The Draw

We cannot plan for everything, but if we make a plan, we can control many of the possible options.

Has anyone watched the NCAA games this year and seen the absolutely amazing draw skills in the circle? It is just fantastic to watch! Charlotte North at Boston College and Maddie Jenner at Duke are true standouts at two of the top schools. Emily Hawryschuck at Syracuse started out phenomenally and then suffered an injury. Here is a site to check out who is at the top.

https://www.ncaa.com/stats/lacrosse-women/d1/current/individual/260

Every game starts with a draw. Every time a goal is scored, it starts again with a draw. Two players line up at the center of the field and attempt to control where the ball will go when the whistle blows. There are a lot of issues that will impact the result. Only some of which a player can control.
This section goes in to ideas, drills and plans for winning the draws.

Two plans:
I recently heard a very revealing bit of information during a conversation presented on WomensLaxDrills.com with one of the game’s best players at the draw. The result is that I am again changing how I see the draw as a whole. Her focus was dividing the plan and the practice for the draw into two very different sections. For lack of a better way of describing it, let’s call it the set-up and the whistle.

The Set-Up:
The set-up includes all the preparation a player needs to develop her advantage on the draw. It includes developing strength in the forearms to swipe the ball out of the air. It includes practicing the different types of draws with a partner and alone. It includes planning with her two circle teammates, developing a “language” they can use to plan on where the ball will come out of the sticks. These three alone have a lot of moving parts we will dig into.

The Whistle:
The game starts/re-starts at the whistle. This phase is no longer the preparation, but the performance. This is the dance, the reason the player chose to be the Draw. The dynamic in this is keyed up on the player’s reactions. This period has many keys in it as well. Footwork for blocking out an opponent is critical. We need to track the ball. We need to play to space. So, we practice on footwork. We practice on teamwork. We develop our communications.

These are the two file folders we will use to present information on The Draw. And, of course, there will always be drills. For these, I find the most clear and enjoyable are from Taylor Cummings.

The Set-Up
Planning and preparing for success.

The Whistle (To Be Developed)
Reactions and placement

Videos we have found to help players and coaches.
We will add to these as we find more.