The 10 Best Lacrosse Rebounders
Special Honors
Laxworx Hardwall Whereas traditional models utilize a soft mat or netting, this high-end rebounder from Laxworx consists of a super-dense material that causes the ball to spring off the surface with enhanced speed. Its curved design is meant to return the ball at the ideal trajectory. laxworx.com
Editor's Notes
May 16, 2021:
In researching lacrosse rebounders for this update, we found that the options already on the list were still the best available, and present a good range of options in terms of features, size, and budget.
The Rukket Sports Training, Victorem Bounce Back, and Lacrosse Scoop Premium offer a curved surface well-suited for lacrosse specifically. However, there are many reasons to prefer a model that works well for a variety of sports. If you're a parent of multiple kids who play different sports (or one kid who has joined several teams), you don't necessarily have room in the yard for a soccer goal, pitch back, volleyball net, and lacrosse rebounder, so versatile options like the All Ball Pro Stinger X, Flair Sports Practice, STX Multi, or EZGoal Sport might be a good fit.
We've looked for durable choices that should be able to stand up to plenty of use and last for a while, but if you're buying equipment for a school, daycare, or summer camp, you might want to make sure that the model you choose is from a company that offers replacement parts. Replacement nets are available for the Tekk Trainer Goal and the Victorem Bounce Back comes with an extra net, so you'll have a backup on hand if and when you need it.
January 08, 2020:
We determined that three items on this relatively short list were clearly not high-quality options, with components that would quickly deteriorate if left outdoors and springs that would break after only a few weeks or months of use. We noted several complaints about extreme difficulty in assembling the Champion Sports Pro because many of the pieces wouldn’t fit together. We removed all these items from the rankings.
Most of the options we’ve added feature some mechanism for adjusting the angle, and several have a highly visible target in the middle of the netting to aid in accurately locating passes or shots. One thing to note: most of these models do not come with a cover, so purchasing a tarp that’s large enough to cover the rebounder is a good idea if you’d like to protect it when left outdoors.
The All Ball Pro Stinger X features a heavy-duty frame with strong 10-inch wheels, which is a feature many users find helpful for moving it around the backyard, sports field or gym.
A Brief History Of Lacrosse
It is believed to have been most popular with tribes living in the American south, Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic seaboard areas.
Lacrosse is a descendant of a variety of games played by Native American communities across what is now modern-day Canada and the United States. These lacrosse-like games originated sometime before the 17th century, as French Jesuits report to have encountered them in 1630. This makes lacrosse one of the oldest team sports played in North America. It is believed to have been most popular with tribes living in the American south, Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic seaboard areas.
There is little data on the rules and game strategy of early lacrosse, as many of the reports from French and English explorers through the mid-19th century either contain scant or conflicting information — usually only explaining the type of equipment used, length of the playing field, team sizes, and game duration.
What we do know is that unlike today, when a standard lacrosse game has a total of 20 players, involves just 60 minutes of playing time, and and makes use of a 100-meter field, these traditional lacrosse games included anywhere from 100 to 1,000 players, lasted for several days, and had goals that ranged anywhere from 400 meters to 10 kilometers apart. These games were held on neutral territory located between the lands of the two participating tribes.
The name lacrosse is credited to Jean de Brébeuf, a French missionary who encountered the Hurons playing it in the 1630s, in what is now modern-day Ontario. He first called it crosse, which is most likely derived from le jeu de la crosse, the French term for field hockey. In the 1830s, Caughnawaga Indians demonstrated lacrosse in Montreal to European colonists. The initial response to the game was lukewarm, though it soon started growing in popularity as colonists started betting on, and even playing it. In 1856, a Canadian dentist by the name of William George Beers founded the first Montreal Lacrosse Club. He would go on to establish many of the current rules by which the game is still played.
In 1867, Queen Victoria watched an overseas exhibition game after which she commented that "The game is very pretty to watch," leading many British schools to start including the sport in their athletics department. In 1868, the Mohawk Lacrosse Club was established in the United States, and by the beginning of the 20th century it was already a league sport in a number of high schools and universities.
Benefits Of Training On A Lacrosse Rebounder
Lacrosse is a fast-paced and competitive game that is quickly becoming one of the nation's favorites. In fact, it is currently the fastest growing sport in America. According to participation surveys, there were over 800,000 players participating on organized teams in 2016. So, if there was ever a time to get into the sport, now is it. Not only can it help you get into great shape, but it will also improve your agility and tactical decision-making skills. As with any other sport, it takes practice to improve. Sure you could just toss a ball at a wall to practice your passing and catching, but this isn't very effective since it doesn't accurately mimic real-life gameplay.
Lacrosse is a fast-paced and competitive game that is quickly becoming one of the nation's favorites.
Lacrosse rebounders offer a number of benefits over other training methods. They have an elastic net that sends the ball back at you at high speeds, just like in a real game with other players. You'll have to think and react quickly to get your stick in the right place to catch the ball, improving your reflexes. It will also improve your ball handling skills as you catch the ball, then reverse your momentum into the throwing action. Many rebounders allow you to adjust the angle of the net, which in turn adjusts the angle at which the ball is returned to you. This means you can practice catching balls coming from a variety of angles, something that just isn't possible with a wall. Depending on the model, you may be able to adjust the net tension, increasing or decreasing ball return velocity.
Most rebounders can be quickly assembled and disassembled, making for simple transport and allowing you to practice in a variety of locations. Perhaps sometimes you like to practice in your backyard, while other days you prefer a little more room, like at a park, so you can practice some running drills too. Since you will be able to train anywhere, and at anytime, you can make your sessions as long or as short as you want. You'll never have to worry about dealing with someone else's schedule.
Lacrosse Rebounder Training Drills
There are a number of drills you can perform on a rebounder to help you improve your skills. As you get more comfortable using it, you can continuously change up your method to work on different areas of your game. Here are a couple to get you started.
Those new to the sport may want to begin by simply getting used to throwing and catching the ball. Take your lacrosse stick and place the ball into the head. Stand facing the rebounder mostly squared off. You may want to keep your non-dominant foot slightly forward. Focus on throwing the ball as close to the same spot as you can get and catching it on your stick side on the return. The harder you throw the ball, the faster it will return, so start off slowly and increase your power as you get more comfortable. Do this at least 20 times in a row, always keeping your stick up in the triple-threat position. The goal is to get the ball in and out of the stick as quickly as possible. You can change up this drill by taking a step to the right or left after each throw, which will cause the ball to return to your opposite side. This will teach you to adjust to the ball and improve your handling skills.
The next drill is the running throw and catch. Set the rebounder to a higher angle and throw the ball at it as you run past. Then catch the ball on the return. This may be difficult at first, but it is one of the best ways to learn how to catch balls dropping in front of you.