Top 4 Shooting Drills for Youth Lacrosse Players

Shooting drills for youth lacrosse players help develop a player’s skills in shooting, which require precision, power and placement. These drills can also develop a player’s skills in passing and catching. Here are some recommended shooting drills for youth players.

Basic Shooting Drill

This is the most basic shooting drill involving two players. In this drill, one player stands with his back towards the goal. He is designated as the shooter. The other player, designated as the passer, feeds the ball to the shooter. Once the shooter catches the ball, they can then turn around and shoot the ball towards the goal. This simulates an in-game situation where players may need to make a turn after receiving a pass to take a shot at the goal.

Pass and Shoot

This is a pretty simple lacrosse shooting drill, where one player acts as a feeder for the other players. The feeder positions himself on the side of the crease circle where he feeds balls to the other players. The other players must catch the balls one by one and then shoots for the goal. This drill works on the players’ catching skills as well as their aim and shooting skills. After a while, the feeder can switch positions with one of the other players. This way, the feeder can also practice his shooting skills.

Partner Passing in Pairs

This is a fun drill where players pair up. They position themselves 20 feet away from the goal. From that starting position, they pass the ball to each other as they move towards the goal. The players should stay sharp and pay attention to catching the ball and their distance from the goal. When they are near the goal, the player possessing the ball may take the shot to the goal. If either of the players drop the ball before they reach the goal, they cannot shoot the ball and they need to go back to their starting position.

Rapid Fire

In this drill, 15-20 balls are positioned along the top of the arc. A player starts on one end of the line and on the signal of the coach or trainer, the player starts scooping and shooting the balls. Each shot should be done with a full bend and scoop motion before making the shot to effectively develop shooting form. This drill also works on a player’s shooting accuracy from different positions along the arc. Several variations of this drill include involving goalies, target objects, a time limit, and shovel shots.

Quick Stick

This drill requires a feeder standing behind the goal, while the players stand in a line in front of the goal. One by one, the players move towards the goal and as they reach the inside of the arc, the feeder throws a ball to the oncoming player. The player must let the ball lightly sink into the stick before making the shot. The ball must not be brought to full control or be cradled. The player’s stick must not touch or enter the circle.

References

Weymouth Youth Lacrosse: Lacrosse Drills

Playsportstv: Great Lacrosse Drills for Passing and Shooting