LAX: what are ground balls?

[RUTGERZ_R00LZ]

I'm not a Lacrosse maven, but what is the value of a groundball? I saw that a player was credited with 4 groundballs; what is that and why is it a good thing.

I hit lot s of groundballs in baseball and nobody ever congratulated me. :)

 

[NJ_CO_RU]

I'm not a Lacrosse maven, but what is the value of a groundball? I saw that a player was credited with 4 groundballs; what is that and why is it a good thing.

I hit lot s of groundballs in baseball and nobody ever congratulated me. :)

Ground balls equal possessions Basically, its picking up the ball off the ground following a face off or a turnover (including when you dislodge the ball from you opponent) or basically any loose ball situation. Picking up the ball after a goalie blocks a shot is a ground ball too.

Mainly due to face offs, there are much more loose ball situations in lacrosse than any other sports. The puck is loose quite often in Hockey, but it is not an apples to apples comparison. There are very few loose balls in basketball and fumbles in a football game.

Particularly when kids are younger, the team that wins the ground ball battle wins the game. In college, its plausible to lose the ground ball battle but win the game.

 

[e5fdny]

I equate it to hustle.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

In short, it is literally when you pick the ball off the ground.

 

[Caliknight]

It's possessing the ball in a 50/50 situation. It's a telling statistic. You want to win that one.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Ground balls equal possessions Basically, its picking up the ball off the ground following a face off or a turnover (including when you dislodge the ball from you opponent) or basically any loose ball situation. Picking up the ball after a goalie blocks a shot is a ground ball too.

Mainly due to face offs, there are much more loose ball situations in lacrosse than any other sports. The puck is loose quite often in Hockey, but it is not an apples to apples comparison. There are very few loose balls in basketball and fumbles in a football game.

Particularly when kids are younger, the team that wins the ground ball battle wins the game. In college, its plausible to lose the ground ball battle but win the game.

I was thinking about this, and I think the best comparison may be rebounding in basketball. In hockey there is tons of 50/50. In football, 50/50 is extremely rare. Lacrosse is really a possession game, especially at the college level. These guys can all run offense and make passes without putting the ball on the ground. So when the ball is on the ground either team A gets it and we are staying on offense, or team B gets it and we are going the other way.

 

[NJ_CO_RU]

I was thinking about this, and I think the best comparison may be rebounding in basketball. In hockey there is tons of 50/50. In football, 50/50 is extremely rare. Lacrosse is really a possession game, especially at the college level. These guys can all run offense and make passes without putting the ball on the ground. So when the ball is on the ground either team A gets it and we are staying on offense, or team B gets it and we are going the other way.

The only difference is that in basketball, there will be a shot almost every possession. Shooting percentage in hoops in what 45-50% for a very good team? Lots and lots of rebounds and the defense is generally in better position. Moreover, some rebounds aren't even contested due to body position and fear of taking a dumb foul.

In Lacrosse, far fewer loose balls than missed shots (implying a rebound opportunity), but loose balls are always fought after.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

The only difference is that in basketball, there will be a shot almost every possession. Shooting percentage in hoops in what 45-50% for a very good team? Lots and lots of rebounds and the defense is generally in better position. Moreover, some rebounds aren't even contested due to body position and fear of taking a dumb foul.

In Lacrosse, far fewer loose balls than missed shots (implying a rebound opportunity), but loose balls are always fought after.

I generally agree. But lacrosse rebounds aren't always contested for the same reason. Sometimes the ball just goes where someone is right there. But point well taken. I just cannot think of anything closer to compare it to. the correct answer is probably that lacrosse is just a unique sport, so really there is nothing that compares.

The closest sports to lacrosse are soccer and hockey, and one of those never has 50/50 possession, and the other has it constantly. The other comparison I thought of was 50/50 loose pucks in 3 on 3 overtime in hockey. That is a really close comparison, because once they have possession in 3 on 3, those guys generally hold it until they get a shot off, and there is a really good chance of every shot going in. Only someone who has been watching a lot of hockey this year would understand what I was saying, though.

 

[Caliknight]

I think lots of sports translate to lacrosse. Concepts of offense and defense in basketball can be very similar. Creating plus numbers and open shots translates well.

Football toughness, as well as hockey, help a ton with the physicality of the game. Fitness and footwork of soccer are very useful. One thing I don't like is kids focusing on one sport. All the best players I know of excelled in other sports too, and if you ask them, their lacrosse success was immensely helped by playing those sports.