Against the Wall
Standwithyour back to a wall and cradle. Try to make your stick touch the wall on both sides without dropping the ball. This is a drill in keeping your stick vertical and making sure you cradle completely from side to side.
Obstacles
Make a line with about 10 players standing about 4 yards apart. The rest of the players line up with all the balls. One by one, each player weaves in between the other players, back and forth, cradling from one side to the other. If the player is dodging a person to their left, then they cradle to the right and vice versa.
Pivot Points
A pivot point is a spot where a player will stop all forward movement with one foot forward and turn around by twisting her body instead of taking extra steps. If a player pivots on her left foot, for instance, she will stop with her left foot forward, and swing her cradle strong to her right, almost over her head, while twisting around and facing the way she came. Pivot points can be crucial in shaking a defender because the speed and direction is changed so quickly. Pivot points can be added to just about any drill, especially relays.
PASSING
Line drills
Two lines face each other, the player at the head of one line has the ball. The first two players in each line run towards each other and the player with the ball passes to the other. When the ball is received, the next player in the first line comes out and the ball is passed again. After each player’s turn is finished, they run to the end of the line to which they threw.
Variations
- Add defense. After a player passes the ball, she immediately plays defense against the person she threw to.
- Underhand throws.
- Ground balls
- Left-handed
- Make more than one set of lines doing the drill with 6 players to a set.
Squares
There are four lines (A,B,C and D), each at a point on a square. Player A starts with the ball and runs toward player B. Player B runs toward line C (perpendicularly to player A’s movement) and receives the ball from player A. Player B continues with the ball as player C moves toward line D. Player B passes to player C, who advances toward line D. The ball continues to be passed around the square.
Variations
- Add more than one ball
- Change directions
- Left-handed
- Make the square smaller for tighter, faster passing
"The Weave"
There are three lines of players (A, B and C) at the fifty yard-line facing the goal. The middle line (line B) is supplied with all of the balls. The first players in each line start down the field, the middle line cradling the ball. Player B passes the ball to her left to player C, and runs behind her to take her place at the left wing position. When player C receives the ball, she crosses the field to pass to player A, then runs behind her to take the right wing position. When player A receives the ball, she crosses the field and passes to player B, then runs behind her to take her position, and player B crosses again to pass to player C.
Get it? It’s hard to explain, but in broad terms, it’s a drill in which the attack wings making long, leading passes across the field while advancing toward the goal. The extra person just makes each line replenish itself.
Variations
- Add 1, 2 or 3 defensemen
- Finish with a shot on goal
Give-and-Go
There are three lines at the 50 yard-line: two at center, and one a wing position. One of the lines in the center is for defensemen, the other center line starts with the ball. The first player in the defense line comes out to about 10 yards in front of the first player in the ball line. The players start down the field toward the goal, and the defender attempts to check the center’s stick and to slow her down by body checking. Once the defender has been drawn closely to the player with the ball, and the center senses she’s in trouble, she will pass it to the wing. The defense sprints to defend the wing, and when she has been drawn away, the wing will pass it back to center who has sprinted ahead for the goal.
Variations
- Add a pivot point.
