Attacking & Sliding w/ Reco’s

Attacking & Sliding w/ Reco’s
Phase 2: Create & Manipulate: As players transition into the Early Train to Compete phase, the focus shifts from executing skills to intentionally creating advantages. Players learn how to manipulate defenders through two-man actions, off-ball movement, proper spacing, and early ball movement while developing the ability to play through second and third actions. Defensively, the emphasis is on communication, help principles, and recognizing how to disrupt offensive advantages. Coaches encourage players to read the game rather than memorize patterns, using competitive, game-like environments that develop intelligent, adaptable decision-makers.	Week 4 Practice / 90 Minute Session	Activities Partner Passing – Upfield Offense Skill Session: MJ Move Shooting Defensive Skill Session: 3v2 Approach Midfield 3v3 w/ Transfers 3-Quarter Field Scramble
Partner Passing – Upfield - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
Set Up Put players in lines, about 5-8 yards away. They will run forward while passing the ball back and forth. Players must keep their stick in the outside/upfield hand, so one line is catching/throwing righty while the other executes left. Have them run the width of the field as 1 rep. Complete again so players can work on their opposite hands Coaching Points & Principles		Keep your stick up as a target for your teammate when you don’t have the ball We are running upfield, not shuffling.. try to keep the hips/shoulders in that direction Passing – Make good passes keep the ball in the air so your teammate can make an easy catch
Offense Skill Session: MJ Move Shooting - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
Executing the MJ dodge The MJ move is a change-of-pace dodge designed to manipulate the defender’s balance and anticipation. As the midfielder begins the dodge, they attack space with intent, forcing the defender to match speed and angle. The dodger then slows down and subtly turns the head and eyes back toward the supporting players, selling the idea that they are about to pass or pull the ball out. While the defender relaxes or shifts attention, the dodger quickly re-accelerates in the original direction. The hips and shoulders stay aligned with the initial path, allowing for a powerful first step and clean separation. The stick remains protected and close to the body during the hesitation so the player can explode forward without wasted movement. The effectiveness of the MJ move comes from timing and deception. By changing speed without changing direction, the dodger creates a momentary advantage that can be used to gain top-side leverage, attack the middle, or force a defensive slide.
Defensive Skill Session: 3v2 Approach - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
Put players in groups of 5, with 3 on the perimeter forming a triangle, and 2 on the inside playing defense. The 3 perimeter plays will pass the ball around, and the defense must slide and cover to maintain their (I) Shape Coaching Points & principles		Communicate – “I got Ball” & “I’m In” Sticks Up – Maintain sticks up in passing lanes
Midfield 3v3 w/ Transfers - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A live 3v3 game that emphasizes finding scoring opportunities 2-3 passes away from initial dodge Set Up Put 3 offensive midfielder and 3 defensive midfields on the playing field. Add in 2 transfer attack players around goal line extended. The game starts with a live 3v3, if a midfielder dodges the alley, and they don’t have an outlet, they can move the ball to a transfer player, who can then look for backside scoring opportunities amongst the midfielder. Coaching Points and Principles Progressions Add in token defenders with the attack, making passes a little harder put 4v4 in the midfield area		Work out of your team sets/spacing with the midfield offensively. We want players to see how we use dodging to create offenses by getting the defense to slide Defense can slide, double teams, and need to protect the crease using their “house” principles
3-Quarter Field Scramble - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
SET UP Put 4 attack and 4 defenders down on one side of the field in front of the cage. At the far restraining box, set up , add 3 lines of each color alternating by color. (we have the attack and defense in different colors because their positions never change) Each line has a number, to start the drill, coach gives the numbers going in and coach passes a ball in. The team that gets it is on offense and they must push the ball in transition while the defense has to communicate at talk through the situation. If the goalie saves it or there is a turnover/missed shot, have them clear it back to starting point. If the offense scores, kill the play and restart with a new group PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS PROGRESSIONS Tell Defense to play different types of D Add in contraints, like goals need to finish off a pass Keep the offense and defense separate up top, if you have specific transition players		Have coach change up numbers (5v4, 6v5, 6v6) Encourage to try and find solutions for quick scoring options (Shot clock) Discuss slow breaks when occurs, and encourage moving the ball through X

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Partner Passing – Upfield
Offense Skill Session: MJ Move Shooting
Defensive Skill Session: 3v2 Approach
Midfield 3v3 w/ Transfers
3-Quarter Field Scramble

Phase 2: Create & Manipulate: As players transition into the Early Train to Compete phase, the focus shifts from executing skills to intentionally creating advantages. Players learn how to manipulate defenders through two-man actions, off-ball movement, proper spacing, and early ball movement while developing the ability to play through second and third actions. Defensively, the emphasis is on communication, help principles, and recognizing how to disrupt offensive advantages. Coaches encourage players to read the game rather than memorize patterns, using competitive, game-like environments that develop intelligent, adaptable decision-makers.

Week 4 Practice / 90 Minute Session

Please Note:The practice is designed to bring value across multiple age levels. You can use this as a foundation to build and develop your own practice. With that being said, we highly encourage you to adjust the drills based on your team’s age and skill levels. Lacrosse Drive should always be used as a starting point — you can make drills easier or harder by changing the constraints.

To make a drill easier, you might Increase the playing area, reduce the number of defenders or rules, add time or space to make decisions

To make a drill harder, you might: Shrink the field or add boundaries, add defenders or touch restrictions (e.g., “one-pass before shooting”), or Limit time or space to force faster decisions

Small adjustments to field size, player numbers, and rules can significantly change the challenge level while maintaining the same core learning goal.

Partner Passing – Upfield

Set Up

Put players in lines, about 5-8 yards away. They will run forward while passing the ball back and forth. Players must keep their stick in the outside/upfield hand, so one line is catching/throwing righty while the other executes left. Have them run the width of the field as 1 rep. Complete again so players can work on their opposite hands

Coaching Points & Principles

Keep your stick up as a target for your teammate when you don’t have the ball
We are running upfield, not shuffling.. try to keep the hips/shoulders in that direction
Passing – Make good passes keep the ball in the air so your teammate can make an easy catch

Offense Skill Session: MJ Move Shooting

Executing the MJ dodge

The MJ move is a change-of-pace dodge designed to manipulate the defender’s balance and anticipation. As the midfielder begins the dodge, they attack space with intent, forcing the defender to match speed and angle. The dodger then slows down and subtly turns the head and eyes back toward the supporting players, selling the idea that they are about to pass or pull the ball out.

While the defender relaxes or shifts attention, the dodger quickly re-accelerates in the original direction. The hips and shoulders stay aligned with the initial path, allowing for a powerful first step and clean separation. The stick remains protected and close to the body during the hesitation so the player can explode forward without wasted movement.

The effectiveness of the MJ move comes from timing and deception. By changing speed without changing direction, the dodger creates a momentary advantage that can be used to gain top-side leverage, attack the middle, or force a defensive slide.

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Defensive Skill Session: 3v2 Approach

Coaching Points & principles

Communicate – “I got Ball” & “I’m In”
Sticks Up – Maintain sticks up in passing lanes

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Midfield 3v3 w/ Transfers

Set Up

Put 3 offensive midfielder and 3 defensive midfields on the playing field. Add in 2 transfer attack players around goal line extended. The game starts with a live 3v3, if a midfielder dodges the alley, and they don’t have an outlet, they can move the ball to a transfer player, who can then look for backside scoring opportunities amongst the midfielder.

Coaching Points and Principles

Work out of your team sets/spacing with the midfield offensively. We want players to see how we use dodging to create offenses by getting the defense to slide
Defense can slide, double teams, and need to protect the crease using their “house” principles

Progressions

Add in token defenders with the attack, making passes a little harder
put 4v4 in the midfield area

3-Quarter Field Scramble

SET UP

Put 4 attack and 4 defenders down on one side of the field in front of the cage. At the far restraining box, set up , add 3 lines of each color alternating by color. (we have the attack and defense in different colors because their positions never change) Each line has a number, to start the drill, coach gives the numbers going in and coach passes a ball in. The team that gets it is on offense and they must push the ball in transition while the defense has to communicate at talk through the situation. If the goalie saves it or there is a turnover/missed shot, have them clear it back to starting point. If the offense scores, kill the play and restart with a new group

PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS

Have coach change up numbers (5v4, 6v5, 6v6)
Encourage to try and find solutions for quick scoring options (Shot clock)
Discuss slow breaks when occurs, and encourage moving the ball through X

PROGRESSIONS

Tell Defense to play different types of D
Add in contraints, like goals need to finish off a pass
Keep the offense and defense separate up top, if you have specific transition players

Advanced Anticipation & Recognition College Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Small Area Games Small Area Games Team Systems & Conceptual Play Transition U12 U14 Women’s Lacrosse

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