D Pole Cradling

[MileHighLax]

My coach tells me to cradle with my bottom hand at the bottom of my stick but I see all the D1 and good teams in my state having players cradling in the middle. Does it matter where you cradle?

[FlucoDpole]

I usually tell my guys what your coach tells you: learn to play from the bottom.
That said,you're right that a lot of very good dpoles play from the middle.
Why do we tell you this anyway? Because most players don't move their hands on the stick quickly enough,and because an exposed stick on the bottom is a big target for wrap and chop checks from riding middies and attack. Personally,I'm more concerned that players scoop,check and intercept cross-crease passes with their hands at the bottom,using the full length of the stick. If they can transition to the middle,clear the ball and pass quicker and more accurately than they can playing from the bottom of the stick,than that's fine. Play with what works,but if it doesn't work,you need to do what your coach says.

[MileHighLax]

ok thanks. Ya i can get my passes of faster and more accurate when my hands are in the middle

[BBdefense]

I would use the bottom. When passing you have all that length to make good clears and if you don't wanna make a clear you can still get quick pass with the hands on bottom. Cradling should always have your bottom hand on bottom because as said before it leaves a large target that any good middie will take advantage of. If you really feel that you don't have good control i would think about cutting the stick down 1-3 in. That would help with control and would a bit better with handling the ball. Also i forgot to add that college coaches and other coaches will see this and they WILL try to get your hands on the bottom. Another reason aswell is groundballs. It is much easier to and said by college coaches better to use the full length of the stick for these. Im sure you do this but moving your hands to the middle can cause turnovers while in tranistion if checked.

[Lax4life528]

well, when i am cradling/throwing/catching, i have my bottom hand about 5 inches from the bottom.

[big52daddy10]

when no ones on you, go ahead and choke up some. it tends to be easier to handle when u choke up..however when ur getting ridden, choking up only gives the attackmen a better target to aim for: the butt end....in that situation, only leave one area open...too many times in college i see defenseman not protect that butt end and the attackmen just wind up and check the ball out. its a much easier target than going over the head, especially if the defenseman is tall

[lacrosseking2]

i learned, from John Gagliardi, to keep my bottom hand about 6 inches above the butt end. so you have better control over the stick but there's also not 3 feet of butt-end hanging out to check

[big52daddy10]

its much easier to check the butt end than to try and go over the head succesfully with a short stick against a moving target whos likely bigger than you

[MileHighLax]

ok thanks everyone

[HovalLaxer]

Yeah I cradle either choked up or on the botom, for me it's situational. Most of the time, umless I'm just cheaping it up field, I choke up at least a little bit to pass.

[Titanoh]

Im on the bottom all the time. It just feels better to me, it makes catching slightly harder though.

[RaiderLax17]

Random question about poles cradling. I see a lot of times when a pole takes it down the field, they'll be cradling normally, and then once in a while do cradle where they go from the top down. Is there a real purpose for this?

[MiddieMan05]

Random question about poles cradling. I see a lot of times when a pole takes it down the field, they'll be cradling normally, and then once in a while do cradle where they go from the top down. Is there a real purpose for this?

well for me it has no real purpose, just a random action where you kinda reverse your cradle. But other people may do it for better ball retention or to put it in your sweet spot in the pocket. I guess it depends on the person.

[DartLax86]

Choke Up! I am a firm believer in making your long pole a short pole. If I am dodging a bit or trying to get out of traffic, my hand is on the butt end. However, if I am leading a break up the field, I choke up, My hands end up roughly in the same position on the stick as a middie would have.

No guy is going to check your butt end running from behind to stop a fast break. They will go for the head and shaft, and you'll need to use your body a bit to protect the stick instead of hanging an extra 3 ft.

And finally, I tend to choke up when throwing middle distance passes to short sticks. I find that it is easier for them to handle the pass, as it is coming from a more "normal" angle - as opposed from on high from a long stick.

We have long sticks to play defense, not offense. So, when in a more offensive situation, I play with my hands in a 'short stick' position.

[veronalax33]

Random question about poles cradling. I see a lot of times when a pole takes it down the field, they'll be cradling normally, and then once in a while do cradle where they go from the top down. Is there a real purpose for this?

This is a really late response, but I think I know why. I would do that in order to get out of the pattern of a normal cradle. Going over the top moves your bottom hand around making it a little to make it a little less predictable to check.

And as for choking up I have mixed emotions about it. You've got a 6 foot pole to use for defense, but unfortunately it wasn't made for offense. By choking up you give yourself the optimal control of the pole. Your leaving both sides of the stick exposed, but then again if your all the way down your just leaving whats exposed on the butt of a choked up stick out farther from your body. However, when choked up I think that you lose more leverage for throwing a long outlet pass vs a pole who has full leverage because they are down on the pole.

All in all, I think it comes down to where you are on the field and what you plan on doing with the ball. Are you behind the cage and have an outlet pass that you want to hit downfield? Toss the ball with your hands down. Are you bringing it up field on a fastbreak? Choke up and give yourself more control of the stick and make it easier for shorter passes.

[cyalax4life]

when you have the ball on a fast break do you all cradle with your one hand or just keep it steady...you know what i mean like your running down the sideline and to keep your stick away from the attack men you hold your stick out in front of you