Are you a lacrosse player looking for the best way to improve your stick-handling skills? If so, then you've come to the right place!
In this exclusive guide for 2023, we cover all the tips and tricks experienced players have used to succeed.
From proper stance to quick movements, we provide everything you need to become an expert at lacrosse stick handling.
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Take Away Key Points:
How to Improve Your Stick-handling Skills? The Best Consultant
If you want to advance your stick skills but are unsure what approach or technique to use, find the best guidelines below to master the moves in no time.
1. The importance of advancing your stick skills
Improving stick skills in lacrosse is essential to becoming a successful player.
Stick skills allow players to control the ball while passing, shooting and dodging, which are all necessary activities when playing. With good stick handling, players can maneuver into spaces on the field more smoothly since they can control the ball better.
Additionally, having great stick skills helps with evading defenders because it enables greater accuracy and precision when passing and shooting. However, developing strong stick skills requires plenty of practice, working on different elements such as grip, cradling, and throws for various distances and angles.
Ultimately, strong stick skills will give lacrosse players an advantage on the field in defensive maneuvers and initiating offensive sequences.
2. Basic stick-handling skills
Below are some of the most common practicing drills for better stick work. Some of the fundamental drills include:
a. Flip-to-catch-progression
For a start, the practice requires tossing the ball up and back down. Next, you will have to get spin on the ball by pushing your hand away and snapping the wrist. Do not pull straight up, push away, and snap your wrist.
The second stage of the practice is vital, as you will set up the triple-threat position at the top. You will cradle from high to low and then back up at the bottom. You can place your thumb at the top or on top, but your thumb should be on the inside with your wrist back.
The final stage of the method is the so-called flip-to-catch. You will flip the lacrosse stick from the bottom position. You will change your grip, and then you can catch the ball.
The practice is also beneficial for a lacrosse player to step forward as he receives a pass. It is helpful, as lacrosse players want to be good catchers and step to the ball.
b. Bottom hand only low cradle
The low bottom-hand-only cradle might be challenging for your forearm strength and grip. However, the drill is valuable in improving ball control.
The drills try to teach you to rotate the face of the lacrosse stick for 180 degrees while maintaining good ball control. In addition, the drills allow you to be creative and attempt to cradle in different patterns and relation to your body.
Ensure you practice the drills with both your left and right hand. Even if you're a righty, please try the technique with your left hand. The technique helps you build your confidence as an overall lacrosse player. You can focus on both the forearm and grip strength for both hands.
c. Top hand only triple threat
The stick-moving drill will make you a well-rounded lacrosse player, offering you more ball control in numerous situations during the lacrosse game. The main heck is to focus on the face of the stick rotating, but you cannot move the butt end of the stick too much.
The drill includes only a top hand - cradling, and you need to rotate the face of the stick without the butt end moving too much into the right or left. The ability to keep your stick in a calm or quiet position only supports our playing our pass, dodge, or shoot at any moment. For this reason, the triple threat position is a critical drill in lacrosse sport.
d. Around the world, flip to catch
The particular skill might be challenging because a lacrosse player is tossing the ball behind his back. As he brings the stick across his face behind his back, he will not have good vision. However, he must throw the ball to himself and challenge his limit.
As you're working more on the drill and improve, you can also limit how high you can throw the ball and keep it close to you as it comes around. If you're a beginner, ensure you toss the ball higher to have enough time to play the drill and catch the ball later.
e. Side-wall stalls
This is a super fan drill for a better lacrosse game. The drill quickly helps players get softer hands.
The main procedure is to toss the ball up and then try catching it in the same position. Then, as you're improving the skill, you roll the stick for 180 degrees and then catch the ball on the other side of your lacrosse stick. This way, you can stay loose with your upper body and hands.
As the ball goes from one side to another, you must keep your hands soft, as it cannot hit your stick. If the balls hit the stick, it's not good. Once you master the foundations of the drill, you can practice hitting the ball on the side wall and catching it afterward.
f. Stickwork Inside the Center Circle
This is an ideal drill to use in the center circle. It's also excellent as a warm-up drill that improves stick work and quick stick skills.
The skill ensures the players keep their eyes open and heads up. This way, they can quickly find an open teammate to pass a ball to while ensuring they can catch a pass from another teammate.
The main heck is that one player cannot return the ball to the teammate who just passed the ball possession to him, so he must have a sharp vision to find other open teammates to pass the balls to.
g. The Waterfall drill
This drill is excellent for lacrosse players. It helps them to make long and short passes while on the run. Some extra benefits include goalies. Goalies can also play and practice the skill to ensure a better game.
Players form two lines, and one line has the balls. The drill begins with one player from each line running up the middle of the field. He will pass the ball back and forth. After passing down to the opposite end line, players practice long passes across the field and go wider on their run back.
h. The Give-and-Go Drill
A successful lacrosse player has two advanced skills:
- passes on the run
- passes under pressure.
The give-and-go drill is an ideal method to improve these passes and ensure the best performance in the game.
Players make two lines at the top of the twelve-meter arc. One line of players has the balls, but now a coach stands in front of the team with the ball. The team feeds the ball to the other line before running toward the goal.
The team in the second line catches the ball, and afterward, they switch hands before throwing a lead pass toward their teammate directing to the goal. Then, the team must return to the back of the line and wait for their next turn while a shot and a catch occur.
3. Best stickhandling training aids
Here are extra additional tools to help you improve stick management:
FAQs
What are the 4 basic skills of lacrosse?
The four basic skills include scooping, cradling, throwing, and catching.
How do I get faster stick handling?
You can practice the quick-hand drill requiring no arm movement while only rolling the wrist is allowed.
How can I practice stick handling at home?
You can try all the above-mentioned drills and use extra equipment to practice at home.
Does grip strength increase with age?
Yes, the grip increases with age, practice, and strength. Older players show more stick strength than kids, for instance.
Conclusion
Give all of these activities a try to see what improvements you can make in your game. You might be surprised at how much better your lacrosse stick handling gets with some practice outside of traditional drills. Keep working hard, and don't get discouraged if you don't see results immediately.
The key is never give up; eventually, you'll reach your goals!
