So your kid wants to play lacrosse. Great choice! It's fast, physical, and one of the fastest-growing youth sports in America. But here's the thing: lacrosse has a learning curve. There's catching, passing, cradling, shooting, dodging, defending, and ground balls—and that's before we even talk about game strategy.
The good news? With the right drills, beginners can build solid fundamentals that will serve them for years. Whether you're a parent trying to help your kid practice at home or a coach running your first youth lacrosse practice, these 8 drills will get beginners comfortable with the basics.
Why Beginner Drills Matter
Lacrosse isn't intuitive for most kids. Unlike soccer (where you kick a ball) or basketball (where you dribble and shoot), lacrosse requires learning a completely new skill set: how to control a ball with a stick while running, dodging defenders, and making split-second decisions.
Starting with the fundamentals builds confidence. When kids can catch, pass, and cradle consistently, they feel capable. When they struggle with the basics, they get frustrated and want to quit.
Good drills break down complex skills into manageable pieces. They give kids repetitions in a controlled environment so that when game situations arise, the movements feel automatic.
Let's get into it.
1. Catching Drills
Catching is the foundation of lacrosse. If you can't catch, you can't do anything else.
Start simple: Have your kid stand stationary with a partner and practice basic catch and throw. Focus on proper hand placement, soft hands, and giving with the stick when the ball arrives.
Progress to movement: Once they're comfortable, have them toss and catch while running parallel to a partner down the field. This mimics game situations where players are moving constantly.
Practice misguided passes: Real games involve bad passes. Have a partner intentionally throw erratic passes—high, low, behind, ahead—so your kid learns to adjust and catch balls that aren't perfectly placed.
Cross-handed catching: This drill involves moving the stick right to throw and left to catch without switching hands. It builds coordination and ambidexterity.
Wall work: If your kid wants to practice alone, have them throw against a wall or use a rebounder. This lets them get hundreds of reps without needing a partner.
2. Passing Drills
Catching and passing go hand-in-hand, but passing requires its own focus.
Emphasize footwork: Good passing isn't just about arm motion—it's about moving your feet and stepping into the throw. Practice passing while moving, not standing still.
Triangle passing: Set up three players in a triangle and have them pass the ball between each other. This teaches timing, communication, and quick decision-making.
Pass under pressure: Add a defender who applies light pressure while the passer tries to complete throws. This simulates game conditions where you're never passing in wide-open space.
3. Cradling Drills
Cradling is how you protect the ball while running. It's one of the most important skills in lacrosse, and it takes time to develop.
Start stationary: Have your kid practice a side-to-side cradling motion in front of a mirror. This lets them see their form and make adjustments.
Two-handed first: Begin with two hands on the stick for stability, then progress to one-handed cradling once they're comfortable.
Add movement: Once they can cradle standing still, have them run down the field while cradling. This is harder than it looks.
Practice under pressure: Have a defender lightly harass them while they cradle. This teaches them to protect the stick and maintain control when someone's trying to strip the ball.
4. Shooting Drills
Shooting is the fun part. But it requires technique, accuracy, and repetition.
Start close and stationary: Have your kid stand 10 yards from the goal and practice shooting with both hands. Focus on proper form before worrying about power.
Add motion: Once they're hitting the goal consistently, add movement. Have them run toward the goal and shoot on the move, or shoot while dodging to the side.
Use targets: Place cones in the corners of the goal to work on accuracy. Challenge your kid to hit specific spots rather than just getting the ball in the net.
Combine with dodging: In real games, you're rarely shooting wide open. Practice shooting after a dodge to simulate game conditions.
5. Dodging Drills
Dodging is how you create space to shoot or pass. Beginners should learn a few basic dodges and practice them until they're automatic.
Cone drills: Set up cones in a line and practice a different dodge at each cone—split dodge, face dodge, roll dodge. This builds muscle memory.
Practice against a defender: Once your kid can dodge cones, add a defender. Have them practice using different dodges to get past a real opponent.
Combine with shooting: After dodging, immediately shoot on goal. This teaches them to execute under pressure and finish after creating space.
6. Ground Ball Drills
Ground balls are huge in lacrosse. Whoever controls ground balls controls possession, and possession wins games.
Roll and scoop: Roll a ball out and have two players race to scoop it up. This teaches urgency and proper scooping technique.
Practice different angles: Roll balls from the side, from behind, and from the front so kids learn to scoop from every direction.
Box out drills: Teach kids to use their body—hips, rear, shoulders—to box out opponents and protect the ball while scooping.
7. Defensive Drills
Defense wins games, and good defense starts with footwork.
Zigzag 1-on-1: Set up cones in a zigzag pattern and have your kid navigate through them while keeping their stick in a defensive position. This teaches lateral movement and proper positioning.
Practice checks: Teach different types of checks (poke check, lift check) so kids can legally strip the ball from opponents.
Monkey in the middle: This classic drill works for lacrosse too. Have one defender try to intercept passes between two offensive players. It teaches anticipation and active defense.
8. Clearing Drills
Clearing is how the defense moves the ball upfield after a turnover or save. It requires quick passing and smart positioning.
Goalie clearing drill: Have defenders and midfielders line up near the goalie. One at a time, they run to different sides of the field while the goalie passes them the ball. This teaches timing and spacing.
Crossfield passes: Practice long passes across the field. In games, clearing often requires hitting a teammate on the far side to break pressure.
Practice Tips for Parents and Coaches
Start simple. Don't overwhelm beginners with complex drills. Master the basics first.
Focus on one skill at a time. Trying to work on everything in one practice leads to frustration. Pick 2-3 drills per session and do them well.
Make it fun. Add competition, time challenges, or small games to keep kids engaged. Drills don't have to feel like work.
Encourage repetition. Skills develop through repetition. Ten minutes of daily wall ball is better than one long practice per week.
Be patient. Lacrosse takes time to learn. Celebrate small improvements and don't expect perfection.
The Bottom Line
Lacrosse is an incredible sport, but it requires solid fundamentals. These 8 drills give beginners the foundation they need to succeed: catching, passing, cradling, shooting, dodging, defending, scooping ground balls, and clearing.
Whether you're a parent practicing with your kid in the backyard or a coach running your first youth practice, focus on the basics. Master these drills, and everything else will follow.
Now grab a stick and get to work.
Ian Goldberg is the CEO of Signature Media and the Editor of the largest and fastest growing sports parenting newsletter. He’s been recognized as an industry expert by the National Alliance for Youth Sports, the US Olympic Committee’s Truesport, and the Aspen Institute's Project Play. Ian is also a suburban NJ sports dad of two teenage daughters and has over 2,000 hours of volunteer time coaching them (which he calls the most fun form of R&D for his newsletter content). Ian and his team provide players, coaches, parents and program directors with the articles and content they need to have a great sports season. Ian has spent most of his career in digital product development and marketing and got his start at the White House where he worked for the economic advisors to two US Presidents.
