You have seen it. You have probably done it. And you love it. The famed Lax Celly. Scoring in Lacrosse is always followed by some celebration by the players on the field…or off. Bringing some flair and personalization to your celebrating is just as common as doing the same with your play. What is important to consider when doing this though, is “How am I going to look?”. Seriously. If you do something that is either inappropriate or embarrassing, during a celebration it can bring a lot of negative attention to you. Especially if you weren’t the one that scores.
In order to make sure you don’t do something that could get you a penalty, a talking to from your coach, or land you in trouble with an athletic department; try to keep the following in mind before you step on the field so you don’t become the laughingstock of the Lacrosse Community.
Lacrosse Is a Game About Respect. Keep It That Way.
Your Lacrosse Celebration should be a moment of happiness and pride, not hatred. You shouldn’t be trying to piss someone off with your Lax Celebration, you should be showing pride in your work. Keeping your celebration fun and creative, rather than insulting will keep everyone cool and not make you a target. If you are thinking that your celebration isn’t going to cause any hard feelings then your fine.
Keep your celebration classy. I had a Coach that always said “Make it about you. Not Them.” His message was to not even give the other team the satisfaction of knowing you care about what they would think. If your celebration is about you, and not them, then you can’t get knocked off your game. A great team to check out is Notre Dame’s Women’s Lacrosse Team who really do have more fun with their celebrations that are ALL ABOUT THEM.
Making your Lax Celly about you and your teammates will also bring you all closer.
This can take practice and rehearsal that is independent of your average Lacrosse practice. Be creative. Be bold. You can be original by coming up with your own ideas, but don’t be afraid to draw inspiration from some of the best around! Matt Gibson, an attackman for the NY Lizards known for his amazing hands is also a Lax Celly icon and has been one since his college days. Just take a look right here.
Now that is a way to have some innocent fun like the thoroughbred that Gibson is. Keep in mind, not the scorer; but he was the one you had your eye on right? That is one way to make in impact with a Lax Celly that is my next point.
You Can Be A Master of The Lax Celebration and Not Even Play.
The Bench Mob is a staple of the Lacrosse world. If you are on a team, you don’t want to miss out on this special group. The University of Maryland is no doubt one of the best teams year after year. Every player on their team is a great Lacrosse player, but you only get to play 10 players at a time. Some never see the field during games and there isn’t any shame in that, but not supporting the players on the field is another story. You shouldn’t hold anything back when you are celebrating. Take pride in your celebrating just as you take pride in your play. Always make sure that your teammates know that you are there for them. On the field, and off the field.
Now that is a dedication to the celebration. Notice how passionate they are for their team. Team spirit like that is what can drive championship caliber teams. When the players know there are 50+ other players behind them supporting them, it makes for one amazing brotherhood. It is important to always be there for our teammates like that, but that does not always mean celebrating to that extent.
Only Celebrate When It’s Appropriate.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. Not all teams were created equal, and sometimes schedules don’t always line up the best. In your career, you will play games against teams that are much worse and much better than you. You have to keep in mind who you are playing and when in the game it is. Doing a front flip or a team ‘Row the Boat’ down or up 20 against someone probably isn’t the best idea. This comes back to the idea of “Respect” in lacrosse. There is no need to act like you just won the game in OT when your lacrosse goal was pretty meaningless. I am not saying don’t be excited, and don’t hide it; just be smart about your celebration.
Sometimes Less is More.
I’m sure you’ve heard “act like you’ve been there before” and if you haven’t now you have. When you score it can say a lot more about you if you treat it like any other goal. A walk-off can be a celebration too if executed well. It shows class and tells the other team that you intend to score many more goals. Many, many, more goals. Keep in mind that if you choose to use this as your Lax Celly then you should always walk-off to your teammates and embrace/high-five them. It’s a team sport after all. And you can pull a more elaborate or eye-catching celebration for your best goals if still want to have some fun with your celebrations.
Have Some Fun With It and Be Creative.
It is fun, and can be exciting to copy a signature celebration such as Rolando’s “Only Me, Lebron’s “Silencer”, or RP3’s “Superman. However, making a celebration all your own can be even better. This can make you stand out as your own player rather than a copier. While creating your own Lax Celly can be difficult, it is not impossible. You also need to draw inspiration from other great celebrators and take advantage of all your resources. Use your stick, your teammates, your stadium, your whole field if you need. The world of Lax Celly’s is your oyster and you just need to crack it open!
Here is some more great example to use as “research” and be sure to check back later as we cover the best celebrations of all time!
