DRILL OF THE WEEK

Drill #1: "Wall Ball"
Nothing starts a season off like good-old-fashioned Wall Ball. It is a players best friend and will never let you down. A player simply needs to find a hard surface (concrete works best) to throw against that is at least 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Garage doors don't tend to work well.
Start by having a staggered stance toward the wall and practice throwing so that the ball bounces high enough off the wall that when it returns, it should be caught exactly where the ball was released. If the player needs to adjust for the catch, then the pass was not accurate. It's a good gauge for accuracy and consistency. As a reminder, if you are throwing righty, your left foot should be planted in front. Throw 100 passes this manner before switching to lefty.
Progressions:
1. Throw and catch right, then immediately switch and throw and catch left.
2. Cross-face throw (aka the Gait pass)- named after the famous Gait brothers (if you don't know who they are you should look them up). A player starts with the ball right-handed. Then as if a face-dodge, cross the stick over to the left side without moving the hands. The player must know step with the right foot and throw against the wall. Try this one for dexterity!
3. Throw right and catch left and vice versa. Now you need some hand-eye coordination to consistently handle this task.
4. Quick stick- a player, once mastered the 100 passes, will try to throw and catch the ball without cradling between passes.
5. Behind the back- very challenging! (especially off-hand). A player must step at a 45 degree angle to the wall, wrap the stick around the head and release the ball by the opposite ear.
 

The Practice Zone