4-6 Lacrosse Drills
63 drills for 4-6 lacrosse players. Browse by skill focus and add them directly to your practice plan.
2 laps
Girls run 2 laps around the field- warm up
Crease Fire Shooting
Setup - Place two feeders (A1, A2) near the top of the box, spaced about 10–15 yards apart. - Crease man (X) starts just behind or slightly to the side of the goal crease, stick in the “box area” near shoulder and head. - Use one goal with a goalie optional for warm-up; adjust spacing if needed for player skill level. Execution The two feeders (A1 and A2) must NOT be stationary. Stress game-like dodge and feeds. The crease man (X) should cut down on a tangent to goal to obtain the best angle at shooting on goal. He must not merely sweep across the front of the cage. Crease stick must be in the “box area” (near shoulder and head). Crease man should not catch and cradle the pass, but catch and shoot in a single motion. Coaching Points - Feeders must move and read the crease man, mimicking live dodge situations. - Crease man’s stick should stay high and tight to the shoulder for proper shot mechanics. - The pass should arrive just as the cutter hit
2v2 Circle Ground Ball to Outlet
Setup: -Split players into two teams -Each team forms 2 lines (alternating) outside the center circle -One coach stands outside the circle The coach rolls a ground ball into the center circle Two players from each team (one from each line) are released and enter the circle to play a 2v2. The team that picks up the gb is offense; the other team is defense. Offense must: Complete one pass to their teammate, then complete a pass to the coach to score a point. The ball becomes dead if it goes out of bounds. Rotate new players in after each rep Play to a set number of points or for a set time
Musical GBs
Ground ball drill inspired by musical chairs. Set up a number of ground balls in a circle or scattered across the field, with one fewer ball than players. Players move or jog around the balls while the coach blows the whistle or plays music. When the whistle sounds, each player races to secure a ground ball. The player who does not secure a ball is either rotated out for the next round or performs a small conditioning task. Variations can include limiting players to certain stick hands, adding a pass once possession is gained, or forcing players to scoop and exit a marked area.
King of the Hill
Two players start butt-to-butt with a ball placed between them. On the whistle, both players compete to gain possession of the ball. The player who secures it can either maintain possession or try to exit a marked area, while the other resets for the next round. Variations include setting a time limit to secure the ball and making it a tournament competition.
2v1 Drill
Play 2v1 in the attack zone. Coach starts with a ground ball or pass. Offense works quick ball movement and stick handling to create scoring opportunities, while the defender practices positioning and slides. Play continues until a goal, save, clear, or whistle. Focus on decision-making under pressure.
Keep Away 3v2
Improve clearing under pressure in tight spaces behind the goal. Goalie on the end line with 2 defensemen. 2 attackmen start 5 yards above the end line. Goalie and defense play keep-away by moving the ball quickly. Attack tries to gain possession or force the ball out of bounds. Players cannot cross GLE. Variation: Set a time limit for possession. Add a third rider or remove a clearing player. If attack gains possession, play 2v2 to goal.
Scoop and Clear
Work ground balls in game-like situations with communication, possession, and transition to offense. Coach at the top of the box with balls. 2 lines of light jerseys behind the cage, 2 lines of dark jerseys. Coach rolls a ball out — first players from each line compete for the ground ball using man/ball communication. Team that wins goes on offense, other goes on defense. Play ends on a shot, save, or clear. Variation: Goalie clears all saves/goals to the defensive team for re-break reps. Coach yells "plus 1" to add players and build from 2v2 to 3v3.
announcements
bring the team in to share news
Ground Ball to Shoot
Player A1 starts with the ball and rolls it out to A4 for a ground ball scoop. A4 scoops the ball and immediately passes it back to A1. After passing, A4 cuts back-door toward the goal to receive a return pass from A1 and finishes with a catch-and-shoot. Focus on clean scoops, accurate passes, and timing the back-door cut to create a good shooting angle. Encourage awareness of defenders, proper stick placement, and quick decision-making. For a challenge, add a defender randomly from either line. With the defender, players can cross in front of the goal and flip or fake-flip the ball instead of making the second pass to simulate in-game adjustments.
Hot Rock
Set up a 20x20 yard box with three offensive players against two defenders. Offense moves and passes within the box, working to keep control of the ball. Defenders work together. One covers the ball, while the other splits the remaining two offensive players to disrupt passing lanes. Play continues as offense tries to maintain possession, and defense tries to create turnovers. Multiple boxes can run simultaneously so all players get turns on offense and defense. Encourage crisp ball movement, smart spacing, and clear communication. Offense should recognize overloads and exploit them, while defense practices teamwork and anticipation. Variations include awarding points for four consecutive passes by offense or interceptions/possession gains by defense to make the drill competitive. Adjust box size or numbers to challenge players further.
2v1 to the Cage
The drill starts with the coach throwing the ball in to initiate a 2v1 toward the cage. Cut the field in half and attack from a top corner. Keep it in tight. The two offensive players work to move the ball quickly and attack the net, while the defender focuses on playing the middle, having their stick up, communicating, and forcing a low-angle or outside shot.