6-8 Lacrosse Drills
86 drills for 6-8 lacrosse players. Browse by skill focus and add them directly to your practice plan.
3v3
Work 3v3 situations in the attack zone. 3 offensive players vs 3 defenders. Coach starts play with a ground ball or pass. Play until a goal, save, clear, or whistle. Variation: Defense clears all saves or takeaways out of the box. Add passing requirements or other skill constraints.
2v2
Work 2v2 situations in the attack zone. 2 offensive players vs 2 defenders. Coach starts play with a ground ball or pass. Play until a goal, save, clear, or whistle. Variation: Defense clears all saves or takeaways out of the box. Add rules like a minimum number of passes before shooting.
Give and Go
Develop the give-and-go play. Two lines at the top of the box — one with balls, one without. A soft defender or coach stands in front of the ball line. The ball carrier feeds to the second line and cuts to the goal. The receiver catches, switches hands, and throws a lead pass for the catch and shot. Rotate to the back of the lines. Variation: Change starting locations. Add defenders for more pressure.
Gauntlet
Develop dodging skills, footwork, and ball protection through a gauntlet of moves. Players line up with balls. 5 cones in a straight line, 5 yards apart. At each cone, execute a dodge (coach-assigned or player's choice). After 2-3 reps, add a soft defender at each cone. Progress to allowing defenders to check. Variation: Move cone positions. Add a shot on goal after the final cone.
3 Man Relays
Stop-and-go sprint conditioning that mimics game situations. 2 cones 10 yards apart. One player at each cone, one in the middle. On the whistle, the middle player sprints to a cone and taps hands — that player sprints to the opposite cone and releases the next player. Continue for 2 minutes, then rest 1 minute. Repeat for your target duration. Variation: Add a ground ball or a specific dodge to each sprint.
Box Sprints
Condition players with constant changes of direction that mirror in-game movement. Set up 4 cones in a box, 5-10 yards apart. Sprint to cone 2, side shuffle to cone 3, drop step and side shuffle to cone 4, then accelerate through cone 1. Variation: Add a ground ball pickup on the final sprint off cone 4.
Fast Break Drill from Face-Off
Combine faceoff work with fast-break offense. Two middies come to the faceoff X, each with a ball. One ball is used for the faceoff, the other placed to the side. Winner attacks with the first ball; loser grabs the second and attacks the opposite end. Both push 4v3 fast breaks. Next pair steps in and repeats. Variation: Add a defender at the box area who runs in after the faceoff to create a 4v4 if the break doesn't convert. Add wing players for full faceoff reps.
Form Shooting
Force players to shoot on the run with proper hip rotation and balance. Players line up and take shots on the run, focusing on driving through with their hips and maintaining balance through the release. Variation: Add a defender or a second goal in the middle of the field to ensure shooters are going overhand rather than sidearm.
Feed the Crease
Practice defending crease players against picks, cuts, and feeds. 2 offensive players on the crease vs 2 defenders. Perimeter players move the ball around looking to feed the crease. Defenders constantly adjust, staying between their man and the ball to deny feeds. Communication is key to covering picks and rolls. Variation: Have offense work pick/re-pick, high-low cuts, and pick-and-roll on the crease.
Hogan Lacrosse Butt to Butt
Develop body awareness, low leverage, and the ability to scoop a ground ball and escape pressure. Two players stand back to back with a ball on the ground between them. First whistle: players back up and jockey for position over the ball. Second whistle: players can kick the ball out and pick it up, then get away from pressure. Focus on using feet and creativity to get the ball into a position for a clean pickup.
Handling Defensive Pressure
Teach players to handle defensive pressure, work for the ball, and create turnovers under time constraints. 6v6 in the attack zone. Offense holds possession for 6 minutes without leaving the box. After 45 seconds, add a 7th defender and work to double-team the ball. Variation: Shrink the zone with cones, remove offensive players, or use the goalie to double behind the cage.
Extend and Recover
Improve on-ball and off-ball defensive positioning, including extending to the ball carrier and recovering to the hole. Start as a modified 2v2. Two offensive players pass back and forth, forcing defenders to adjust. When your man has the ball, extend and break down with a bottom-hand check. When your man passes, drop step toward the ball, stick up in the passing lane, and recover to help position in the hole. Maintain the man-you-ball triangle when off-ball. Variation: Progress to 3v3 or 4v4 as technique improves.