Most lacrosse players have a harder time catching the ball than passing it. It's amazing how the ball can fall right into a player's stick and he still drops it. Catching the ball may seem like such a simple skill. But how do you catch effectively?

First, the lacrosse player holds the stick with his fingers -- in other words, he doesn't grab the stick hard -- and places his thumbs along the shaft. The top hand is slightly below midpoint of the handle while the bottom hand is placed at the butt of the stick. For beginners, keep your eye on the ball all the way into the pocket of the stick.

Consider whether you could catch a tennis ball with a tennis racquet. If you hold the tennis racquet out straight and without movement as the ball hits it, the ball will bounce off the racquet. But if you try to absorb the tennis ball onto the racquet by moving it back as the ball goes towards it -- "giving" -- the ball drops onto the racquet without bouncing off. Catching in lacrosse is the same motion. Start with the stick beside your head and as the ball approaches the stick, drop the stick back to gradually absorb the ball into the pocket of the stick. By the time you actually catch the ball, the stick is behind your body. And now you're in a position to pass the ball back to another teammate.

More players in the NLL are coking, or winding up, their sticks less. Instead, they hold the stick beside the head to catch and shoot all in one motion. This adjustment helps them get off a shot quickly, giving the goalie less chance to stop the shot.