Comparison of Physical Fitness Parameters for Starters vs. Nonstarters in an NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Team

Sell, KM, Prendergast, JM, Ghigiarelli, JJ, Gonzalez, AM, Biscardi, LM, Jajtner, AR, and Rothstein, AS. Comparison of physical fitness parameters for starters vs. nonstarters in an NCAA Division I men's lacrosse team. J Strength Cond Res 32(11): 3160-3168, 2018-The purpose of this study was to present a fitness profile of Division I male lacrosse players and compare the fitness attributes across different positions and starting status. Forty-one Division I men's lacrosse players (19.6 ± 1.6 years, 82.5 ± 9.5 kg, 182.0 ± 5.4 cm) volunteered to participate in the study. Fitness attributes assessed included aerobic fitness (1.5-mile run), muscular strength (1 repetition maximum bench press, squat, and hang clean), grip strength (hand dynamometer), explosive power (vertical jump), agility (3-cone drill, pro-agility), body composition (7-site skinfold), and speed (20- and 40-yard sprint). All testing was conducted by a certified strength and conditioning coach and occurred at the conclusion of pre-season training. The only significant difference across positions was for body mass, whereby defensemen were significantly heavier than attacking players (p < 0.05). Starters were significantly faster on the 3-cone drill, 20- and 40-yard sprint, and jumped significantly higher on the vertical jump compared with nonstarters (p < 0.05). Attributes pertaining to anaerobic fitness (speed, agility, and explosive power) may be better predictors of starting status than aerobic fitness in men's NCAA Division I lacrosse players. This differs from previous research on men's club lacrosse players where a difference in aerobic fitness and body composition was shown between starters and nonstarters. The normative data presented in this study may assist strength and conditioning coaches in the development of sport-specific training programs and motivate athletes toward achieving sport-specific fitness goals by helping identify areas of weakness before the start of the season.