How To Catch

     The way to catch a lacrosse ball is very simple and once you get the hang of it, you can make it your own and change it up. You first need to show your throwing partner or whoever you are recieving a ball from your target. The way you show your target is by showing the head of your stick to your partner so they know where to throw it.
     Once the ball is thrown near your stick, you begin to slowly pull back, as if you were catching an egg. This helps to make sure the ball is secure and will not fall out. Once you catch it, bring it right into a cradle, which is taught in earlier blog posts.

How to: Fake Shot and Bounce Shot

In lacrosse, fake shots are used to confuse the goalie to think you are shooting in another place and then quickly shooting in a different place, usually the exact opposite so if the goalie did make a reaction they will have to go all the way back to catch your shot, without enough time to react.
     For example if you're going to fake shot a beneficial way to do so is to shoot up in the right corner, pull back and shoot in the bottom right corner, usually with a bounce shot.
     To fake a shot you get in a position to shoot, but once you would release the ball turn the stick almost like a cradle, pull back, and shoot again.
     To bounce shot, it is fairly simple. When you have the ball and start going to goal, get ready to shoot (see earlier post) and shoot right in front of the goal so it bounces once, and then goes in. A bounce shot is helpful because it is hard for goalies to react to them, unlike a normal shot in the corner.

How to crease roll

     In lacrosse, there are many different ways to get away from your defender and have a shot on goal. One of the most popular ways is a crease roll. Lacrosse players are able to go behind the goal but the defenders will normally not follow the attacking player around the back of the goal because it is much more likely to lose your player.
     If you are on attack, and have the ball the first thing you need to do is take it to "X". (X is a lacrosse term for behind the goal). Once you are behind the goal, there will usually only be one defender in between you and the goal. This is when you start running inside the 8 meter circle and curl around to the other side of the goal.
     As you are curling around to the other side, you try to outrun your defender enough to get a good shot off on goal and on target. If this happens then you successfully crease rolled. Another helpful tip for when you are shooting off of your crease roll, fake a shot to the top corner and then make a bounce shot low. (further explanation of what a bounce shot and fake shot is in next posts).

My lacrosse goals for 2017

For lacrosse this year, I have 3 goals I hope to achieve in 2017.
My first goal is not to just make the high school varsity lacrosse team, but also be a starter as a freshman. There are many requirements I have to make to be able to become a varsity starter. I have to be able to run 300 yards under 1 minute and be able to throw and catch with my left hand, as well as be an acceptable player at all positions on the field.
  My second goal is to get back in shape so it will be easier to run long distances, and stay ahead with the rest of my teammates. This is something my team and I are going to try to together, especially because with the new year coming, we all have motivation to get in shape, and dominate on and off the field.  Some of my teammates and I have fallen behind because lacrosse season is only in the spring.
My 3rd goal, is to become an attack player. As of right now I am a defensive player, because when my coach saw me playing soccer and wanted me to join lacrosse, my primary position was defense, so therefore he assumed my primary position for lacrosse would be defense as well. To become an attack player, I have been working very hard to become better at the position, while still staying good at defense.

How to cradle

In lacrosse, boys and girls both cradle different ways so this will be just for girl lacrosse players. To cradle a stick, put your hands just like you are about to throw (see earlier post).Hold the stick up so the head is right next to your face, and have your thumb and index finger touch around the bottom, and put the bottom of the stick, along with your hand, at the opposite hip. Then start to move the stick back and forth from your ear, back over to your face, and keep on going back and forth to master the motion. The point of cradling is to keep the ball from being checked out of your stick or just falling out, during a game or even while just passing around.

How to throw a lacrosse ball

If you are a beginner just starting to learn to play lacrosse, this is the place for you. I am going to tell you step by step how to throw a lacrosse ball using the correct stick motions.

Step one is to make sure your hands are being placed right. You want one hand about three inches up from the butt (or bottom) of the stick, and you need your other hand about three inches below the head (or top) of the stick. Place the stick about 5 inches away from your head, close enough to your ear, but do not rest it on your shoulder. Now you are ready to throw. In lacrosse we use a push/pull motion. If you are a right handed player, you will first push with your right hand and then immediately pull down with your left hand, and follow through so that the head of the stick is near the ground. Remember to keep your shoulder up and your stick off of your shoulder.