Lacrosse for Beginners: How to Play a Ground Ball in Lacrosse

Don’t take ground balls lightly — they are an important part of a lacrosse game that often determines who has possession of the ball.

Working on the proper ground ball mechanics can help lead to a cleaner scoop of the ball.

The first component of handling ground balls is your stick grip. The stick should rest in your top hand as close to the head as possible. Your bottom hand should be in an overhand grip toward the butt end of the stick.

You should be in an athletic stance with your knees bent and stick parallel to the ground. Move the stick in a downward motion, making sure to scoop through the ground ball. As you pick the ball up, bring the stick head as close to your helmet as possible to help prevent stick checks.

When you’re scooping a ground ball with a long stick in men’s lacrosse, the mechanics are similar to using a short stick. Slightly choke up on the lacrosse stick shaft and get in an athletic stance. You want to run through the ground ball while getting your stick as parallel to the ground as possible. Move the stick in a downward, scooping motion to grab the ball. Make sure to bring the stick head close to your helmet to help prevent stick checks.

Having the proper mechanics when scooping a ground ball can help lead to more possessions throughout the course of a game and, hopefully, a win for your team.

After picking up a ground ball, you’ll need to clear the ball up field to help keep your team’s momentum going. This is where over-the-shoulder catches can come in handy.