Pick Play, Coverages, and Solutions

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Pick Play, Coverages, and Solutions

Please Note:The practice is designed to bring value across multiple age and skill levels at the high school & collegiate 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.

At the High School and Collegiate levels, systems should live within the principles. Sets and formations provide structure and spacing, while the underlying principles ensure the team stays balanced, connected, and able to play together as one unit.

Activities
  1. 4 Line Spoke Passing – Cross Body
  2. Spoke Passing w/ Groundballs & Pressure
  3. Tampa Clearing Drill & Game
  4. Offense and Defense Time: Picks
  5. 2v2 Pick Drills w/ Bill Pilat (Roanoke)
  6. 4v4 Small Ball Game
  7. 6v6 Scrimmage
4 Line Spoke Passing – Cross Body - Link to Drill Set Up Focus Points

A quick hitting team passing drill that emphasizes short/quicker passes like playing in a 2-player game

Set Up

Put 8-10 players in a group, and set them in 4 lines right next to each other (North, South, East, West). Players will start inside, and pop out 5 yards, catch and move ball. The next player about the receive the pass will start floating out as soon as the teammate is catching the ball.

Coaching Points & Principles

Progressions

  • Catch and Throw with Outside hand
  • Catch Outside hand and exchange to throw with inside hand

  • Catch the ball with the inside hand and move quickly.. body needs to open up when you catch so you can step to teammate and throw
  • Stick Work – player should emphasize on making good soft touch typer passes, and speed up with ages/skill level
Spoke Passing w/ Groundballs & Pressure - Link to Drill Set Up Focus Points

A fun variation and take off this classic passing drills

Set Up

Put your players In groups of 8 or 10, and set up 4 lines all right next to each other, in the shape of a + sign. The first players in each line are on offense, and the second are defenders/trailers. Start with 1 ball in 1 line, with a live ground ball. the first player in line must top attack and get the ball, with the 2nd player defending as the trailer. The defender will shade one side, and the offense must roll to space and adjacent line teammate must pop out to support. Connect a pass to the outside so the trail defenders can intercept the pass, and continue until you get all the way around the circle. Reset and start a ground ball with a new line

Coaching Points & Principles

 

Spoke Passing W/ Gb And Pressure Preview
  • Groundballs – Accelerate and get your head up
  • Escapes – Feeling the open Space
  • Off Ball Play – Adjacent teammates must recognize if their teammate curls to them and pop out for support
  • Passing – Pass the ball to the outside to prevent defensive knock downs
Tampa Clearing Drill & Game - Link to Drill Set Up Focus Points

This drill will emphasize spacing, ball movement, and transition principles when clearing the ball. 

Set Up

Put 3 players of each team in every quarter part of the field. This is a 12v12 + goalies game. Start the ball with the goalie, and they play 4v3 keep away. After the 3rd completed pass, the last player with the ball carries it to the next quarter. They play 4v3 until 3 passes are made. Continue this until the team with the ball, advances to their offensive end, and they play 4v3 to the goal, and try to score. If there is a turnover or interception during the clearing, start a new ball with the opposite team. Coach can award 1 point for a team that successfully clears the ball, and award 1 point extra if they score. 

Principles and Coaching Points

Tampa Clearing Preview
  • Open field spacing in transition. 
  • Communication, call for the ball
  • Riding, disrupt player with the ball. 
  • Clearing!!
Offense and Defense Time: Picks - Link to Drill Set Up Focus Points

The key for this station is to talk about picks and the coverage solutions. Picks can get a great tool to have on offense, but they must be done properly in order to minimize turnovers. After you about the principles below, have them go a light 2v2 with picks to the goal.

  1. Setting a pick, players feet have to stay shoulder width, and the stick has to be vertical between shoulders. You cannot move at all during contact, unless it was forced by the opponent.
  2. Ball Carrier – Should be patient and allowing their teammate to move into the area for a pick. If its rushed, the the defense can easily guard it. Get to an area you want to attack from, and let your teammate come over to set up
  3. Inside Out – The picker should Always Arrive Alone (AAA) to a pick, meaning they need to be deceptive. Fake cuts, or any motion to force the picker’s defender to get in a bad position.
  4. Angle of Approach – As the picker, your back/butt should be pointed to the space your teammate is trying to attack.
  5. Dodger – We want to try and dodge as close to our teammates should as possible. This give us a better chance to Stick the pick

Coverage Solutions – The defense can do a few things to guard picks, and the quicker we can realize on offense why they are trying to do, we can counter and execute the pick effectively

Pick Solutions Preview
  • STAY – The defense want to keep matchups and will try to stay guarding original opponent. In this case, we want to STICK the pick, which will essentially allow our team to get a step or advantage to continue attacking the space they want.
  • SWITCH – The defense switches on all picks, and doesn’t care about matchups. Here we want to SLIP, meaning quickly float to space behind the switching defender to see if we can connect on a quick pass to get an advantages
  • DOUBLE TEAM – Teams will often jump or double team picks. The ball carrier must focus on running AWAY from pressure, and the picker should FLARE to support. Other teammates not he field should show as well.
2v2 Pick Drills w/ Bill Pilat (Roanoke) - Link to Drill Set Up Focus Points

This is a team drill that works on both offensive and defensive picks, on and off ball

Set Up

Put 2 offensive players on the crease with 1 defender. On the perimeter, put 2 offense and 2 defensive players in. The outside players will initiate the drill, working point their 2-player game scenario. We can pick, use shallow cut, and redodges until there is an advantage going to the goal. The offensive players inside should be reading and reacting to the ball carriers, moving to open up into space. The crease defender can slide to support if needed.

Coaching Points & Principles

Progressions

  • Coaching can tell the defense how to play, and then let the offense read+react to enhance learning

  • Offense Picks:  recognize the defense is playing on picks, and then reach. If they are switching early, look for slips. if they are trying to get over/under to maintain matchup, try to stick the pick so your teammate with ball can get a step or advantage. If they double team, we want to sprint away from pressure with picker flaring for support.
  • Defense Picks: Communicate through, stay, switch, over/under, etc..
4v4 Small Ball Game - Link to Drill Set Up Focus Points

Have the offense Initiate with a pick. Goals scored off a pick Plus 2 Points!

4v4 Tempo Preview
  • Compete! Great game to keep score and compete
  • Game IQ
  • Offensively – playing in small spaces & implementing the 2 man game.
  • Defense – Play with pressure, communicate
  • Toughness! this drill will be highly competitive and players must be able to play fast and tough
6v6 Scrimmage - Link to Drill Set Up Focus Points

Continue to have the players initiate offense with Picks

6v6 Live Preview

Please Note:The practice is designed to bring value across multiple age and skill levels at the high school & collegiate 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.

At the High School and Collegiate levels, systems should live within the principles. Sets and formations provide structure and spacing, while the underlying principles ensure the team stays balanced, connected, and able to play together as one unit.

*If you don’t have the time for pre-practice, you can incorporate those skill session into practice

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., “Play A gets 2 points for an assist”), 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.

4 Line Spoke Passing – Cross Body

Summary

A quick hitting team passing drill that emphasizes short/quicker passes like playing in a 2-player game

Set Up

Put 8-10 players in a group, and set them in 4 lines right next to each other (North, South, East, West). Players will start inside, and pop out 5 yards, catch and move ball. The next player about the receive the pass will start floating out as soon as the teammate is catching the ball.

Coaching Points & Principles

  • Catch the ball with the inside hand and move quickly.. body needs to open up when you catch so you can step to teammate and throw
  • Stick Work – player should emphasize on making good soft touch typer passes, and speed up with ages/skill level

Progressions

  • Catch and Throw with Outside hand
  • Catch Outside hand and exchange to throw with inside hand

View Drill Page →

Spoke Passing w/ Groundballs & Pressure

Set Up

Put your players In groups of 8 or 10, and set up 4 lines all right next to each other, in the shape of a + sign. The first players in each line are on offense, and the second are defenders/trailers. Start with 1 ball in 1 line, with a live ground ball. the first player in line must top attack and get the ball, with the 2nd player defending as the trailer. The defender will shade one side, and the offense must roll to space and adjacent line teammate must pop out to support. Connect a pass to the outside so the trail defenders can intercept the pass, and continue until you get all the way around the circle. Reset and start a ground ball with a new line

Coaching Points & Principles

  • Groundballs – Accelerate and get your head up
  • Escapes – Feeling the open Space
  • Off Ball Play – Adjacent teammates must recognize if their teammate curls to them and pop out for support
  • Passing – Pass the ball to the outside to prevent defensive knock downs

 

View Drill Page →

Tampa Clearing Drill & Game

Summary

This drill will emphasize spacing, ball movement, and transition principles when clearing the ball. 

Set Up

Put 3 players of each team in every quarter part of the field. This is a 12v12 + goalies game. Start the ball with the goalie, and they play 4v3 keep away. After the 3rd completed pass, the last player with the ball carries it to the next quarter. They play 4v3 until 3 passes are made. Continue this until the team with the ball, advances to their offensive end, and they play 4v3 to the goal, and try to score. If there is a turnover or interception during the clearing, start a new ball with the opposite team. Coach can award 1 point for a team that successfully clears the ball, and award 1 point extra if they score. 

Principles and Coaching Points

  • Open field spacing in transition. 
  • Communication, call for the ball
  • Riding, disrupt player with the ball. 
  • Clearing!!

View Drill Page →

Offense and Defense Time: Picks

Pick Solutions Preview

The key for this station is to talk about picks and the coverage solutions. Picks can get a great tool to have on offense, but they must be done properly in order to minimize turnovers. After you about the principles below, have them go a light 2v2 with picks to the goal.

  1. Setting a pick, players feet have to stay shoulder width, and the stick has to be vertical between shoulders. You cannot move at all during contact, unless it was forced by the opponent.
  2. Ball Carrier – Should be patient and allowing their teammate to move into the area for a pick. If its rushed, the the defense can easily guard it. Get to an area you want to attack from, and let your teammate come over to set up
  3. Inside Out – The picker should Always Arrive Alone (AAA) to a pick, meaning they need to be deceptive. Fake cuts, or any motion to force the picker’s defender to get in a bad position.
  4. Angle of Approach – As the picker, your back/butt should be pointed to the space your teammate is trying to attack.
  5. Dodger – We want to try and dodge as close to our teammates should as possible. This give us a better chance to Stick the pick

Coverage Solutions – The defense can do a few things to guard picks, and the quicker we can realize on offense why they are trying to do, we can counter and execute the pick effectively

  • STAY – The defense want to keep matchups and will try to stay guarding original opponent. In this case, we want to STICK the pick, which will essentially allow our team to get a step or advantage to continue attacking the space they want.
  • SWITCH – The defense switches on all picks, and doesn’t care about matchups. Here we want to SLIP, meaning quickly float to space behind the switching defender to see if we can connect on a quick pass to get an advantages
  • DOUBLE TEAM – Teams will often jump or double team picks. The ball carrier must focus on running AWAY from pressure, and the picker should FLARE to support. Other teammates not he field should show as well.
2-Player Game3-Player GameCollegeHigh SchoolMen’s LacrosseOffense Systems & SetsTeam Offense PrinciplesU14

View Drill Page →

2v2 Pick Drills w/ Bill Pilat (Roanoke)

Set Up

Put 2 offensive players on the crease with 1 defender. On the perimeter, put 2 offense and 2 defensive players in. The outside players will initiate the drill, working point their 2-player game scenario. We can pick, use shallow cut, and redodges until there is an advantage going to the goal. The offensive players inside should be reading and reacting to the ball carriers, moving to open up into space. The crease defender can slide to support if needed.

Coaching Points & Principles

  • Offense Picks:  recognize the defense is playing on picks, and then reach. If they are switching early, look for slips. if they are trying to get over/under to maintain matchup, try to stick the pick so your teammate with ball can get a step or advantage. If they double team, we want to sprint away from pressure with picker flaring for support.
  • Defense Picks: Communicate through, stay, switch, over/under, etc..

Progressions

  • Coaching can tell the defense how to play, and then let the offense read+react to enhance learning

To view more from Championship Productions Click Here.

View Drill Page →

4v4 Small Ball Game

Have the offense Initiate with a pick. Goals scored off a pick Plus 2 Points!

Set Up

Bring the goals up to each restraining box creating a small sided game and split your group into two teams. On both ends, place 2 attack and 2 defense. To start the game, bring in two midfielders from each team and start the 4v4 game on one side. While they are playing 4v4, on the opposite end, add in 2 defensive midfielders who will be waiting for the gameplay to change direction. Once there is a goal, turnover, or dead ball deemed by coach, the defense will get the baulk up to the midfielders to bring down and play on opposite end. The defenders who have been waiting, will now play defense and the 2 midfielders who just finished playing offense, will return to the sideline. The Midfielders will play defense, then offense, and then they will be out. Attack and Defense can stay in for 2-3 minutes and then you can do wholesales changed depending on your personnel.

Coaching Points and Principles

  • Compete! Great game to keep score and compete
  • Game IQ
  • Offensively – playing in small spaces & implementing the 2 man game.
  • Defense – Play with pressure, communicate
  • Toughness! this drill will be highly competitive and players must be able to play fast and tough

Progressions

  • You can play a smaller sided game with same principles for younger players in U14-U10 ages

View Drill Page →

6v6 Scrimmage

Continue to have the players initiate offense with Picks

6v6 Live Preview

A live 6v6 scrimmage allows players to apply the skills and concepts practiced throughout the session in a game-like environment. Play continuously while encouraging communication, decision-making, and teamwork. Keep coaching interruptions to a minimum, using brief teaching moments between possessions to maintain the flow and maximize repetitions.

Constraint Ideas: Possession clock • Every player touches the ball • Assisted goals only • Bonus points for defensive stops or caused turnovers • Start from specific situations (clear, ground ball, man-up, etc.) • Limit dodges or require a dodge before shooting • Reward good spacing and ball movement • Play uneven numbers (6v5, 5v6).

AdvancedBeginnerCollegeGame - Live PlayHigh SchoolIntermediateMen’s LacrosseU10U12U14

View Drill Page →