One Handed
Rant: Coaches Who Think Players Don't Need to Use Their Off-Hand at All
Okay, let’s talk about the opposite extreme: coaches who think it’s totally fine for their players to go through an entire season without ever using their off-hand. You know the type—they’re usually so wrapped up in the player’s dominant hand success that they don’t even bother encouraging the development of the other hand. And it’s a big mistake. Like, huge.
Yes, we’ve all seen the legendary one-handed players who dominate with their strong hand, but let’s not kid ourselves here—being completely reliant on one hand is a liability, especially at higher levels of play. I’m not saying every player needs to be a wizard with both hands, but ignoring the off-hand entirely? That’s just irresponsible coaching.
You ever watch a player try to dodge and realize the defense is all over them because they only use their right hand? It’s painful. Watching a player spin themselves into oblivion just to stay on their strong side is a crime against good lacrosse. When defenders know exactly what’s coming because your player can only go one way, it’s game over. You're turning your players into one-trick ponies who are easily stopped as soon as their pattern gets predictable.
The worst part is that these coaches are setting their players up for long-term failure. Sure, you can get away with relying on one hand in youth lacrosse, maybe even in high school if you’re talented enough. But as you climb the ranks? College defenses will chew up and spit out players who can’t at least occasionally use their off-hand to dodge or pass. And coaches who think it’s fine to let their players completely ignore that aspect of their game are doing a massive disservice to the development process.
I get it—everyone wants to focus on the flashy stuff. You want your players to have sick shots and highlight-reel dodges with their strong hand. But come on, is it really that hard to dedicate some time to basic off-hand work? It’s not glamorous, it’s not exciting, but it’s a fundamental part of being a well-rounded player. We’re not talking about mastering the weak hand like it’s the golden ticket to D1 lacrosse—we’re just talking about making sure your players can at least use it when they need to.
And here's the thing: having some proficiency with your off-hand isn’t just about scoring goals or dodging past defenders. It’s about making the right play under pressure. It’s about not forcing a pass or shot with your strong hand just because you’re too scared or too limited to switch hands. Coaches who dismiss this entirely are robbing their players of the ability to make smart, effective decisions on the field.
At the end of the day, lacrosse is about versatility. You don’t need to be two-handed all the time, but you should at least be capable of using your off-hand when the situation calls for it. The coaches who refuse to teach this are leaving their players with glaring holes in their game, and it’s going to catch up to them eventually. It’s time to stop pretending that ignoring the off-hand is a viable strategy and start coaching players to be adaptable, smart, and versatile on the field.
To all the coaches out there who think it’s fine to let kids coast on their dominant hand—wake up. A little bit of balance goes a long way. Teach your players to use their off-hand when it matters, because at some point, it will matter, and if you haven’t prepared them for that moment, you’ve failed them.
P-Mac
