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Goalie Drills

The following drills will help you with the four different aspects of protecting the net.

Key:

MM - Muscle Memory
HE – Hand-Eye
P – Positioning
StkS – Stick Skills

7 Spots – This means stick-side high, off-stick high, SS (stick-side) hip, O-SS (off-stick side) hip, SS low, O-SS low, and between the legs (5-hole)

Drills to do Alone:

[Juggle]] HE
======
Learn to juggle. This increases hand-eye coordination a ton. Start off slowly with two balls in one hand, and then work to 3 with two hands.

[Jump Rope]] MM
=========
Self explanatory. The reasoning behind this is to get used to staying on the balls of your feet, build up your calves and quickness stepping to the ball.

[Walk The Line]] MM , P, StkS
============
Make sure you have your stick (you can also go full gear, but you don’t need to) and a line of some sort to walk down. You could even lay down a rope if you’d like. Take a 45 degree step and react to a shot that’s coming stick side high. Make sure your step is how it should be – no straight forward step and no side-to-side step. You should actually step over the line when you do this and wind up in a position like you made the save. Step back over the line and do it again. Do a line for each of the 7 spots, or two or three. However many you want.

[Wall Ball]] MM , HE, StkS
========
Directly overhand – 25 throws with both the left and right hands
3/4 overhand - 25 throws with both the left and right hands
Sidearm - 25 throws with both the left and right hands
On the run – Run to your right and hit a spot on the wall. Catch it, tuck it and switch hands. This provides a game-like situation of having to throw on the run. Make sure to throw the same number of passes with both you left and right hands.

[Soft Hands]] MM , StkS
==========
A little well-known trick of the trade to develop soft hands is to tighten your bottom string (at the throat) to take a few shots with. Gently knot it up if you have to, but make sure that your pocket is shallow. A shallow pocket will force you to add some “give” when you make a save. After you’ve taken a dozen or so shots, put your bottom string back the way it was and you should notice the difference.

Drills to do with a partner:

[Basketball Toss]] MM , HE
=============
Stand about 4-5 feet from each other and have your partner chest-pass the basketball to you in the 7 spots, while making sure you are in your stance. Step to the ball, hands out and grab the basketball w/ both hands. The object is to catch the ball with both hands WHILE stepping to the ball, not having your body follow your hands. This works on getting to the ball with your hands and feet moving together at the same time, which helps you make the save faster. Return to your ready stance and take about 5-6 passes in each of the 7 spots.

[One-Handed Ball Toss]] MM , HE
==================
Take your top hand you’d play with (right for righty’s, left for lefty’s) out in front of you and put your other hand behind your back. Do the same thing as the basketball drill (toss to the 7 spots), but only grab the ball with one hand and make sure you’re stepping with that 45* angle.
A variation to this is take a few balls that are either numbered, lettered, or colored. Turn your back to your partner and have him toss one at you. While you’re turning, the ball should be in the air. You say the letter / number / color before you catch it. Don’t worry so much about positioning, just see the ball, call out and grab it.

[Mystery Shot]] HE, StkS
============
Find a wall (side of a gym, inside a gym, wherever you can use) and put a goal about 6-10 feet from it (make it a challenge), facing the wall. It should be like, |wall| Goalie >cage. Turn and face the wall while your partner is shooting at the wall. DO NOT look back, and make sure you are looking straight ahead. This develops fast reaction time and the vision to see the ball from close range. Shots should not be rocketed (though they can be sped up once you get comfortable). THE GOAL OF THIS DRILL IS NOT TO MAKE SAVES.  THE GOAL IS TO SEE THE BALL AND STEP TO IT. Decrease the distance between the goal and wall and increase the shot speed once you get the hang of this. Make sure the shooter is changing location (ball coming from the left / right) and shot location (learn to hit the sides, corners, bounce, etc).

[Angle Play]] MM , HE, P, StkS
==========
Get a goal, and about 16 yards of rope. Tie one side to the bottom of the front post, and the other to the other post. The shooter will pull the rope until it looks like a giant V in front of you.  This will give the shooter a cone shaped area of what is availible. Pick up and move the tip of the cone from place to place after 20 shots and you will actually see what boundaries the ball has to make it in the goal. Once you get this down, you will “see” the cone while you’re playing and be able to play the angle in a game.

Face Off Techniques and Moves

The most fundamental aspects of FO are your stance and grip.  Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Stance
Your stance must be:    Athletic
•    Balanced
•    A stance from which you can execute and defend
against all moves,  with 360 degree mobility
•    Front foot already planted prior to “down” call

Grip
Things to remember:
•    Right Hand: CONTROL HAND: Up to the plastic, as
far as ref will allow you to go
•    Left hand: POWER HAND: 10-18 inches from control
hand
•    Stick in the fingers, not fingertips or palm
•    Hold stick lightly, just as with ball handling, with
thumb and forefinger

Moves:

The Clamp
Think of the field as a clock:

1) If the mid-line of the field runs parallel with 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock, your first movment off the whistle is to punch your left hand forward explosively such that your butt end goes from 9 to 11 o’clock, giving you leverage against your opponent’s stick for strength as well as pulling the biggest part of your stickhead away from his

2) Your right foot should follow your left hand punch so you are now straddling the ball, bringing your body closer to the play in case of a tie-up

3) Immediately following the left hand punch and right foot step, drive your stick down the line to the right so the ball with get lodged down at the throat of the head

4) Drag your stickhead back to your left foot while you transfer your weight to that foot, and lift the butt end of your stick up to your chest and facing 12 o’clock as you push forward for a break (QUICK CLAMP)

5) You can also ensure your clamp by putting heavier weight on the stick head as you follow through, then pull the ball back through your legs for possession.  The weight and strength you put on your hands will provide leverage to follow through and win the clamp.  When doing this you must remember to properly box your opponent out by staying low and wide so they don’t get access to the loose ball as you are turning. (POWER CLAMP)

The Jump (aka Jam, Punch, Top)
The counter to a clamp:

1) Contrary to popular belief, you do not want to travel too far over the ball.  There should be very little clearance and room from your stick/glove and the top of the ball.

2) Low center-of-gravity is key here, as you want to bury your helmet over the midline and into your opponent to stand him up and make him unathletic.  It will also prevent him from seeing the ball and reacting to a tie-up of hands if there is one.

3) Punch your left hand forward just as you would on a Clamp, as this will push the opponent off of his Clamp, and also move your hands forward and to the right as you would in a Drive Clamp (Clamp Down the Line).

4) If you travel over the ball cleanly, use your shaft or fist of your glove (while still on the stick) to rake the ball back between your legs, or if you move your hands far to the right on the jump your left glove hand will be near the ball and you can use your fingers to flip it through your legs or out to a wing.  Be inconspicuous with this as it is illegal and is a lazy way to lose a draw if an official sees you.

5) If you end up in a tie-up of hands and sticks, keep driving your helmet and body into your opponent to gain leverage, and this is also a great time to grab your opponents stick and even rake the ball between your legs with his stick if he started to get a good clamp on it.  Keep your hands on your shaft while you do this.  Should not get seen by officials if you got your body over the ball properly.

6) The key is to get as close to and over the ball as you can after the whistle.  This will give you the strength, leverage, and athleticism over your opponent to control the draw.

The Reverse Plunger: 
Run a break out the back door:

1) The left hand punch is essential here.  It will help with winning the Clamp, but will aid the right hand in rotating the stick into the Clamp.  Unlike a front plunger, which is a half-Clamp, you are almost doing 1.5 Clamps.  If done properly, this will be a quick move that gives you a ton of control over the ball.

2) Your left foot should follow your left hand with the initial punch on the whistle.  This gets you closer to the ball and ready for a tie-up, but planning to win the draw and run by your opponent to your right rather than convetionally to the left.

3) Hands should remain very light on the Clamp just as prior to the whistle.  Instead of flattening the head on the ground with a regular Clamp, keep rotating the wrists forward so that the open face of the stick is towards your opponent.  Press right hand down for Plunger effect, yet still keeping bodyweight balanced on balls of feet for mobility.

4) Now you should have ball clamped in back of stick with ball facing you, and open part of head facing opponent.  Step right and lightly bring arms into body (alligator arms) so ball pops up to shoulder height when stick pinch expands.

5) Turn your back to seal off opponent, and ball should drop right into your pocket when you flip stick right side up.  Even if you pull back too hard, ball should be bouncing behind you for an easy pickup off a hop or slight roll.

6) You can throw the ball out to either wing, through your legs to the left, or push your hands hard down the line while continuing to rotate wrists forward to throw out to right wing.

Eleven Rules for Becoming a Better Player

Eleven Rules to Being a Better Player

- Learn to catch, throw and shoot RIGHT AND LEFT HANDED.
- The more time you play with your stick perpendicular to the ground instead of parallel to the ground the better player you will be.
- Move the ball; the less time the ball is in your stick the better player you are.
- Move the ball off the ground (when you pick up a ground ball pass it immediately) –by way of explanation, the team that scores the most transition goals usually wins the game.
- Move without the ball –a corollary to this rule is don’t watch your pretty pass, let the defender do that while you move, when he does then back door your man as he watches that pretty pass.
- Move to the ball –this means; a) move to the ball when you are open on the back side (standing waving your stick only draws defenders), b) move when the defender is not watching you (you get the advantage on him), and, move to any ball that you are receiving.
- Look at a spot behind the goalie when you shoot — it is likely that he will move and if you look at him you will hit him so look beyond him.
- Shoot with a quick release (because a slow release lets the goalie see the ball and setup for your shot).
- Defense need to have better stickwork than Attack or Midfield (because that long pole is harder to handle, especially in tight situations ) GOALIES NEED TO BE THE BEST STICKHANDLERS.
- Play D like a boxer boxes (on your toes, moving, countering, resetting, recountering, attacking… not just one check and hold) .
- You don’t have to take the ball away to play good defense –play good position, stay on the offensive players′ hands and you can play big time defense.
- Magic Hands! -Keeping Your Stick Up and Ready!

How you hold your stick will determine your success as a player. When you grip the stick with your top hand hold it on the shaft about a fist’s length down from the stick’s head or pocket. Work to grasp your bottom hand, or what we like to call your “control hand” , on the butt end of the shaft. Now your hands are in the correct position to throw, catch, or shoot. However, there’s one more point you have to master each day before you can become the best player that you can be.

It’s important that you keep your stick pocket “by your ear”, or “in the box”, next to your helmet.

We coach you to keep your stick “in the box by your ear” because we believe that keeping your stick up at all times will allow you to (1) create a great target for your teammate to throw you a pass, (2) create the best starting point for shooting a great overhand shot on the goal. When you keep your stick up you are ALWAYS ready to pass, catch, and shoot. You will see lazy players drop their stick heads down by their sides. With the stick head down, it will be easy for anyone to check the ball out of their pocket, and they will always have to make that extra motion to raise their sticks up for shots.

You will hear us from the first day of practice coaching you to “keep the stick up”, and “get your stick in the box by your ear.” When you learn this first Magic Hands skill with your stick, just remember that by KEEPING YOUR STICK HEAD UP, and KEEPING YOUR HANDS FREE–you will get off more shots and throw better passes that will allow you and your teammates to be at your very best! Sticks up, ALWAYS!

Four Skills of Great Defenseman

The Four Pillars of Great Defenseman

It Starts with the Feet

Good change of direction “cod” and ability to prevent the offensive player from throwing a good pass or taking a good shot! Too many young defensemen think they always need to take the ball away – instead they should be focus on prevention, good base checks like the poke and (not getting beat, by moving your feet). Always be in good position. Great defensemen know how to always be in good position. To accomplish this, good position is a direct result of footwork.

Have Sense of Team Play!
You need to know how you fit in to the defensive scheme, you are not an on island, but part of a bigger scheme. You need to develo an acute sense of field awareness, anticipating where the ball and point of attack will be and understand what the offense is trying to accomplish.

Stick Work
This goes without saying, but the # 1 key is the ability to pick up and clear ground balls, get the ball out of the defensive end. You want to strive to be the most reliable stick handler on the defensive side of the field
and be able to handle long passes, dodges and ground balls.

Ability to ”put the ball on the ground”

All good defenders have established excellent 1 on 1 defense, starting with the ability to set up their checks. We teach to only the poke check at the lower levels as it is the one check that sets up all the other cool checks. The fancy checks are set up by good positioning and a solid poke/slap check arsenal.

 

 

Shooting to Win!

Shooting to Win!

When you keep your stick up by your head (your third ear), good things will happen when you pass and catch with your teammates. We’ve found that great players who play lacrosse not only do this, but also, they understand that the key to doing anything that involves shooting requires that you GET YOUR HANDS FREE!

Shooting a lacrosse ball into the net requires different mechanics than passing or catching. In shooting, the key to your success all revolves around how you can GET YOUR HANDS FREE AND AWAY FROM YOUR BODY to rip that ball into the cage. Remember–your defender will be running with you and he will be trying to “check” your stick to dislodge the ball from the pocket.

But, when you keep a “TIGHT STICK”(go back and read that section, again!), you will be ready for anything. Shooting requires that you get torque or POWER into your shot. To do this we will teach you an easy technique that will allow your body to uncoil (like a snake does when it strikes) and put power into your shot. We call this technique “SHOW’em YOUR BACK”. In other words, when you shoot, we want you to GET YOUR HANDS FREE and TURN YOUR UPPER BODY TO THE GOALIE IN A WAY THAT SHOWS HIM THE “NUMBER” ON THE BACK OF YOUR JERSEY!

With your hands up and away from your body, you will discover that your whole upper torso will “uncoil” when you rotate your shoulders forward and bring your stick down for an overhand shot. Amazingly, with practice, you will instantly shoot harder and more effectively. Your ability to reach back with your stick, as if you are trying to SWAT THE (imaginary) FLY ON THE CEILING, will give you the power needed to become an explosive shooter on the run!

Practice shooting to become the best you can be and you will develop the mental toughness needed to accomplish any task. Believe that you can be the best shooter and develop the winning attitude that will make you a better player and better teammate.

Wall Ball Routine

This routine can be performed by both boys and girls at any age group but younger players might need to modify based on ability and comfort level. The following stick drills should be used daily in the off-season and several times per week during the season. Once you master your stick (which takes a lot of dedication) the rest of your game will fall into place with much less frustration.

Stick with it!

1. Boys; gloves are mandatory.

2. Girls; gloves are optional (if you wear them during a game wear them during practice)

3. Any wall is fine, but a smooth surface at least 10 feet tall is optimum (concrete, block)

4. Drills should take no longer than 30 minutes maximum

5. Stand approx.12-15 feet from the wall

6. Do not let the ball hit the ground

7. Pass and catch in the area above your shoulder; to the right or left of your head

8. Strong hand toss/catch,

9. Strong hand quick stick 50 times; then 50 times weak hand

10. Strong hand 1 hand catch and cradle 50 times; then 50 times weak hand

11. Strong hand catch and face dodge 50 times; then 50 times weak hand

12. Split dodge/ throw right catch right/ split to left hand throw left and catch left 50 times

13. Quick stick while the ball is in the air switch hands on every toss 50 times

14. Cross-handed 50 times each hand. Throw right rotate hands left and visa versa

15. One hand passing/shooting 50 times each hand (start with hand close to the stick head…as you get better and stronger move your hand down the stick shaft)…experiment

16. Behind the back 50 times each hand

17. Develop you own routine: if space is big enough jog down the wall while passing. Jog while catching to the right then reverse. Behind the head catching. Bounce pass catching.

18. Pass and catch with the wall by having the ball being either passed or caught in an unconventional manner or less than perfect spot. Less than perfect passes happen in EVERY game…get ready. Be the best you can be…… regardless of conditions. ¼ cradle repeat 50 times; then 50 times weak hand

Practice does not make perfect / Perfect practice makes perfect

Great study habits, healthy diet, plenty of rest, dedicated practice, time management, and the willingness to sacrifice = success.

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