By Abigail Gannaban · Last updated October 28, 2026
Most players practice ground balls by dropping one at their feet and picking it up. Games don't work that way: the ball is moving, someone's coming, and the scoop only counts if you get it out of trouble. This lacrosse ground ball drill (scoop, sprint, outlet) uses a lacrosse ball rebounder, or rebound net, to feed you a moving ball, then makes you finish the play with a sprint and an outlet pass.
What is the scoop, sprint, outlet ground ball drill?
It's the scooping progression taught in Lacrosse Essentials by Jack Kaley and Richard Donovan, finished with an outlet pass. In their teaching, the player keeps two hands on the stick, carries it to the side, bends at the knees and back, gets the head over the ball and puts the stick down 6 to 10 inches in front of it. After the scoop, the player comes up with a slight cradle, sprints about 10 yards, then circles to keep the body between the defender and the stick (Human Kinetics excerpt). The outlet comes from a rule youth and high school coaches drill early, which Lax Library sums up as scoop it and move it: get the ball away from pressure fast.
How do you run it alone on a ball rebounder?
The ball rebounder supplies the moving ground ball and catches the outlet. Set it up like this:
- Lower the frame to its lowest height and tilt the net until a firm, low throw into its bottom third comes back short and on the ground. Every yard and every turf is different, so test a few throws.
- Throw a hard, low pass at the bottom of the net from your normal passing distance.
- Attack the return with two hands, low, and scoop through it without stopping.
- Sprint about 10 yards past the spot, circle away from an imaginary defender, then turn and throw an outlet pass into the center of the net.
- Catch the outlet's return, walk back, and go again. Alternate hands each set.
The net returns what you give it, so it won't create a scrum or a check. It trains the scoop on a moving ball and the habit of moving it, which is the part you can do alone.
What mistakes break the drill?
Three habits undo the drill, and all three come from the Kaley and Donovan progression:
- One hand on the stick. The scoop needs both hands, top hand loose near the throat.
- Standing up to scoop. Bend the knees and keep the head over the ball; a high scoop pushes the ball away.
- Stopping after the pickup. The sprint and circle are part of the skill. Players who stop to look are the ones who get checked.
A fourth one is rebounder-specific: throwing the outlet before you circle. In a game, the circle buys the look; skipping it here trains a rushed pass. Good footwork to the ball makes all of this easier, and our star footwork drill builds it.
Drill setup
| Element | Setting | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Scoop technique | Two hands, stick to the side, low, stick down 6-10 in. in front of the ball | Kaley & Donovan, Lacrosse Essentials |
| Sprint after the scoop | About 10 yards, then circle to protect the stick | Kaley & Donovan |
| Outlet | Move the ball away from pressure right after the pickup | Lax Library, "Scoop It and Move It" |
| Ball rebounder | The Varsity Multi Sport Ball Rebounder, lowest height, net tilted for short ground returns | All Ball Pro adaptation; test your surface |
| How often | A short block every practice day; the book says even advanced teams drill scooping daily | Kaley & Donovan |
Which ball rebounder size works for this drill?
The Varsity is the better fit for high school and older middle school players, and the Stinger X works for younger players or tight spaces. The outlet in this drill is thrown after a 10-yard sprint and a turn, and on-the-run throws spray. The Varsity Multi Sport Ball Rebounder has a 5' x 5' net frame, a 25 sq ft target. The Stinger X Multi Sport Ball Rebounder has a 3.5' x 3.5' net frame, 12.25 sq ft. That makes the Varsity's target 2.04 times larger (25 ÷ 12.25), which means fewer outlets sailing wide and more reps per session. All Ball Pro makes steel-frame, multi-sport ball rebounders, also called rebound nets, for lacrosse, soccer, baseball, softball and basketball; both models adjust in height and tilt, which is what lets them feed a ground ball here and a chest-high pass in your no-catch wall ball work.
FAQ
How do you practice lacrosse ground balls by yourself? Use a ball rebounder or wall to create a moving ball, scoop through it with two hands, then sprint and pass. A ball sitting still teaches less than one that's rolling toward you.
How far should you sprint after a ground ball? About 10 yards, then circle so your body is between the defender and your stick. That's the sequence Kaley and Donovan teach in Lacrosse Essentials.
Should you scoop with one hand or two? Two. Both hands on the stick, top hand loose near the throat, gives the control a first-time scoop needs.
Finish every scoop with a pass
Scoop low, sprint, circle, and move it. See The Varsity Multi Sport Ball Rebounder.