Are you looking to hone your rebounder lacrosse drills in time for the 2023 season?
You've come to the right place! Because having a great eye for rebounds is key to success in lacrosse.
We've compiled some of our expert tips and drills that will have you dominating on the boards.
Whether you're an elite defenseman or attacker, these top strategies and practices will help strengthen your ability to make outstanding plays when recovering loose balls over walls, scooping up errant shots, or ambushing "second balls."
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Take Away Key Points:
If you want to know more about lacrosse rebounder drills (wall ball drills), their main purpose, and how they help a lacrosse player improve his skills and practice, read the guide below.
We will provide you with answers to all your questions.
What is a lacrosse rebounder used for?
A lacrosse rebounder is used for various lacrosse drills to ensure quick stick skills and help players improve their shooting, catching, passing, or dodging skills.
The lacrosse rebounder is used when a lacrosse player doesn't have a sparring partner for practice. Instead, he uses various wall ball drills to take his game to the next level.
Many rebounders can be placed in the gym, home, backyard, garage, basement, etc. Of course, you can put them in the open area or use a wall ball in the park and similar areas to practice lacrosse wall ball drills and improve your strength.
Let's learn the basic drills in and off-season.
Lacrosse wall ball drills for indoor and outdoor practice
Here are the best wall ball drills for all players. The most popular ones include the following:
1. Hand pass and catch
A hand-and-pass lacrosse wall ball drill requires strength. A player should find the sweet spot on the lacrosse stick at shoulder height. However, the drill will be different for each player, depending on the tension of the rebounder, the distance from the rebounder, and the strength of the pass. If a player is a child, consider marking the spot with something the child will not trip over.
The player should have twenty-five repetitions with his dominant hand. Once more confident, the player should repeat the drills twenty-five times with the non-dominant hand.
The drill might be a bit slower and challenging; however, it will help players build strength and comfort in the off-hand catch drill.
2. Strong hand pass and cross-hand catch
The name sounds tough, but it's not that challenging. If a player is right-handed, he should throw to the left side of the sweet spot on the rebounder. Thus, the lacrosse ball returns to shoulder height on the left side.
Without changing their hands, the players should catch the lacrosse ball cross-handed on their right side and cradle it across their face to their dominant hand again.
Repeat the lacrosse wall ball drill twenty-five times to gain more confidence. Once you're confident enough, try passing and catching with your offhand.
In addition, you can make the lacrosse wall ball drill more advanced for right-handed players. They should move the ball to the left of the rebounder.
Throw the ball to the rebounder. Then, quickly move to the right and try to catch the ball coming off the rebounder to the right side of the rebounder. Once the player repeats the procedure twenty-five times with the stronger hand, he should try the lacrosse wall ball drill with the weaker hand.
As this wall ball drill uses advanced skills, lacrosse players should be persistent and patient in learning the process correctly.
3. Catching and throwing on the run
Catching and throwing on the run wall ball drill is the most complex game to master, but one of the most vital skills on the field.
The wall ball drill requires the goal to shoot after the catch on the run. Throwing also adds a more "give-and-go" feeling when practicing this drill.
When a player moves his feet after the pass instead of just standing and admiring the pass is a dream-come-true to each coach.
So, the catch-and-throw on the run will take your child's quick stick skills to the next game level.
4. Other wall ball drills
We presented some of the primary drills above. Now, we're moving to other drills to improve your lacrosse stick performance. Are you ready?
- Split dodge: you will split dodge first, then switch hands, throw, catch, and repeat.
- Face dodge: you will perform the face dodge first, then throw and catch, and then repeat.
- BTB: the behind-the-back drill requires players to catch the ball
- One-hand quick stick: performing a quick stick with only one hand
- One cradle on both sides: you will place the hand on the stick to catch, then perform one cradle, and then throw.
- Canadian both hands: the cross-handed pass off the wall, then catch and cradle.
- Quick stick: passing the ball off the wall, receiving it, and passing back quickly with no cradle.
- Lefty/righty: used to warm up both hands, including regular throw-catch-cradle-throw to warm up both hands.
Here you can find various rebounder drills available for all players:
- Learning lacrosse: wall ball and rebounder drills
Routine tips for an advanced game
Below you can find some of the most valuable tips and rules to help you play the wall drills and improve your performance in general:
1. Wear gloves - you must wear gloves whenever you play, especially if you're a goalie. Once you're used to wearing gloves, you can hold the stick better.
2. Practice both hands - you must ensure you can perform equally with the strong and weak hands, regardless of the drills. Playing with both hands makes you unstoppable on the field, especially with one-cradle and one-hand drills.
3. Focus on quality rather than quantity - you must complete fifty reps, but ensure they are quality, to show yourself in the best light. Do not just count the reps to finish quickly, be patient, persistent, and dedicated.
4. Move your feet - whatever you do on the field, ensure your feet are constantly working. Do not simply stand and watch others. You should be on the balls of your feet.
5. Ensure you perform the drills four times a week - if you exercise only two times, you must hit the wall during your off days.
6. Ensure you use proper lacrosse balls for exercises - rebounders make lacrosse balls bounce back to the players, so you need proper balls for adequate bounce. You can use the Swax LAX training balls for the best performance. The Swax LAX balls will be precise against the rebounder or wall, and you can control them fully with your stick.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does wall ball help lacrosse?
Yes, wall ball helps lacrosse, as wall ball performance improves your catching, passing, and cradling all at once. In addition, when you add a goal, you can also strengthen your shooting skills.
Can I use a lacrosse rebounder for baseball?
Yes, you can use a rebounder for baseball, but for other sports, including tennis, softball, and volleyball.
What is the best way to use the lacrosse rebounder?
The best way to use a rebounder is to perform various rebounder drills to help you exercise more and advance your overall game and performance. For example, you can improve your catch, pass, or cradle, but shots as well when you add goals.
Can a lacrosse rebounder be used for soccer?
Yes, you can use a rebounder for soccer, as the tool is made for various sports besides lacrosse.
Final Words
As you can see, the rebounder lacrosse drills or wall ball drills are a crucial part of training lacrosse, as the exercises improve all the most-wanted skills every player must have. With these wall practices, you will learn to catch, pass, and cradle effortlessly with one hand or both hands.
The drills are ideal for beginners but advanced players as well, as you can find various additional techniques to make the drills more complex and challenging.
But, the critical factor is patience, dedication, and persistence. Once you master all the skills, you can be a dominant player on the field.
Freddy is the heart and soul of Lacrosse Runner. As a former athlete, Freddy is very passionate about Lacrosse. He keeps up with the sport’s changes and innovations and often tests the new equipment released by the leading manufacturers. Read more here