Stickwork – Holding the Stick
This is the very first thing that beginners need to learn. Players need to learn to hold the stick correctly before they can learn to use it. The biggest mistake that young players have is that they hold the stick tightly in the palm of their hands. The stick should be held loosely. The top hand should hold the stick loosely in the base of the fingers with the palm towards the back of the stick. the bottom hand should be holding the stick with mostly just the thumb and pointer fingers.
A good way to show the top hand position is to lay the stick on the ground with the head facing down and pointing away from the player. Have them pick the stick up with their top hand without wrapping their fingers around the stick. this will place the palm at the back of the stick and place it in their fingers.
Have the players put the stick on the ground and them pick it up. Inspect each players hands to see that they are holding it in their fingers and not in their palms. then have them cradle a few times and make sure that they are using their fingers and not just their wrists to rotate the stick.