View Full Version : cradling
trojanlaxchick
06-22-2005, 08:34 PM
do u guys have any tips on improving ur cradle. mine is decent.... but i want to make it better haha.
molax19
06-22-2005, 08:38 PM
There are a lot of different styles you can use. The most effective for middle/high school level is to always cradle in your sphere, because that way, (duh) they can't check you. The "four point cradle" drill is really good for getting a tighter cradle, if you don't know it I'll explain later. The more time you spend cradling, the more comfortable you become wiht it. Also, changing levels in your cradle throws defenders off well.
I hope the cradle in your sphere was a joke! That is against the rules and will result in turning the ball over to the nearest opponent. The rest I will agree with.
Piklz
06-22-2005, 10:35 PM
Heh... I dunno... just loosen up when you cradle. When I work on my cradle and focus too much on it, I suck, lol. U gotta relax but stay focussed. I do a bunch of areas for cradling including one handed, low, high, etc. Also, when you cradle lefty, try to keep your stick a little more vertacle at first. I found that i dipped my stick when i was starting... but maybe you have your lefty down by now, i dunno. You just have to be comfortable and know your stick. Being that you're getting a new shaft and head combo, you might find it easier to cradle. Dunno... thats just my screwball opinion, lol.
Middie2attak
06-23-2005, 09:47 AM
uh well you want a nice sterdy cradle so when they check you it might stay in... lol but yeah you want a steardy cradle and dont cradle down low where its easy to check you. and a faster cradle is ahrder to time so they can check you... and i agree, dont cradle in your "bubble" as they say it down here, cuz it will be an automatic turnover to the other team.
molax19
06-23-2005, 11:37 AM
I hope the cradle in your sphere was a joke! That is against the rules and will result in turning the ball over to the nearest opponent.
actually that's a "face" cradle, and to be called for that you literally have to cradle in your face. It's usually called when picking up ground balls. Cradling in your sphere (near you head) is not illegal.
Rule 18.13 hold with or without cradlilng, the head of her cross in front of her face or her teammate's face, within the sphere so close to her body, or her teamate's body , making a legal/safe check impossible. That rule is listed under major fouls. The penalty for it is a free position for the other team. I don't know were you got that it is legal but around here and according to the US lax rule book it is not legal.
Middie2attak
06-23-2005, 03:50 PM
^^agreed...
trojanlaxchick
06-23-2005, 10:28 PM
thanks guys.... im curious about this four point cradle drill tho...
One cradling/checking drill that I do with my team is to set up cones so they form a 5' sq. A player goes inside the sguare with a ball. Have 2 players outside the square and they try to get the ball away from the player inside by checking. The outside players can not go inside and the inside cannot go outside the square. Once you get good at protecting your ball with 2 players on the outside add a 3rd player to the outside. Warning, make sure you have a mouth guard, goggles and gloves help also and that the checks are LEGAL. We run the drill for 60 sec then switch players. It really does work you hard but the players seem to like it.
CTLaxer
06-24-2005, 03:59 AM
Please search before posting, there are a number of threads on cradling. Here is a good one for example:
http://www.lacrosseforums.com/showthread.php?p=68364
molax19
06-24-2005, 08:47 PM
within the sphere so close to her body, or her teamate's body , making a legal/safe check impossible.
Exactly, there's a difference between cradling WITHIN THE SPHERE and a FACE CRADLE.
Molax you wrote and I cut and pasted what you wrote in your 1st post "The most effective for middle/high school level is to always cradle in your sphere, because that way, (duh) they can't check you". In your 2nd post you stated "Cradling in your sphere (near you head) is not illegal.". It is, plain and simple. You really need to brush up on the rules of the game. What I posted is right out of the 2005 US Lax rule book.
CTLaxer
06-24-2005, 11:33 PM
Not only is ques correct, but it's something that I as a coach point out to each official before a game as it is starting to happen quite often out here. Your cradle must be checkable, otherwise it's an illegal cradle, this includes cradling within your own sphere or close enough to your body where a legal check cannot be made.
wow the way i was taught then is way illeagal because we were told to cradle near our faces or in your sphere or w/e so the opponents can't check us and around here the refs dont call it?