Scoring goals in lacrosse takes determination and skill. Attackers rely on power, quickness and deception to make their way through defenders and whip shots behind the goaltender. Most shooters opt for corner shots, slinging the ball into one of the net’s top corners on the fly. But crafty goal-scorers also know the value of skipping a bounce shot in on net, gaining the element of surprise and forcing the goalie to read tricky hops.
Features
A bounce shot uses the same technique as a standard lacrosse shot, with the only difference being in the intended target. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees slightly bent and your upper-body perpendicular to the goal. You’ll want to drop your top hand lower than when you’re passing or catching to generate more power. Stride toward the goal with your lead foot and rotate your hips into the shot, remembering to fully extend your arms and to snap your wrists for additional power. Finish with the stick head pointing toward the target. Unlike a regular shot, which ends with the stick head pointed on goal, a bounce shot finishes with the stick head pointed at the ground.
Benefits
When facing a normal shot, the goaltender only has to read the ball out of the stick’s head. A bounce shot forces the goaltender to read the ball out of the stick and off the ground, with the ball’s spin possibly changing the direction of the bounce. The added degree of difficulty can make bounce shots incredibly difficult to stop, especially after a goalie faces nothing but aerial shots all game long.
Location
Where the ball strikes the ground will determine the height of the bounce shot. If you’d like to skip a high bounce on goal, aim the shot to hit a few feet in front of the goal crease. For a lower bounce, fire the shot so it hits into the ground only a foot or two in front of the goaltender. Low bounces tend to present goalies with the most trouble, because there’s less time to react.
Considerations
The quality of the playing field will determine the effectiveness of the bounce shot. Soft grass and muddy fields can hinder bounce shots, slowing them down, kicking them off target or even bringing them to a complete stop. Bounce shots work best on hard fields, which produce reliable, consistent bounces. Also, pay attention to the opposing goalie during warmups to see how well he handles bounce shots.
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