Mastering Lacrosse Ground Balls: Techniques, Drills, and Career Records

What are the most effective techniques for securing ground balls in lacrosse. How can players improve their ground ball skills through targeted drills. Who holds the career ground ball records in Marquette Men’s Lacrosse program.

The Importance of Ground Balls in Lacrosse

Ground balls are a crucial aspect of lacrosse, often determining the outcome of games. They represent loose balls on the field that players must secure to gain possession. Mastering ground ball techniques is essential for players at all levels, from beginners to professionals.

Fundamental Ground Ball Techniques

Proper technique is key to consistently winning ground balls. Here are some fundamental steps:

1. Approach the ball at an angle, not straight on
2. Get low, bending at the knees and hips
3. Place your stick parallel to the ground
4. Scoop through the ball in one fluid motion
5. Accelerate away from pressure after securing the ball

Why is approaching at an angle important? It allows you to protect the ball with your body and gives you a better view of oncoming opponents.

Common Ground Ball Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced players can fall into bad habits when going for ground balls. Some common mistakes include:

• Reaching for the ball instead of getting low
• Stopping your feet as you scoop
• Trying to pick the ball up with one hand
• Looking away from the ball before it’s secured
• Not communicating with teammates

How can players break these habits? Consistent practice and focused drills that emphasize proper technique are key.

Effective Ground Ball Drills for Beginners

Developing strong ground ball skills starts with targeted practice. Here are some effective drills for beginners:

1. Box Drill

Set up a small square area. Players start at each corner and race to a ground ball placed in the center. This drill improves reaction time and teaches players to get low quickly.

2. Partner Rolls

Players pair up, with one rolling the ball to their partner who scoops it up. This drill helps refine proper scooping technique.

3. Gauntlet Drill

Create two lines of players facing each other. A coach rolls a ball down the middle as one player from each line competes for possession. This drill simulates game-like pressure.

How often should these drills be incorporated into practice? Ideally, ground ball drills should be a part of every practice session, even if just for 10-15 minutes.

Advanced Ground Ball Strategies

As players progress, they can incorporate more advanced techniques:

• Boxing out opponents to gain positioning
• Using the off-hand to protect the stick while scooping
• Kicking the ball to open space before scooping
• Communicating and setting picks for teammates

When should players start incorporating these advanced strategies? Once they have mastered the fundamental techniques and are comfortable with basic drills.

The Role of Ground Balls in Different Positions

While all players need strong ground ball skills, the approach can vary by position:

Attackmen

Focus on quick scoops and immediate ball protection to maintain offensive possession.

Midfielders

Emphasize speed and transition skills to quickly move the ball up the field after securing it.

Defensemen

Practice scooping with long poles and clearing the ball efficiently under pressure.

Goalies

Work on coming out of the crease to secure loose balls and initiate clears.

How can coaches tailor ground ball drills for specific positions? By incorporating position-specific scenarios and follow-up actions into the drills.

Marquette Men’s Lacrosse Career Ground Balls Records

The Marquette Men’s Lacrosse program has seen impressive ground ball performances over the years. Let’s examine the career leaders:

1. Liam Byrnes – 218 ground balls
2. Mason Woodward – 212 ground balls
3. Jacob Richard – 193 ground balls
4. Zachary Melillo – 190 ground balls
5. Noah Richard – 163 ground balls

What makes these players’ achievements particularly noteworthy? Their consistency and ability to contribute significantly in this crucial aspect of the game over multiple seasons.

Analyzing Mason Woodward’s Ground Ball Performance

Mason Woodward stands out as a current player with a chance to break the all-time record. His ground ball statistics are impressive:

• 2022 season: 60 ground balls in 12 games
• 2021 season: 54 ground balls in 12 games
• Current total: 212 ground balls

To break Liam Byrnes’ record of 218, Woodward needs just 7 more ground balls. Given his average of 5 ground balls per game last season, he’s likely to surpass this mark early in the upcoming season.

What factors contribute to Woodward’s success in securing ground balls? His consistent performance suggests excellent technique, positioning, and anticipation skills.

The Impact of Face-off Specialists on Ground Ball Statistics

Face-off specialists often lead teams in ground ball statistics due to their frequent involvement in loose ball situations. At Marquette, this trend is evident:

• Zachary Melillo: 190 career ground balls (primarily as a face-off specialist)
• Luke Williams: 122 career ground balls (current face-off specialist)

Williams, currently 10th all-time, has a strong chance to climb the rankings. He needs 52 ground balls to reach 6th place, a feat he could accomplish this season based on his previous performance of 69 ground balls in a single year.

Why do face-off specialists tend to accumulate high ground ball numbers? Their role puts them in prime position to secure loose balls directly off the face-off, and they develop specialized skills for quick ground ball pickups.

Ground Ball Distribution Across Positions

While face-off specialists often lead in ground ball statistics, it’s important to note the contributions from other positions:

• Defensemen: Liam Byrnes (218), Mason Woodward (212)
• Midfielders: Jacob Richard (193), Noah Richard (163)
• Attackmen: Bobby O’Grady (20+ in freshman year)

This distribution highlights the importance of ground ball skills across all positions on the field. How can teams ensure balanced ground ball contributions? By emphasizing these skills in practice for all players, regardless of their primary role.

Strategies for Improving Team Ground Ball Performance

To enhance overall team performance in securing ground balls, coaches can implement several strategies:

1. Incorporate ground ball drills into every practice session
2. Emphasize proper technique and form
3. Create competitive scenarios that simulate game situations
4. Track and reward ground ball statistics in practice and games
5. Teach players to work together and communicate during loose ball situations

How can coaches motivate players to focus on ground balls? By highlighting their impact on possession time and scoring opportunities, and recognizing players who excel in this area.

The Future of Ground Ball Play in Lacrosse

As lacrosse continues to evolve, the importance of ground balls remains constant. However, strategies and techniques may adapt:

• Increased emphasis on team-based ground ball strategies
• Development of specialized equipment to enhance ground ball skills
• Advanced analytics to track and improve ground ball performance
• Integration of ground ball skills into overall player development programs

How might rule changes affect ground ball play in the future? Potential adjustments to face-off procedures or possession rules could significantly impact ground ball strategies and their importance in the game.

Conclusion: The Enduring Importance of Ground Balls in Lacrosse

Ground balls remain a fundamental and crucial aspect of lacrosse at all levels. From youth leagues to professional play, the ability to consistently secure loose balls can often be the difference between winning and losing. As the Marquette Men’s Lacrosse program demonstrates, ground ball proficiency is a key indicator of player and team success.

By focusing on proper technique, implementing effective drills, and recognizing the contributions of ground ball specialists, teams can significantly enhance their overall performance. As the sport continues to evolve, the players and teams that master this essential skill will likely find themselves at a significant advantage.

Whether you’re a beginner just learning the basics or an experienced player looking to refine your skills, dedicating time and effort to improving your ground ball game is a surefire way to elevate your lacrosse performance. Remember, in the fast-paced world of lacrosse, every ground ball is an opportunity to change the game.

The Marquette Men’s Lacrosse Career Ground Balls Chart

By now, you should be more than familiar with our series of regularly updating leaderboards for various Marquette Golden Eagles sports accomplishments. Keep checking back to that link in the previous sentence for our charts as the seasons continue to churn through history and MU’s various teams continue to create new memories and accomplishments.

Here, we move on to look at where the men’s lacrosse career ground ball chart stands.

For a long time now, I have figured that someone will come in and dominate on faceoffs for Marquette from Day 1 and rack up ground balls at an insane rate, and that would finally put Liam Byrnes’ all-time record in jeopardy. It took three years of taking draws for MU to get Zachary Melillo 28 GBs short of Byrnes’ record, so obviously a fourth would have done it easily if Melillo hadn’t transferred over from NJIT.

I think we have to entertain the possibility that Mason Woodward could take the record this season.

It’s going to require him to break the single season program record for ground balls, which is 73 from Melillo in 2016. The program record for guys who don’t take face-offs is 71, set by Noah Richard in 2019. Woodward would need 77 to surpass Byrnes. He had 54 and 60 in the last two seasons, and he played in just 12 games in each campaign. Marquette has 14 regular season games on the docket this year. If Woodward is healthy the whole time and averages five a game like he did last year…. that’s 70. Six per game is 84, and way more than he needs to pass Byrnes.

It’s possible. Likely? Maybe not, no one’s gotten to 75 ground balls in a season in 10 campaigns in Milwaukee. It’s easily more likely that Woodward becomes the second player with 200 career ground balls, as he needs just 58 for that to happen.

Face-off man Luke Williams is in 10th place all time with 77 career ground balls after grabbing up 69 a year ago. He needs just 52 to pass Thomas Washington for #6 all time, and Williams will still have two seasons of eligibility to go after that.

Nicholas Eufrasio is holding down the #15 spot all-time with 63 career ground balls. There are three guys within 20 of him: Zach Granger, David Lamarca, and Logan Kreinz. All three can easily shoot past Eufrasio with a full season of activity this season, especially Lamarca who had 46 GBs a year ago.

There’s a few more names that we’ll keep on the list, particularly Bobby O’Grady, Cole Emmanuel, and Michael Allieri. They all had 20-plus ground balls in their first year at Marquette. Emmanuel and Allieri were transfers a year ago, so they’re on a bit of a short clock to try to pass Eufrasio. I’m curious to see if O’Grady can keep this rate up, because as an attackman, he’s generally speaking only going to get chances on GBs when MU generates a failed clearance by their opponent. If he can keep posting 20 to 25 ground balls a year while scoring at the torrid pace he established last year….. hooooboy are we going to have to talk about something things down the line.

Here’s how the chart looks after Marquette’s game against #10 Denver.

Marquette Men’s Lacrosse Career Ground Balls Chart

How To Scoop Ground Balls Like A Pro

Every lacrosse player and coach knows that possession wins the game. Faceoff allows you to gain possession at the beginning of each quarter and after every goal; ground balls lend both teams an opportunity to win extra offensive play and scoring opportunities throughout the games. This is why defensive and offensive players aggressively fight for every ground ball. 

Before we proceed, let me quickly define the term ground ball, which refers to loose balls on the field that are in possession of neither team. Typically ground balls make up the most exciting parts of the game as it’s a 50/50 coinflip that could lead to any outcome.  

Therefore, whether you are a beginner player or an advanced player, scooping in lacrosse is a fundamental and crucial skill that every player needs to learn. The idea might seem easy, you want to learn the correct and effective techniques to be able to compete against the most advanced and swift defenders. 

In this post, you will learn everything in regards to ground balls and the best scooping techniques and drills you should start doing so that you can dominate the possession and win more games.

It’s time to snatch up some balls!

What You Need to Know About Ground Balls

When you show you are a player who is willing to fight tooth and nail for ground balls, you have proven to your coach that you are an invaluable asset to the team. Therefore, even if you aren’t fast enough to be the most commanding and dominating player, make sure you get skilled at scooping and put in 100% effort to get those ground balls. 

There are a few ways for ground balls to take place during a game.

The most likely scenario is a ground ball scrum where a crowd of players goes head to head for a ground ball. In this case, you are very likely to lose the ball by being checked or smacked, so be prepared for a furious fight and stay vigilant. 

Another common scenario is 1-v-1 or 2-v-2, which requires you to focus on actually getting the possession by scooping the ground ball and quickly passing or running out of the danger zone. 

The last scenario is when a ground ball bounces off of the field freely as defenders constantly try to steal the ball. In this case, a good running skill will come in handy for players.

How To Scoop Ground Balls

When scooping the ground ball, make sure you are using your stick and hand correctly. Position your top hand at least 6 to 12 inches from the butt end of the shaft with all four fingers wrapped around underneath and thumb resting on top so that only three knuckles are exposed; keep both thumbs pointed down the stick. Place your bottom hand on top of the shaft just below your top hand, with fingers parallel to the ground, and your thumb pointed up. It will give you maximum control over the stick and allow you to move it in any direction quickly.

In terms of positioning, depending on where your opponent(s) are coming, you want to step out the foot that’s closest to the defenders to box them out. Get nice and low. This is key. You can’t get a good scoop without going low and bending your knees. After you are in possession, bring the stick close to your body as opponents will at this time try to strip off the ball.   

On the high level, these are the key components to knock out. Consistent practices make you perfect, so spend time honing your scooping skills!

How To Get Better At Ground Balls

It’s easier said than done when it comes to getting better at ground balls. When picking up a ground ball, always approach it from behind so that you can see the ball and the stick at the same time. Then, use your off-hand to reach down and grab the ball while keeping your stick parallel to the ground. Finally, pull the ball up and into your stick with your top hand.

Follow these steps to get better at ground balls:

Step 1: Grip The Lacrosse Stick Properly

Grip the lacrosse stick with your dominant hand and place your non-dominant hand on top of the grip

Step 2: Bend The Knees And Get Low

Eyes on the ball, get low and your stick should be as parallel to the ground as it can be

Step 3: Quickly Scoop The Ball

Once you are in position and in a good form, quickly scoop up the ground ball

Step 4: Take Hold of The Ball

Bring the stick close to your body for protection using your dominant hand and then continue on

Step 5: Rinse And Repeat

Continue to repeat steps 3 and 4 for the next ground balls

What Happens Next After In Possession?

Once you have the ball in your stick, it’s time to start moving up the field. There are a few different ways to do this, but I recommend using a V-shaped approach. 

To use the V technique, hold your lacrosse stick with both hands about shoulder-width apart. Point your dominant thumb down at the ground and keep your fingers together. When you see the ball coming towards you, use your wrists to quickly flip your hands over so that your palms are facing upwards and your thumbs point towards the sky.

It will create a “V” shape with both hands as you scoop up the ball from below it. The motion is similar to flipping an egg over in a frying pan, only instead of having two separate motions (one for each hand), there should be one smooth motion between both hands when using this technique.

A Simple Scoop Trick for Everyone

Placing a bunch of balls on a field and running around with them, and scooping them up correctly is a convenient way to practice. You can then pass the ball upfield to an open teammate or empty goal to practice moving the ball upfield.  

If possible, make sure people are actually rolling the ball on the ground towards you/away from you, even with a little bounce. Also, remember to be running throughout the practice. 

Picking up dead balls simply won’t be as helpful and productive as practices aim to emulate a real match scenario. Both new and experienced lacrosse players can benefit from this drill. 

In addition, some of the balls can be placed over sticks to practice scooping them up. The stick will disrupt your game just enough to force you to work for it or force you to goose the ball. It requires determination to get that ball, so don’t take it lightly, even if you’re working on it alone. Regardless of who tries to stop you, you need to be fierce and aggressive enough to get the ball. Whoever wants it the most will always succeed.

To level up your everyday practice:

1. How To Play Defense – 10 Best Defensive Drills
2. The Ultimate Guide To Offense

Conclusion

Getting good at ground balls is a critical skill in lacrosse that can help you win games. Absorb the knowledge and use techniques outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to pick up ground balls on offense or defense quickly and keep the ball out of your opponent’s hands. Practice frequently so that the motion becomes natural – then you can concentrate on scoring goals or stopping goals!

For more “How To” training guides, head to this page to get more instant training tips.

Lacrosse for teenagers in SVAO: lacrosse sections, schools, clubs

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Weekday lacrosse training (Babushkinskaya)

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Moscow Lacrosse Club school №299

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Children’s Lacrosse Club “Bulldogs of Moscow”

Sports

Lacrosse in Moscow

Lacrosse (Lacrosse) is a contact sport game between two teams, using a small rubber ball (62.8-64.77 mm, 140-146 grams) and a club with a long handle called a stick [en] (lacrosse stick or crosse). Lacrosse is often considered a tough contact sport, but injuries are much less common than in American football and other contact sports. The top of the stick is braided with a loose mesh designed to catch and hold the ball. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the opponent’s goal, using the stick to catch, control and pass the ball. The task of the defense is to prevent a goal and get the ball with a stick, contact grappling or correct position on the field.

Institutions (schools, clubs) in Lacrosse for teenagers in Moscow

Here you can find lacrosse clubs, lacrosse clubs and schools for teenagers aged 11 – 18, boys and girls in SVAO. You can search for a suitable place to practice lacrosse directly on the map or using the list of sports organizations represented. You can choose a suitable sports section near your home and work, or near the school where your teenager is studying. For each of the sports sections, there are available: phone numbers, addresses, prices, photos, descriptions and conditions for the subsequent entry of a teenager to lacrosse in the North-Eastern Administrative District of Moscow.

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