Defense in lacrosse starts with stick position. The stick goes in the attacker’s passing lane. The body stays between the attacker and the goal. Most kids try to swing the stick at the ball. That’s a foul. Smart defenders stay positioned.
What you need: Sticks, full gear, two players.
Setup: Attacker with the ball in the cradle. Defender 5 feet away.
How to run it:
- Attacker walks toward the goal at half speed.
- Defender backpedals, stick held in front of the body, head of the stick at the attacker’s chest level.
- Defender shuffles laterally to mirror the attacker.
- No swinging at the ball. Just stick position.
- Continue for 30 seconds. Reset. 4 rounds.
What to watch: Where the defender’s stick is. If it’s at the attacker’s hip or knee, it’s not in the passing lane. Stick at chest level is the position.
If they’re struggling: Slower attacker. Drop the cradle and just have the attacker walk forward with the stick.
If they’ve got it: Allow stick-checks (poke checks only, not slap checks at this age).