Learn the Game

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Stretching: Warm-up and Cool Down

Coach: As soon as everyone is suited up, take a lap and get into stretches.

Captain Johnny: Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Collective chatter as the team makes their way around the field.

Captain Johnny: Alright everyone circle up, right over left...switch...quads...left leg...

For the longest time, I couldn't figure out why it was important to stretch. When I first started playing lacrosse, pre-game stretching was a time to catch up with teammates and/or talk about the team we were about to play. The older I got, the more I appreciated stretching because it helped me loosen up before and after a game, but I still didn't truly understand the short and long term benefits.

Those who want to start stretching, skip down to the exercises. For those who want a little more, stay with me.

Contrary to what many people believe, stretching is more than loosening the muscles so that a player can be "fresh" for the start of an activity. In fact, it's not just about the muscles, but about the entire body as a whole and that's not limited to the physical. Understanding the movement of a pre-workout or pre-activity empowers the mind and helps it get in tune with the body. The exercises listed below, done before an activity, will help warm-up the body (muscles, including the heart, fascia, tissue, joints, ligaments and skeleton) and prepare the mind for the upcoming activity. It's equally important to cool down the body after an activity or workout, so the body is cued to rest and recover.

Injury prevention is one of the top, if not the most important, reason for stretching before and after an activity. If you are of the mindset, like I was, that jogging down the stairs from the locker room over to the practice or game field was a good warm-up please continue reading. There are hundreds of stretches out there you can try, but keep in mind that if at anytime something hurts or doesn't feel right during a stretch, STOP the stretch immediately. Consult a physician, physical therapist or nurse prior to starting a new activity/ workout or immediately after feeling pain or discomfort.

Now on to the warm up.

How to Warm Up

Walking lunges with runners knee

There are a number of variations of this movement, but for our purposes we will focus on one. First, step forward with your right foot planting firmly on the ground in front of you. Keep your chin up and glance forward (focus on something 5-10 feet in front of you). Be sure to keep your upper body straight, with your shoulders back and relaxed. Second, as you make your lunges (changing legs every lunge) think about lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is tracking straight forward (not off to one side) and is directly over your ankle, not pushed out over your foot, and make sure your back knee doesn't touch the ground. When getting out of the lunge, think about keeping the weight in your heels as you push back up to the starting position. Go about 10 yards, stop and come back to the place you started completing the same number of lunges you did on the way out.

Knee high

As with the lunges, you will be walking and stretching for approximately 10 yards, stopping, then repeating the drill back to the starting position. This exercise will improve hip mobility while increasing flexibility in the glutes and hamstrings. First, start by standing tall with legs straight and arms hanging to the side. Next, bring one knee up as high as is comfortable. Slowly lower to repeat with the opposite side so that each step takes you forward. When your knee comes up, you can chose to grasp it with both hands with interlocked fingers or keep your hands at your side. Avoid leaning too far forward during the exercise. Keep your chest up and shoulders pulled back while keeping your core tight. Also, raise your leg only as high as comfortable and try to keep the supporting knee completely straight, but be mindful not to lock it out.

If you choose to do this stretch with your stick, start by standing tall with legs straight, stick extended out in front with arms and stick parallel to the ground (you should look like an upside down 'L'. Your arms will remain extended as your knees come up and you move forward. Be sure to keep a straight back with arms extended out and parallel to the ground.

Toy Soldiers or Walking High Kick

Much like the High Knee stretch, the Toy Soldiers or Walking High Kick stretch helps with hip mobility and flexibility. First, start by standing tall with legs straight and arms hanging to your side. Raise one leg straight out in front of you while reaching for it with the hand of the same side. It's okay if you can't reach your foot or ankle with your hand. Keep your raised leg and reaching arm straight, but refrain from tilting forward or crunching. It is important to keep a straight back and tightened core throughout the movement. Return the leg to the ground, repeat on the opposite side.

Air Squats

Start by standing tall with your arms hanging comfortably at your side. Place your feet hip with distance apart, chin up and eyes looking forward. As you move down into the squat be sure to keep your back straight and eyes looking forward. When you start to move down bring your arms straight out in front of you, so they are parallel to the ground. Once you have reached the bottom of the squat, where your quads and hamstrings are parallel to the ground or your butt is slightly below your knees, pause for a slight moment and then slowly rise back to standing. As you rise out of the squat your arms will return to your side.

Over-Under Stretch

You can preform this stretch with or without your stick. Stand tall with your arms hanging to your sides. Reach your left arm across your body, just under your chin at about shoulder level. If your stick is in your left hand, it should remain straight up and down parallel to your body. Place your right hand on the outside of your left elbow and pull your left arm gently toward your right shoulder. Stop when you feel a stretch in your left triceps and hold it for 10 seconds. Relax and repeat the stretch with your right arm.

Tricep Stretch

Pick up your stick, grasp just below the head with your left hand, move the stick behind you, turn the stick so the butt of the handle is pointing up toward the sky. Take your right arm straight up over your head toward the sky, bend your elbow and grasp the butt of your handle with your right hand. The over-under shoulder stretch increases flexibility in the back, shoulders, and triceps. The exercise also increases shoulder stability and range of motion. You may adjust your hands on the handle of your stick at anytime to get into the stretch a little deeper. Remember to breath, ease into a deeper stretch, maintain a straight back and tightened core. Hold for 10 seconds, switch to the other side. Repeat this stretch twice on each side.

Lower back stretch

Sit down on the ground, so your legs are together and stretch straight out in front of you. Take your right leg and gently bend your knee and place your right foot on the outside of your left knee. Place your right hand back behind you, so that you are comfortably supported. Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee and gently press into the right knee as your slowly twist. When you feel the stretch in your back hold for 10 seconds. Your glance can be at the ground, out in front, over your right shoulder or back toward your right hand. Choose a position that is comfortable for you. When you are done with this side, slowly uncoil, reset and switch to the other side.

Jumping Jacks

Start by standing tall with arms hanging at your sides. Raise your hands straight up to the sky while kicking your legs to the side, bring everything back to the starting position and repeat 10 times. An alternative is to grasp your stick in front of you, palms facing down. As you jump and kick your legs outward, your stick and arms will rise straight in front of your face and above your head. Return legs, arm and stick to the starting position and repeat 10 times.

Butt Kickers

Start by standing tall and arms hanging comfortably at your side. Jog forward bringing your heals to touch your bottom. Preform this movement last and at a slow pace.

Feeling warmed up?

Go hit the field and have a great practice!

Cool Down

A proper cool down is an important way of telling your body that the hard work is done for now and that it is time to relax and recover. There are a number of stretches you can do to cool down; here are some of my favorites.

For the first stretch, start by standing tall with your arms at your side. Raise one leg up performing a standing knee high stretch. Keep the quad engaged and knee bent as you hold for a second at the top of the stretch and then slowly return your foot back to the starting position. Next, raise the opposite leg and repeat the stretch. Do this a four to six times with each leg while alternating sides. Perform this exercise slowly. Remember you are telling your body to relax.

For the second stretch, raise your leg up from the ground and out in front of you with a slight bend in the knee. Raise it till it is parallel or nearly parallel to the ground, hold for a second if you can and then lower it back to the spot it started from. Switch legs and repeat the stretch. DO NOT lock the knee of your planted leg. This may feel like it will help you with balance and stability, but do not do it. Instead, keep a slight bend in the knee of your plant foot and tighten up your core (abdominal muscles) as you lift one of your legs off of the ground. Do this a four to six times with each leg while alternating sides. Perform this exercise as slowly as you can.

The third stretch can be preformed for a deeper quad stretch by raising your knee up, then grasping it with your hands while interlocking your fingertips and pulling your knee gently in toward your chest. Alternate sides as you move through this stretch slowly. It's important to stand tall through the entire stretch. Think of your knee raising up from the ground to meet your hands. As your hands grasp your knee gently pull it toward your chest, hold, then release the tension allowing your knee to go back toward the ground, let go of your knee and slowly bring your foot back to it's starting position. Do this a four to six times with each leg while alternating sides.

The fourth stretch is another classic for your quad and growing. While standing tall raise your foot off the ground in a motion toward your butt. As your foot comes off the ground bring your arm back, so your hand can meet your foot. Grasp your foot with your hand and pull your foot gently in toward your butt. Feel the stretch? If you want, you can lean forward slightly for a different variation to the stretch. If you chose to lean forward, remember to keep a straight back and to keep a tight grasp of your foot with your hand, so that the original stretch continues with the modification. Hold this position for a few seconds. If you leaned forward return back to stand straight up, release the tension and grasp of your hand from your foot and slowly lower your foot back to where it started. Switch legs and repeat the stretch. Do this a four to six times with each leg while alternating sides.

The fifth stretch is great for a number of different areas of the body. Your legs and back get worked hard in lacrosse, so this is a way of cooling down the lower back, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, quads, side bodies, and abs. Start by standing tall with your arms hanging at your side. Step out with your left leg into a lunge (make sure your knee does not extend over your foot). Next, slowly rotate your upper body to the left, placing your right elbow on the outside of your left knee. Allow your left arm to move back and away, but keep it engaged so that you feel an opening in your shoulders and chest as well as your side and the rest of your body. Hold here for a few seconds. Slowly bring your right arm to the inside of your left knee and return to a standing position. Switch legs and repeat the stretch. Do this four to six times with each leg, be sure to alternate sides each time.

The sixth stretch is good for cooling down your shoulders, and triceps. These areas of the body are used by every player on the field and need some time to recover at the end of the workout. You can preform this stretch with or without your stick. Stand tall with your arms hanging to your sides. Reach your left arm across your body, just under your chin at about shoulder level. If your stick is in your left hand, it should remain straight up and down parallel to your body.Place your right hand on the outside of your left elbow and pull your left arm gently toward your right shoulder. Stop when you feel a stretch in your left triceps and hold it for 10 seconds. Relax and repeat the stretch with your right arm.

The seventh, is a good stretch for cooling down your shoulders, triceps and back. Pick up your stick, grasp just below the head with your left hand, move the stick behind you, turn the stick so the butt of the handle is pointing up toward the sky. Take your right arm straight up over your head toward the sky, bend your elbow and grasp the butt of your handle with your right hand. The over-under shoulder stretch increases flexibility in the back, shoulders, and triceps. The exercise also increases shoulder stability and range of motion. You may adjust your hands on the handle of your stick at anytime to get into the stretch a little deeper. Remember to breath, ease into a deeper stretch, maintain a straight back and tightened core. Hold for 10 seconds, switch to the other side. Repeat this stretch twice on each side.

Tips on How to Cradle

This is the art of keeping the ball in your pocket while you move around the field. We refer to it as an art because it looks simple at first glance, and it can be after you work on it, but it takes some practice to get the feel right.

First, pick up a tennis or lacrosse ball with your dominate hand and cup that hand so the ball rests protected. Feel how the ball rolls from your pinkie to index finger and thumb.

Second, cup your hand so the ball rests protected. With your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle and the ball in the palm of your hand facing up toward the sky.

Now move your forearm, wrist, hand and ball from side to side without dropping the ball. Practice with different speeds. Depending on how fluid your motion is, you may feel the ball bounce between your index, thumb, palm and pinkie.

Third, raise your arm out to the side of your body, so your arm makes an "L" with your hand and the ball at about eye level.

Fourth, move your arm, hand and ball from the side of your body to just in front of your face in a slow arc. When you do this, hold the ball in your cupped palm so it is supported by the gravity of the movement and not your fingers and thumb grasping it.

Now pick up your lacrosse stick and place the tennis or lacrosse ball in the pocket.

First, with the stick stretched out in front of you move the stick from side to side paying close attention to how the ball reacts in the pocket.

Second, bring the stick out to the side of your body, so it's at a 30-45 degree angle from your body.

Third, move the stick from the side of your body to just in front of your face, so you can see the ball resting in the pocket. Take note of where the ball is when you move it from side to front and back. Does is bounce from side wall to side wall? Does it move from the top of the pocket to the bottom of the pocket? Does it sit in one place the whole time?

Fourth, attempt this movement at different speeds while maintaining control of the ball. The speed that keeps the ball in the pocket and feels controlled to you is the sweet spot.

Find the spot in the pocket where the ball sits perfectly for you. Remember this is an art and one that takes practice to master. Take the time to feel where the ball sits in your pocket and you'll be cradling up and down the field in no time.

Tips for Catching and Throwing

Having been around the game for most of my life, it takes me a minute to step aside from the game I know and to see it from the outside. Watching lacrosse as a beginner for the first time is exciting. Taking the step from being a spectator to a player can be a little fear-inducing. It's one thing to throw the ball around with friends at the park, but it's an entirely different beast when a swarm of sticks are flailing around your head as you approach the goal at your first practice.

Since much of the game is played with the ball in the air, it is important to learn how to properly catch and throw with the lacrosse stick. Aside from picking up and controlling a ground ball, catching and throwing, or what most in the game refer to as stick skills, are the foundation of the game. Lacking the ability to catch and throw hinders your ability to partake in the most important aspect of the game...having FUN!

Let's get to it then!

First and foremost, be safe and wear the correct protection to ensure you don't get injured your first day out. At the very least, wear a helmet; especially if you start with throwing a lacrosse ball. If this is your very first time playing catch, I suggest you start with a tennis ball. If you are taking a friend or a new player out to teach them, try to remember what it was like the first time you tried catching and throwing. My guess is it wasn't easy, so be patient and encouraging.

If you've been playing the game for awhile and think 'tennis balls are for beginners, I'm past that' I encourage you to go through an entire wall ball session with a tennis ball. You will find that it's not as easy as you might think. You will have to adjust your approach ever so slightly because the weight of the ball is different. My guess is that you will still work hard during your session, but in different ways, which is great for getting better.

Start by smiling, it sounds a little absurd, but we are giving this sport a go to have fun, right. It also helps ease the tension of trying something new and it tells your body to relax, which will help.

Are you right or left handed? Don't know? It doesn't matter because we are going to use the same principals to throw and catch with both hands.

Which way is up?

This is called the Head of the Stick.

This is the Pocket.

This is the ball's home. Some like mesh and others traditional, high or low pocket, 2 or 3 shooting strings. I could, and most lacrosse players do, spend hours talking about our pockets. Having a good pocket, one that works for you, is crucial, but we won't worry ourselves about that now. Just know that this is where the ball sits when you have it.

This is the Handle.

The bottom or butt of the handle has an end cap and the top or neck has a hole, so the head can be attached. Handles come in different lengths depending on what position you play (goalie, defense, midfield and attack) and can be wrapped in tape in different places depending on your preference.

Pick-up the stick with your right hand on the neck of the handle 1" below the head (provided the head is on the handle) with your right hand fingers facing up.

Grasp the bottom or butt of the handle with your left hand, fingers facing down.

This is what it should look like at a comfortable standing position. Notice the placement of the hands and with the open part of the head facing up toward the sky and the tennis ball sitting comfortably in the pocket.

Did you notice the smile....don't forget to smile.

From the standing position, raise the stick up and out, so your arms are extended away from your body and your elbows have a slight bend. Lower your top hand (right hand for this example) down to just under half way on the handle.

Point your left foot toward the person or wall you chose to throw toward. Your right foot can be placed at a 45 degree angle or in a spot that feels comfortable. Feet should be approximately shoulder width apart.

The throwing motion. Begin to think of the lacrosse stick as an extension of your arms. Place the stick down and pick up the tennis ball. See how it rolls around in your hand. When you throw it, feel how it rolls off your finger tips. If you were to throw the ball toward the wall or your friend you would take the same stance as above, point with your left hand and throw with your right, correct. OK. Pick up your lacrosse stick and place the tennis ball back in the pocket. Remember that your arms are working together with the stick to move the ball out of your pocket toward the target. Your bottom hand will be pulling the stick forward and slightly down past the left hip, while the right hand pushes and keeps the face of the head open to the target. The pulling of the bottom hand and pushing of the top hand is done with equal pressure and at the same time. It will feel unnatural at first, but after a few throws you'll get it.

If you are having a bit of trouble getting the ball directly to your target, try this: place the thumb of your top hand on the back of the handle rather than on the side. This will help keep the head of the stick moving forward towards the target.

Catching.

The head and pocket of the lacrosse stick are designed to catch the ball, so allow it to do it's job. Meet the ball with the face of the head open. This will allow the ball to hit the shooting strings or just below them, which will channel the ball into the pocket. Think about receiving the ball as if you were catching an egg. You wouldn't want the egg to splat on your stick and make a mess, so you will need to catch it softly; thinking of catching the ball in this way will help to eliminate swatting or snapping at the ball.

A helpful hint: keep the stick in front of you, so you can see the ball and the head of your stick. Remember to move to the ball, meet it, and then gently receive it. After you have the ball in your pocket, gently cradle the ball from side to side to keep it in your pocket.

A great way to get better at catching and throwing is to work on a wall or rebounder.

Introduction to Ground Balls

Whether this is your first time picking up a ground ball or you've been playing the game for years, the technique doesn't change. The key to picking the ball off the ground is to remember to get low by bending your knees while getting your stick parallel to the ground.

Here are the basics:

First, step into a lunge with your left foot placed just outside of the ball you want to pick up.

Second, get your nose over the ball by tilting at the waist (think of bowing to the ball), so your eyes are looking directly down over the ball.

Third, as your body tilts, lower your stick so the head is open facing toward the sky and the handle is between 30 degrees to nearly parallel to the ground.

Fourth, slide the head of your stick under the ball, so the ball is resting in your pocket.

Fifth, stand up out of your lunge bringing your right foot to meet your left. As you do this bring the stick up gently, so when you reach the standing position you are looking at the ball resting in the pocket of your stick.

Dodging

The best way to understand the basics of dodging is to view it as using a change of speed, a change of direction or the use of both together to get past your defender. There are a number of different dodges, and hundreds of variations of these dodges that you can master. For a more extensive list of dodges and how to practice them check out the Performance Plans. The information provided below is a general overview of how to perform the three most common dodges: Face Dodge, Split Dodge and Roll Dodge.

FACE DODGE

Whether you are trying to get through traffic after scooping a ground ball, or you are attempting to get free of your defender so you can shoot or assist, the face dodge is a good tool to have in your war chest.

It is important to remember, as with any dodge, to stand tall, keep your head up and your eyes focused on the field.

Step one: The Set-up

Start with the stick in your right hand. Move toward your defender's left side, as if you are going to run past him/her.

Step Two: The Move

Once you have your defender moving to their left, cut back to your left while moving forward and toward the defender's right side. As you plant your left foot, to make the Face Dodge, bring the stick across your body from right to left with the open part of the head facing your face. Once you have made this transfer, the stick should be positioned on the left side of your body, protected from the defender. As you pass your defender on their right side, your stick remains on your left side. Be sure to make this move as close to your defender as possible.

Take a look at the footwork in the video clip to see how the player changes direction.

Step Three: Stay Protected

Once you have made your move and are past your defender, stay protected until you are out of reach of your defender's check. Bring the stick back across your body, left to right, with the opening of your head facing your face.

SPLIT DODGE

Like a Michael Jordan crossover, the split dodge, done correctly, will leave your defender rolling on the ground begging for mercy. If you don't know who Michael Jordan is...look him up on YouTube. If you want to see a split dodge executed, to near perfection on the lacrosse field, search Kyle Harrison on YouTube. What these two great athletes have in common is the ability to "break ankles" with moves they've practiced for hundreds of hours.

As with any dodge, you have to sell the defender. Make them believe you are going one direction and then, when they bite, you go the opposite way. This concept seems basic, but it's often overlooked. A telegraphed dodge is as effective as giving the dodge 25% effort, which produces the same result; the defender stops your dodge. No bueno! Go back and try again!

Think of it this way: if you had to defend yourself, what would throw you off? If you gradually speed up your run in one direction or burst into a run to your defenders left side; the defender is going to have to go that direction, right? If you suddenly stop and go the other direction, the defender is caught off guard and has to react to your change. You are now dictating the pace of play, which means you are becoming an offensive threat.

Step One: The Set-up

Practice gradually moving faster to your defender's left side with your stick in your left hand. Suddenly change directions and move toward the defender's right side. You can also practice this by bursting from a jog to a sprint in one direction, then changing directions. The object of the set-up, is to get your defender to believe that you are 100% committed to getting past them on the side you are initially moving toward.

Step Two: The Move

Keep in mind, you are the one making the move and your defender is reacting to you. Once the defender is committed to stopping you from getting past his left side, you will switch from left hand to right hand with the open part of your head facing your chest. THIS IS KEY: as you make your move from left to right, keep moving FORWARD. At the advanced level, which I will discuss in a future post, you can float, but for now you need to work on moving forward as you dodge. If you're a middie dodging on a clear, keep your momentum moving down field. If you're a middie or attackman dodging to pass or shoot, keep moving toward the goal.

In the above video, watch how the player's feet move from left to right as he makes his dodge down field.

Step Three: Stay Protected

In the split dodge you move the stick from left to right or from right to left, in front of your defender. It's open for the taking, so you have to make sure this exchange is done quickly and close to your body, so the defender doesn't take your stick and the ball away from you. Secondly, you need to keep your body between your defender and your stick as you exit the dodge. If you leave your stick hanging behind you as you come out of the dodge, the defender has a chance at checking you from behind. Try to keep the stick inside your shoulder until you are ready to pass or shoot.

ROLL DODGE

The roll dodge is an important move to have in your dodging toolbox. You can use the roll anywhere on the field and when executed properly it can be one of the most versatile and valuable dodges you will come to use. This is a great move at all levels of play. For the beginner, the roll dodge can be a way to develop confidence with the off-hand by setting up with the stick in the underdeveloped hand then rolling to the strong hand. This way, the off-hand gets some time to work in a live situation. For the intermediate level player, this move allows defenders to beat riding attackman, middies to create space to make plays from the allies, and attackman to recapture top side. At the advanced level, the options are limitless! I go into further detail on how and when to use the roll dodge in the Performance Plans, but for now, here are the elements of a good roll dodge.

Step One: The Set-up

As with all dodges, you want to lure your defender into believing you are going one direction and then go a different way. For this example, we are going to start with the stick in our left hand moving toward the defender's right side. Once we have the defender committed to moving to their right, we will roll to the defender's left while switching the stick to our right hand. We now have the opportunity to make a play right handed.

Step Two: The Move

Once you see your defender commit to stopping your movement in the initial direction, you will plant your right foot in the direction back toward the way you came while positioning your back to the defender, which keeps you between the defender and the ball. By placing the right foot in this manner, you have allowed yourself the ability to stabilize and push off in a powerful move in the other direction. By eliminating two steps (most jog in a circle) you will have a clear advantage on your defender when you come out of the roll. When you plant your right foot, make the transition of the stick from your left hand to your right hand with the stick between your shoulders. As you come out of your roll, plant your left foot close to your defender's left side and accelerate out of the move toward the goal or down field.

Note: Beginners, make sure you roll as tight to your defender as you can. A fair amount of beginners will float away from the defender because it feels more comfortable, but doing this gives the defender space and time to recover.

In the video above, take notice of the player's feet and where they are placed during the dodge.

Step Three: Stay Protected

There are two places in this dodge that you need to keep your stick protected. The first is during the roll when you switch hands. The second is when you come out of the roll moving forward. During the roll, switch hands as you place your plant foot, so the stick is transferring between your shoulders with your body working as a shield to keep the stick safe and out of reach from the defender's check. As you move out of the roll and accelerate forward, be sure to keep your stick inside and parallel to your body to avoid it being checked from behind.

Face-offs

The Face-off starts every game, quarter and begins play after nearly every goal. Many lacrosse players are too intimidated by the face-off to even try setting up for the battle, but for those who chose to answer the call of duty; the reward of getting down and set at the X is worth the work to win the war.

To start, grab a ball and your stick and find a patch of grass to practice on. If you can, find a line to set-up on (end-line, side-line, etc).

Next, you will want to make sure you squat or kneel in a balanced position with your weight slightly forward. Depending on your preference, you can chose to be in a squat, a lunge or a lunge with your front knee on the ground.

Once you are in your balanced position, grip your handle using the motorcycle grip (both hands facing down) or a traditional grip (top hand facing up and back hand facing down).

Lower your hands and stick down to the ground, so that your stick is parallel to the line and the head of your stick is upright, not flat on the ground. Make sure that your body (shoulder and head especially) are out of the neutral zone. The neutral zone is the space surrounding and above the two lacrosse heads and the ball.

The stick and your gloves must be planted on the ground. They can not be hoovering off the ground.

As of the beginning of the 2016 season, the following changes have been made to the face-off rules:

Articles 3 through 6 of Rule 4-3 were condensed into a new Article 3, which clarifies the face-off procedures and roles for officials and players. When directed, players will go to the face-off position with their crosses properly placed. If the official is satisfied with the position, then the ball will be placed between the crosses for the face-off. Previously, the ball was placed on the ground first. Players are still required to remain motionless in the correct position after the official says “set” and until the whistle is blown.

The changes made to the face-off have required some tweaking of the face-off moves execution, but the bottom line remains the same: win the ball and move it to your offensive side of the field.