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Figure-8 Relay: Beginner Drill Focused on Ground Balls & Cradling
Men's Lacrosse Practice Drills Member-only breakdown

Figure-8 Relay: Beginner Drill Focused on Ground Balls & Cradling

The figure-eight relay drill for boys’ lacrosse helps players improve ground ball pickups, cradling, and ball control while navigating cones in a competitive, race-style format. Variations such as switching hands, shooting on goal, and adding defenders make the drill more challenging and game-like, enhancing key lacrosse skills.

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In this figure-eight relay drill, groups of players will use two or three cones. One cone serves as the starting point. At the whistle or start signal, the first player sprints in a figure-eight pattern around the cones while picking up a ground ball and maintaining control. After completing the figure-eight, they throw the ball to the next player in line, who repeats the process. Teams race against each other to practice handling the ball under pressure and moving with it while cradling through the cones.

This relay is ideal for boys’ lacrosse as it develops key fundamentals: picking up ground balls and maintaining control while cradling in motion. The figure-eight pattern forces players to handle the ball smoothly around tight turns, simulating real-game movement and ball control.

The team race format adds a competitive edge, making the drill more engaging and fun while reinforcing essential lacrosse skills. To enhance the challenge, try these variations:

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