This article appears in the July/August edition of US Lacrosse Magazine, a digital-only publication available exclusively to US Lacrosse members. Join or renew today for access to this 96-page edition, which includes immersive and interactive features as well as video tips from professional players. Thank you for your support!

Virtual training is all the rage these days. Whether through Zoom, YouTube or Instagram, the resources to connect players and coaches despite their physical separation have surged. US Lacrosse even established a digital emporium, Lax at Home, loaded with drills, at-home workouts, stick-skill exercises, e-learning and development opportunities to keep members active and connected during the pandemic. 

For more than a decade, US Lacrosse Magazine has provided the platform for some of the sport’s top players to share tricks of the trade. We went next level for this digital-only edition. Seven elite professional and U.S. national team players put on a clinic for our cameras at US Lacrosse’s Tierney Field in Sparks, Md. These next several pages are chock full of tips and drills for youth and high school players, including embedded videos. 

We are here to help you get ready to get back on the field. For more ways to train on your own, visit uslacrosse.org/lax-at-home. Next up in our digital-edition how-to series is Marcus Holman.

Marcus Holman
North Carolina '13 / PLL Archers / 2014, 2018 U.S. National Team

The Snake Drill

1. Choose variety 

This incorporates three styles of shooting: on-the-run, time-and-room and crease finish.

2. Set up three cones 

Place one near the crease and the other two in the alleys.

3. Get A Partner 

He or she rolls the ball toward the first cone. Scoop it and shoot a righty runner.

4. Receive a pass 

Circle the second cone, catch a pass and take a lefty time-and-room shot.

5. Finish inside 

Circle the third cone, catch a pass and take an interior shot near the goal.

The Zigzag Drill

1. Set up six cones

Place the cones 5-7 yards apart in a zigzag pattern.

2. Attack the first cone

Use a one-handed cradle, with your opposite arm protecting the stick.

3. Shuffle backward

Put two hands on your stick and act as a feeder, with eyes up as you cradle near your shoulder.

4. Repeat the pattern

Alternate between attacking and feeding throughout all six cones.

5. Progression: Roll back

As a variation after the first cone, instead of just stepping away to backpedal, roll back and look to feed toward the second cone.