Get Ahead of the Game - 10 Proven Lacrosse Drills

For those who want to master a skill, the common cliche is that it takes 10,000 hours of practice.

While the premise of this quote may be extreme, the basis of it remains true.

Anyone who wants to be great at a sport needs to put in the time with practice and drills.

Lacrosse is no different. With so many different skills, running through drills is the best way to hone your abilities and become the best that you can be. 

As a provider of lacrosse summer camps in New York, we know all about the drills kids can use to elevate their games. Below, we’ll dive into 10 of our favorite lacrosse drills. But first, let’s talk about why drills are necessary.

Lacrosse Drills For Beginners: Why They’re Important

For beginners to lacrosse, the game can seem overwhelming with many different skills to learn.

However, as is the case with any sport, you can break these skills down with different drills and improve in areas that might be more difficult. 

For example, offensive skills, such as cradling or shooting, might come easy to one player. On the other hand, the defensive footwork or abilities may need work. With drills, newer players can learn the game’s basics, while veteran players can focus on their weaker aspects. 

10 Fun Youth Lacrosse Drills 

Onto the drills!

To make everything simple, we’ve divided the lacrosse drills into five different skill groups:

1. Shooting 
2. Passing
3. Ground ball
4. Catching
5. Defense

Each of these aspects represents a skillset that is crucial to success in lacrosse. 

Lacrosse Shooting Drills

Shooting is one of the most fundamental aspects of the game—without the ability to shoot, you won’t be able to score!

So, what can you do to improve your shooting?

For accuracy, lacrosse beginners should focus on shooting overhand (versus sidearm or underhand).

Here are three lacrosse shooting drills to take your shooting game to the next level.

• Corner picking - This drill is relatively simple but highly effective in improving accuracy. Start at a comfortable distance from the goal and rotate between shooting at the four different corners of the net. Call out the corner beforehand and try to shoot as close to the target as possible.

• Quick shots - The quick shots drill will help you react quicker on the field. Put a bucket of balls down near you, pick one up, and get a shot off as quickly as possible. The goal is to learn how to shoot fast when you don’t have a lot of time to aim. Alternatively, you can do this drill with a friend passing you the ball. 

Lacrosse Passing Drills

Passing represents another fundamental skill in lacrosse—it pays to be a team player and know how to pass at a high level!

Check out these lacrosse passing drills to help you master this essential skill. 

• Two-line cross - This is one of the most popular lacrosse passing drills out there, but it requires a full team. Start with two lines of players, with one player at the front of the line holding the ball. The two players at the front of each line will run toward each other, executing a pass before they meet, and then join the back of the line they’re running to. 

• Hippo drill - The hippo drill is another fun way to promote teamwork and have lacrosse teams focused on passing the ball. It works as a full scrimmage with a twist: No player can hold the ball for more than five seconds at a time. If they do, it results in a turnover. 

Lacrosse Ground Ball Drills

Ground balls are a significant part of lacrosse. In fact, many coaches love the phrase “ground balls win games”—the notion that fighting for ground balls leads to success.

Let’s look at a few lacrosse ground ball drills.

• One-on-one ground ball - This drill is simple: There are two teams, each one trying to retrieve a ground ball rolled out by a coach. The team that successfully retrieves the ball is on offense, and the other team is on defense. After scooping up the ball, the offensive team tries to score, and the other team defends. 

• Simple pick up and pass - Another simple drill—all that’s needed is a bunch of balls placed around the field. A player will run around scooping up the balls before sending a successful pass to a teammate. Not only will this work on ground ball retrieving abilities, but it will also help with quick passing. 

Lacrosse Catching Drills

Passing is crucial, but you’ll also need to know how to receive a pass, too.

Practice makes sure passing is accurate and catching is on point.

Catching is a fundamental skill in lacrosse that can be worked on using certain drills. Here are a few simple ones.

• Wallball -  This one is great since all a player will need is a wall. Throw the ball at the wall and attempt to catch it on the rebound. It’s simple yet effective. 

• Sideline to sideline passes - The terrific thing about catching drills is that many also work on passing. Start at either sideline with a partner and pass back and forth to each other. What makes this one challenging is the distance—it’s important to practice both passing and catching the ball at longer distances! 

Lacrosse Defense Drills

Defense represents an entire half of the game. You’ll want to be an effective player on defense, and these drills can help you succeed. 

• Zig-zag drill - Lacrosse involves a lot of angles—the ability to move laterally to cut people off and force them into tough situations is crucial. Start by placing cones in a zig-zag pattern on the field. From the starting cone, players will backpedal with lateral movements to the next cone, holding their sticks outright. At the next cone, they’ll switch directions toward the front until the following cone, then switch again. Continue this pattern until the final cone. 

• Transition defense - Transition defense teaches defenders how to cut off their attackers before they can get a shot off. For this drill, you’ll need six cones: Two for the offensive players above the attacking area, two for the defending players above the attacking area, and one cone each on the side of the field for the attackers and defenders. 

Two offensive players with the ball will run to the attacking zone. Four defenders will attempt to break up the attack: Two preventing a fast break and the other two attempting to break up any passes in the middle. The objective is for the defenders to protect their zone, slow down the offense, and allow time for midfielders to catch up. 

Improve Your Lacrosse Skills at a Lacrosse Summer Camp

Looking to get better at the game of lacrosse? Why not attend a summer camp? 

It’s important to pick the right summer lacrosse camp. We can help you evaluate. 

The Future Stars Camp Comparison Checklist lets you easily compare and contrast lacrosse camp costs, activities, dates, and locations.

Access the Camp Comparison Checklist today and find the best lacrosse camp for your child!