Fundamentals of Lacrosse

1
Fundamentals of Lacrosse

• Presented by Alex Whitten
• Head Boys Lacrosse Coach
• Western Albemarle High School

2
Personal History

• Wilton High School 3 time state champion.
• Duke University 4 year letter winner, ACC
  champion in 1995, Final Four appearance in 1997.
• Connecticut Class S coach of the year in 2006.
• Connecticut Post Coach of the year in 2007.
• Class S State Champions in 2007.
• FCIAC Champions 2012.
• 3 Time Class M State Finalist 2008, 2011, 2012
• 2012 MSG CT Coach of the Year.

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Why We Are Here

• Lacrosse in every area of the country, is growing
  at an incredible rate.
• Enrollment in the sport has grown 364 over the
  last 15 years nationwide.
• The sport is a complicated one to understand.
• Lacrosse will only be able to expand as long as
  there is adequate infrastructure that can support
  the growth properly.
• This program is intended to strengthen that
  infrastructure.

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Streamlining the Process

• Continuity in our programs will produce results
  year after year.
• In order to maintain success in our program, we
  want to teach our players the same skills at all
  levels.
• The purpose of this program is to express what my
  beliefs and practices are when I teach the game.
• My coaching style and techniques are basic and
  require players to abide by simple rules that,
  when followed, have proven results.

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Topics to Cover

• Coaching Basics
• Face Offs
• Transition Offense and Defense
• Settled Offense and Defense
• Individual Offensive and Defensive skills
• Offensive and Defensive Theory
• Coaching Theory

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Why I Coach

• It is not wins and losses or even the competitive
  environment that I love about coaching.
• I teach young men a sport that is challenging and
  requires commitment and dedication to excel.
• The part of coaching that I love the most is when
  I see my players EXECUTE!
• Execution happens only when a player has
  dedicated himself to the pursuit of improvement
  and has put forth the necessary and required
  effort to make it happen.
• When players execute during contests, they make
  plays and when they make plays, they learn that
  their efforts can and will produce a positive
  outcome.
• It is all about What We are Teaching These Guys.
  This is the theory I try to incorporate into
  every thing I do while on the field.
• As a head coach, I want to express to every coach
  in our program my philosophies and techniques to
  help streamline the whole coaching process.

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Eliminate Why and Should

• When we use the the words why or should, we
  are placing judgment on the action of our
  players.
• These words will make our players defend their
  actions on the field in a way that they might not
  be able to do otherwise.
• Instead of Should we need to use the word
  Could.
• Instead of Why we need to use When, What,
  Where, How or Who.
• This change in language will allow our players to
  come up with their own answers instead of having
  a coach tell them what to do every time.
• 2 years ago my team was not efficient at clearing
  because I would see the open man from the
  sideline and would call out that player to the
  clearing player. This made my players dependent
  on me to find the open man instead of finding it
  themselves.
• We want our players to be able to make decisions
  quickly, and we as coaches, want to teach our
  players to become this way.
• Lets enable them to answer questions for
  themselves in a positive manner.
• If we eliminate Why and Should, we become
  better teachers and communicators.

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The Need To Move On

• This is a part of coaching I work on everyday.
• Once a play is over, we need to move on to the
  next one, positive or negative.
• We can do nothing about what has just happened in
  a game or practice so we need to move to the next
  play or event in order to control the present
  play or moment.
• The next play is more important than the last
  mistake.
• My college coach would spend an entire timeout
  talking about what we just didnt get done rather
  than what we needed to do next.
• Good or bad, we need to keep these kids from
  dwelling on past failures OR successes.
• Once the game is done, we want to go back and
  reflect on positive and negative plays and
  illustrate those things to players so they learn.
  This can even be done between quarters or at
  halftime, but spend the majority of your time
  during breaks in games focusing on what to do
  next to help the team.
• There is nothing we can do about the past. If we
  have coached our kids properly and they are
  willing to work, they can overcome any or all
  deficits they might confront.
• What is the next thing I need to do in order to
  execute?

9
There Are No Mistakes

• I tell players that there are no such things as
  mistakes
• except if there is an action repeated that
  simply doesnt work.
• There is no right or wrong in sports or in life
  when we talk of action to produce an end.
• We need to simply ask our players whether the
  play they just made worked or not.
• What might work one time might not in another
  instance.
• What didnt work one time might work in another.
• We want our players to try new things and be
  creative, but we want them to be able to
  recognize patterns that are productive and ones
  that are not.
• I give my varsity players all the opportunity in
  the world to make mistakes and try new things
  with a full expectation that at some point in
  time what hasnt work in the past might at some
  point in the future be very effective.
• A player will know in his heart that the play he
  just made was effective or not.
• We can reinforce this by complimenting when it
  works but also asking what else he might have
  been able to do if it didnt.
• No Judgments.

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Endorse Creativity

• Athletic creativity is a must in lacrosse.
• This is exactly why we want to get great athletes
  playing this sport.
• Athletic creativity is difficult to cover and
  play against.
• This makes the sport fun to play and is
  ultimately the way the game was intended to play.
• Athletic creativity comes from habit.
• Habit comes from repetition.
• Repetition comes through effective practice.
• Effective practice creates solid fundamentals.
• Solid fundamentals allow for development in other
  skill areas.
• Other skill areas open the window for a player to
  use his athleticism to further his game.
• Furthering ones game allows for individuality
  and overall player and team development.

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Decision Making Ability

• We want to create an environment of decisiveness
  in our players.
• Good decision-making comes out of situational
  recognition.
• We want our players to say to themselves, I have
  been here before or seen this before, and I
  recognize what to do in this instance.
• Being decisive and knowing what to do eliminates
  panic situations or situations we do not have
  control over.
• Knowing what to do, how to do it, and when to do
  it is crucial for our players to develop
  individually and as teammates.
• We want our players going into game situations
  with the confidence that they know what to do.
  This is ATTITUDE not COCKINESS!!!
• At the varsity level, we practice game type
  situations almost all the time which is what
  allows our players to recognize many different
  situations and events.
• Make a move with confidence that you will
  succeed, and whether you do or not, you live with
  the result.
• If we work with players at an individual level,
  this will create decisiveness through the whole
  program.

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Mental vs. Physical

• In sport, as in life, the majority of mistakes
  that are made are mental not physical.
• Mental mistakes happen for various reasons.
• If we can eliminate mental errors, we will be
  more successful as a program.
• Physical mistakes are often caused because a
  player does not make the right mental decision
  (i.e. Deciding not run full-speed, deciding not
  to get low on the groundball, deciding to throw
  the ball at the net instead of really shooting
  the ball).
• Everything we do physically starts with a mental
  intention.
• If our players know what is mentally expected of
  them, their actions physically will produce
  positive results.
• We need to reduce our mental mistakes in order to
  increase our physical output.

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Mental Toughness

• Mental Toughness is hard to coach but can be
  done.
• We do not want to foster a false sense of bravado
  in our players, but we do want them to step on
  the field and have confidence in their ability.
• A player that has mental toughness will have
  determination and will be able to handle multiple
  situations that can arise during a contest.
• That player will have based confidence, will be
  able to take criticism of his game when needed,
  and will not need to be praised after every play
  that was successful.
• These players are also your Field Generals and
  typically are your best on field leaders.
• Again, What are we teaching these guys?
• Mental toughness requires confidence.
• Confidence will make these guys winners.

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Coaching The Group

• It is my belief that a coach must create and
  establish his own coaching style.
• Establish with your team your coaching
  philosophies and beliefs before the season starts
  so that your players know what to expect from
  you.
• All players must be able to adapt to their
  coachs style and beliefs, but this cannot be an
  ultimatum.
• A great coach is able to adapt his style to each
  player on his team.
• Certain players need certain reinforcement and
  reassurance.
• It is a coachs responsibility to get to know his
  players and how they will react to their coaching
  style.
• Different players react differently to all
  things.
• If our coaches can adapt to all of our players
  while at the same time maintaining their personal
  coaching philosophies, our teams will be
  extremely efficient.

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Lacrosse is About Speed

• There is a reason lacrosse is considered the
  Fastest Game on Two Feet!!!
• IT REQUIRES SPEED!!!
• It is not just about physical ability.
• Players must be able to move quickly, think
  quickly, and be able to react quickly.
• Being physically and mentally fast is required to
  be able to play this game at the highest level.
• We need athletes that are willing to work hard to
  learn how the game is played, practice to ensure
  solid fundamental ability, and willing to develop
  themselves athletically and personally to become
  the best they can be.
• If we require this of all of our players, we will
  find more success in our program.

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What it Takes To Play

• Almost every athlete can play lacrosse in some
  capacity.
• You do not have to be the biggest, fastest,
  toughest, or smartest.
• There are compensating factors to all athletes.
• A player must realize his strengths and
  weaknesses in order to play to his strong points
  and work to improve upon the parts of his game
  that need work.
• A player must be willing to work.
• Gone are the days of a player saying, I want to
  play attack because I dont like to run.
• This illustrates a weak work ethic and that type
  of mentality will simply not work anymore in a
  program that expects greatness.
• If you are not the greatest athlete, you can
  still be a great player.
• If you are not willing to be great, failure is an
  acceptable outcome for you.
• We want to strive for greatness!!!

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Physical Conditioning

• Both of these are crucial for the development of
  our players.
• I do not like to use physical conditioning as a
  punishment.
• I say to my players that I am running them as
  part of practice to get them into shape for when
  we play against an opponent.
• If physical training is viewed as being a
  necessary part of the game, kids will not look at
  it as punishment.
• If my team has a lack of focus, I will use
  physical conditioning as a means of making a
  point. Make this really tough the first time and
  you will hopefully not have to do it again.
• I also do not like to end practice with sprints.
• I like to run sprints several times during
  practice right before group play drills so that
  players get used to practicing while tired.
• Players need to be in shape to play lacrosse and
  it is important for players to understand that
  they need gas in the tank at the end of the game.

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Fundamentals

• These are the basics of the game.
• As the sport has evolved into the game it is
  today, the basic fundamentals have not changed.
• Too often young players focus on the parts of the
  game that do not allow them to develop fully as
  players.
• We as coaches must make sure that the foundation
  of skills we provide for our players is the
  strongest it possibly can be.
• You need basic fundamental skill in lacrosse, as
  in any other pursuit in life, in order to pursue
  the next level.
• We need a greater focus on the fundamental of
  lacrosse in our programs.
• As a program, you cannot make the next step, at
  any level, if we cannot master the basics.

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Attitude

• Attitude is basis for all we do in life.
• Our players must realize that anything worth
  doing is worth doing well.
• It is not okay to be mediocre.
• It is not okay to just get by.
• We want players that want to be the best player
  on the field.
• Imagine what a team could accomplish if every
  player on the team wanted to the be the best one
  out there.
• This will happen only if our players have the
  proper attitude.
• The proper attitude is to not allow yourself to
  accomplish one thing less than you are able to.
• Take advantage of EVERY opportunity, EVERY play,
  and EVERY moment to improve yourself.
• Work harder and smarter and the results you
  desire will happen.

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The Metaphor

• Sports is a metaphor for life!
• What we teach on the field can and will carry
  over to all that a player will do in life.
• Buy into this belief and our players will find
  success!!!

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Where Does it All Start

• This all starts with all of the programs coaches
  being on the same page.
• The we WAY teach is equally, if not more
  important, than WHAT we teach.
• This starts with US as Coaches.

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Durability

• A player must be physically able to withstand the
  rigors of a season.
• Lacrosse is a collision sport.
• There will be bumps and bruises. There will be
  injuries.
• We need our guys to understand the difference
  between a boo-boo and an injury.
• Does it hurt or are you hurt? There is a BIG
  difference.
• A player cannot continuously contribute to the
  success of a team if he is sitting out every week
  with a new ailment.
• We need to get these guys to understand that
  there are certain things they can play through
  and there are certain things that need to be
  treated.
• We as coaches must take full responsibility for
  understanding and knowing our players and what
  each of them can handle and what is the proper
  action to take when a player is not being honest
  with us.
• Simply put you need to be tough to play this
  game.
• A players durability will allow him greater
  practice and playing time and will be basis for
  his dependability.

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Coachability

• Coachability is crucial for the development of
  individual players and the efficiency of running
  a team.
• Simply put, a player needs to hear what his coach
  is saying, understand what the coach is
  expressing, and be able to athletically apply
  what has been learned to his game.
• If we need to constantly go over the same thing
  again and again, we will stall in development and
  reduce our efficiency as a program.
• How many times do I, as a coach, need to tell
  you, as a player, how to do something until you
  apply that to your game.
• After a while, I will sit a player because he
  refuses, for whatever reason, to not do what I am
  asking him to do.
• There is a great difference between hearing what
  I am telling you and learning from what I am
  telling you.
• If you cannot or will not apply what I am
  teaching you, you will not find a place in my
  system.

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Knowledge Is Power

• We have all heard this!!!
• Hopefully we will teach our players all that we
  can.
• It is our responsibility to teach and coach our
  players to the best of our ability.
• It is our players responsibility to listen and
  absorb what their coach is telling them.
• This is will expand their knowledge base, but
  does this give them further power for on the
  field execution?

25
Applied Knowledge

• Is my knowledge powerful simply because I have
  it?
• If I know everything there is to in this world is
  this power?
• Only applied knowledge will bring about a result.
• We want our players to have the greatest
  knowledge base and know how to apply that
  knowledge to the sport.
• Players need to pay attention to their coaches,
  learn what their coaches are telling them, and
  then apply what they have learned to their game.
• This is Coachability.
• Players that refuse to learn the system
  eventually will not be a part of the system.
• We must also realize that all players learn in
  different ways.

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Audio and Visual Learning

• Some players learn orally and can be told
  something once and are able to understand exactly
  what their coach is telling them.
• Other players learn visually and must see things
  drawn out before they can really understand
  something.
• For this reason, it is effective to use a play
  board during coaching moments when you are trying
  to explain to your team what you want.
• We need to ensure that all of our players truly
  know what we are talking about before we move
  forward.

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Does Anyone Not Understand?

• Sometimes a player will have no idea of what a
  coach is saying.
• That player will often times go without raising
  the issue because he is afraid of ridicule or
  looking stupid in front of other teammates.
• As coaches, we must foster an environment where
  players are not afraid to raise their hand and
  say that they are not sure of what a coach is
  telling them.
• Ask the team Does anyone NOT understand what I
  am saying here? It is okay if you dont. I would
  rather you raise your hand now than to have to go
  over it later. So, everyone here gets what I am
  talking about, so if we mess this up and I get
  upset, everyone will be on the same page?
• Almost every time you ask this someone will raise
  their hand.
• Applaud this if it happens, Great, Johnny what
  part of my explanation did you not understand?
• Create an environment where players are not
  afraid to raise their voice and ask questions of
  their coaches, after all this is why we are here.

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Learning Allows Progress

• Great coaching or teaching is easily processed by
  players or students.
• This means that the information we are conveying
  is easily understood and can be applied through
  simple action.
• We want to be able to break down what we are
  coaching in a manner that is easily absorbed.
• If we can do this from the start, we will be able
  to move to the next step on the ladder.

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Learn It Right The First Time

• One of the biggest problems I see in lacrosse
  right now is that young players are not being
  coached properly when they start playing the
  game.
• These coaching flaws create terrible habits that
  are very difficult correct.
• Once a habit becomes practice, it is very
  challenging to get players to change their ways.
• It is not impossible. It just takes more time
  during practice to make the adjustments needed to
  correct the problem.
• If we know the basic fundamentals as a coaching
  staff, we will be able to properly instruct our
  players.
• If we instill the proper attitude in our players,
  we will be able to get them to work hard and
  focus on their development.
• This is the reason we are here.

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The Stick

• The head
• The shaft
• 40 inches vs. 72 inches
• The pocket
• Depth
• Ideal pocket location
• Legal vs. Illegal

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Illegal Sticks

• Pocket that is too deep
• Pocket that does not allow the ball to dislodge
  by the force of gravity
• Head that has been pinched or baked
• Shaft that is too short
• Shaft that has been bent
• No butt end on the shaft
• No screw connecting the head to the shaft

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Results of Illegal Stick

• Stick checks occur after the 1st and 3rd period
  of the game.
• A coach can request a stick check at any time
  during the game, if the check does not find an
  infringement that coach is assessed 1 timeout.
• A stick that is illegal by having too large of a
  pocket is a one minute non-releasable penalty.
• This stick can be adjusted and used again in the
  same game.
• A stick that has been intentionally manipulated
  will result in a 3 minute non-releasable penalty.
• The stick in question is also not allowed to be
  used again during the course of that game.
• The stick must remain on the scorers table for
  the remainder of the game. If it is removed for
  any reason, it will be an additional 30 second
  non-releasable game misconduct penalty added to
  the stick penalty.
• Any stick penalty can change the outcome or tempo
  of a game, therefore we want to periodically
  check our players sticks.
• A great way to do this is during stretching have
  coaches grab 10 sticks from players on the team
  and reward or punish with team sprints for all
  sticks that are illegal or legal.

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The Pocket

• Ideal pocket location is centered in the pocket
  of the head and shows 5/6th - 7/8ths of the ball.
• We want to avoid players having pockets that are
  far too big or far too shallow.
• A pocket that is in the far front of the head
  will typically whip or throw down.
• A pocket that is in the far back of the pocket is
  often very hard to throw with because it takes a
  great amount of force while throwing to
  distribute the ball.
• A well placed pocket will allow for greater ball
  control and easy of distribution once a player is
  ready to throw the ball.
• We can monitor this and make adjustments to
  players sticks during sessions this spring.
• When players learn to play with the proper pocket
  they will be learning how to play correctly.

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What is Most Important?

• As lacrosse has grown and developed into the
  sport it is today unfortunately the sport has
  been driven by companies that market towards the
  Cool Lifestyle of the sport.
• The equipment is better, the athletes are bigger
  and faster the game has become faster.
• The sport has evolved and will continue to do so.
• However, the one part of the game that has not
  changed is the need for a solid base of
  fundamental skills that every player must have in
  order to develop their game.
• The basics in lacrosse are crucial for
  development of players and for the teams they
  play on.
• Learning the basics correctly right in the
  beginning will pay huge dividends later in the
  careers of every player.

35
Holding the Stick

• This may sound very basic but players must hold
  this stick with loose hands.
• We do not want kids to be holding onto the stick
  with a death grip having white knuckles.
• This will allow a player to get a feel for the
  stick and ball will be very helpful in getting
  him comfortable with all parts of his game.

36
Passing

• Passing the ball properly is biggest obstacle
  facing the sport today.
• With the offset heads and with incorrect pocket
  placement the ball takes more force to get out of
  a players stick.
• With kids learning to play at earlier ages they
  do not have the necessary strength and motor
  skills to learn to throw properly.
• This creates bad habits at early ages and is very
  debilitating for their development.
• The majority of players push the ball and do not
  throw it.
• A player that pushes the ball will start with
  their hands in front of their body and will have
  their entire body square to the target.
• If a players arms are less than 90 degrees at
  the elbow most likely they will be pushing the
  ball.
• Everything in lacrosse will be dependent on how
  our kids can distribute the ball.
• If we teach these guys anything individually this
  is 1!!!

37
Passing Correctly

• There are 2 components to throwing the ball
  correctly.
• Twist and Wrist
• All power in throwing comes from torque created
  in the spine.
• A player must quarter or twist his body 90
  degrees in the direction in which he is holding
  the stick.
• This twisting action is crucial to create the
  power necessary to throw the ball effectively.
• Almost 90 of the stick motion will come from a
  player breaking his wrists while throwing.
• This will create a snapping action with the
  stick.
• If the stick is properly set up, there should be
  no passes that end up low.

38
How To Know This Is Working

• When players push the ball and dont throw it,
  the majority of passes come out low.
• The problem is that the ball does not reach the
  recipient in an area that is effective once he
  receives the pass.
• When you watch your players ,notice where they
  are receiving the ball when they are passing and
  catching.
• If the ball continuously reaches the catching
  player below his chest, we need to make
  corrections.
• You will know that the adjustments to passing
  technique are working when the ball starts being
  thrown over the head of the recipient.
• We would rather have the ball 3 feet over the
  head of the receiving player than 3 feet below
  his head.
• The ball will come down as players learn control
  with this new technique.

39
Why This Happens

• The catapult theory.
• When the stick is held away from the body and
  thrown correctly, the head of the stick will
  travel a greater distance.
• As in golf, this technique will generate greater
  head speed.
• Greater head speed will allow the ball to come
  out of the head of the stick faster.
• It will leave the head sooner.
• Therefore the pass will go higher than it did
  before.
• THIS IS A GOOD THING!!!
• We want our players to throw the ball harder and
  faster and this cannot happen unless we teach
  them the correct throwing technique and
  repeatedly stress the importance of being able to
  properly throw the ball.

40
Catching

• Obviously this is as important as throwing.
• Players must be able catch all of the easy passes
  that come to them, but the great ones can catch
  the tougher passes.
• A player must start with his arms almost fully
  extended in front of him with the stick held
  vertically.
• This will allow a player to maintain eye contact
  with the ball and cushion the ball as it enters
  the head of his stick.
• His top hand must also be as close to the plastic
  as possible which will give him as much control
  of the stick as possible.

41
No Secret

• There is no secret to the formula.
• The more you practice the better you will be.
• But we need to practice properly in order to
  create the proper behavior.
• Guitar Analogy
• Repetition leads to ability.

42
Groundballs

• Any coach will tell you that the team that gets
  the most groundballs will most likely win the
  game.
• This is a crucial part of lacrosse.
• Every groundball we can get is another
  possession.
• The more possessions we get as a team the more
  opportunities we have to score.
• Groundballs are all about heart and attitude.
• The player that wants it can (and often times
  does) get it.
• Proper technique when picking the ball up and
  knowing what to do after we get it is extremely
  important to increase effectiveness on
  groundballs.

43
Picking Up The Ball

• Again a player must have his top hand as close to
  the plastic as possible to maintain as much
  control on the stick as possible.
• With his top hand on the plastic his bottom hand
  must be on the butt of the stick and his back arm
  must be straight.
• This will get the stick parallel to the ground
  and make it easier to scoop up the ball.
• The players head needs to be over the head of his
  stick.
• This will also make his stick a smaller target
  and will force him to get low on the groundball.
• He needs to place the head of his stick 6 inches
  behind the ball and accelerate through the ball
  as he picks it up.
• The harder he goes through the ball the more
  often he will pick it up.
• It is physically easier to do this incorrectly
  but will not result in more groundballs.

44
Once We Pick It Up

• Once the ball is in the players stick he must
  continue to work by bringing the head of the
  stick right up to his own face.
• Once the ball is to his face he needs to SPRINT
  to open space.
• Once he is in that open space he needs to get his
  head up and move the ball to a teammate as soon
  as he possibly can.
• When the ball is on the ground, everyone in the
  immediate area will move towards it, therefore
  when a player picks up the ball and runs to open
  space there is a HUGE opportunity to move the
  ball to the open man and start an unsettled
  opportunity.
• If we can scoop the ball and move to open space
  effectively and move the ball immediately, we
  will not only be able to increase our number of
  possessions but we will also be able to increase
  the number of unsettled situations we create.
• We want to be a GREAT groundball team and that
  will only happen when our players decide they
  want to work their butts off, have technique and
  know what to do with the ball once they pick it
  up.

45
Footwork

• As we have already discussed, lacrosse requires
  speed on the field.
• Footwork is a crucial part of how well a player
  is able to move.
• In this part, we want to talk about how often a
  player needs to use his footwork.
• ALWAYS!!!
• Players always need to be moving their feet. This
  is not an exception.
• When a player is throwing the ball, they need to
  be moving their feet and covering ground.
• When they are catching the ball, they need to
  move towards it.
• When they are off-ball, they need to be moving
  their feet.
• An offense that is always on the move is an
  effective offense.
• Every player in the offense needs to be on the
  same page.
• This requires WORK!!! If a player is unwilling
  or unable to consistently be moving his feet he
  CANNOT play in our system.

46
Communication

• Effective communication is crucial to the success
  of our teams.
• Relaying information to teammates that might not
  see all that is happening around them adds to the
  effectiveness of our game.
• Defensive communication is particularly important
  and MUST be done by every player on the field.
• If a player fails to communicate to his teammates
  on defense, there can be a breakdown in the
  understanding of who has certain
  responsibilities.
• In transition, communication will help get the
  ball up and out which will generate greater
  offense opportunities.
• Offensive communication will enable the ball
  handler to be aware of all that is happening
  around him when he gets into a high traffic area.
• The team that is able to effectively communicate
  with one another (verbally or non-verbally) is
  often the team that has a greater understanding
  of the game and is the team that is going to see
  the most success.

47
Work Ethic

• OUR PLAYERS NEED TO WORK HARDER!!!
• It isnt enough to just WANT to be good!!!
• If our players arent the biggest, strongest, or
  fastest then they need to work on the things they
  have control over.
• They need to be in the best possible shape.
• They need to have the best possible stickwork
  they can.
• They need to push one another.
• Being the best takes work!!!
• We need to foster an attitude in our program
  where our players are willing to push one another
  and make each other better.
• A competitive attitude in practice and amongst
  our own players where they hold each other
  accountable is what will make them better.
• It is not okay for our players to accept
  mediocrity from ANYONE on their team or in their
  program.
• But it all starts with them individually.

48
Fundamentals Attitude

• What does all this mean?
• Everything in lacrosse and in life comes down to
  Fundamentals Attitude.
• Be the best you can be at things you have control
  over and continuously work on those things as
  hard as you possibly can and you will find
  success in anything you do.
• Our players have complete control of everything
  that happens to them if they focus on
  Fundamentals and Attitude.

49
Pyramid of Success
Creativity, Adaptability, Improvisation
Mastery of Skills and Knowledge
Confidence Composure
Understanding Specific Game
Scenarios/Situations
Understanding Team Concepts and Goals
Solid Positional Fundamentals
Fundamentals GBs, Passing, Catching, Moving
Your Feet, Face-offs, Rules
Work Ethic, Desire, Become a Student of the Game,
Love for the Game
50
The Faceoff

• Crucial part of the game.
• Control the Face-off X and you control the game.
• Every face-off is a chance to gain possession and
  take the ball on the offensive side.
• There is strategy and individual skills that need
  to happen in order to make our team as effective
  as possible at this part of the game.

51
Body Balance Placement

• A player wants to have good balance when he sets
  up for a face-off.
• Weight too far forward on your hands allows for
  your feet to move but not your upper body.
• Weight too far back on your heels allows your
  hands to move quickly but not your feet.
• A player wants to have the majority of his weight
  on the balls of his feet this will allow him to
  move his hands freely as well as his feet.
• A players body position can also give away the
  move he is about to make and this can be used
  against him.
• Great body balance and positioning will allow a
  player to use his hands and his feet effectively
  at the same time.

52
Using Your Hands Feet

• Facing off is all about hand strength and hand
  quickness.
• A players ability to react to the whistle quickly
  and powerfully will allow him to control the ball
  in his stick.
• Getting control of the ball immediately is really
  only part of the battle.
• He must also be able to move his feet and body at
  the same time depending on the move he is trying
  to make.
• Keeping your feet while facing off allows a
  player to be aggressive with the ball once he has
  gained control of it, but also allows him to be
  able to play defense if he doesnt get it.
• Hand and foot speed are crucial as is footwork
  and body position.

53
The Clamp

• The most basic of all face-off moves.
• Requires strong, quick hands.
• This move is when you force your stick down
  immediately over the top of the ball and trap the
  ball in the back side of your pocket.
• Once a player has control of the ball in a clamp,
  he can easily distribute the ball to different
  areas of the field.
• Typically not an offensive-minded move, but can
  be very effective in gaining control of the ball.

54
The Quick Rake

• This is strictly a speed move.
• Very offensive minded and works very well for
  players with quick feet.
• The ball is pulled quickly to the left side of a
  player before the opposing player can react.
• Once the ball is out, the raking player chases
  down the ball quickly and can often times result
  in a fast break.
• The main problem with this move is that it is
  all-or-nothing. If a player gets it, he will get
  it cleanly but if he doesnt, often times it
  results in an easy fastbreak for the other team.
• Great move to make once in a while but not all
  the time.
• The element of surprise is high with this move.

55
The Jump or Reverse Clamp

• This is a popular move for a lot of players.
• Takes very fast hands and strength to pull this
  one off.
• A player raises part of his stick off of the
  ground and traps the ball in the front part of
  his head.
• Once a player controls the ball, he can
  distribute the ball either to his left or
  directly behind him.
• This is a great move for a fast player because he
  can still use a speed move while at the same time
  remain active in the face off area and not run
  the risk of losing the ball quickly.
• Very technical move and requires a lot of
  practice to be good, but once it is mastered it
  is a very effective move.

56
The Punch

• This is a reactive move but can be very
  effective.
• If a player notices that his opponent is either
  jumping or quick-raking often, the punch can be
  extremely effective.
• By just punching his top hand down and forward,
  he will in effect punch the ball forward with
  little or no resistance.
• This again is a big surprise move and should be
  used to combat against a jumper or quick-raker
  that we cannot beat.
• This move keeps opponents honest and makes them
  change up what they are doing more often than not.

57
The Plunger

• This is a difficult move to master and requires
  the proper head to be really effective.
• A player makes a 1/2 clamp on the ball and lifts
  the handle of their stick while at the same time
  forcing the head into the ground.
• This creates a bend in the head of the stick and
  the ball is held in the back of the head of the
  stick and a player can then simply pick it up.
• This is a great fastbreak move and very difficult
  to defend against if done well.
• Takes a ton of practice to be very good at this
  move.
• A new rule has been introduced to combat against
  it when done illegally.
• If the ball gets stuck in the backside of a
  players stick, that should result in a turnover.

58
The Unspoken Rule

• Simply put If you arent cheating, you arent
  trying.
• Action happens so fast and if it is blocked by
  body movement, it is very difficult for a referee
  to notice any illegal activity that is happening.
• Therefore being a cagey player and knowing when
  to take advantage of certain opportunities can
  result in higher success rates.
• Players always need to be testing the boundaries.

59
Reading Your Opponent

• Reading your opponents body language will help
  you understand what move he is going to make.
• Weight forward means he is going to clamp or make
  some kind of power move like the punch.
• Weight back means he is going to make some kind
  of speed rake or jump out to the left side.
• Pressing the side wall of this head flat to the
  ground means he is going to plunge the ball.
• You can get a competitive advantage on your
  opponent by reading his body language before the
  whistle blows.
• There is a counter to every move therefore
  players must know several moves and be efficient
  so they can compete and combat good face-off men.

60
Win The Draw

• When we win the draw, we want to take full
  advantage of pushing the ball up field if we get
  the opportunity.
• We need to recognize the time to do this and the
  time not to.
• Once we gain control of the ball, we do not want
  to give it right back because we have made a bad
  decision.
• We want to be aggressive but at the same time we
  want to be smart.
• Remember we will have a pole on the wing so we
  will be at a disadvantage if he is subbing out
  and we push the ball at the wrong time.
• It is also important at this time to understand
  the value of a long pole who can run the field
  and has the stickwork to be an offensive threat.
• If we win the draw, we control the ball and the
  tempo of the game.
• Simple equation The more times we have it, the
  more often we can score!

61
Lose The Draw

• If we lose a draw, and we will, we ultimately
  want to control the situation as best as
  possible.
• The worst case scenario will be to give up an
  uncontested fastbreak.
• If the draw is los,t we can still fight for the
  loose ball.
• Often you will go up against a face-off (or FOGO)
  that is very hard to beat on the draw. If this is
  the case, we need to change our philosophy and
  work to get the ball once it is out in the open.
• We need to make this situation 3, 1 on 1,
  groundballs with each player on the face-off line
  taking responsibility for his man not being able
  to pick up the ball.
• If we can scrap for the ball and fight to gain
  possession out of the draw, we can still be
  successful on the face-off.
• Losing the draw is not the worst thing to happen.
  
• Just because we lose the draw does not mean we
  have lost the face-off.
• Keep working until the whistle blows and very
  often we will be able to come up with the ball.
• If you cant pick it up, make sure the man you
  are playing cannot either.

62
Wing Play

• Players must have speed and be able to crash to
  the center of the field when the whistle blows.
• They MUST sprint off of the wing.
• If there is a stalemate on the draw, we do not
  want our guys to be right next to the players
  taking the draw.
• Players are not allowed to make contact with the
  2 center players if they are still engaged in the
  draw.
• The ball will come out, so we do not want our
  guys to be overly committed to the center of the
  field.
• We want to have our players located so that they
  can pounce on the ball once it comes out.
• Our wingmen need to be able to try their best to
  see who has control of the ball and determine
  where the draw winner might try to put the ball.

63
Player Placement on Wings

• Depending on who we play against this will vary.
• Since the winner of the draw will most likely
  pull the ball to their left, we want to assume
  that we will win that, so we want our best
  groundball man to the left of the draw man.
• This will most likely be a short stick but could
  be a long pole.
• If the opposing face off man is beating us
  consistently, we want to place the pole to his
  left and along the restraining line according to
  wear he is putting the ball out of the draw.
• Placement of each player on the wings is
  dependent on how effectiveness of our draw man,
  our speed on the wing, our ability to pick up the
  groundball, and our aggressiveness.
• This will likely change between games but also
  between face-offs depending on what lineup the
  other team puts on the field.

64
Crucial Part of the Game

• Needless to say the Face-off is a crucial part of
  the game.
• If it is a high scoring game, say 12-10, there
  will be 25 face off opportunities. If we can win
  65 of those face-offs, we will have an
  additional 16 possessions.
• This is a part of the game we need to focus on.
• It requires a lot of practice to master the face
  off draw.
• It requires that kids go HARD off the wing in
  order to gain possession of the ball.
• It can be a huge momentum swinger if you need the
  ball and get it, or if you need the ball and you
  dont get it.
• It also requires that kids know what they are
  doing every time even though the scenario changes
  so that they can react to every change in the
  game.
• The team that controls the face-off usually
  controls the game.

65
The Fastbreak

• This is the best chance for offensive production.
• A fastbreak can happen at any time during a game
  but most often happens coming out of our
  defensive end after a save.
• This requires speed and players that have the
  ability to transfer the ball over long distances
  accurately and on the move.
• We want to play this style of game. It will keep
  the tempo of the game high and will force teams
  to run with us and the give us the opportunity to
  score a lot of goals in a short time is a
  distinct possibility.
• Our goalie and defensemen need to know that it
  starts with them.
• We must push the ball up field and attack
  quickly.
• This will result in a middie carrying the ball
  into our offensive half of the field before the
  other team can get back on defense.
• Our attack must be set up and follow basic rules
  in order to ensure that we can produce quickly.
• A fastbreak minded team can strike quickly at any
  point in the game and that makes a team extremely
  dangerous.

66
Other Unsettled Situations

• A fastbreak is simply an unsettled situation.
• An unsettled situation is when the offensive team
  finds an opportunity when they outnumber the
  defense of the opposing team.
• These situation happen often in a game, and if
  capitalized on are very important.
• They can happen during a fastbreak, face-off,
  loose ball situation, substitution by the
  opposing team, fast restart situation, broken
  clear, or any other turnover situation.
• Players must be able to recognize these
  situations and react accordingly to the pending
  play.
• This takes aggressive attitudes and skills that
  allow for faster reaction times.
• We want to dominate these situations!!!

67
The Offensive Philosophy

• The offensive philosophy that we want to develop
  is one that is up-tempo and pushes the game at a
  fast speed.
• Every person on the field can play a role in our
  offensive philosophy, therefore it is important
  for everyone to be on the same page.
• We want to develop an offense that works the ball
  consistently on the perimeter of the defense and
  that creates opportunities by dodging effectively
  and creating offensive production.
• We want to dominate time of possession in our
  offensive half of the field and therefore break a
  defense down and take advantage of those
  mistakes.
• We want players that are team-oriented buying
  into what their coaches are telling them.
• Our offense is simple to understand but difficult
  to execute if we cannot do the simple things
  well.
• Keep the ball hot on the perimeter, move the ball
  through the Xs and attack the backside.
• All of this will make sense as we work through
  this presentation.

68
Offensive Fastbreak Player Positions

• When an unsettled situation is created, our
  players must get into position as fast as
  possible.
• When setting up, players cannot turn their back
  to the play. They must see the ball at all times
  as the play develops.
• We want to set up so that we can accommodate the
  fact that we are a right-handed team.
• Our point man needs to be our best feeding and
  handling attackman.
• He needs to position himself by the restraining
  line which will give him enough time to handle
  the ball and decide what to do with it.
• The two lower attackmen must be 5 yards above the
  GLE (Goal Line Extended) and 8 yards outside of
  the pipe on their side.
• The attackman on the same side as the point man
  is your best finisher.
• The attackman on the opposite side is hopefully a
  lefty or the player that can handle the ball with
  his left hand.

69
Spacing on the Fastbreak

• It is crucial for these players to keep spacing
  on the field during an unsettled situation.
• This will give them room and time.
• By staying spread out, players will lengthen
  defensive slides giving them room once they catch
  the ball. That will result in more time to make a
  decision with the ball once they get it.
• Crowding one another in this instance will make
  it more difficult to handle the ball and will
  make the defenses job a lot easier.
• If you know where you need to be, get there, and
  follow the rules, we will be in good shape.

70
Fight Gravity

• Players have a tendency to gravitate towards the
  goal on offense and especially during unsettled
  situations.
• This will KILL our chances of success during the
  unsettled part of the game.
• Kids think that closer to the goal is better,
  this is just not the case.
• By gravitating to the goal, they jam the center
  of the field and that is the location of the
  field that defenses are taught to defend first.
• We need to eliminate this action by our players.
  We simply cannot accept our players to allow this
  to happen.

71
Offensive Unsettled Rules

• Unsettled situations DO NOT last for very long.
• Any unsettled situation will be over in 3
  seconds, therefore we must be able to execute
  effectively and quickly in order to take
  advantage of the opportunity.
• There are a set of rules, that EVERY player on
  our team must know when we get into an unsettled
  situation.
• When these rules are followed, our chances of
  being successful increase.
• Follow the rules and good things will happen.
• We need to get our guys to buy into the rules.
• If they know what is expected of them and they
  can execute, they will get the job done.

72
A Quick Note About Rules

• There are few times in coaching where I put rules
  into place.
• Ultimately, I believe that rules inhibit
  creativity by athletes.
• However, at times there are certain odds when we
  follow the rules that we will find a great amount
  of success.
• We will cover some of these in this presentation
  and, as always, there are exceptions to the rule.

73
First Priority

• The first priority for any player that is
  initiating an unsettled play is to SCORE!!!
• By doing this, he forces the defense to react and
  therefore initiates the rules of the offense.
• If a player carries the ball to the goal, his
  first priority will force the defenses hand.

74
Second Priority

• If a player drives to the goal and gets stopped
  by a second defenseman, it is because he has
  fulfilled his second priority.
• Draw the man.
• If a defense plays this correctly, they will
  slide to the player with the ball.
• Once this has happened, the ball carrier has done
  the next part of his job.
• What is important to know about this is that you
  do not need to have the defenseman to be all the
  way out in order to have drawn him, in fact we
  dont want this.
• If the defensive player moves towards the ball
  carrier, you have done enough.

75
Third Priority

• The third priority is to move the ball to the
  open man.
• Typically this is to the man that the slide just
  came from.
• This pass needs to be accurate and made quickly.
  A bad pass from the first man (or any man for
  that matter) will kill our opportunity and that
  is unacceptable.
• Moving the ball to the right man at the right
  time is all you need to do.

76
Buy Into The Rules

• The unsettled situation will not last long.
• We need to understand our responsibilities on the
  field and get them done.
• If we can drive to the goal and try to score, we
  will, unless we draw the slide which means we
  need to move the ball to the open man.
• This is offensive strategy at its most basic
  form and it will work.
• IT WILL WORK!!!

77
Defending the Fastbreak

• The key to defending the fastbreak starts with
  communication.
• All members of the defensive unit must know what
  all of the responsibilities of the unit are.
• Depending on our defensive match-ups, different
  players will need to play different positions
  every time.
• The goalie must be the most vocal player in the
  group.
• We must also realize that the fastbreak is not
  going to last for more than 3 seconds and this
  comes into play in how to defend the play.
• We want to slow down the overall play as much as
  possible without getting pulled out of position
  and wait for the cavalry.
• Our midfielders must always have the mentality
  that they need to get back on defense faster than
  they head out to the offensive end.
• WE CANNOT LET THE FASTBREAK BEAT US!!!

78
Setting Up The Defense

• If it is a true fastbreak and there is time to
  set up our defense, we want to set up in the
  triangle.
• This will consist of there being a point man
  and help left and help right.
• The triangle needs to be compact enough so that
  we protect the hole.
• Playing the point is like playing chicken, we do
  not want to slide to early or too late.
• We do not want to slide too early to a player who
  is not a scoring threat, nor do we want to slide
  too late once a player is in scoring position.
• We want our point players to know when this is,
  often once the player crosses the restraining
  line, our goalie must also make this call.
• Our other 2 defenders must also be able to rotate
  into the ball movement and therefore cannot be
  too far out of place.
• Setting up the fastbreak defense is crucial and
  being able to maintain its form is equally
  important.
• Communication and knowing what to do by every
  member of our team is a MUST!!!

79
The Defensive Philosophy

• We know that the fastbreak will not last more
  than 3 seconds.
• Slowing the play down and forcing the offense to
  beat us is our best defense.
• We do not want to be concerned with getting the
  ball down.
• We are man down in this situation so we want to
  slow the offense down and wait for help.
• Our other field players must crash to the hole
  and try to jam the offense up.
• The offense has more players than we do and
  therefore they have the advantage so the should
  win the play.
• If we defend the play correctly, the offense will
  HAVE to beat us.

80
Defensive Unsettled Rules

• Just like we discussed for the offense, there are
  a set of rules defensively in the unsettled
  situation, if when followed, will give us a great
  chance at preventing a goal.
• WE NEED ALL OF OUR DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO KNOW
  THESE RULES!!! NO EXCEPTIONS!!!
• KNOW THE RULES AND FOLLOW THEM AND MORE OFTEN
  THAN NOT WE WILL BE OKAY!!!

81
First Priority

• Once the defense is set up properly and we have
  designated a point man his first priority is to
  stop the ball.
• He needs to keep the man with the ball from
  fulfilling his first priority.
• He needs to slide to this man at the right time
  forcing him to give up the ball.
• By stopping the ball, we force the offense to
  execute their play.
• If we can do this, we force the offense to beat
  us.

82
Second Priority

• Once a player stops the man with the ball and
  forces him to move the ball to the open man, he
  must fulfill his second priority.
• The second priority is rotate into the direction
  of the ball and assist on the backside by
  splitting the 2 backside offensive players.
• Once the offensive player throws the ball he must
  open his hips to the play.
• WE CAN NEVER TURN OUR BACK TO THE BALL OR PLAY!!!
• He then must recover back and split the
  distance between the man who just threw the ball
  and player on the back side.
• This rotation is against the direction of the
  ball.
• He is now responsible for the backside 2
  attackmen.
• This process will happen as long as the offense
  continues to move the ball.

83
Over Committing

• We DO NOT want to over commit to the player with
  the ball.
• We only want to cover the man once he is a
  scoring threat.
• By sliding too early, we not only do not defend
  against a shooter who is not a threat but it
  takes our defenders out of position to help in
  our team defensive scheme.
• The farther we slide to the ball means that our
  recovery slide is that much longer.
• Stopping the ball is one thing.
• Taking yourself out of the play by being overly
  aggressive will eventually hurt us in the long
  run against a good team that can handle the ball.
• Remember we want to slow the play down and make
  the offense beat us by forcing them to execute.
• Jumping the gun or being too aggressive will play
  right into their game plan.

84
Defending The Backside

• Since we are man down in this situation, the 2
  players that are not covering the ball must be
  able to play a zone on the backside and defend
  more players than we have.
• Once the point man slides, this will leave 3
  offensive players to be covered by 2 defenders
  with their sticks held vertically in the passing
  lanes.
• These 2 defenders must be equidistant from the 2
  attackmen that they are covering.
• This will allow them to seem as if they are
  covering the 2 players.
• It will also allow them to cover passing lanes
  and react to whichever player the ball is thrown
  to.
• By staying in their triangle formation, they can
  react to whatever the offense does quickly and
  effectively.

85
Dont Let The Fastbreak Beat Us

• The one factor that we have not talked about when
  defending against the fastbreak is how HARD we
  play it.
• We need to be aggressive and react quickly and
  hard to the play which will put more pressure on
  the offense.
• If we know our rules, follow them, and press
  hard, we will not let the fastbreak beat us.

86
The Slow Break

• The slow break can be just as effective as the
  fast break.
• This is a situation where we do not have a
  breakaway but we are in transition and can push
  the play and aggressively work the ball on
  offense before the defense is completely set up.
• Typically a team will try to sub off its
  offensive middies and get their defensive unit
  onto the field.
• We can take advantage of this if we push the ball
  quickly up the field.
• If this does happen, we need to effectively move
  the ball up the field and execute with great ball
  movement.

87
Recognition and Set Up

• We need to be able to push this play when we are
  clearing the ball.
• We need to recognize the fact that we do not have
  a clean break but we are in greater numbers.
• If we can move the ball and our people up the
  field, we will be able to take advantage of this
  situation.

88
The Fish Ho