5 Solo Drills for Box Lacrosse: A 20-Minute Skills Session

A useful solo lacrosse session covers more than wall ball. You can practise carrying the ball through a turn, scooping without stopping, passing accurately, changing direction under control and shooting after movement—all without a partner.

For box preparation, keep the movements compact and finish each ball-control action ready to pass or shoot. These are suggested solo adaptations of basic coaching skills, not a substitute for live practice.

Set up for the space you have

You need a stick, a ball and two or three flat markers. A permitted wall or rebounder adds passing practice; a goal with a suitable backstop adds shooting.

Use a dry, clear surface, wear appropriate practice equipment and follow your coach’s and facility’s requirements. Keep spare balls outside your movement lane. Ontario Lacrosse’s entry-level box coaching manual specifically warns about slippery surfaces, open rink doors and loose balls underfoot. Never shoot toward people, traffic or unprotected property.

Warm up with easy walking or jogging, arm movements and gentle direction changes before starting.

1. Cradle, turn and get ready

Setup: Place two markers about three metres apart. Start with the ball in your stick.

Action: Walk a figure-eight around the markers while cradling. After each turn, bring the stick into a ready position: two hands on the shaft, head slightly in front of your shoulder at eye level, prepared to throw. Pause briefly, then continue. Progress to a light jog when you can keep possession throughout.

Keep your bottom hand relaxed enough for the shaft to rotate rather than swinging the whole stick wildly. Lacrosse Canada’s box skill-development guide progresses cradling from stationary work to walking, jogging and running, and recommends practising basic skills with both hands. Try a set with each hand on top, slowing down as needed.

Checkpoint: Can you complete five turns without dropping the ball or needing to rearrange your grip afterward?

For more on protecting possession, see stick handling in tight spaces.

2. Roll, scoop and exit

Setup: Mark a short lane in clear space, away from boards and obstacles. Begin with the ball on the floor.

Action: Scoop a stationary ball first. Then gently roll it forward by hand, follow it, scoop while moving and carry it through the end of the lane. Walk back and reset. Alternate approaching slightly from the left and right.

Move your top hand toward the throat—the junction of the head and shaft—for control, bend your knees and lower the butt end of the stick. Accelerate through the pickup, then tuck the stick close and return to ready position. These are the Ontario manual’s scooping cues.

Checkpoint: Count clean first-attempt pickups out of ten. A rep is not clean if you stop over the ball, rake at it repeatedly or lose it immediately afterward.

Make the roll faster only when the pickup and exit are repeatable.

3. Pass, catch and reset

Setup: Choose one visible spot on a permitted wall or rebounder. Stand far enough away that you can receive the rebound comfortably.

Action: Throw at the spot, watch the returning ball into your pocket and cushion it by bringing the stick back toward ready position. Those tracking and cushioning cues come from the Ontario manual’s catching instruction. Reset your feet before the next throw. Start stationary; later, add one small lateral step between repetitions while keeping the target unchanged.

Checkpoint: Track accurate throws and clean catches separately. Hitting the target does not excuse batting at the rebound or trapping it against your body.

Use the wall-ball routine for a fuller passing session. Here, passing is just one station in a broader workout.

No wall? Use low, controlled self-tosses and catches in clear space. That practises tracking and cushioning, but does not replace passing accuracy work.

4. Shuffle, turn and recover

Setup: Put two markers about two metres apart, with a third a few metres behind their midpoint. Start without a ball, holding your stick ready.

Action: Shuffle between the front markers with your knees bent, keeping your feet from crossing. At an endpoint, turn and jog to the rear marker. Stop under control, then walk back. Alternate the side from which you turn.

Start slowly enough to keep your balance; add a ball only after the movement is comfortable.

Checkpoint: Can you keep your knees bent during the shuffle, turn without stumbling and stop in balance with your stick ready?

This rehearses a movement pattern, not defensive reactions. A cone cannot choose a dodge or set a pick; those reads belong in defensive footwork practice with another player.

5. Carry, plant and shoot

Setup: Use an empty goal with a safe backstop. Mark a starting point a few strides from a comfortable shooting position outside the crease. Choose a visible target area.

Action: Carry the ball for two or three strides, plant in balance and take a controlled overhand shot. Reset fully between attempts. Use your legs and trunk rather than trying to generate all the force with your arms—the Ontario coaching manual emphasizes body rotation and back-to-front weight transfer for shooting.

Checkpoint: Record target hits out of ten, along with whether you stayed balanced. Once placement and balance are repeatable, try a slightly quicker approach without adding distance or power at the same time.

An empty-net target measures placement, not whether a shot would beat a box goalie. Add goalie reads later through shooting drills with live decisions.

No safe goal? Rehearse the carry and plant without releasing the ball. Save actual shooting for an appropriate space.

A simple 20-minute routine

After warming up, spend four minutes on each drill, including resets and short rests. If you lack a wall or goal, use the alternatives above or give that time to controlled stick work and pickups.

Write down one result per station: clean turns, first-attempt scoops, accurate passes and catches, balanced direction changes, or target hits. Next session, change only one difficulty—pace, movement or target size—so you can see whether the skill remains controlled.