Switching hands for defensemen

[CUSEJHU2]

This is addressed toward long-pole defensemen. Do you guys switch hands depending on which direction the attackman is going. like for example, if you are giving up the alley dodge to someone up top, do you always point the stick upfield. Post questions if you don't understand cause i'm lost by what I just said.

[WHEELAX2]

it's a good idea to switch hands.. however, most coaches realize that this isn't a strength of d poles, and they place their poles in the spot best suited to them.

[stegmakk]

I am confused by that question...
As a pole if I have the ball...I don't never shoot or pass with my left...
As far as checking...you mean switching...from having your right hand high on the stick and left hand low to having your right hand low and left hand high?
If so the answer is no...i go with my standard grip only backhand which works just as well

[Upintheclouds]

as a d-pole i am constantly changing hands, its really not absolutly necessary but it does help me play.

[mdawg12087]

i say keep it in the dominate hand. I cant throw a decent slap or lift check lefty if my life depended on it. I say just work on checks with ur regular grip, and just have a few that u do on righty attackmen, and a few u do on lefty.

[Conrice]

i also say keep it to your dominate hand. idealy, switching hands is great, and sometimes it works out to were you can easily do that to make a nice check, but for the most part, i stick with my strong hand, and go back hand when they take me to my off-side

as for runnin with the ball, im completely ambidectrous (sp) (both hands are equal)
that is important for everyone in lacrosse

[fcalaxplaya]

i always change hands

[aikitim]

I always change hands aswell.

[smooth87]

im like stegmarkk and a few others, that i rarely use my less dominate hand, so i usually use my backhand and it does work pretty good.. but thats just my style of play and ive never switch hands before so im use to it

[bulldog24]

i change hands a lot when im cradling but for playin actual defense i always keep it in my good hand

[Gnomb14]

on D you dont really need to know your oppisite hand to well, only for short passes and thats it

[AZReDWiNG]

When I'm off-ball, I switch hands as the ball rotates around, to comfortably keep my stick in passing lanes. I find that there's not enough time to switch back to the dominant hand when my man is next in the rotation, so I use my lesser hand. I can throw checks (albeit not nearly as strongly as my right hand) and throw holds, but I also tend to play really conservatively with my weak hand. This is a weakness I hope to eradicate. A two-handed defenseman is twice as dangerous on the field, just like a two-handed attackman is twice as dangerous. If you can play the way you want (i.e, throw V-holds or takeaway) on both sides of the field rather than just one, the better you can be.

On the clear, of course I am ambidextrious. That's a necessary skill for any player on the field.

[dpolehh21]

Yeah quick hand changes should be used in good d.

[PilotShinjiIkar]

Well, changing hands can be tricky, I do it when covering the guy with the ball and when hes driving but I dont do it to the point where im trying to make it seem like im good with both hands, because I have had attackmen try to drive while im switchin hands after fakin to the other side. I also had attackmen who would throw so many fakes to purposely force me to switch my stick back and forth and then drive on me. But like I said I switch hands when covering but not alot and usually when their drivin left, I will compensate for my weak left hand by tryin to be one step ahead and tryin to anticipate his moves more and play more aggressive. If your constantly switchin hands to cover a guy with the ball and ur left is weak and the attackmen sees it hes gonna use that, so my advice is switch hands but not too much and dont fall for his fakes or switch hands like super eagerly and compensate for ur weak left.

[AusD]

if im standing on my man on the right hand side i will go lefty to push him towards a horrible angle unless he is a lefty but usualy they will switch hands if they are and the same for the other side

[spenny]

occasionally i still find myself switching, but it's a bad habit. my college coaches hated when we switched (and believe me they would lt you know about it...), and now as a coach, i try to keep my players from doing it.

if you are switching while actually covering a player you have a second or 2 where you will be ineffective at best, and helpless at worst.
a good attackman can easily set you up and take advantage of when you are changing hands.

[LCNlaxman]

I agree with Spenny. Just stay dominant hand because that way, you don't give up that split second or two switching hands.

I personally have only ONCE switched hands on defense, and it was on a break. I picked up the groundball and ran upfield, i switched hands once right then and chucked a pass upfield.

[spenny]

LNC, much appreciated, you bring up a good point, too

I was specifically referring to when i am covering my man.
when handling the ball i do switch hands, and would reccomend that all of you young pups out there practice catching, throwing and dodging with both hands. its hard enough to protect that D-pole without the ability to keep it away from a riding attackman

[AZReDWiNG]

occasionally i still find myself switching, but it's a bad habit. my college coaches hated when we switched (and believe me they would lt you know about it...), and now as a coach, i try to keep my players from doing it.

if you are switching while actually covering a player you have a second or 2 where you will be ineffective at best, and helpless at worst.
a good attackman can easily set you up and take advantage of when you are changing hands.

But then if you keep your stick up in passing lanes with dominant hand only and the ball is rotating the wrong way, your stick will not be covering a passing lane at all. Sure, you don't want to switch hands when you're on-ball -- that's really dumb -- and that's why I play both-handed on defense.

Remember, you're off-ball 5/6 of the time. It makes sense to play good off-ball defense rather than sacrifice off-ball position and not cut off a passing lane in favor of one-on-one defense which you'll play 1/6 of the time. I'd rather adapt my one-on-one defense to how I play off-ball, rather than vice versa.

[LCNlaxman]

LNC, much appreciated, you bring up a good point, too

I was specifically referring to when i am covering my man.
when handling the ball i do switch hands, and would reccomend that all of you young pups out there practice catching, throwing and dodging with both hands. its hard enough to protect that D-pole without the ability to keep it away from a riding attackman


I understand. Just thought that people may need a little clarification between (your point) defending your man and (my point) clearing.

[spenny]

But then if you keep your stick up in passing lanes with dominant hand only and the ball is rotating the wrong way, your stick will not be covering a passing lane at all. Sure, you don't want to switch hands when you're on-ball -- that's really dumb -- and that's why I play both-handed on defense.

Remember, you're off-ball 5/6 of the time. It makes sense to play good off-ball defense rather than sacrifice off-ball position and not cut off a passing lane in favor of one-on-one defense which you'll play 1/6 of the time. I'd rather adapt my one-on-one defense to how I play off-ball, rather than vice versa.

yes, you are correct. so, to further clarify, when you are covering you man AND he has the ball you should not switch, when you are off ball you should have your stick up and in the passing lanes.

good catch, AZReDWiNG

[Lamada]

i keep dominant hand, and create a power v for when they go to my off...im strong on both sides so i really dont have a problem with the other hand tho

[lacrosse_player]

i keep it in my good hand the whole time.

[mdawg12087]

it is important to keep your stick in the passing lanes at all times, but isnt really needed unless ur playing a zone. In man to man, you should be on ur guy if he is ball side, and if u man is the far man, ur should ready to slide with ur stick up. i say, that keep it in the dominate hand the whole time. Ive heard both schools of thought from pro-college players. I say dominate hand all the time becuase its just easier, and u dont spend time switching hands as ur man gets the ball.