Wall ball basics
For every sport there is a specific skill that is unique to that sport. In our sport it is the ability to catch and throw with a lacrosse stick. It is the cornerstone of our sport and more often than not the team that can do this with the most proficiency wins.
Coaches will debate so many things regarding strategy, commitment, planning and much more. But the one constant is that wall ball is a fantastic activity to build skill.
Wall ball can be a great way to pass the time but should also be done with a purpose.
Things to keep in mind when practicing against the wall.
Footwork: Your feet should be in the proper position when you throw the ball or catch a pass at the wall. Try to have your feet aligned in the same way you would in the course of live play. When the stick is in your right hand, keep your left foot forward and your right foot back.
Distance matters: the different distance will work on different skills. If you are very close to the wall you will be working on soft hands and getting the ball in and out of your stick as quickly as possible with as many touches as possible. If you are far from the wall you would be working more on speed and accuracy.
Pick a target: Pick a spot on the wall to focus on. This will build consistency in the accuracy of your passes
Keep your hands high: Make sure your hands stay up around your chest level when catching and throwing. This hones your muscle memory, which allows you to have speed and accuracy when you throw the lacrosse ball in live play.
Use your entire body: When throwing, turn your hips and shoulders and use your upper body. When catching, lean the stick back a little and give the ball a nice cushion much like you would if you were catching an egg. Turn your back hip away from the ball as it approaches and keep your hands up high.
Note: Beginners should focus primarily on the basics such as releasing the ball in a straight overhand motion from the box area next to your head, and catch the ball in the same spot you released it from. More advanced players can experiment with different releasing points and more creative ways to catch the ball.
A wall ball routine for a new player looks something like this:
Stand about six or seven feet away from the wall.
Throw and catch with your right hand 100 times.
Throw and catch with your left hand 100 times.
Switch hands for 100 repetitions as follows: Throw right, catch right, switch hands, throw left, and then catch left.
The above routine should take about 30 minutes to complete. You will notice the results very quickly if you practice three or four times per week.
A more intermediate wall ball routine includes the following:
Throw with your right hand and catch with your right hand 100 times.
Throw with your left hand and catch with your left hand for 100 repetitions.
Alternate hands for 100 repetitions.
Move horizontally with shuffle steps along the wall as you throw and catch with the outside hand for 100 repetitions. Keep your feet moving as you throw and catch the ball.
Advanced players can add one-armed throwing and catching, both left and right.
Players should also work on changing the angle at which they throw and catch the ball while playing wall ball. This should be both in the vertical and horizontal plane; vertically so that the ball hits higher and lower off the wall, and horizontally (side-to-side) so a player can practice leading a pass and running while making a catch. Everything changes when running while catching and throwing and this can be practiced at the wall. Some shooting skills can be incorporated into the routine, too.
To go even deeper, instead of throwing the ball at the wall and having it come back to your stick on the fly, work on bouncing the ball off the ground. Aim for a spot about a foot or two in front of the wall, bounce the ball off the ground, and snag it with your stick as it comes back. You can throw a fake shot up high after you catch the rebound and then repeat the low bounce into the wall. This drill improves your ability to finish around the goal, as bounce shots and fakes are huge weapons in lacrosse that not all players are able to properly utilize.
A coach should almost always instruct players to practice throwing overhand, for accuracy and to develop good form as well as to avoid injuries that come with bad technique, however there are times in games when a quarter-arm, side-arm, under-arm, or behind-the-back shot or pass are the right move for the moment. Trying these things out for the first time in a game or team practice setting can be costly, but players can practice the different techniques at the wall where the only person forced to use their time to chase a ball for an inaccurate throw is themself! The wall is a patient and equalizing instructor that allows for a lot of quick learning across all types of throwing and catching skills, but still, a good wall ball routine will invariably start with overhand technique.
A little bit everyday.
Rather than putting in an hour and then leaving your stick for the week it is much better to put in 15 minutes every day. Work in some push ups, burpees and maybe even a jump rope to make a complete lacrosse workout.
That consistency will give you the muscle memory you need. While you may not immediately notice the results after one or two practices, dedication and sticking to it makes you a much better player in the long run. Commit yourself to getting out there as much as possible and putting in hard work. Wall ball only requires one player so you have no excuse to avoid playing, and if you put in the hard work your skills will greatly improve.
