If you’re looking for sure-fire tips to learn how to play attack in lacrosse, you’re at the right place.
This article has sifted through and distilled everything you need to know about how to play attack in lacrosse.
Attackmen are the most aggressive-minded players. Most players and especially starters believe the work of an attackman is scoring.
But if you ask lacrosse legends, you’ll be told the hardest job for an attackman is taking care of the ball and handling the ball under pressure.
Understanding the attacker role in lacrosse
Like any other profession, knowing the Dos and Don’ts is as vital as being a legend. This is why it is crucial for anyone looking to play attack in lacrosse to understand this role in and out.
Well, as stated before, an attacker is an aggressive minded player. Their main job is to bring the ball into the net.
Specifically, if you are an attacker, your job is to make sure when a ball is brought to the offensive side, you are prepared to either feed it to your teammate who is in a better shooting position or get open to create space for yourself.
Additionally, what most beginner players don’t realize is that offensive players also need to be able to maintain possession as long as possible. As they say, possession is the name of the game in lacrosse.
Skills needed to play attacker in Lacrosse
There’s a considerable amount of responsibility to perform well as an attacker in lacrosse.
To master lacrosse, check out this video that gives you an eye of how this game is all about:
The role requires you to have mastered tremendous skills that are the heart of scooping good results in this game. Such skills are:
1. Stick skills
As an attacker, you’re required to be the to-go-stick skilled person on your team. This means that experienced attackmen should be proficient to pass and catch better than anyone else in their teams.
The other thing about stick skills is being able to catch under pressure with defenders draped all over you.
If you can pass and catch effectively, then you deserve the rank of a classical attacker for your team.
If you don’t have these stick skills, you’ll probably have a place to sit and watch on the bench.
This video will teach you how to master stick skills in lacrosse like a pro.
2. Dodging
Believe it or not, dodging is a skill to master if you want to make it better in lacrosse. A good attacker in lacrosse should have defenders with long sticks guarding him.
Now, this means the attacker should be good to use their stick correctly and dodge effectively.
To know how to master lacrosse dodging, understand the different ways of dodging which are:
3. Split Dodging
This is the most common type of dodging in lacrosse.
You can compare it to crossing over in basketball.
Here’s an excellent video to help you understand split dodging from experts:
4. Roll dodging
Another supertype of dodge in lacrosse is the roll dodge. In this one, it is different, and you should know it perfectly before attempting it.
This one, instead of bringing your stick in front of your body, you’ll have to pivot with your body to protect the stick.
Watch this video that illustrates perfectly how you can master this dodge.
5. Face dodge
Well, another fantastic trick in lacrosse is the face dodge. Let’s find out how this works out:
With the face dodge, when a defender is over-committing to one side of the field, and you bring the stick quickly to the other side of your body to pass the ball to the defender {your defender in this case}, it is what is called face dodging.
Inbox lacrosse, face dodging is a popular move. Here’s how to face dodge video:
6. Bull dodging
As the name suggests, this is when an attacker almost tries to run over defenders.
It is a move that is magnificently made by big and strong players that are impossible for defenders and midfielders to stop once they get in their turbo modes.
Check out the most respected dodges in lacrosse of all time here:
7. Riding
Another top skill to master in lacrosse is riding. To ride in this game is when an attacker plays defense when their opponents are clearing balls.
The best way to stand out as the best riding attacker is to be relentless when you’re riding.
This means you should run as hard as your legs can carry your entire body away from the opponents.
8. Conditioning
In lacrosse, another skill to master is best known as conditioning. This skill means as an attacker; you should always be in good shape.
When balls come on the offensive side of the field, you should be able to run for them as faster as defenders and midfielders.
To help you master condition at best, the best thing or workout for this skill is a jump rope.
10. Vision skills
Well, most people underrate this skill in lacrosse, but if you’re genuinely interested in making it better in the game, this is a skill to master.
Be sure to see every possible corner for opponents so they’d not pass easily.
Your head has to be up at all times to watch closely for opponents.
To understand why this is vital, compare it to quarterbacking in football, and you’ll see why it is essential.
As the attacker in lacrosse, you’re just like the quarterback of the team as of in football, and you do dictate who should get the ball.
11. Scoring skills
Yes, in lacrosse, scoring is a skill you need to master. This is the final and vital stage of this game.
As an attacker, you should be able to train to put the ball in the net as powerfully and effectively as you could.
Scoring like a pro means you’re able to move off-ball and cut to open space to maneuver freely and accurately.
Master this skill, and you’ll never see the bench during matches, lose it, and you’ll be killing your lacrosse dream.
Lacrosse attackers tips
Becoming a top lacrosse player takes a lot of things into account, from how you can understand an attacker’s role and skills to master. The other thing to consider is the best attacker tips pros use.
Let’s get started.
Shoot equally with either hand
whether you’re right or left-handed, the best lacrosse attacker tip is learning to shoot equally with both sides.
Using your dominant hand to shoot effectively makes it easier for defenders to cheat on you and attack you quickly or even stop you from shooting.
This is why you shouldn’t let defenders know which hand is best for you; confuse them by using both hands to shoot energetically. Want to improve your off-hand? Continue reading here.
Practice myriads of shooting techniques
it is good to learn back shooting, shooting while running, underhand shooting techniques, and cross-handed shooting tips.
Training like this will give you high chances of scoring from any position of your body and the stick.
Different shooting training also confuses defenders from understanding which side they can stop you from scoring; this is good if you’re looking to master lacrosse like a pro in the field.
Practice fakes
This is vital if you’re planning to be scoring near the cage.
Quick stick skills
When in a close, you’ll need to quickly get rid of a feed to clear a room to score before defenders overwhelm you.
This demands you to have quick stick skills at all times.
Shoot powerful
This is vital when you’re on the outside or in the man-up situation, which always gives a chance to make a powerful shot.
To win an opportunity like this, you should have the power to make a steady shot from a distance.
Agility training
In lacrosse, agility is a fundamental factor and tip to consider. It is agility that helps you to break free from shots and passes.
Again, agility helps you to stay prevented from possible injuries, especially ones that come from potential changes in direction.
Riding opponents
This is a crucial tip to mastering lacrosse. The job here is to be able to ride opponents and get the ball back vigorously.
This is possible if you can run faster to miss passes or disrupt the scorer.
Keeping your head up
This is a tip that combines with your dodging, so you could be able to see opponents while on the move openly.
Best lacrosse attackers to aspire to and learn from
Legendary lacrosse attackers are confident and enthusiastic players who took onto themselves to develop their best skills.
If you ask any elite attacker today, you’ll probably be told they became who they are today by watching and learning from those who were famous before them.
This is the reason why you need a breakdown of the best attackers to help you master the game by getting motivation from them.
Matt Rambo
A graduate from Maryland, Matt won the national champion player of the year and attackman of the year awards.
In simple put, Matt has been famously known as the most dominant attacker in history. His fame came from his ability to turn and his vision skills.
To get inspiration from his art, watch this video:
Steele StanWick
When he was still in college, Wick had already built a name for himself. He is known as the most perfect player in lacrosse.
When he’s in the field, he knows how to pass and score effectively at all times.
To learn from this big name, watch his video here:
Rob Pannell
This is another superstar you don’t want to miss in your list of legendary lacrosse players.
He is considered the best lacrosse attacker in the world who went home with global awards for years.
If you’re like to see his art, watch him here:
Ryan Brown
If you’re interested in learning lethal outside shooting, Ryan Brown is your guy to aspire.
Watch him at work here:
Mikey Powell
He’s also a big name in the lacrosse world, and he has a brother following his steps called Casey Powell.
If you would want to see how he does his thing in lacrosse, take a look at this:
Best Lacrosse Attackers Workouts
The most important thing every experienced or aspiring lacrosse attacker should keep at their fingertips is the particular workouts that tremendously aid one to become a star.
Mastering this game isn’t a walk in the park, but it isn’t also rocket science.
If you want to elevate your game, here are the best-specified workouts for lacrosse attackers:
Plank
This is by far the best exercise for lacrosse you can embrace. This is because, in lacrosse, you need power to shoot, the ability to play and defend.
To effectively master your art, start with five planks daily for intervals of 30 seconds each.
If you can manage about 10 for 2 minutes each, you’ll possibly be the best in lacrosse player soon.
Jump rope
This is the king of conditioning. It is good for your back.
Jump rope aids your cardio conditioning, and this is vital because you’ll need power and running like a deer.
Squats
Don’t miss these if you want to become the best. They give your legs power.
Make sure you at least do as many as you can take to master your art.
Push-ups
Your hands and the entire body need these. They give you the power to handle massive opponents, and when you make a shot, it goes steady to the nets.
Hill sprinting and ladder workouts
These are to help you develop agility. Experts recommend them, and so this article brings them to you.
Conclusion: What Now?
The attacker position is the best and mostly the hardest if you haven’t mastered your art. It is you who pass the balls, who also scores and makes sure there is smooth play.
Your job is to make sure opponents suffer throughout the match.
If you’ve been looking to become the next superstar or a friend needs lacrosse advice, this article is here to help.
Use this information to elevate your game and become the next big name.
