3 Essential Dodging Tips to Protect Your Stick in Lacrosse

One-Handed Cradle

• Hold the stick in your dominant hand with the shaft at your fingertips.

• Keep your body between the defender and your stick at all times.

• Cradle using your wrist, not your full arm.

• Use your opposite arm to protect your space and turn your body to “show your numbers” to the defender if needed.

• Keep your head up while cradling.

• Changing Direction

  • Set up cones 5–10 yards apart.

  • Move laterally between cones while maintaining your body between the defender and your stick.

  • This trains you to cradle and protect the stick while dodging left and right.

  • Add a passive defender to practice reacting to stick checks as you change direction.

• Changing Planes

  • Similar setup with cones, but instead of lateral movement, work on moving forward and backward along the same line.

  • Use this motion to create space between you and the defender.

  • This keeps defenders off-balance and prevents them from timing a stick check.

  • The “zigzag drill” is a great way to practice this technique.

Dodging is a foundational skill in lacrosse. It’s how players beat defenders, create scoring chances, and maintain possession. But great dodging isn’t just about speed or fancy footwork — it’s also about protecting the ball from aggressive defense. That’s where these three dodging tips come into play: one-handed cradle, changing direction, and changing planes.

The one-handed cradle teaches players to keep their stick as far from the defender as possible. By cradling with one hand and using the body to shield the stick, players create a physical barrier that makes checks much harder. This is especially important at higher levels of play where defenders are skilled at knocking the ball loose.

Changing direction adds another layer to stick protection. When players move laterally or perform split dodges, they must maintain awareness of where the defender is and adjust their stick positioning accordingly. This keeps the defender off balance and limits opportunities to land a successful check. Practicing dodging while changing direction improves a player's agility and decision-making.

The third principle, changing planes, is one of the most underrated dodging techniques. Instead of just going left or right, players move toward and away from the defender. This forces the defender to constantly adjust their spacing and timing. It also gives the attacker control over the tempo of the play, which is key in one-on-one matchups.

These three dodging tips work best when practiced together. Coaches should encourage players to combine them during drills. For example, a player can approach a cone with a one-handed cradle, change direction to avoid a fake defender, and then change planes to drive space for a shot. This fluid movement mirrors real-game scenarios.

Another benefit is player confidence. When girls or boys know how to dodge while protecting the ball, they play more fearlessly. They’re more willing to attack the cage, draw slides, or find open teammates. It’s not just about preventing turnovers—it’s about creating opportunity.

In summary, mastering the one-handed cradle, changing direction, and changing planes gives lacrosse players a complete toolkit to succeed under pressure. Coaches should incorporate these into warm-ups, cone drills, and scrimmage scenarios to see their players grow more confident and effective on the field.