Have fun in the summer working on your shooting.

Some camps and private lessons are great to help you get on track for next season during the summer. Check out www.lacrossecampfinder.com We list some great camps and for those in the SF Bay Area I really suggest checking out the private lessons page. We have some really great coaches/players that can help you with your game.

Summer is a also great time to practice on your own and shooting is really a great way to improve.

If you do it properly you can make huge strides during the summer. By experimenting you can really get a better feel for the ball in your crosse.

This is just like a b-ball or soccer player messing around with dribbling and shooting.

For kids just trying the sport for the first time this summer or maybe with one season, we suggest working on overhand shots only. Especially, at this stage you really are best off if you force yourself to use both arms. As hard as it seems using your “off-hand”, which is your left arm if you are a right-handed person, you will become a much better player down the road.

For variety and to make your practice fun try some stick tricks. (I will post some soon). Stick tricks are a terrific way to get a better feel for where the ball is in your crosse head.

As you get better the next step is to work on shooting while you are moving. Standing still and shooting is only good for a real beginner. Next try to go from cradling and/or switching hands as you transition without stopping into your shooting motion.

More advanced players should really think about their skill. If they still have a dominant hand they really should focus maybe 60 to 70 % on their “off-hand”. Make sure you move when you practice your shooting.

For some fun and awareness of ball position in the pocket/head do more stick tricks, cradling in different positions and a wide variety of dodges leading into your shots.

Lastly, try some of the behind-the-back, sidearm and underhand shots. These will really help you if you use them as a way to improve your “hand-feel” for the ball in your crosse. MAYBE, a few times they are appropriate in a game — if you have practiced then you can use them effectively. If you over do them, you will hurt your development and most likely have a really mad coach.

Keep in mind most of the time you are running in a game. Overhand shots work well for this. The other shots generally need time and room. They are less accurate, leave you more open to checking and are harder to do while on the run. This is the Fastest Game on Two Feet, so train to be moving as you shoot and most of these shots in personal practice, team practice and games are going to be overhand.

Enjoy summer!