Long stick midfielders hold one of the toughest positions in the sport of lacrosse. These athletic cheetahs can disrupt offenses and help push transition. Some of the most important long stick midfielder drills you can do to better your game are footwork and hip mobility. These skills allow them to match offensive dodges and off-ball play. I’ve scrapped up five quick drills to help LSMs get some extra work in. Jarrod Neumann of the Premier Lacrosse League‘s Chaos LC also had a tip for all transition/LSMs out there.
You have to evolve your game… don’t try and run and gun if you haven’t conquered the basics… I didn’t become a two-way player simply because I wanted to be… I learned to catch and throw… then mastered it… then
I learned to push transition and create break opportunities.. then I mastered it… lastly I wanted to be a shooting threat… so I learned how to shoot and then again am learning and still trying to read situations properly. It’s a process is my point. kids shouldn’t mimic my game and just go out and think they can do what I do. They need to realize this was years in the making and you have to put in the work.
Now, not everyone has the shooting range of JN88, however, there are several skills you can work on to create good habits. Here are five drills that will allow you to do that:
BONUS: Listen to five songs on Jarrod Neumann’s playlist here on Lacrosse All Stars.
Long Stick Midfielder Drills
Four Corner Footwork
This drill helps with reaction time, opening your hips correctly and footwork.
Stick Work – As an LSM you need to be one with your stick. These drills will burn your forearms and your muscle memory.
Ground Balls – To be a complete threat, scooping first-time ground balls off the carpet is crucial. Getting up and out will give you a better chance to push transition. (unsung hero stat right here)
ON BALL Defense – Rule 1. Don’t get beat. Work on your APPROACH. Being a dictator will make the offensive player more uncomfortable and give you a better chance at disrupting the dodge.
Transition/Shooting – Being a threat in transition starts with being able to throw & catch. You need to be able to pass the ball on the ear to your attackmen/midfielders. If you’ve conquered this then you can expand your skillset and add shooting to your list.
We hope you find these drills helpful. Now get out there and #HAVEADAY
