Real lacrosse is sprinting with the ball. The cradle has to hold up at full speed and through cuts. This drill puts the kid in motion and tests whether the cradle works under pressure.
What you need: Lacrosse stick, ball, 4 cones, 20-yard area.
Setup: Cones in a zigzag pattern, 5 yards apart.
How to run it:
- Cue: Grip, Roll, Cup, Run. Now the Run is real.
- Kid starts at the first cone with the ball in the stick.
- Sprint to the second cone, cut, sprint to the third.
- Continue through all the cones.
- Do 4 trips. Reset the ball if it drops.
What to watch: When the ball drops, what was the trigger? A hard cut? A switching of hands? The drop tells you what part of the cradle needs work.
If they’re struggling: Slow to a jog. Fewer cones. Or use a heavier ball.
If they’ve got it: Add a defender chasing. Cradle has to hold under pressure.