How to Defend in Lacrosse: Footwork, Positioning, and Using the Crease
This lacrosse defensive drill shows how to deny a player's strong hand, use the crease as help, and control the dodger without overcommitting.
The Back Check: A Defender’s Secret Weapon
The back check is the defender’s ambush—quiet, lethal, and all about timing. You’re not swinging for glory; you’re waiting for that moment when the offensive player gets sloppy with his cradle, then whap—plastic on plastic, ball on turf. This isn’t a desperate hack from behind. It’s calculated, it’s practiced, and when done right, it flips the script behind the cage without drawing a flag.
3 Essential Dodging Tips to Protect Your Stick in Lacrosse
Learn three simple but effective dodging techniques that will help your players protect their stick and avoid turnovers against aggressive defenders.
How to Teach Shooting on the Run in Lacrosse – Step-by-Step Drill
This drill teaches players how to shoot overhand while on the run. It helps develop shooting form, shoulder rotation, and momentum toward the goal.
How to Teach Defensive Stance in Boys’ Lacrosse: Easy Step-by-Step Guide
Learn the basics of a powerful lacrosse defensive stance. This simple concept improves footwork, positioning, and reaction speed.
Mastering the Shooting Cradle in Lacrosse: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
Discover how the shooting cradle helps new players throw, pass, and shoot with better control. A must-learn for beginners looking to level up their skills.
The Art of Playing Offense Without the Ball in Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team game where only one player has possession at any given time, so the success of an offensive set depends on the movement and intelligence of the other five players off the ball. To be an effective offensive player, focus on four key principles: Create, Cut, Pass, and Anticipate.
Throwing a Fake in Men's Lacrosse
Throwing a fake in men’s lacrosse involves using wrist movements, body language, and stick control to deceive goalies and defenders, creating scoring opportunities or opening up space for teammates. By practicing different types of fakes, such as wrist fakes or over-the-top fakes, and executing them with purpose and precision, players can elevate their game and keep opponents off balance.
How to Take Away the Middle in Lacrosse Defense – Simple 1v1 Strategy
Learn how to play one-on-one defense at the top of the field by taking away the middle and forcing attackers down the alley with smart body positioning and patience.
Shooting on the Run: Unlocking Power and Precision in Lacrosse
Executing an effective shot on the run is a crucial skill in sports like lacrosse. It involves a combination of movements and body adjustments that allow players to make powerful and accurate shots even while in motion. Mastering this technique improves reaction time, control, and shot power, resulting in more unpredictable and harder-to-defend plays.
Men’s Lacrosse Defense Checklist: On-Ball, Off-Ball, and Sliding Technique
This checklist breaks down essential defensive skills for lacrosse players, focusing on footwork, positioning, and communication to dominate on-ball, off-ball, picks and slides.
Face-offs in Men’s Lacrosse: Technique and Strategy to Win Possession
In men’s lacrosse, face-offs are essential plays that occur at the start of each quarter and after every goal. This battle for possession gives both teams a chance to control the game from the outset. In this article, we delve into what a face-off is, how it’s executed, and why it’s a crucial skill in lacrosse.
How to Catch a Lacrosse Ball
Catching a lacrosse ball may seem simple, but mastering this skill is essential for fluid, effective play. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, learning the correct technique for catching helps you control the game, protect the ball, and make faster moves on the field. In this guide, we cover the key steps to improve your catching technique, from providing a clear target to using "soft hands" for control.
How to Throw a Lacrosse Ball: Key Steps for Accuracy and Control
Throwing a lacrosse ball with accuracy and control is a foundational skill that every player needs to master. This guide covers the essential techniques, from hand positioning to follow-through, so that players can learn to throw effectively, maintain precision, and control the ball with confidence.
How to Execute the Rusty Gate Check in Men’s Lacrosse
The Rusty Gate Check is a flashy, high-risk defensive maneuver in men’s lacrosse where a defender swings their stick around their back to dislodge the ball from an opponent. While impressive, it requires precision and timing to avoid penalties and maintain defensive positioning.
The V-Hold: An Essential Defensive Technique in Lacrosse
The V-hold is more than just a defensive move—it’s a way to control the game. By using your stick as a lever and positioning your body effectively, you can steer the ball carrier away from high-percentage shooting areas and dictate the pace of play. This technique allows defenders to maintain pressure without overcommitting, forcing opponents into uncomfortable positions while staying balanced and in control
Cutting off ball
Off-ball cutting is all about creating space and opportunities. By constantly moving, reading defenders, and using quick fakes, players can break down defenses and open lanes for passes. Timing and communication with teammates are essential to catching defenders off-guard and increasing scoring chances. Keep moving and stay unpredictable!
The Question Mark Dodge
You drive hard, leaning into the defender, selling the topside move. Then—plant. In a heartbeat, you roll back, hands shifting, eyes on the lower corner. The defender stumbles, lost in your quick spin. The ball leaves your stick, flying low past the goalie. The move was a question mark, but the finish? Pure exclamation.
Teaching the Pick and Roll
The pick and roll in lacrosse is a powerful offensive strategy that creates space and confuses defenses by having one player set a screen while the other rolls to open space for a pass or shot. Teaching this play focuses on timing, communication, and reading the defense, making it an essential tool for generating scoring opportunities.
Top 5 tips for Stick Protection when Dodging
Master the art of lacrosse dodging with essential tips for stick protection and footwork. Learn how to cradle naturally while on the run, shield your stick with body positioning, and keep defenders guessing with sharp changes in direction and plane. Elevate your game with these key techniques designed to help you dominate on the field.