The Basics

Kieran McArdle speaks on the mental commitment to perfecting his craft – and being his best for those who rely on him.

 

Don’t make the mistake of thinking the inability to get to a field gives you an excuse for a day off. Whether your goal is to be the best, or just to make it to the next level, you need to constantly work on your craft. If you’re stuck at home because no one is around to drive you to the field, or its pouring rain, there are a number of drills you can do in the comfort of your home to keep your fundamentals sharp and stay game ready.

 

Hit the Wall

The first thing any player can do, regardless of position, is wall ball. Find a wall, whether its brick or stone or concrete or whatever, and just work on passing and catching with each hand. Do 100 successful passes/catches with your dominant hand consecutively, and then another 100 successful passes/catches with your non-dominant hand. This is the most effective and efficient way to work on your most important fundamental on your own. You won’t be able to get as many reps passing and catching in any practice than you will by going to a wall on your own time. Take the initiative and you will see the results translate to the field.

 

Justin Guterding shares his wall ball routine.

 

What wins Games?

Groundballs are one of the most crucial components to any player’s game, regardless of what position you play. Get outside with a ball and throw it on the ground. Run at the ball full speed

over and over again and work on getting your scoop consistent. Focus on getting the back hand low, pushing that butt end as close to the ground as possible. It may feel uncomfortable if you are still getting used to the form, but this is the best way to get your stick as level to the ground as possible, minimizing your misses.

Another great way to get low and level with the ground is widening your stance, while being sure to keep your lead foot next to the ball. This will force your back end to get low, ultimately lowering your back hand and butt end of the stick. Continue doing this until you scoop the ball cleanly 20 times in a row. Increase your target number each time you run this drill. You can also do this with a tennis ball if you do not have any lacrosse balls available to you. Once you hit your target number, start over with your weak hand and do not stop until you hit that same target number. Keeping consistent with this drill will increase your ground ball muscle memory and help you secure possession on the field, making you more of an asset whether you play on the offensive or defensive side.

 

 

 

 

Offense - Footwork

 If you’re an offensive player, you can easily work on your dodges. Go outside, and set up a cone or item as a point of reference. Give yourself about a 10-15 yard   distance from the cone, and run full speed at it. At the cone practice a dodge and run for about 10-15 yards past the cone after your dodge. Then, turn around and   do it with your weak hand. This will be great to practice face dodges, split dodges, roll dodges and swim dodges. Start without   a ball, doing each hand 10-20 times. Then, repeat with a ball (tennis ball if it is your only option) and do each hand another  10-20 times. Any time the ball falls out, reset your count to zero. Mastering your dodges will help you out anywhere on the   field, whether it’s during a clear, or if you are creating space to shoot or feed a teammate.

Shooting

As an offensive player, you can also work on your shooting at home – without the risk of breaking you or your neighbor’s windows – with a drill we like to call ghost shooting. This can be done with a time limit or a rep limit. Basically, you are running through your shooting motion – full speed – without a ball or target. Focus on the overhand form  for this drill. Keep your hands up and away from your body, and placed towards the bottom of your stick. Swing full speed – either for 45 seconds to a minute, or for 100 reps – whichever you are more comfortable with. Be sure to swing fully, finishing through your opposite hip. This drill will work-out the muscles required for your shooting form and increase your muscle memory, increasing your shot speed and accuracy. Be sure to do this with both hands to make you a shooting threat from either side of the field!

 

Defense

For defensive players, you can readily work on your footwork and positioning in your backyard. To start, we have a drill called the zig-zag one-on-one drill. Set up 6 cones, about 5-10 yards apart and on an angle from one another. Start at the first cone, and in your break down stance, work on zig zagging from cone to cone at a 30-45 degree angle with your stick out. This will help you work on keeping players away from the middle of the field while defending 1-on-1 by dictating where they are going to go – away from your goal.

You can also practice your slide and top side approach. Set up a cone about 7 yards in front of where you would imagine your crease in the center of where the net would be. Then, set up 4 cones about 7 yards further, parallel to the net. Start at the singular cone, and sprint out to one of the top 4 cones, working on breaking down into your stance and approaching top side in order to flush the dodging player toward the sideline. Then, back-pedal back to the center cone and sprint out to the next cone, practicing the same motion, but adjusting your approach for where the player’s top side would be in reference to your goal. This will help your sliding footwork become instinctual and will give you a better understanding of the positioning necessary to make your opponent a non-threat.

Run These Streets

Aside from working on your lacrosse-specific skills, you need to stay in game shape. This can be accomplished with a number of cardio workouts.You can simply get outside and run, setting either a time limit or planning a destination for distance. You can also find a nearby hill and do sprints up and down the hill to build leg strength and endurance. On top of these, depending on what tools you have available, you can do box jumps, jump rope, squat thrusts, lunges, etc. in order to build a strong foundation and strengthen your twitch muscles. Keeping up with your cardio will make you faster on the field, and enable you to stay out there for longer periods of time.

 

Will Manny speaks on his philosophy behind physical training to maintain peak performance.

 

 

At the end of the day, fundamentals are always most important. Even if you choose to ignore the above drills, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to keep your stick in your hand. Cradle while walking around your house and get a feel of having the ball in your pocket. The more comfortable you are with holding the ball, the better you will be able to protect it and focus on taking the next step on the field. It may sound cliché (and it is), but the little things make the biggest difference.