Lacrosse | Lax

Cradling is the action of the wrist that uses the pocket of the stick to absorb the centrifugal force created as the arm moves back and forth. In effect, the pocket of the stick is turned to catch the ball at the end of each arm swing.

Teaching Progression

1. Hold the stick near the throat with the handle vertical.
2. Develop the wrist action by flexing and extending the wrist.
3. Swing the arm from side-to-side in front of the body.
4. Flex the wrist as the arm moves in front of the chest and extend it as the arm moves back.
5. Add the bottom hand, remembering that the bottom hand does not grip the stick or supply any of the cradling until the two hands feel coordinated.
6. The final step is to cradle the ball while slowly moving the stick to the normal carrying position often called the doublethroat position. The stick can be carried with one or two hands, however beginners and younger players should develop the habit of carrying the ball with two hands first.

Switching Hands

1. To initiate the switch, bring the bottom hand up underneath the top hand. Players should always be conscious of using the body to shield the stick during the switch.
2. To complete the switch, the top hand now moves down to the butt of the handle.

Picking Up the Ball
Preliminary Movements

1. Trap to control the ball then:
    a) right-handers place the right foot beside the ball;
    b) left-handers place the left foot beside the ball.
2. Key elements: control and ball position.

Preparation
1. Bend the knees to lower the handle of the stick.
2. Keep the head up.
3. Put the weight on the back foot.
4. Key element: the butt of the handle is kept as low to the ground as possible.

Force Producing Movements
1. The movement starts with the thrust of the back foot followed by the acceleration of the arms and stick.
2. Key element: acceleration of the stick under the ball. Follow-through

1. The head of the stick is brought up to the chest and leads into the cradle
2. Key element: keep the wrists and arms soft.

Throwing
Preliminary Movements
1. The shoulder (if right-handed, the left shoulder) faces the target.
2. The feet are shoulder width apart.
3. The arms are extended back slightly.
4. The passer mid-points the defender and the receiver.
5. The shoulder faces the target.

Preparation
1. Lift the arms to shoulder height.
2. The weight is on the back foot.
3. Extend the arms straight back.
4. Point the elbow at the target
5. Don’t rest the stick on the shoulder and point the elbow.
6. Place the thumbs along the handle.

Force Producing Movements
1. Shift the weight forward.
2. Rotate the hips and shoulders.
3. Drive the arms forward.
4. Snap the elbow down. The two hands move together with the top hand acting as a moving lever.
5. Using the weight shift and body rotation to generate the force.
6. The wrists add the snap as the ball is released.

Follow-through
1. Let the stick follow through in the direction of the target.
2. Bring the back foot forward as in taking a step.
3. The stick follows through in the direction of the target.

Example of age categories:

Rules of Lacrosse
Structure of Play
These types of rules set the fundamental guidelines for the sport. The rules describe such items as the playing surface, markings, nets, player equipment and make-up of the teams. Also included are elements such as how goals are scored and rules pertaining to the crease.

Flow of Play
These types of rules set out how play is started and stopped and the basics of how the game is played. Included in the flow of play rules are the 30-second rule (getting a shot on net), the 10-second rule (advancing the ball into the attacking zone while playing short-handed) or the 5-second rule (time the goaltender can keep possession of the ball in the crease). These rules also cover out-of-bounds guidelines, face-offs, time-outs, and how to re-start play.

Infractions
The third class of rules deals with undesirable behavior in the game. The rules set out the guidelines for acceptable play and what constitutes an infraction of the intent of the game. These rules generally  stem from three types of behaviour – interfering with the flow of play, attempting to gain an illegal advantage, and creating a risk of, or actual personal injury to an opponent. Interfering with play includes such items as an illegal pick or pushing an opponent on a loose ball. Illegal advantage refers to such acts as too many men on the floor on a line change. The risk of injury is the broadest type which includes such acts as slashing, high sticking, or checking from behind.

Holding the Stick

Thumbs and Fingers
The handle rests in the pads of the fingers and the thumbs are positioned along the shaft. Holding the stick in this manner helps to keep the hands soft and the wrists flexible.

Ready Position
1. The bottom hand is placed at the butt of the stick and the top or strong hand is placed anywhere from the butt to the throat of the stick. Depending upon how the stick is being used, the hand position will be different for catching, cradling throwing, reaching and checking.
2. In the ready position, the head of the stick is held about shoulder height with the top hand positioned near the throat and the bottom hand placed at the butt of the stick.

Common Faults
1. The natural way to hold the stick is to let the arms hang. If this position becomes a habit, players find it very difficult to maintain the ready position while on the floor and end up missing many opportunities to maintain or gain possession of the ball.
2. Gripping the stick: new players tend to grip the stick with too much pressure from their thumbs wrapped  tightly around the handle in a “punching” grip and with their top hand stuck to one spot on the handle.