Equipment Needed
- Balls
- Cones
Setup
- Two players line up shoulder to shoulder facing a loose ball placed 5–8 yards away.
- Mark a small target zone or cone beyond the ball as the direction to clear toward once it's scooped.
Instructions
- On the whistle, both players sprint to the loose ball and compete to scoop it cleanly.
- The player who wins the ball protects it with their body and stick, pivoting away from the opponent.
- The winner clears the ball to the target zone while the second player applies light pressure for a few steps.
- Reset with a new ball and switch starting sides so both players get an equal mix of angles.
Coaching Points
- Approach the ground ball with a low center of gravity, feet wide, and the stick close to the ground through the scoop.
- Run through the ball rather than stopping over it — a moving scoop is both faster and harder to check.
- The body should be between the stick and the opponent immediately after the scoop to shield possession.
- Two hands on the stick through the scoop and the first few protective steps gives far more control than one.
Variation
Roll the ball instead of placing it stationary to add a read-and-react element, or run this as a small group scramble with three or four players competing for one ball.