Q & A with Max Seibald
Y1 - Talk about your experience as a youth athlete and how important it was in your development.
MS - I have played sports my entire life. For as long as I can remember I was always running around playing every different sport you can think of. And because of this, sports in general have always been a huge part of my life. I am a natural competitor and even at the youth level, I always strived to be the best, because I hated to lose. That alone taught me the value of hard work. Playing so many different sports at the youth level gave me so many great experiences and opportunities, and has taught me so much about leadership, friendship, communication skills, work ethic, being a team player, sportsmanship, etc. Being a young athlete not only made me a better player, but it also made me a better person.
Y1 - The game of Lacrosse on a youth level is growing at an unprecedented rate. What is the reason for this explosion in popularity?
MS - Lacrosse is like no other sport for many reasons. First off, it has so many different aspects of other sports tied into one game. It is hard to think of a sport other than lacrosse where you can find the contact, the speed, the quickness, the precision, the skill, the endurance, the style and finesse. The game of lacrosse also allows anyone the opportunity to be good. You don't have to be abnormally tall, strong, fast or quick to be a good lacrosse player. The game is also very new in a lot of areas, which is why it is so attractive to youth players. A lot of the time, people are just fascinated by the game because they have never seen anything like it.
Y1 - Why is it important for young kids to play?
MS - It's very important for young kids to play sports in general, not just lacrosse. You learn so much from competition and being part of a team. There are experiences and opportunities that you cant find anywhere else in life other than on the playing field. And you will meet some great people, likely people who will have a huge impact on your life one way or another.
Y1 - How does playing Lacrosse help athletes in other fall sports like football and soccer cross train?
Playing lacrosse helps athletes in other fall sports mainly because you are just out competing. Lacrosse specifically teaches you many skills that transfer over to other sports. The footwork, the hand-eye coordination with contact, the communication, the ability to anticipate the next move and also perform under pressure are just some of the aspects of lacrosse that make you a better athlete in the other sports.
Y1 - The Tewaarton trophy is the Lacrosse equivalent of the Heisman. Talk about winning that unbelievable honor at Cornell.
MS - It was a great honor to win the Tewaaraton Trophy because it was a testament to me that hard work does pay off. I set a goal to be the best, and I achieved that on a personal level.It took a whole lot of work, but it also took a great coaching staff that molded me into a better player and a whole bunch of great teammates who pushed me in practice and workouts, and made me look good come game day.
Y1 - Nike saw enough in you to sign you as one of their Lacrosse athletes. Are you and Nike going to bring Lacrosse more mainstream?
MS - I am excited to be a part of the Nike team and I know great things are ahead. The Nike lacrosse team is excited about bringing innovation and great product to the game, and plan to make a huge push in lacrosse to make it more mainstream.
Y1 - You're involved in the community in so many ways, but you're camps you run hold a special place for you. Where will they be held this Summer?
MS - Maximum Lacrosse Camps will be holding camps throughout June. Beginning June 8-11, I am holding a camp out in Colorado. June 20-23 I am having a camp at TCU down in Texas. And my last camp will be on Long Island from June 28-July 1. After that, I have training camp with Team USA and then July 12-25 I head over to Manchester, England to compete for USA and bring back the gold.
Y1 - Let the Youth1 readers know about the amazing products you are sponsoring.
MS - There are actually two products I support. The first, EFX (www.efxusa.com) is basically an embedded wearable holographic technology that is designed to help maximize your performance and overall well-being. I wear an EFX bracelet all the time. The second product that I support is the FP 360 by MaxXcel (www.maxxcel.com). This is a training product that attaches to your lacrosse stick that builds core muscles in the hand, wrist and forearm. This strengthens your grip allowing you to have greater control and power with your lacrosse stick. This ultimately will lead to a faster shot, more accuracy and a quicker release. With better control of your stick, you can only become a better lacrosse player. This is a great product especially for the youth level.