• Cradling or holding the ball in your stick, is the first thing any lacrosse player needs to learn how to do. Any lacrosse player who knows how to do it, needs to get better at it.  Just like dribbling in basketball or soccer, if you can’t comfortably and confidently move around with the ball in your possession, you won’t be able to contribute much to the team. There a few different ways to cradle a lacrosse ball:

Two Handed Cradle

• You can cradle the ball several different ways. The first and most important is the two handed cradle. If you are right handed, you right hand will be near the top of the shaft under the head, and the lower hand will be on the bottom of the stick, near the butt end of the stick. Cradling is the motion of carding the stick back and forth  near your body. A strong cradle will keep the ball firmly inside the pocket without falling out. Two handed cradle of you want to keep the butt if your stick against your body at the waist, and the head of your stick near your helmet. (If someone accidentally hits your helmet while trying to check the head of your stick, they will get a penalty and you will earn a man up opportunity for your team. 

• With a strong cradle, it will almost feel like the ball is stuck in the deepest part of the pocket. Despite how much you are moving your stick around, the ball will stay put in the same spot in the pocket. 

Two Handed Cradle

• A one handed cradle is important for any player to learn, but not as crucial for long stick defenseman. With one handed cradling, your top hand will be at the top of the stick, just under the head. The cradle technique is great while running fast down the field, clearing the ball in open space, and while dodging on offense. It makes it easier to keep the stick away form a defense, but you are much more likely to lose the ball if your stick is checked. 

• The best part about learning to cradle is that while it is the most important skill to learn, it is the easiest to learn. All you need is a stick and a ball. (Even a tennis ball). You can get better at cradling on your own at home. 

• While practicing cradling on your own, work on cradling with two hand both righty and lefty, with one hand righty and lefty. Also practice switching form right handed to left handed, this will be important in the games and while you are dodging.