Two-person Lacrosse Drills

Lacrosse is a challenging game that is usually played with 10 players on a team, but you don't need all your teammates to practice with if you. If you want to practice important skills such as running, cradling, catching, passing and shooting, you can do so with just one other player. Many lacrosse drills are actually ideally run with two players, giving them lots of opportunities to practice.

Ground Ball Out and Back

One drill that USLacrosse recommends for pairs is called "ground ball out and back." Begin standing on the sideline next to your partner. Roll the ball out toward the other sideline. As soon as you release the ball, your partner runs after the ball, scoops it up and throws it back to you. Wait for your partner to run back to the sideline with you, and then repeat until she has gone "out and back" three times, then switch roles. This drill will help you practice scooping and quickly passing the ball with accuracy, and will help build your endurance as you run.

Cradling Game

To work on cradling skills, pair off and play the cradling game, recommended by the American Sport Education Program. To play, you and a partner stand inside a section of the field that has been marked off into a 15-by-15-yard square. One player starts with the ball and must cradle without dropping it for 10 seconds while the other player uses his lacrosse stick to attempt to knock it out of his opponent's stick. Players take turns attempting to cradle the ball and are awarded one point each time they manage to successfully hold onto it for 10 seconds. The player with the most points after all the rounds is officially the winner, although both players really win by improving their cradling skills.

Pass, Catch and Step

American Sport Education also recommends pairing off for a drill called pass, catch and step, which will help gain a higher level of comfort using your stick to throw and catch a lacrosse ball. Face your partner and stand approximately 10 feet apart. Toss the ball to your partner. If your partner catches it, he must take one step backward before he throws it back. If he misses, he takes one step closer to you. Continue playing passing the ball and taking steps toward and away from each other. Challenge yourself by seeing how far apart you can get before one of you drops the ball.

Rapid Fire

Rapid fire is another drill that works best with two players. One player is the goalie and the other is doing the rapid firing. Line up approximately 20 balls along the top of the arc for the player who is shooting. That player must quickly scoop up the first ball and try to shoot it into the net, then move quickly onto the next ball, continuing until all balls have been shot. The goalie must try to block the shots. After one player has finished shooting, she should play the roll of goalie so the other can practice scooping and shooting. Set a time limit for shooting all the balls to make this drill more challenging.