Developing Mental Toughness for Lacrosse

Get a practical approach to developing mental toughness from a legendary coach Dom Starsia. Developed from a coach's perspective, this video shares tips and techniques for mental toughness developed and refined over 30 years of coaching at the highest level.

Coach Starsia highlights the importance of mental toughness and the role it has played in the success of Virginia men's lacrosse. This sequence is complemented with game footage that focuses on one-goal games and situations where mental toughness has had a significant and tangible benefit.

The video provides a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look into Virginia's run to the 2011 National Championship and the preparations - mental and physical - that go into such an accomplishment. The footage includes part of Coach Starsia's pre-game talk to the players.

Using the challenges and ultimate success of the 2011 season, Coach Starsia discuss the key qualities that he sees as critical components of mental toughness, including:

• consistency
• resilience
• poise
• selflessness

In addition to input from Coach Starsia, this section also includes players' thoughts and feelings of , giving the viewer a number of perspectives and a clear indication of just how powerful a focus on mental toughness can be.

The final segment of the video concentrates on practical applications. Coach Starsia shares his experiences and how these can be woven into any program to develop skills, behaviors and character in players, which will, in turn, develop mental toughness. Coaches are reminded of their ability to develop players in ways that will benefit them off the field and well after their playing careers have come to an end.

The video ends with a series of mental toughness drills that Coach Starsia introduces on the whiteboard before running his squad through them on the field. You will see and hear Coach Starsia working with his team, focusing on specific points covering ground balls, ball handling under pressure and decision making.

75 minutes. 2014.