Lacrosse is a sport that is both physically and mentally challenging for players. It is played by both men and women and the men’s version is a contact sport. Lacrosse actually started as a Native American game and has become very popular today. It is played using a rubber ball a sticks that have nets at the end called pockets.
What You Need
a lacrosse stick
a lacrosse ball
These are the two items you need to practice and learn. It also helps to have a friend to practice drills with, especially throwing and catching. As with any sport, practice is key. An actual lacrosse game is played with two opposing teams that each have ten players on the field at a time. The object of the game is to score goals in a net protected by a goalie. When playing you should also always wear a helmet with a mouth guard, elbow pads, shoulder pads, knee pads and gloves. Stretch properly and hydrate well before practicing any drills and especially before a match.
Your Stick
Not all lacrosse sticks are the same. If you are a beginner, do not be afraid to start with a beginner stick. Whenever you buy a new stick you will need to break in your pocket, which is the net at the end of the stick. Do this by taking your ball and rubbing it against the mesh of the pocket. Going out and practicing, throwing with a friend, will also loosen up the mesh.
Throwing and Catching
The ability to effectively throw and catch using your stick is the foundation of lacrosse. It is important that you properly hold the stick when doing both. When you throw, your top hand should be in the middle of the stick and then your bottom hand at the bottom. If you are just starting it is ok to choke up a little with your bottom hand. Your grip should be soft when you catch and you should move your top hand further up the stick toward the pocket for more control. Use your top hand to guide the ball into the pocket in this way.
After catching the ball, you need to lower you top hand again down to the middle of the stick. When throwing be sure to keep your elbow up and the pocket of your stick behind your head. When catching the pocket needs to be near your face and as you catch you let the stick give with the momentum of the ball. A good drill for both throwing and catching practice is just passing a ball back and forth while standing stationary with a partner.
Cradling Techniques
Cradling the ball is another major part of successful lacrosse playing. Cradling protects your stick and in turn protects the ball when you are carrying it. When you catch the ball if you cannot pass it, you need to keep it in your pocket. It is hard to keep it in the pocket when you are running and even harder to keep it when defenders on the opposing team are trying to check you. Cradling is how you protect it and hold it.
An effective cradle requires holding your stick in your fingers and not in your fist. Your top hand will be doing all of the work while the bottom hand serves as a pivot. You can do cradling drills alone with just yourself, your stick and a ball. Work on keeping the ball in your stick while twisting it toward and away from you. When you are first starting it is fine to look at the ball, but your goal is to be comfortable enough that you can always remain alert during an actual lacrosse match.
Also work on the cross-face cradle where you keep the ball in your stick while shifting it back and forth in front of your face. The power cradle is another important technique, which is a full up and down motion from your hip to your shoulder. One of the most advanced cradling skills is the one-handed cradle. It allows you to use your other arm to block, providing an extra level of protection for the ball.
