Use These Lacrosse Dodge-Shot Combo Moves to Get an Open Look at the Net

Good lacrosse players have multiple moves in their arsenal to counter how the defense reacts. The best lacrosse players continue to vary their moves to be unpredictable. Once you can get past your defender, you have more opportunities for time and room shots and open passing lanes to dish to your teammates.

Using the Dodge to Set Up the Shot

The following is a guided series of combination moves that will help you get past your defender and release a shot on goal. They've been developed by professional player and trainer Martin Bowes of Compete Lacrosse Academy.

You can easily work on your array of dodges in most open spaces and you can practice yourself. Your backyard is a great place to practice if you have the open space, but any open area will do fine. Find a tree, pick up some cones, grab a trash can or use any obstacle to work on your dodges and approaches to dodges. Once you have memorized a specific move you need to practice it going full speed to mimic a game situation.

Change of Speed into On the Run

Change of speed dodge into an on the run shot. In this dodge to shot drill, what we want to focus on is the timing of when we get our hands up in a way from our body. So unlike some of the other releases, we want to focus on a high release point, which in order to get that, we have to get our hands up in a way.

The timing is such that I'm waiting to get my hands up in a way until I clearly have separation from my defender. In a sweeping dodge like this, a lot of times defenders can end up chasing and landing trail checks on us. So in order to avoid that, we want to make sure that we have separation first. Then our hands can extend for the release.

Drive, Bounce, Re Drive into Set Shot

Drive, bounce and re-drive into a three quarters set shot. In this case, we're doing this drill from up top and what we want to utilize here when we go against the defender is taking space. So, going against cones is one thing but when we apply this to the real game, what we want to understand is after we bounce, we want to take the space that's given to us.

So if the defender starts to chase us, we might be continuing to re-drive as we are in this drill. Whereas if the defender were to step in front of us when we bounce, that might be our opportunity to split. But either way, we want to take the space that's given and then we want to decelerate and make sure that we're balanced as we release for our set shot.

Hitch into Set Shot

Hitched Dodge into side arm set shot. For this Dodge into shot, where we want to focus on is again, selling the hitch and then bursting into this set position. And actually the deceleration portion of this is where we're going to be able to be efficient. And what I mean by that is the slide that comes to us is typically going to come from either the center of the field. Or potentially in this case, upfield so the quicker we can get this off, the better. After I drive up field, I'm going to focus on decelerating into my set position because in order to be accurate and powerful, I'm going to need to be balanced.

Roll at X into Inside Finishing

Roll at X into inside finish. For this Dodge into shot, what we want to focus on is the timing of the role and getting over to the far side of the cage in order to make our defenders life harder. So if we were to roll earlier here, the defender wouldn't have to step over the cage, whereas if I drive past that center line and then roll back, it'll make the defender's job harder as they recover. With the footwork after the roll, let's focus on staying as tight to the crease as we can, tiptoeing the crease as we fake high and shoot low coming across the mouth of the cage.

Split Dodge or Stutter Step into Jump Shot

Split or stutter step into a jump shot. This example is going to be a left to right split into a righty jump shot. As a lefty, it makes sense to attack your defender in your strong hand, but you want to be able to release shots in your week hand. And as a righty, it'll make more sense to attack your defender and your strong right hand and make this a stutter step dodge into the same righty jump shot.

So the point here is play to your strengths. If you are a lefty, attack defenders in your left hand. If you're a righty, attack defenders in your right hand. But develop your weak handed shot so that you feel confident going to your week hand in order to make plays, not always relying on your strong hand.

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The Gear You'll Need to Master These Lacrosse Combo Moves

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