Women's Lacrosse Tips: How to Cradle the Ball

Learn the basics of cradling to help improve your ball handling fundamentals.

Cradling the stick properly is an essential skill that lacrosse players need to master to maintain possession of the ball.

When you are cradling, you want to keep the head of the stick just above your shoulder and close to your body. Your bottom hand should be at the bottom of your stick, while your top hand should be about six inches down from the stick’s head.

Move your elbow back and forth, bringing the head of your stick in front of your nose and then back to your shoulder. Make sure that the stick is about 12 inches away from your face. If you cradle the ball any closer to your face, it will be considered a foul.

Cradling is a back-and-forth wrist-curling action, so you want to make sure your grip isn’t too firm. Being able to maintain possession of the ball without losing control is an essential skill in the game of lacrosse. You should practice this skill often, especially when you’re just starting out.

To move the ball up the field, you’ll also have to work on your passing. Practice the sidearm pass to help get the ball around a tough defender.