BIO: Corning East (Upstate NY) Defenseman, Finger Lakes Community College Midfield/Attack, Niagara Hawks (CanAm Senior B) Transition/Defense, US Indoor Lacrosse Defenseman, Kentucky Stickhorses Defenseman 2011/2012
Each week we will explore various skills and how each skill is critical to the sport of lacrosse. I believe that in order to continually get better, an athlete must have the ability to be self-aware and have a passion for continuing to learn and improve. You hear it all the time in professional sports: “I have to get better, keep working, keep improving, etc…” You may say, “they are the best in the world, what could they possibly get better at?” Pro golfers make drastic swing changes, professional pitchers tweak their throwing motions and most, if not all high level athletes, watch video of themselves looking for ways to improve. They all have one thing in common: they know that to be the best they have to constantly work at it.
So what does this mean about you and your lacrosse game? It means that no matter your stage of development, whether you are picking up the stick for the first time or you are a perennial all-pro, there is always room for improving many facets of your game. Keep an open mind and always stay hungry for new knowledge. Absorb all the information you can get your hands on, and constantly push yourself. You can accomplish anything in this game!
So where does it all start? What is the most important skill in lacrosse? You hear coaches and camp counselors say: “ground balls are the most important skill in the game”… “facing off is critical” and so on. I believe that there really isn’t a “most important skill” in the game of lacrosse. To me, the most important skill in lacrosse is the ability to master each tiny component of a certain skill. To be able to understand and work on the parts of the whole skill can make all the difference in the world. I’ll expand on this further with our first skill:
THE ALL IMPORTANT 12 – 15 YARD PASS
The 12 – 15 yard pass for field lacrosse or 36 – 45 foot pass in box lacrosse is used in clearing, skip passes, feeds from X, cross-field passes and so on. Too often the ball ends up on the ground when players can not execute this critical skill, making for a sloppy game (at any level).
The first key to a successful pass is your ability to use your EYES to locate and track your target and to visualize the path the ball needs to travel to hit your target. Your target is the outside ear of your teammate away from the defense. Keep in mind this target is moving, so use your eyes to visualize where your pass needs to end up to complete a successful pass. REMEMBER: the whole player is not your target.
Using your HANDS and WRISTS independently of your body can help ensure that no matter what your body is doing (running, twisting away from a check, falling to the ground, etc…), you can almost always execute a successful pass. Remembering that your top hand PUSHES or flicks as your bottom hand adds stability and power with a PULLING motion. The quickest way to improve your hands and wrists is to play wall ball with each hand by itself. Use top hand only to work on the PUSH, and bottom hand only to work on stability and PULL. More on this later.
Also, using the TIP of the head of your stick as guide, you can easily aim your passes effectively. I believe that once the tip of your stick follows through to your target, you should be able to get enough power on the pass to get the ball there.
So what do you do if you are in a game and your passes keep falling short or sailing over your teammates head? Short of restringing your stick or using your backup, you can move your hands closer to each other to raise your passes or slide them further apart to lower your passes. These little, in-game adjustments can help you avoid a mental meltdown!
What do you do if your game stick fails completely during a game? Be absolutely sure that you have a near-identical backup stick that matches your game stick! Also be sure to practice with it before you enter a game. Having a matching backup will help keep you sane, if you should ever need to use it.
Stick stringing also plays a key role in your ability or inability to make an effective pass. Too much hold, bag, whip or hook can lead to inconsistent passes. Find a balance between good hold and good release to ensure your pocket isn’t “holding” your game back. You may be able to dodge through 3 people, but can you hit one of the two open players with an accurate pass?
So is it as simple as using your EYES, HANDS and WRISTS as well as having a well-strung stick? Not exactly… Using proper technique goes a long way, but effective and efficient practice habits will help you make dramatic and rapid improvements.
Here’s a quick sample practice routine for improving your passing game:
*Tape a 1ftx1ft box on a wall with athletic tape or pick a similar-sized target on the wall
*Stand about 5-7 feet from the wall
*Using your dominant top hand at the midpoint of your stick, and your bottom hand off the stick, throw and catch off the wall, hitting your box or target 25 times: repeat using your off top hand
Next…
*Using your dominant bottom hand SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN the midpoint of your stick, and your top hand off the stick,, throw and catch off the wall, hitting your box or target 25 times; repeat using your off bottom hand
The key is to challenge yourself; see how many times you can catch and throw off the wall without dropping the ball. Try to improve your number every time you practice.
Working on skills can be difficult at times. Keep pushing yourself and find what motivates and challenges you. I wish you all the best in your development. Lacrosse is a life-long sport and there is always something to learn. Keep your eyes open, your head up and keep digging!
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @lisislaxn… Ask me questions and suggest article ideas at any time!
See you next week!!
