourself. Try new skills, or look to get more reps in a row, or a certain amount of reps in a week, etc.
Can you master three new stick tricks before September?
These challenges keep your skills sharp without the same pressure of full practices or games.
7. The Payoff of the Pause
When fall club starts back up (if you’re doing that), you’ll be ready—not just physically but mentally. While other players are dragging from summer burnout, you’ll have fresh legs, a clear head, and renewed confidence.
Taking a break now doesn’t slow your progress—it sets you up to crush it later.
8. Consider Playing a Fall or Winter Sport
Taking a break from lacrosse doesn’t mean stepping away from being an athlete. In fact, playing another sport in the fall or winter can make you an even better lacrosse player. Sports like basketball, soccer, etc. help build agility, endurance, and game sense that directly translate to the field. The change can give you fresh energy and even improve your footwork, vision, and reaction time in a new way.
You don’t have to do everything year-round to stay on top. Sometimes switching gears and competing in another sport not only reduces burnout but also makes you sharper when lacrosse starts again. You can even play club while playing a fall or winter sport for your school team.
There is SO MUCH value in the multi-sport athlete. Players these days are pressured too much to narrow down to one sport, and that may not be best for everyone. Weigh out your options, and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty if changing it up is what you really want to do. It can only benefit you in the long run.
Final Word to Players
If you take one thing from this: Don’t feel guilty about resting, recharging, or changing it up. Great players know when to push and when to recharge. Use this time to refocus, play for fun, and let yourself breathe. When the next season rolls around, you’ll be ready to take your game to the next level.
