Great offensive players are not just skilled with the ball—they understand how to control their stick, protect possession, read pressure, and make decisions under stress.
In this coaching session, Katrina Dowd, offensive coordinator at UNC, breaks down her philosophy around stick mastery and how coaches can build those skills into everyday practice. Her approach goes beyond simply running wall-ball or passing drills. The goal is to develop players who are confident, creative, deceptive, and capable of solving problems on the field.
Dowd encourages coaches to think about stick work as stick mastery.
Players should constantly work toward being able to: