Cradling:
Against the Wall: Stand with your 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.
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Foot Work:
Drop a stick on the ground and:
1) with the stick horizontally in front of you, step over the stick with one foot, then the next. Then step backwards with the next foot, and follow with the other. Basically, you're running in place very quickly, back and forth over your stick. Make sure that you're knees are high.
2) with the stick still horizontally in front of you, squat down a little and slide to the side of the stick, step forward so you're in front of it, then slide to the other side of the stick and step back behind it. Repeat this so you're really just sliding around the stick, but the squat position makes you're quads do a lot of the work and your constant forward position makes your feet get a great workout.
3) with the stick vertically in front of you, jump over it with both feet, then again to the other side. It's like you're slalom skiing. Again, make sure that you're knees are high.
4) with several sticks in front of you, line them up about a foot apart and step forward between the sticks with your knees as high as possible. It's like that drill you see football players doing stepping through tires.
See what other drills you can make up using your stick to improve your footwork.
Ground Balls:
Bowling
There are two lines at the 50 yard-line and one person between them with all of the balls. The middle person rolls a ball out ahead of both players and the first players in both lines sprint for the ball, bending deep to scoop it. Whoever comes up with the ball goes for the goal, while the other plays defense.
This drill can also be done with the balls rolling toward the two players. The center person can either roll the ball straight through the middle, or to either side to compensate for the difference in speed between the two players.
Line Drill
There are two lines facing each other, just like in the passing drill. The player starting with the ball runs out toward the other line and rolls the ball to the advancing player. That player picks it up and does the same for the next person in the first line.
This drill can also be used to roll the ball away: as the player with the ball reaches the other line, she shovels it behind her, away from the first person in the line she just reached.
Relays
There are four people in each line (make as many lines as you need). Four balls, each about 20 yards apart, are placed in front of both lines all the way up to the opposite end-line. When the whistle is blown, the first person in line sprints for the ball, picks it up and brings it back to her line. As soon as she has crossed the line, the next player sprints for the next ball, scoops it up and brings it back to her line. This continues until the last ball has been brought back and the one who reaches the line first wins.
Steal the Bacon
A ball is placed at midfield and the players are divided into two teams. Each team spreads out along opposing lines about 25 yards away from the ball (or around the circle). Each player has a number and the numbers one team coincide with those on the other. The coach calls a number and the two players who have those numbers sprint for the ball in the center. The player who picks up the ball must then cradle and cross her own line when a point is scored.
Variations
1. Call two numbers to have four players fighting for the ball. Make the players pass once before they can attempt to score.
Line Drills:
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
1.Add defense. After a player passes the ball, she immediately plays defense against the person she threw to.
2.Underhand throws.
3.Ground balls
4.Left-handed
5.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
1.Add more than one ball
2.Change directions
3.Left-handed
4.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
1.Add 1, 2 or 3 defensemen
2.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
1.Add a pivot point.
Shooting:
Rapid Fire
About 15-20 balls are lined up on the top of the arc. A player begins at one end of the line of balls (depending on whether she is right- or left-handed), and when the whistle is blown, she quickly scoops the ball and shoots at goal. She goes around the top of the arc, shooting each ball one by one.
If this drill is done sloppily, it won't do much good. Make sure that each player bends low to get good control of the ball, takes a cradle or two and shoots accurately at the corners.
Variations
1.Put targets in the corners of the goals.
2.Put a goalie in.
3.Limit the time in which each player has to shoot all of the balls.
4.Shovel shots.
Quick Stick
This is a scoring drill that's lots of fun, but in a game situation it must be used in only the most perfect of circumstances. There are many ways to lose possession of the ball doing a Quick Stick.
There is one line at the top of the fan. One player or the coach stands behind the goal with all of the balls. The players sprint one at a time straight toward the goal and the coach lobs a ball high just as the advancing player enters the arc. The player lets the ball sink lightly into her stick, after which she quickly whips it into the goal. There is no cradling, and the ball is never brought under full control. Make sure that the player's stick does not enter the circle.
One-on-One
There are two lines: one at the 50 yard-line (A), and one behind the goal (B). Line B has all of the balls. Player A runs toward the goal, and player B makes a long pass to her. Player B advances to defend player A after she catches the ball. Player A attempts to dodge and out-run the defender to score, while player B tries to check and body-check player A to prevent a goal. Note: Player B must defend closely to player A while in the arc to prevent a "blocking the shooting space" or "three seconds" call in a game.
Variations
1.Add more than one attack line and/or defense line
2.Have the goalie make the initial throw
3.Add a pivot point
