Lacrosse Ground Ball Drills: 7 Ways to Win Possession
You win more lacrosse ground balls by getting low, scooping through the ball with two hands, and running off with it in one motion. The team that gets its hips down first, protects the stick, and sprints to space almost always comes up with the ball. Ground balls are extra possessions, and extra possessions win games.
Below are the technique cues, the boxing-out fundamentals, and seven ground ball drills you can run at your next practice, plus how to diagram each one so your players see exactly where to go.
Why do ground balls win lacrosse games?
A lacrosse game is really a fight for possessions. Every faceoff, every missed shot, every dropped pass, and every knocked-loose ball turns into a ground ball, and whoever collects it gets a chance to score while the other team has to defend. Coaches have said it for decades: ground balls win games. It is not a slogan, it is math.
Track ground balls in your next scrimmage and you will see the pattern. The team that wins the loose-ball count usually controls tempo, shortens the other team's offense, and gets more shots. Ground balls also reward effort over talent, which makes them the fastest way for a younger or less-skilled team to level the field. Hustle is coachable, and it shows up first on the ground.
What is the correct way to scoop a ground ball?
Scoop through the ball, do not rake at it. Raking, dragging the head of the stick over the top of the ball, leaves it exposed and gets stripped or missed. A proper scoop puts your stick head under the ball and carries it up and away in one continuous motion. Here is the sequence to teach.
How do you win a ground ball battle when someone is on you?
When two players arrive at once, the ground ball becomes a body battle, and the player who gets position wins it. Box out just like a rebound in basketball. Get your body between the opponent and the ball, use your hips and backside to seal them off, then scoop while they are stuck behind you.
If you cannot get to the scoop first, do not dive in and pile up. Box your man out or knock the ball toward open grass, then chase it down where you have a clean scoop. And use your voice. The player going for the ball calls "Ball," and once it is secured teammates call "Release" so they peel off into support instead of crowding the carrier.
Diagram every drill in seconds
Players learn ground ball drills faster when they can see the spacing before they run it. A dedicated lacrosse board with a full field on one side and a blank grid on the other lets you draw the scoop angle, the box-out, and the outlet in real time on the sideline.
Custom Lacrosse Clipboard (2 Sided)
Full field on one side and a blank dry-erase grid on the other, so you can diagram scoop angles, box-outs, and outlets right on the field. Customize it with your team name and colors.
What are the best lacrosse ground ball drills?
These seven drills build ground ball skill from clean technique up to full-contact battles. Run the first two as a warm-up every practice, then rotate the competitive ones in as your team is ready.
Players in lines scoop a ball, run five yards, drop it for the next player, and return. Pure reps on low hips and scooping through. Great for beginners and youth.
Scoop a rolled ball, protect the stick, and immediately snap an outlet pass to a partner. Trains the "scoop and go" habit so no one stalls over the ball.
Coach rolls a ball between two players facing each other. First to scoop and clear wins. Teaches attacking the ball and boxing out under pressure.
Same setup, but the player closest to the ball must box out first, then scoop. Forces body position over a reckless dive.
Coach has two balls and rolls either one on a call. Players react, scoop, and outlet. Builds first-step quickness and heads-up scooping.
Win the ground ball at midfield, then push numbers up the field for a shot. Connects the loose ball to real scoring, which is why it matters.
Should you ever rake a ground ball?
Scooping is the standard, and it is what you should drill 95 percent of the time. There is one narrow exception: when the ball is trapped against your body or a wall in a scrum and you cannot get the head under it, a quick, controlled rake to pop it loose can be smart. Outside of that, teach the scoop. Here is the honest comparison.
Stick head under the ball, two hands, run through it. Secures possession, protects the ball, and lets you clear immediately. The default for every open ground ball.
Dragging the head over the ball. Leaves the ball exposed and often just pushes it away. Only justified in a tight scrum against your body or a boundary.
Lacrosse ground ball FAQ
Every loose ball is a possession, and possessions are chances to score. Winning the ground ball count usually means more shots and less time defending, which is why coaches say ground balls win games.
Scoop almost every time. Get the stick head under the ball with two hands and run through it. Only rake when the ball is trapped against your body or a wall and you cannot get under it.
Put your body between your opponent and the ball, use your hips and backside to seal them off, then scoop while they are stuck behind you. If you cannot scoop, box the man out so a teammate can.
Once a player secures the ball, teammates call "Release" so they stop attacking and peel off into support position. It prevents a pile-up and gives the carrier a passing outlet.
Drill low hips and scooping through the ball every practice with simple line and relay drills, then add 1v1 battles. Reps plus effort beat talent on the ground.
The 1v1 ground ball is the most game-like, since it trains attacking the ball, boxing out, and clearing under pressure. Pair it with line scoops for daily technique reps.
Draw it up and win the ground ball battle
Great ground ball teams are built at practice, one clear rep at a time. A two-sided custom lacrosse board lets you diagram scoop angles, box-outs, and fast breaks on the field so every player sees the plan, not just hears it.
