It is a rule that you must cradle the ball when playing lacrosse. We cradle to protect our sticks and keep the ball in our sticks from the defenders. Defenders when they play use their long and short sticks to check you and get the ball out of your stick. This is why cradling is crucial and important, no good lacrosse player doesn't not know how to cradle.
Cradling helps you keep the ball in your stick while you are running. When you are cradling, hold the stick in your fingers, not your fist. It is the top hand that does all the work while cradling. The bottom hand is used to pivot or guide the stick. Holding it in your fingertips using your wrist elbow and arms, you are going to move it up and down in a cradling motion. When you start out it's okay to look at the stick making sure the ball stays where it's supposed to be.
After you master the basic cradle, you can do the cross-face cradle, the power cradle, or the one handed cradle often used by attack men to protect their stick. To get better at cradle, you just have to practice on your own. When you are practicing cradling, you should be running around and every now and then pretend somebody is in front of you. You should dodge the air and immediately start cradling again, see if you can do this while keeping the ball in your stick.
Monday, February 28, 2011
How To Throw and Catch A Lacrosse Ball
When you throw and catch, you want to have your top hand on the middle and bottom hand close to the bottom of the stick. If you're a beginner you can choke your hand up a little to help you out. But for experienced players hold your hands in the right place to make yourself better.
When you catch the ball it is important to have your hands nice and soft to receive the ball your top hand should be near the throat of the stick. Show your stick to the person passing it to you keeping the stick in your box. When you receive it, your hand allows you to move your stick towards the ball catching it in your pocket. Also, when you throw the ball have your elbow up and stick behind you.
While you are catching the ball you have your stick straight up and down, you give with it when you receive the pass. After you catch bring the ball behind your head move your hand down lower, raise your elbow up and release the pass. A lot of beginners try to catch it while it's on its way down and catch it sideways. This is why you must keep the stick up and down. These are the basic fundamentals of passing and catching.
When you catch the ball it is important to have your hands nice and soft to receive the ball your top hand should be near the throat of the stick. Show your stick to the person passing it to you keeping the stick in your box. When you receive it, your hand allows you to move your stick towards the ball catching it in your pocket. Also, when you throw the ball have your elbow up and stick behind you.
While you are catching the ball you have your stick straight up and down, you give with it when you receive the pass. After you catch bring the ball behind your head move your hand down lower, raise your elbow up and release the pass. A lot of beginners try to catch it while it's on its way down and catch it sideways. This is why you must keep the stick up and down. These are the basic fundamentals of passing and catching.
Friday, February 25, 2011
2011 NCAA Top 4 D1 Preseason Rankings
1. Virginia (16-2)
This year Virginia is starting out on top and is being coached by Dom Starsia and Marc Van Arsdale. So far, they have 3 wins under their belt one against the number 8 ranked Stony Brook.
2. North Carolina (13-3)
This year UNC will be coached by Joe Breschi, he coaches the Tar Heels to win important games. Their first win of the season was last week over Navy. A new Freshman R.G. Keenan won 18 out of 22 face-offs proving that he's not intimidated by anybody.
3. Duke(16-4)
Last year Duke was victorious over the fighting Irish for the Championship game, but wasn't ranked as the 2011 Preseason number one team. This year they will have their work cut out for them if they want to win the Championship another year in a row. So far this season they've only won one game, and lost to the Runner-Up Champs, Notre Dame. Pennsylvania beat them last Saturday, so if they want to win, they better pick it up.
4. Maryland (12-4)
Maryland is ranked number four this season and has held it's ground so far with two wins, one over number nine ranked Georgetown and the other over Detroit Mercy. As long as they keep fighting hard the rest of the season, they might be able to take home the ship.
This year Virginia is starting out on top and is being coached by Dom Starsia and Marc Van Arsdale. So far, they have 3 wins under their belt one against the number 8 ranked Stony Brook.
2. North Carolina (13-3)
This year UNC will be coached by Joe Breschi, he coaches the Tar Heels to win important games. Their first win of the season was last week over Navy. A new Freshman R.G. Keenan won 18 out of 22 face-offs proving that he's not intimidated by anybody.
3. Duke(16-4)
Last year Duke was victorious over the fighting Irish for the Championship game, but wasn't ranked as the 2011 Preseason number one team. This year they will have their work cut out for them if they want to win the Championship another year in a row. So far this season they've only won one game, and lost to the Runner-Up Champs, Notre Dame. Pennsylvania beat them last Saturday, so if they want to win, they better pick it up.
4. Maryland (12-4)
Maryland is ranked number four this season and has held it's ground so far with two wins, one over number nine ranked Georgetown and the other over Detroit Mercy. As long as they keep fighting hard the rest of the season, they might be able to take home the ship.
How To Shoot A Lacrosse Ball
Your shooting motion should be similar to your passing motion. The big difference is that you need to have your feet angled sideways towards the goal. When you are shooting, you must always step forward towards the goal. If you shoot and step away, your shot won't be good. Your hips must be opened up when you shoot because you don't get much power when you just stand and shoot.
Your hands, arms, and stick must always come through when you shoot. Your stick should be the last one to come through. So your feet should be sideways, then you should be stepping, and then opening up the hips.When you are getting ready to take your shot, your stick must be back and away from your body. When you have your hands high you can generate more power.
The last thing you should do is have a push pull motion, pushing with your top hand, and pulling with your bottom hand. If you pass with one hand, it will strengthen your top hand. When your shooting aim low and off hip of the goalie. Bounce shots are a good shot to take, and you often have a better percentage of making the bounce shot because it's harder for the goalie to figure out where it's going.
Your hands, arms, and stick must always come through when you shoot. Your stick should be the last one to come through. So your feet should be sideways, then you should be stepping, and then opening up the hips.When you are getting ready to take your shot, your stick must be back and away from your body. When you have your hands high you can generate more power.
The last thing you should do is have a push pull motion, pushing with your top hand, and pulling with your bottom hand. If you pass with one hand, it will strengthen your top hand. When your shooting aim low and off hip of the goalie. Bounce shots are a good shot to take, and you often have a better percentage of making the bounce shot because it's harder for the goalie to figure out where it's going.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
How To Face-off
When you face-off, you should always have your stick in your right hand. When you go to approach the ball, you want to make sure the back of your stick is facing the ball. Your feet should be lined up behind the line. Along with our feet, our entire body that should be behind the neutral zone. It's an imaginary plane that goes straight up from the plastic part of your plane where the medal meets the plastic.
When you line up, your stick should be lined up straight along the line. Not leaning over, lean in, or lean back, just line it up straight. The ball should be in the middle of our sticks, not on the throat of or up high. Your hands must be on the ground, not hovering over. Your goal should be to clamp, sweep, or jump to beat the other man and get possession of the ball.
While facing off, you should always be thinking which move beats which? Jump beats clamp, clamp beats sweep, and sweep beats jump. Facing off is just like rock, paper scissors. You have three different moves and one can be beat by one, but also can beat the other. So when you are facing off in a game, be thinking that.
Another key thing to do while your facing off is to stay low and to punch your left hand forward giving you an advantage. If you are higher then the other guy, he can easily get lower and box you out.
When you line up, your stick should be lined up straight along the line. Not leaning over, lean in, or lean back, just line it up straight. The ball should be in the middle of our sticks, not on the throat of or up high. Your hands must be on the ground, not hovering over. Your goal should be to clamp, sweep, or jump to beat the other man and get possession of the ball.
While facing off, you should always be thinking which move beats which? Jump beats clamp, clamp beats sweep, and sweep beats jump. Facing off is just like rock, paper scissors. You have three different moves and one can be beat by one, but also can beat the other. So when you are facing off in a game, be thinking that.
Another key thing to do while your facing off is to stay low and to punch your left hand forward giving you an advantage. If you are higher then the other guy, he can easily get lower and box you out.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Notre Dame 2010 Lacrosse Highlights
After making it all the way to the NCAA 2010 Championship Lacrosse Game, Notre Dame fell short losing to Duke. This year they are ranked number 10. Here is a video of last years highlights.
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