Learn How To Cradle

Teach the basics first.

Need One Stick And Ball For Every 8 Kids

The kids are going to run with two hands on the stick and the ball in the stick. Some kids hold the stick up close to their head; some hold it close to their waist. Whichever way is most comfortable for them, just let them run and develop a feel for the ball in the stick. Kids should have one hand close to the head of the stick (top hand). The top hand grabs the stick with the palm facing up. The other hand (bottom hand) holds the end of the stick with the palm facing down.

Cradling is the back and forth motion of bringing the stick from your waist up to your head and back down or bringing the stick from your right side across your body to your left side and back again. Have the kids try both cradling styles and EXAGERATE the motions. Have the kids try right handed and left handed cradles (by switching the top hand from the right hand to the left hand). Then have the kids start running and the cradling motion will feel natural for them. As the kids get better with practice, the cradling motion will get smaller and smaller – the arm will barely move and just the wrist of the top hand will move back and forth.

The best beginner’s drill is to split into groups of four and have the groups face each other across the gym floor. Have one kid run to the other group and pass off the stick to the person in the front of that line. The first kid goes to the back of that line. When the second kid gets to the first group, he hands off the stick again and moves to the back of that line. That way, there will always be four kids in each group.

This drill continues for 10-15 minutes.

One advanced variation is to have the kids carry the stick in their right hand going one way and carry it in their left hand going back.

Another advanced variation is to setup an obstacle course with cones and have the kids run through it. When finished, they hand off their stick to the next kid and move to the end of the line.

Article Source: http://www.sportspracticedrills.com

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