Team Development – Relay Race – Cradle and Sprint

In this Relay Race we are working on good form in cradling and pushing them to run as fast as they feel comfortable.  Break up into groups of 4-7 players.  Each group should get in a line one behind the other, and the first player in each line should be lined up behind a common line.  One coach should watch the line, and another should go to a line that is about 30-40 yards away (end line to restraining line or side of box to side of box are good examples). On the whistle, the first player is to sprint while cradling (one hand cradle or two hand cradle) in proper form all the way across the other line and back.  You should start with the second player already having a ball in his stick and going once the ball carrier crosses the original start line.  You can progress to the ball carrier dropping the ball and the next players scooping on the run then cradling.  If you do this, the next player in line should not go until the ball carrier crosses the starting line. Players that are not running should cheer on their team mate.

The stress points are:

• Good form cradling ball
• Rythm between cradle and strides
• Make sure the next player up in line does not go before ball carrier crosses line