MOUTHGUARDS, NOT ALL ARE EQUAL It used to be that a mouth guard was a big rubbery blob. When inserted into the mouth it was nearly impossible to breathe and ensured at least one major drooling episode in front of teammates. Times have changed. The new style of mouthguard is made from a much thinner plastic that is heated in
SHOPPING FOR A GOOD LACROSSE STICK Beginner sticks (bottom stick in the photo) make lacrosse more difficult to learn and play. The difference between beginner and advanced sticks is mostly found in the head of the stick. An advanced head design (top stick in photo) has a “deeper” ball position in relation to the shaft centerline. That keeps the ball
GIRLS LACROSSE VIDEO PLAYLIST Here’s a complete girls lacrosse video playlist. You’ll find tips on the basics, videos from the masters, and college games that show it all in action. Fundamentals Shooting Space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgJzzpjrdFA&t=95s 3 Seconds Rule: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPDaFmqcU9w Off Ball Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE45B1HawoY ABCDs of Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mdTaafiPfI Defense- driving opponent to the goal line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIFufFvhmXY Midfielder fakes a pass
HOW-TO: CRADLING Cradling is the technique used to keep the ball in the head of the crosse (lacrosse stick + head assembly). The stick is moved in an arching motion, creating a force that keeps the ball pressed and suspended against the stringing. Cradling is used while the player is still and in motion. While running, the cradle is in
RULES: BALL COVERING A player may not cover a ground ball with a stick. Alternatives to covering are scooping the ground ball up, kicking the ball out to retrieve or to a teammate. Also shown in this video is an empty stick check which incurs a foul.
BASIC RULES: STICK CHECK Players are permitted to hit the stick of the player possessing the ball. Stick checking is an excellent strategy for forcing a turnover, but it must be done properly for the best results and within the rules since this is a heavily scrutinized maneuver by officials. There are several circumstances that determine a legal stick check.
HOW-TO: CATCH AND THROW Here’s a couple of good instructional videos on the lacrosse basics. The nice thing about these videos is that you can pause to see exactly what’s happening during the action. These are good skills to work on outside of practice since you only need another person to catch/throw or a wall to bounce the ball off.
STRENGTH TRAINING: USE YOUR STICK Check out the video below for some simple exercises to improve wrist strength and stick control. You can reduce the effort by gripping the shaft closer to the head. Add a ball to increase required effort while adding ball control to the exercise.