Women’s Lacrosse Drills

The Wall: An Ideal Practice Partner

It is vitally important to develop a series of women’s lacrosse drills to help players improve on their catching, throwing, and shooting skills. When looking for women’s lacrosse drills, the emphasis should be on quality over quantity. Always perform each skill correctly, and work on building speed only after the basic skill at hand has been mastered. Not only will this help to reduce the development of incorrect muscle memory, it also reduces the risk of injury.

These women’s lacrosse drills should ideally be performed everyday to keep the mind and muscles fresh and sharp. If everyday practice is impossible, aim to devote at least two hours a minimum of three times per week for maximum efficiency.

Since practice with others is not always possible, the best partner for performing women’s lacrosse drills is the wall. Be careful when selecting a wall for the Wall Ball drills, since the density and weight of lacrosse balls can damage walls that aren’t made of concrete or brick.

Never perform the Wall Ball drills on walls with windows as windows are easily broken. The wall should be at least 10 feet high or higher if possible. If only shorter walls are available, practice ground drills or one hop catching skills.

Each of these exercises should be performed in repetitions of 50 for each hand. The overall program should take around 30 minutes, with some time before and after for warming up and cooling down. Focus on speed and agility when performing these drills, as well as accuracy.

Throw, Catch and Cradle

First, work on throwing, catching and cradling the ball. Stand about 15 feet away from the ball. Throw the ball hard at a specific point on the wall. Make sure to follow through completely after the throw. Catch the ball on the same side, and bring it up towards the ear while performing a quick cradle before throwing it again. After 50 repetitions, switch to the other side.

Quick Sticks

Next, focus on quick stick handling with this drill. To start, stand about 5 feet away from the wall, standing with the feet parallel to the wall. Bending the knees, throw the ball by snapping the wrists. Catch the ball on the same side, and bring it up towards the ear without cradling it. Perform 50 repetitions like this, then switch sides and do 50 more.

Cross Face

After stick handling, work on catching the ball on the opposite side from the throwing side. This drill is performed about 15 feet away from the wall. Throw the ball at a specific point on the wall, making sure to use both the hips and shoulders to create a twisting motion as the throwing takes place. Reach across the body to catch the ball on the opposite side. Bring it back across the face, cradle it quickly, and throw it again. Perform this series 50 times, and then switch to the other side.

The Right Steps

Up to this point, all drills have been performed from a static position. This next drill incorporates some movement into the throwing motion. Start off about 15 feet away from the ball. Take a few steps towards the wall, and throw the ball when the opposite foot from the throwing hand is stepping. The ball is also caught while the player is on the move. When coaching lacrosse, vary the practice throws so that some are caught stick side, others are cross face, and others are caught on the bounce. Do 50 repetitions on one side, and then switch to the other.

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Lacrosse Coaching Practice Plans