Camp Curriculum

Individual Skills



Day #1

Stick skills:  Campers are taught to pass and catch with both hands on the run at full speed while under pressure. We teach players to pass and catch with the philosophy "play lacrosse behind you," which means to receive passes behind your helmet for a variety of benefits for passing and catching under pressure. Each camper is taught an off-season wall-ball work out to improve stick skills. 


Stick protection: At high levels of lacrosse, offensive players are not able to compete against skilled defensemen if they do not have good stick protection. All players are taught how to effectively use stick protection techniques, such as changing speed, changing planes and changing cradle tempo to prepare them for the defensive pressure they will see in games. We expose less experienced players to correct body and stick positions necessary to maintain possession and handle the ball under pressure, and provide opportunities for experienced players to practice using these skills in game like situations. 


Ground balls: This statistic is the "X factor" when evenly matched teams compete and is the stat that has the largest impact on wins vs. losses. We emphasize the technique, body position, stick position and communication necessary to improve players ability to come up with possession in a ground ball situation. Coaches will find a spot on a team for players that can do this well.  


Face-offs: Special teams have become a big part of lacrosse. Face-off specialists have more of an impact on the outcome of the game than any other player. Beating your opponent even 6 out of 10 times can change the time of possession stat to 60/40 in your team's favor. Teams MUST win face-offs to gain possession of the ball if they want any chance of winning a game. Teams focus on including the players most likely to win face-offs in their lineup because of the impact this ability has on the outcome of the game.  All players in camp will learn proper face-off technique. 


Day #2

Shooting:  We teach the mechanics necessary to increase speed and accuracy on outside shots, on-the-run shots and inside shots. 


Outside Shots- Concentration is on increasing velocity through proper mechanics in hand position, arm extension, shoulder rotation, putting legs into the shot and following through with the wrists. These mechanics are reviewed in multiple stations with different coaches to increase the speed of each campers's shot.  


On-the-run Shots- In addition to the mechanics taught with outside shots, the concentration is on footwork during and after the shot. Focus is on the back-peddle steps after the shot which insures proper shoulder rotation during the shot. 


Inside Shots- We teach "The 5 P's" of inside shooting.  Position (on the field and of stick head to increase angle), Placement (of shot), Protection (stick protection from defensemen), Patience and Practice. In addition we cover stick fakes and head and shoulder fakes. 


Day #3

Dodging:  Players must be able to beat their defender in order to make "A" teams, club teams and their high school teams. All offensive players must learn how to beat their defender to earn playing time.  We provide Instruction on a variety of dodges, and when and where to most effectively execute the specific dodges on the game field.


Dodges taught from behind the goal: inside roll dodge, rocker dodge, question mark dodge, and the finalizer dodge. 


Dodges taught from above the goal: Face dodge, pump fake dodge, split dodge and swim dodge.





Day #1

All stick skills listed above needed to become a complete lacrosse player: Passing and catching, stick protection, ground balls and face-offs


Forcing opponents to their weak hand:  This is the only skill taught at camp that defensemen and midfielders can progress from average to good or good to great AT CAMP without further practice. Every other skill in lacrosse that is taught at camp must be practiced repeatedly to see improvement. A defenseman can reduce his opponent from great to good or good to average or average to poor simply by committing to the techniques taught at camp on forcing opponents to their weak hand. 


Day #2

Defensive position:  Footwork and body position. Teams play defense for as much of the game as they play offense. Players that can shut down an opponent's best players with basketball style position defense become invaluable to a team. Regardless of experience or stick skills, coaches will find a spot on a team for players that can do this well. 


1 vs 1 Defense from X (Behind the goal):

Addressing the ball

Retreat from dodger

Full speed running over the back of the goal. Meeting attackmen with pressure at goal line extended (GLE)


Day #3

Stick Checks:

Defensemen will learn 9 checks.

Basic checks: Poke check, slap check, lift 


Forehand take away checks: 2 handed wrap, 1 handed wrap, over the head check


Backhand take away checks: Half-moon, ding dong, back wrap




Goalies will spend 3 hours per day, 6 stations per day, in goalie specific stations. All goalie coaches have college goal tending playing or coaching experience.


Goalies will work on the following skill sets in camp:
Proper warm up
Stance and positioning
Shot stopping: Close, mid-range, outside


Clearing and outlet passes
Understanding team defense and communication
Being a vocal leader
Mental aspects of the game


Team Concepts & Lacrosse IQ

All team concepts taught are universal to the sport of lacrosse for any team at any level. No time in camp is spent learning specific offenses, exotic defenses, or plays, as campers come from different leagues, teams and schools. 



Wing play on face-offsWing play focusing on boxing out an opponent. Midfielders that can effectively box out and keep their opponent from winning a ground ball off the face-off will earn increased playing time with teams that use a long stick middie to replace the weakest wing middie on face-offs. 



Transition Offense:  Standard "L" fast break. Position before ball crosses restraining line and positions for receiving the ball to increase scoring opportunities. Focus on how and where to take shots on fast break opportunities to become a high percentage shooter. 


Off ball movement:  When and how to execute an effective cut on a defenseman. Players are taught techniques on how to get open and beat a defensemen before receiving the ball to increase scoring opportunities.



Transition Defense:   Defending the fast break.


Team Defense (man-to-man defense with an adjacent slide):  Every high school team in the country runs this defense. Teams that slide from the crease as a primary defense must also learn this defense because A) some opposing teams' offenses do not put a player on the crease, therefore they can not slide from the crease and B) If the opposing offense cuts at high frequency the defense needs to fall back to this defense so a first slide is in position. 


Skill Competitions for Prizes

Face-off tournament

Fastest shot with radar gun

1 vs. 1 tournament