Lacrosse

Skill	Performance Cues	Pictures
Scooping: Approach the ball. Bend your knees and lower the middle of your bottom toward the ball. Lowering your center of gravity will help you get a better angle on the ball when you attempt to pick it up. Extend your lacrosse stick directly in front of you. The stick should be parallel with the ground at this point. Many players have problems with this skill because they do not place their stick in a parallel position. Aim the stick so that the stick will hit the ground directly behind the ball. This will allow you to scoop through the ball when it comes time. Pick up the ball with a shoveling motion. This motion should place the ball in the pocket of your stick. Once the ball is in there, bring the ball up towards your eyes. You have successfully scooped a ground ball.	Scooping Bend knees, lower back hand toward ground, if right hand is closest to stick head the right foot should be closest to ball, stick at ground level 3 inches behind ball, flat approach
Passing: Hold your lacrosse stick across your body with the pocket near your ear. Your top hand should be holding the stick just above your shoulder with your lower hand at the end of it. Stand with your feet staggered. If your right hand is on top, your left foot should be forward. As you throw you will move your body sideways and transfer your weight from your back foot to your front foot. Pull the head of the stick back behind your head being careful not to let the ball fall out. Bring the stick head forward quickly, using your top hand to extend the stick and pulling the bottom of it towards your body with your lower hand. Take a small step towards your target with your lead foot. Snap the wrist of your upper hand as you throw, creating a more accurate and powerful pass. Follow through to complete your pass. Your stick should end up parallel to the ground and pointing at your target. Failure to follow through will result in a high pass. Catching: Provide a target by placing the pocket of your lacrosse stick just above your shoulder and next to your ear. This is often referred to as the "box" and is the best place to catch a pass. The stick should cross your body, not be off to the side. If your teammate doesn't see you're open call out for the pass. Hold your top hand just below the middle of the stick and your lower hand at the bottom. Not all passes will come in at the perfect place…be ready to adjust your stick and hand placement as needed. Relax your arms as the ball approaches and allow the stick to "give" a little. The faster the ball is coming at you the more you'll need to lean your stick back to absorb its velocity. This will prevent the ball from bouncing off the pocket. Watch the ball all the way into your pocket before making your next move. Cradle the ball as soon as it's in your pocket to secure it, keeping your stick close to your body. When you have possession of the ball be ready to run, pass or shoot immediately.	Passing Bottom hand at end of shaft, top hand in the middle; Step and point opposite foot and elbow where you want the ball to go; follow through straight the end of shaft should be in your armpit Catching Hold stick in front of you; Give the passer a good target; ball arrives, pull stick back by flexing elbows and cradling ball into the net (cushion the ball)
Shooting: Position the hands on the stick with the bottom hand at the butt of the stick. Place the top hand just below midway down the stick for good leverage for a powerful shot. Stand with feet parallel to the goal. Set shoulders perpendicular to the goal. Keep left foot closer to the goal for right-handed shooting and the right foot closer for a left-handed shot. Bring the arms back and away from the body with both hands on the same side of the body. Hold the bottom arm across the chest. Transfer weight from the back foot to the front foot. Punch the bottom hand out and push the top of the stick out to follow through. Start on the right side of the body and follow through to the left side. Use the bottom hand for pulling and strength. Use the top hand for aiming and direction. Think of the stick as a catapult. Point the head of the stick in the direction of the throw. Look through the goalie and not at the goalie. Keep the view towards one of the four corners of the goal and shoot into the goal, for the best shot that is most difficult for a goalie to track.	Shooting Shoot away from goalie′s body and stick; try not to look directly where you want the ball to go; use hips, wrists, and a powerful step to generate ball speed; always shoot on the run	*