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Footwork Against a Dodger

Stay in front of a live dodger using your feet instead of your stick.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Set up

Your partner dodges inside a 10-yard channel.

Core: Jogs. Beat your own run of steady shadows.

Ages
14 and up
Time
12 min
Players
You and a partner
Space
Yard or field
Bring
Lacrosse stick, 4 cones, partner
Level · skill
Advanced · Defense

The steps

How it works

  1. Your partner dodges inside a 10-yard channel.
  2. Defend with your stick held upside down so you cannot check.
  3. Force them to the outside.
  4. Do 8 reps each.

Coaching point

Feet first, stick second.

Safety: Wear the gear your rules require for any partner drill. Boys: NOCSAE helmet, mouthguard, gloves, arm pads and ND200 shoulder pads. Girls: SEI-certified F3077 eyewear and a mouthguard.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Shadow game: stay between your partner and the goal with your stick in a good spot, with no checking. Swap often.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (partner walks), Core (jogs), More (changes direction). Beat your own run of steady shadows.

Story

You are a castle guard holding the bridge.

My best

Beat your own count

Beat your own run of steady shadows. Only your own number counts: today against last time.

Practice makes progress

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