This article appears in the December edition of US Lacrosse Magazine. Don’t get the mag? Join US Lacrosse today to start your subscription.

Kyle Hartzell knows a thing or two about digging himself out of trouble on the lacrosse field. He’s under constant pressure during scrums following faceoffs and on defense, so he often resorts to unconventional ways to deliver the ball to his teammates. That’s how he mastered the shovel pass. It’s an underarm technique designed to keep the ball away from opponents and jumpstart the transition game. 

Vision

Once you’ve picked up a ground ball, find the open players. Survey the field before the other wing players converge on you.

Stick Position

Keep your stick low and on the far side of your body to make it hard for opponents to check.

Body Position

Turn your back and hips away from the defender to shield the ball and stick. 

Motion

When it’s time to pass, turn your shoulders and hips, helping swing your arms across the body as if you were doing a behind-the-back shot.

Follow Through

Allow the stick to continue across your body, keeping your back to the defender. Snap your wrists in the same way you would with an overhead shot.