Vol 11, Issue 4

An Analysis of Collegiate Club-Sport Female Lacrosse Players: Sport-Specific Field Test Performance and the Influence of Lacrosse Stick Carrying

June 15, 2018 - By 

Authors

Robert G. Lockie, California State University, Fullerton
Samantha A. Birmingham-Babauta, California State University, Northridge
John J. Stokes, California State University, Northridge
Tricia M. Liu, California State University, Northridge
Fabrice G. Risso, California State University, Fullerton
Adrina Lazar, California State University, Northridge
Dominic V. Giuliano, California State University, Northridge
Ashley J. Orjalo, California State University, Fullerton
Matthew R. Moreno, California State University, Fullerton
Alyssa A. Stage, California State University, Northridge
DeShaun L. Davis, California State University, Fullerton
International Journal of Exercise Science 11(4): 269-280, 2018.
DOI: 10.70252/ALZT6263

Abstract

Lacrosse is a field-based, intermittent sport that requires players to use a stick with a shaft and mesh pocket to manipulate the ball. However, there has been limited analysis of the characteristics of collegiate club-sport players, and whether stick carry influences the sprinting speed of lacrosse players. As a result, this study investigated the field test characteristics of collegiate club-sport female lacrosse players, and the effects of stick carry on linear and change-of-direction speed. Nine players (seven field players, two goalkeepers) volunteered for this study and completed: vertical jump and standing broad jump; 30-meter (m) sprint (0-5, 0-10, and 0-30 m intervals) and modified T-test without and with a stick; and the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test. Magnitude-based inference analyses via effect sizes (d) compared the field players and goalkeepers. Data was pooled for the 30-m sprint and modified T-test to examine the effect of stick carry via paired samples t-tests (p<0.05) and effect sizes. Field players performed better in most field tests (d=0.93-2.45), although goalkeepers generated greater vertical jump power (d=2.01). With regards to the effects of stick carry, there was a significant difference between the faster 0-5 m sprint interval without a stick compared to with a stick (p=0.02), but this had a small effect (d=0.25). There were no differences between the other sprint intervals and modified T-test (p=0.08-0.39; d=0.06-0.19). When contextualized with comparisons to other female collegiate athletes, the results indicated limitations in training exposure for collegiate club-sport lacrosse players. Furthermore, stick carry generally did not affect speed.

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