Draw control.
Games are won and lost on the circle.
Winning the draw in girls lacrosse isn’t just about starting with the ball; it’s about dictating the pace, controlling the flow of the game, and giving your team the best opportunity to score on every offensive possession.
The ability to dominate on the draw circle often becomes the difference between winning and losing in many games.
That’s a fact and I’ve seen it and experienced it.
Winning draw controls in girls lacrosse is a combination of techniques, athleticism, strategy, and other “X-factors.”
There’s one thing that I do think is most important and I’ll tell you about that in a minute.
As I share these key insights, think about 1 or 2 tactics that are most important for you and your team.
What’s the 1 or 2 things you can do better, do different to improve your draw control win percentage?
Here’s what it takes to consistently dominate on draw controls:
1-TECHNIQUE!!!
Stance and hand positioning are essential. Now, there are many different types of setups, so keep that in mind. I learned a certain technique that made sense to me from a top college player who simplified the setup. It makes a lot of sense from a biomechanics standpoint.
There are many technical nuances, which we won’t go into here.
The key is to find what works best for you and run with that.
In general, the draw specialist must have strong hand placement on the stick (with the top hand gripping near the head and the bottom hand low for leverage). Feet should be positioned optimally to allow for balance and quick movement in any direction.
Wrist strength is also a big deal. The draw relies heavily on wrist strength and quickness to snap the ball into the air. Practicing wrist and forearm strength with drills and exercises helps generate a powerful snap and stick control.
Follow through after the initial draw motion. Follow through with your body and stick to direct the ball where you want it to go (up in the air for a self draw – or to a specific teammate, possibly in a pre-set play).
Push, pull, or self draw?
2-REACTIVITY AND EXPLOSIVENESS
Without a doubt, quick reactions are needed on the circle. Draw specialists need lightning-fast reflexes to react as soon as the whistle blows. Developing fast-twitch muscles (explosiveness) through speed and reaction drills is crucial.
You have to be explosive. Explosive movement off the whistle allows you to gain an immediate advantage on the ball.
Burst and explode toward the ball.
This alone can often determine who gains control of the draw.
Win this battle by being explosive.
3-PHYSICALITY
Body Positioning is extremely important. Maintain a low, balanced stance to prevent being knocked off the ball by your opponent. Physical strength is needed to hold your ground while battling for the ball.
Box out and shield the ball. After the draw, use your body to shield the ball from the opposing player, giving you a better chance to scoop up the ground ball.
When you box out, your chances of coming up with the ball improve exponentially.
4-ANTICIPATION AND AWARENESS
Here’s a tip: Read the Ref.
Many successful draw takers anticipate the referee’s body language and timing, helping them react faster to the whistle. Look, listen, and feel what’s going on.
Where’s the ball going?
Directing the ball to a specific spot (where a teammate is ready) requires great awareness of your surroundings.
Communicate. Communication with your circle players is also key to executing the play.
5-CIRCLE PLAYERS
The circle players play a vital role in draw controls.
These players play a huge role in securing the draw.
They must time their movements, box out opponents, and scoop up the ball quickly.
Strong teamwork and communication between the draw specialist and circle players are make or break for winning draw controls.
I cannot stress the importance of ground balls enough. Even if the ball is not cleanly won off the draw, winning ground balls is the difference between winning and losing here. Circle players should be ready to fight for the ball, using their bodies and sticks to gain possession. Winning ground balls is a must to be successful.
6-STRATEGY
What’s your strategy?
I like to see what happens with the first few draw controls, see what’s going on. Then adjust.
Change your approach. A successful draw specialist is versatile, able to adjust their technique based on the opponent. Whether it’s a quick flick to a teammate or a powerful pull to yourself, changing the direction and style of the draw keeps opponents guessing.
Adapt to your opponents. Quickly try to learn your opponent’s tendencies.
If they favor certain moves, you can counter them by shifting your stance or changing your draw style or technique.
7-STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Winning draws throughout the game requires outstanding cardiovascular fitness. You gotta be in great shape to be a part of the draw control team.
A draw specialist and circle players should be able to maintain high energy and explosiveness for every draw without fatigue.
Strength training helps these athletes considerably.
Strength in the wrists, forearms, core, and legs are essential for the physicality of the draw and circle players to maintain balance and power.
8-GRIT, SCRAPPY, AND FOCUSED
Stay focused.
Draw specialists need to maintain sharp mental focus, especially in high-pressure moments. Each draw is a new opportunity, so forget the mistakes and quickly hit the reset button for the next draw control. That’s the mental game.
Be confident on the draw and on the circle.
Trusting your techniques and abilities are key. The best draw specialists have confidence in their preparation and execution.
Grit and scrappiness, well, they are the “X-Factors.”
You can’t teach them but you have to have them to win on the circle.
So I mentioned there’s one thing that’s most important to succeed in draw controls.
It’s understanding that victory on the circle is not just the responsibility of one person.
It’s a team effort.
Winning draw controls is a team effort.
The draw specialist and 2 circle players must all work together in sync.
This is a must if your team wants to win draw percentages.
Speaking of draw control percentage.
WHAT’S CONSIDERED A GOOD DRAW CONTROL PERCENTAGE?
In girls lacrosse, winning draw controls is a critical factor for success, but the exact percentage of draw controls a team needs to win to consistently win games can depend on other team factors like shooting efficiency, defense, and turnovers.
That said, a commonly referenced stat is that teams often need to win at least 50-60% of draw controls to have a strong chance of winning the game.
I generally say the team needs to be 50% to be in the game, but again many factors play a role.
Possession is crucial.
Since possession in lacrosse can lead to more offensive opportunities, winning a higher percentage of draws allows a team to control the pace and tempo of the game.
The more draw controls a team wins, the more likely they are to dominate in terms of scoring chances.
Momentum. Just like many other sports, momentum is everything. Winning the majority of draws can also prevent the opponent from gaining offensive momentum, keeping the pressure on their defense.
Teams with strong defensive strategies and high shooting accuracy may also still win games even with a lower draw control percentages, making it a multifaceted element of the game.
THE WRAP
Winning draw controls in girls’ lacrosse is a blend of many things like technical skills, quick reactions, vision, physical strength, and strong teamwork.
You have to practice these things to dominate the draw circle.
What do you do well?
What needs to be improved?
Whose help do you need?
Again, pick 1 or 2 things to focus on from above and get to work.
You got this.
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