Drive and Decide
Decision-Making
Legend
- player
- defender
- coach / parent
- ball
How it works
Decide in real time whether to shoot or feed the crease based on defender positioning during a driving cut.
What you need
- lacrosse stick
- lacrosse ball
- cones
- goal
Your focus
The drive-and-decide moment is one of the highest decision-frequency situations in lacrosse. Building this habit at the beginner level ensures players always arrive at a decision point with their options already scanned.
Ball carrier drives from midfield to the top of the crease at jogging speed.
A crease attacker positions themselves in the crease and a defender either guards the crease (pass) or abandons it (shoot).
Ball carrier decides on the fly: if crease is clear, feed the cutter; if defender is in shooting lane, take the open shot.
Run 10 reps with defender randomizing their position.
Goal
It's working when you make the right call, shoot or feed, based on what the defender is giving you, not what you planned before the play started.
Helpful cues
- Scan the crease before you enter the shooting zone
- Your eyes set up your decision, look early, decide early
- Either option works if you read it correctly
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Defender holds a clear visual signal (arm up = in crease, arm down = in shooting lane).
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Second defender added who can either pressure the shooter or the crease.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.