Lacrosse is a sport with some high-octane activities and there is never a dull moment! A lacrosse player has to learn the tactics to disrupt the players of the opponent team.
Here are some tried and tested one on one lacrosse drills that players should practice to sharpen their skills, especially defensive techniques. These drills have to be practiced intensely by the players to become pro:
Dodge and Roll
This drill is meant for checking player skills to cope with opponent attacks and sudden moves. You will require a goalie, a lacrosse ball along with a couple of players to practice the drill.
The goalie has to be in her position. A player has to play offender while the 2nd will play defender. The offense player should be 10 yards away from the player who is goalie, showing her back. The defender is only 3 yards away from the offender. Upon your command, the offender spins and tries to take a shot bypassing the defender. The offensive player may make fake shots to distract the defender.
The coach should make sure that the defensive player is not making any deliberate attempt to make penalties. During this Dodge and Roll drill, the offensive player should try her level best to catch the defender off guard by using fakes. In men’s lacrosse, the defenders are allowed to use the checking techniques to keep the moves of the offensive player in check; however, this is not allowed in girls’ lacrosse.
Corner Checks
This is for the boys’ league where checking is allowed. This drill will come in handy for all the defenders out there who want to keep the opposing team’s attack in check. You will need a lacrosse ball, a goalie along 3 players.
The players should be split into groups of 3. One of them will play offensive and two others will play the defensive roles. The goalie would be at his default position. The offensive player will stand at least 25 yards away. The two defenders have to stand facing him, and they should be 5 yards away. As you indicate, the offensive player will move towards the net and try taking a shot. The defenders will try to thwart him and keep him away. The offensive player should be given a minute or so for taking the shot. This drill may be rather aggressive and so defenders have to resort to apt checking techniques.
Read and React Tag
It is a fun drill and fits the younger lacrosse players. They figure out ways to follow the players that they are supposed to guard. You will need a lacrosse ball and 2 players to try the drill.
At first, split the team and keep one player in every pair as offensive and defense. The offensive player has a ball and stands in the middle of the field. The defensive player is just 10 yards away. As you indicate, the offensive player starts and the defender has to chase and touch him using the stick. This drill can be practiced at intervals of one minute. This will enable many players to take part. The offensive players have to use their speed to their advantage and make fake moves too.
If you are a coach, you should ask the defensive players not to fall for the fakes employed by offensive players and this can easily be achieved by focusing mainly on the chest of the lacrosse players. Ask them to keep their heads up so that they can have a better idea of what the offensive players are about to do. Tell offensive players to use cuts and fakes in order to get tracked by the defensive players. Take a minute or two intervals between drills and you can expect an amazing outcome at the end.
