Lacrosse Tips: Shooting

Shooting in lacrosse is how you score goals and there are so many ways to do it. In this post I go over the main 3 shots and a bonus shot 

General: When shooting you need to make sure you have all these factors no matter what kind of shot you are shooting. YOU ALWAYS NEED: 

- Strong, quick front step 

- Loaded back leg for maximum power 

- Throwing your shoulder first and letting your hand follow around

- Chest separation on your wind up

- Snapping your wrist at the release point 

- Following all the way through with your stick and your back leg

It doesn't matter what kind of shot it is, you need to do all these things on every shot in order to get the best shot possible

Overhand: Shooting overhand is the first and most traditional shot in lacrosse, but it's important to make sure you know how to do it right. For an overhand shot, you need: 

- Your arms out and back 

- Throw your shoulder first 

- Strong front step 

- Power off your back leg 

- Drive your front elbow towards the target 

- Snap your wrist at the release point

It's important to remember you need to ROTATE your chest, shoulders, torso and arms with your stick and NOT PUSH your stick towards the net. Some professional players with a really good overhand shot are Myles Jones, Ryan Brown and Romar Dennis. 

 

Myles Jones 

Ryan Brown

Romar Dennis

Here's a video of me scoring overhand

Sidearm: When shooting sidearm, it's very important to make sure your top hand, NEVER drops below your bottom hand. When it does, your shot is going to sail high or sail wide. Everything else is the same as overhand: strong step, throwing your shoulder first and letting your hand follow around.  Also, make sure you turn your wrist over, snapping your wrist over IS your snap in your wrist. Make sure to snap at the release point and follow all the way through 

Here are some professional players that shoot sidearm: 

Tom Schreiber 

Grant Ament 

Jeff Teat

Here's a video of me scoring sidearm

Underhand: When shooting underhand, it's very important to still remember to throw your shoulder first, then let your hand follow around and through. You can almost think about it like a snap shot in hockey, you have to use your whole body from your legs, through to your back and all the way to your arms, chest and shoulders. Still snapping your wrist at the release point, it's also important to make sure you're pulling that bottom hand through too. 

Here are some professional players that shoot underhand: 

Mac O'keef 

Josh Byrne 

Ryder Garnsey (My personal favorite)

Here's a video of me scoring underhand

(Bonus Shot) Behind the Back: Behind the back is a very flashy shot and it's very useful as well. The behind the back shot is one of those "there's a time and place for it" kind of shot. It is a very good shot when you're DECREASING on your ANGLE. Maybe you get a late feed and have to go BTB, maybe you post up your defender and can't turn to your other hand. Also, really getting into the push-pull mindset when throwing behind the back is really important because it helps you get that extra ZIP on your shot. Although, having a good behind the back shot is a shot where in order to get good at it, you need constant repetitions at it. 

Here are some professional players who shoot behind the back: 

Lyle Thompson 

Mikey Sowers 

Matt Rambo 

I unfortunately, do not have a clip of me scoring behind the back