Lacrosse Pass Types

Passing is an essential component of the game of lacrosse. Passing is the action of throwing the ball between teammates. It allows the offense to keep possession and advance the ball towards the goal. Keep reading to learn about the different types of passes in lacrosse and how passing is executed on the field.

Types of Passes

There are several different ways to pass the ball in lacrosse. Depending on their positioning on the field and the number of defensemen around them, an offensive player preparing to pass will need to use different tactics to advance the ball and keep possession. This is a complete alphabetical list of the different forms of passing.

• Assist
• Behind the Back Pass
• Bounce Pass
• Crease Pass
• Diagonal Pass
• Feed
• Flip Pass
• Give and Go
• No Look Pass
• Over the Shoulder Pass
• Overhand Pass
• Sidearm Pass
• Skip Pass
• Underhand Pass

Assist

An assist in lacrosse is a pass to a teammate that immediately results in a goal by the player receiving the pass. Assists require strong feeding ability and field vision. Assists are a key offensive statistic for individual players. A great offensive lacrosse player should have a solid number of assists per season in addition to their number of goals.

Behind the Back Pass

The behind the back pass in lacrosse is the act of passing the ball by wrapping the stick behind the back. Similar to a behind the back shot, this type of pass requires exceptional agility and is typically only done when a player is forced to pass from an unusual angle because of opposing players in the way.

Bounce Pass

The bounce pass in lacrosse is a type of pass that intentionally bounces once on the ground between the passing player and the receiving teammate. It can be an effective form of passing to get the ball under a defender's stick or even between an opposing player’s legs when a teammate behind them is open.

Crease Pass

The crease pass in lacrosse is a pass that originates from the crease area. A crease-to-crease pass travels behind the goal from one side of the field to the other.

Diagonal Pass

The diagonal pass in lacrosse is a pass made from one player to another on a diagonal angle. It can refer to a pass made anywhere on the field, although it often relates to a skip pass in the offensive end between a crease player and a midfielder playing high or close to the center line. Diagonal passes should optimally be done when 7-10 yards from your teammate.

Feed

A feed in lacrosse is a pass from one attacker to a teammate that sets up a shot on goal or next offensive move. It is common to see feeds to a cutting player from around the critical scoring area and crease. Feeding can occur anywhere on the field as long as the corresponding cutter is open.

Flip Pass

The flip pass in lacrosse is a pass made at close range by flicking the crosse up and driving the butt-end down while the stick is parallel to the ground. It is an effective pass in close range to quickly change direction.

Give and Go

A give and go in lacrosse is an offensive play involving two attackers. The ball handler makes a diagonal or lateral pass to a teammate and then immediately cuts past their defender toward the goal to receive a pass back from their teammate.

No-Look Pass

The no-look pass in lacrosse is the act of passing the ball to a teammate while facing or looking in a different direction. This type of pass can throw defenders off guard, especially during fast-paced games when scoring opportunities are narrow.

Over the Shoulder Pass

The over the shoulder pass in lacrosse is a pass that is received over the shoulder. This pass is particularly effective during a clear, when the clearing team wants to move the ball upfield without having to turn their bodies and stop to receive a pass. Over the shoulder passes are very powerful, which can affect their accuracy.

Overhand Pass

The overhand pass in lacrosse is a pass made with the stick perpendicular to the ground in an upright position. It is the most basic style of pass and is more accurate than a flip pass or sidearm pass.

Sidearm Pass

The sidearm pass in lacrosse is a pass made with the stick at a horizontal angle to the player's body. A sidearm technique can also be used for shooting. To generate more power on a sidearm pass, the player slides their top hand down towards the butt end of the stick. The sidearm pass is an effective technique to pass the ball around a defender when the overhand pass and underhand pass are taken away.

Skip Pass

A skip pass in lacrosse is a pass that intentionally skips over an adjacent teammate to find another teammate positioned further away from the player that initiated the pass. It is typically used in a settled offense to shift the zone or when an adjacent player is being marked by a man-to-man defense.

Underhand Pass

The underhand pass in lacrosse is a pass made with an underhand motion. The underhand pass is an effective pass to move the ball around a close defender, but the underhand pass usually does not have much power or pace, so it should be used only when the person using it thinks they have ample time to get the ball to their teammate without defensive interference.

Passing in Transition

Passing is the most efficient way to move the ball from the defensive area to the attacking area. A strong offensive team will have a high completed pass percentage. When the defense gains possession of the ball in their defensive area, either on a caused turnover or save, they attempt to clear the ball. Clearing is best executed with midfield cutting patterns and long passes. When the defense catches a pass intended for an offensive team member, it is called an interception.

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