Backyard Lacrosse Shooting Drills: 16 Routines, No Backstop Needed

Get on both knees, squared to your target. Load the ball in the pocket, pause, then fire over the top. This isolates upper body mechanics — no legs, no cheating. Hands high and away from the body, elbows at 90 degrees. One cradle to seat the ball, then grip it and rip it.

Same as both knees, but now with your shooting-side knee up. Transfer weight from your back knee through your foot as you shoot. Begin to feel the lower body contributing to the shot.

Stand with feet planted, no stepping. Shoot using your core and wrist snap only. Hands at the bottom half of the stick, shoulder-width apart, to generate torque. This teaches you to fire from a stopped position — the foundation of every time-and-room shot.

Add a single step toward your target before shooting. Focus on hand speed and the whipping motion. Pull hard with your bottom hand — it generates most of the velocity. The step adds momentum; the hands deliver it.

Two small hop-steps into your shot — the full time-and-room release. Combine everything: crow hops for momentum, shoulder rotation, wrist snap, over-the-top delivery, hard and fast release. This is your go-to shot from open space.

Stand 5 yards from your target (cones or wall). Feet shoulder-width apart, stick at your ear, step with your opposite foot, and shoot. Focus on a consistent release point and full follow-through.

Start with the ball in your stick, hands at your ear. Take one step toward the target, plant your lead foot, and release. The step generates momentum — your hands just guide it.

Set 4 cones as corner targets (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right). Shoot 5 balls at each corner, alternating hands. This builds precision aiming instead of just 'hitting the goal.'

Set a cone 5 yards from your target as a 'defender.' Start 5 yards back, run at the cone, execute a split dodge (switch hands at the cone), and shoot immediately after the switch.

Start 10 yards back from your target. Sprint toward it while cradling. At 5 yards, plant your lead foot and shoot on the run. The key is releasing while your momentum is still moving forward.

Place 5 cones in an arc around your target, 7 yards out. Start at top center (0°), then move to right wing (22°), far right wing (45°), left wing (22°), and far left wing (45°). All positions are in front of the goal — never behind it. Shoot one ball from each angle, then rotate. This builds comfort shooting from all positions on the field in front of goal.

Set 3 cones in a line 5 yards apart. Start at cone 1 with a ball in your stick. On 'go,' shoot, sprint to cone 2 where a ball is waiting, pick it up and shoot, sprint to cone 3, shoot. Time yourself. Beat your previous time.

Start 8 yards out, approaching from the right side. Run a curl route toward the left pipe. As you curl, bring the stick behind your back to shield from an imaginary defender, then whip a behind-the-back shot at the near corner.

The complete lacrosse sequence in one rep: Start with a ground ball 10 yards out. Scoop it, cradle, execute a dodge at 5 yards, cut to open space, catch a pass from a partner (or self-toss), and finish with a shot. This is a full possession in drill form.

Every drill in this guide, done entirely with your non-dominant hand. Stationary shots, step-and-shoot, even the footwork drills — all weak hand. If you can't complete 10 consecutive shots without dropping, you're not alone. That's the point.

Set 3 cones 5 yards apart in a line. Weak hand only: sprint to cone 1, quick shot, sprint to cone 2, shot, sprint to cone 3, shot. No switching hands allowed. Track your time and accuracy. Compare to your dominant hand results.