KEY POINTS

1

Teaching Progression → 1st: Transition … 2nd: Man to Man … 3rd: Zone

2

Teach players to play defense from "inside the pit to out" - "Spoke in and out of the pit"

3

Teach players to have "sticks up" & "in passing lanes"

TRANSITION (Advantage - 2v1, 3v2, 4v3, 5v4, 6v5)

Teach “ADJACENT SLIDE”, communication, & off ball positioning through “TRANSITION” defense. In transition, all defenders MUST sprint into the "pit" then set up transition defense from there.

• 2v1 - “Ball”

  • “Ball” - STOP BALL! … approach LOW & force BAD PASS

• 3v2 (Shape = “I”)… (Calls = “Ball” … “Split” … “Fire”)

  • “Split” - Backside defender splits 2 off ball offensive players.

  • “Fire” - Backside defender calls fire when he slides to become “Ball” defender

  • Original “Ball” defender recovers and is now the “Split”

• 4v3 (Shape = “Triangle”) … (Calls = “Ball” … “Split/Fire” … “Split/Fire”)

  • “Split” - Backside defender splits 2 offensive players.

  • “Fire” - Backside defender calls fire when he become “Ball” defender

• 5v4 (Shape = “Diamond”)

  • High School

• 6v5 (Shape = “Five”)

  • man down defense

MAN to MAN (6v6)

Teach “CREASE SLIDE”, communication, & off ball positioning.

• • KEY POINTS: 1) backside split, 2) one go/all go philosophy, 3) "spoke in and out of the pit"

  • POSITIONS: Defenders are either 1) on ball, 2) adjacent or 3) in the pit.

  • In 6v6 slide comes from pit, NOT adjacent - VIDEO: "Bill Tierney, Denver Lacrosse - The Crease Slide"

  • Teach “CREASE SLIDE”, communication, & off ball positioning

    • “Ball” … “Recover”

    • “Adjacent” …

      • Do not deny your man the ball. Play INSIDE SHOULDER to the ball to deny dodge and OUTSIDE SHOULDER to your man. Stick in passing lane

    • “One” … “I’m hot/need a fill” … “Fire” … “Ball

    • “Two” … “Got your Fill” … “Need a Split”

    • “Three” … “Got your Split”

  • ADD pressure

    • Ex. Deny adjacent, double ball, take away best ("box & 1")

• Off ball defense is like basketball, teach - "ball, me, man" and be able to see both or player must get lower in the pit

ZONE (6v6)

Grades 7 -12

MAN DOWN (6v5)

5 man rotation

4 man rotation