Lacrosse Shot Analysis

In lacrosse, the overhead shot is the most vital part of the game and the most important skill that an offensive player can have. The goal of the lacrosse shot is to create a scoring attempt with peak speed and accuracy. Each player is different regarding personal technique; however, the basis of each shot remains the same and are interpreted through six phases. The general purpose of this paper is to describe trunk rotation and its impact on power and accuracy which will maximize the potential of a lacrosse shot.
The lacrosse shot can be broken down into six phases that include the approach, crank back of the upper body, crank back of the lower body, stick acceleration, stick deceleration, and follow through (Mercer and Nielson, 2014). While

each phase is important to the totality of the movement, to maximize the end results of the lacrosse shot the player needs to focus on the stick acceleration and deceleration phases.

Wasser (2016) stated, “The acceleration phase involves increasing angular velocities of the body segments (pelvis, trunk, shoulders) and crosses to prepare for ball release.” The trunk follows a progressive pattern of flexion throughout the throwing motion, thus, influencing the power behind the ball’s trajectory. The turning of a player’s shoulders to align with their hips is what creates the momentum for the ball’s speed and direction upon release. At the beginning of the acceleration phase, as shown in the lacrosse shot analysis, the trunk exits the preparatory stage and enters a phase of rotation. According to Plummer and Oliver (2015), this phase is vastly important because the alterations in action and purpose of involved muscles could be

counterproductive to the energy transfer. In order for the ball to reach its maximum potential upon projection, the trunk swiftly transitions between a backward rotation and a forward rotation. The force created by involved muscle contractions is transferred through the trunk’s movement into the forward motion of the stick, creating the speed of the shot. For the maximal potential speed to be reached, the player would have to augment rotation of the shoulders in alignment with their hips to create a fluid transfer of energy.
The phase of stick acceleration influences the speed of the ball due to the trunk’s role in energy transfer, but the phase of stick deceleration highly influences the accuracy of the throw.

The wrist flexors during this deceleration phase become concentric. The timing of this muscle’s change in purpose and action places the most emphasis on accuracy beyond the arrangement of the hips and shoulders. When discussing the biomechanical factor’s influencing the ball’s trajectory, Macagnone (2016) states, “This phase will vary based on the shot technique performed and player skill level …” This statement emphasizes the diversity in accuracy based on personnel and the skill level. To maximize accuracy when taking a lacrosse shot, the timing of the wrist flexor’s change in motion determines the trajectory of the ball. The trunk plays a major role in accuracy as well because of its support for the upper extremities during ball release and the influence of momentum and force of the ball’s

trajectory.
When reviewing the biomechanics behind a lacrosse shot, a developed player shows an advanced skill set in the stick acceleration and deceleration phases. The higher the speed of the ball upon release, the more fluid a player was about trunk rotation in regards to transferring energy throughout the alignment of the hips and shoulders. A player with a greater skill set will also have a more consistently accurate shot. One’s skills are related to the timing of the release during that forward momentum, created by the trunk’s rotation. The maximal potential of a lacrosse shot derives from the player’s ability to transfer energy throughout the trunk’s rotation during the stick acceleration phase and the ability to time the release of the ball to create the most accurate shot during the stick deceleration phase. Also, the improvement of the lacrosse shot depends on the conditioning of one’s muscles that are creating the movement.