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4v3 Keep Away w/ Nations - Link to Drill
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A great passing drill to work on 2-3 player game with nations looks
Set Up
Put players in groups of 7, and play 4v3. The offense is working to complete a nations pass. What that means, is every ball carry gets initiated with a pick. The ball carrier must find a perimeter teammate coming off the pick to pass to, and then we want to try and pass to the original picker flashing in the middle. The defense must be sliding and recovering, talking through picks, and protecting the middle Nations look.
Coaching Points & Principles
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- Constant motion – the offense should be moving and setting picks making it hard for the defense to cover
- Moving to Space – Off ball teammates would be moving to support to try and execute
- If the nations look isn’t there, have them start with a pass and pick all over again
- Defense need to slide and recover, making sure we have coverage one the nation look
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1v1 Scoop and Chase - Link to Drill
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A classic ground ball that is a great warm up for practice
Set Up
Put players in groups of 5 or 6 on sideline. The first player in line is going for the groundball, and the 2nd player is chaser. The ball is rolled out, and the player must gain possession and throw the ball back to their next teammate in line. The chaser should put pressure on back hands with a LIFT, not a slap. You can have the 3rd player be the one who rolls, if you don’t have enough coaches.
Coaching Points & Principles |
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- Groundballs – Accelerate through and run away from pressure.
- Chasers – Practice getting under the blow or hand of player going for groundball, and lifting. We want to avoid big slap checks
- Communicate – next player in line call for the ball
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Full Field Riding and Clearing - Link to Drill
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This full-field, continuous drill gives both sides of the ball live reps within your team’s clearing and riding systems. Start with the goalie and clearing unit working through your Ladder Clear (Or another system if that’s what you prefer), while the riding team applies your core riding principles at full speed. Once the clearing team successfully crosses the midfield line and establishes an offensive possession, the coach blows the whistle to create a dead-ball situation. The ball immediately starts going the opposite direction, with the units transitioning into their new riding and clearing responsibilities. There are no shots or goals unless the coach calls for live offense—the emphasis is on clearing, riding, communication, decision-making, and getting organized in transition.
The drill can easily be adjusted to prepare for specific opponents or reinforce different concepts. Have your clearing group work against different looks such as a 10-man ride, zone ride, or aggressive pressure, or challenge your riding unit against stack clears, traditional ladder clears, or other opponent-specific formations. Coaches can also emphasize transition substitutions, forcing players to recognize when and where to sub without sacrificing field balance. Keeping the drill moving continuously creates realistic conditioning while giving players repeated opportunities to recognize, communicate, and solve full-field situations. |
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Offensive Skill Session - Link to Drill
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A step down shooting drill that emphasizes team offense out of a 2-2-2 or 1-3-2 offense
Set Up
Put 1 line in each high wing and a line on the high crease. The ball will start with an alley dodge, and the player on crease will be popping up into space for a throwback/jam pass from dodger. The opposite side wing player will mirror the dodger, so thy are in a good shooting position. The pop guy will transfer to opposite low wing for a step down shot.
Coaching Points & Principles |
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- Dodge hard down the alley, when jamming, we want to roll away to mimic getting hands free
- Pop player should be vocal, and getting into high space for a quick transfer
- Step Down Shooting – catch it loaded and shot of quick!
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Defensive Skill Session - Link to Drill
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Focus Points |
A defensive drill that works on angles, stick work, and defensive positioning
Set Up
In front of the goal, set up 4 cones in a box not he 4 corners, and 1 cone in the middle. Have the defensive player start in the middle cone, which is the house. They will approach each cone, and recover to the house cone, and repeating until the finish all 4 cones. Put players in a line behind the cage, and start the next player once the player has reached their 2nd cone.
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Add a coach/player at each cone to emphasize the angle of approach
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- Focus on your angles at each cone getting the proper foot upfield, that would drive a player away from the goal, and not to the middle of the field
- On approaches, lead with your stick and break down by chopping your feet
- On recoveries, open up to the inside with your stick in the passing lane
- Switch hands if you are a more advanced player
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Shell Motion - Link to Drill
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Focus Points |
A drill that works on your defensive principles and protecting the house/scoring area
Set Up
On one end of the field, put 5 offensive players and 5 defensive players out, with 4 perimeter and 1 crease player. Use cones to create an 5×5 – 8×8 house area in front of the goal. The offense will move the ball on the perimeter, and the defense will work together to approach the ball, and off ball players working to sink in to help the house. Defenders 2 passes awat should be all the way inside the house, with the adjacent teammates with 1 foot in the house. Have the offense move the ball around so the defense has to constantly move on and off ball to maintain position. Initiate the motion by having a player carry the ball like a sweep from up top, while exchanging spots with other players. You can also incorporate picks to trigger that motion
Coaching Points and Principles
Defensively
Offense
- Move the ball quickly, and think about spacing make good 8-10 yard passes
Progressions
- Add in cuts/motion
Play 6v6 of 4v4
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- Players approaching the ball should break down with their stick out, thinking about the angle of approach, keeping ball carriers away from the middle.
- Off ball defense get you sticks up in the passing lanes
- Communicate “Ball” “1 slide”, “2 Slides
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Shell Exchange Drill - Link to Drill
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Focus Points |
A drill that works on your defensive principles and protecting the house/scoring area
Set Up
On one end of the field, put 5 offensive players and 5 defensive players out, with 4 perimeter and 1 crease player. Use cones to create an 5×5 – 8×8 house area in front of the goal. The offense will move the ball on the perimeter, and the defense will work together to approach the ball, and off ball players working to sink in to help the house. Defenders 2 passes awat should be all the way inside the house, with the adjacent teammates with 1 foot in the house. Have the offense move the ball around so the defense has to constantly move on and off ball to maintain position. Every time the offense throws a North-South pass, have the 2 players exchange forcing the defense to move, rotate, and communicate .
Coaching Points and Principles
Defensively
Offense
- Move the ball quickly, and think about spacing make good 8-10 yard passes
Progressions
- Add in cuts/motion
Play 6v6 of 4v4
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- Players approaching the ball should break down with their stick out, thinking about the angle of approach, keeping ball carriers away from the middle.
- Off ball defense get you sticks up in the passing lanes
- Communicate “Ball” “1 slide”, “2 Slides
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6V6 BUILD UP WITH BUMPS - Link to Drill
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Focus Points |
Set Up
Put 4 offensive lines around the high and low wings. You will add a defensive line at x behind the cage, and another line at the point. Give the defenders numbers, and make sure the point and x lines are opposite. For example, the point Lines will have players 1,3,5,etc.. the line at X will have 2,4,6,etc..
On the whistle, coach will throw a ball in to an offensive line and call a defender number out. If they call “One”, that player will sprint and approach the offensive player receiving the ball from coach. They will play 1v1 until the play ends by a shot, turnover, or defensive takeaway. Coach will then add in the next defender, say “Two”. That player would be coming from X and coach will throw a new ball in to another offensive player and they play 2v2. Continue until you reach 6V6.
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Add in constraints to focus on a particular situation. For example, if the team needs to work on off ball offense, tell them on every rep that is 2v2+, off ball players must do some form of action like a V-Cut, Screen, etc..
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- Defensive – Approaches, focus on approach angles and keeping the offensive players away from center of field.
- Defensive – Communication: When the new defender is called in, they may be too far away from the new offensive player. In these situations, the new defender can bump a closer teammate to the ball, as you may do duing a recovery situation
- Offensive – Be a good dodger and attack the space or find ways to create the space you want. In the 2v2 + scenarios, you can work on picks and or on and off ball action
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6v6 Situational Scrimmage - Link to Drill
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This drill puts players into real game situations where score, time, possession, and personnel dictate how they should play.
Set up
live 6v6 and choose a specific scenario before each possession, adjusting the clock, score, or numbers to create different problems—such as short-time EMO/MDD, protecting a lead, needing a goal, or killing the clock. Allow players to communicate and solve the situation with limited coaching, then quickly reset with a new scenario.
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- Understand the score, time, possession, and personnel before play begins.
- Short-time EMO/MDD: Offense plays with urgency without forcing; defense protects the middle and understands when it must pressure.
- Kill the clock: Value possession, use the entire field, support the ball, and recognize when attacking the cage is unnecessary.
- Defense vs. keep-away: Communicate pressure, identify when to double, rotate behind the double, and anticipate the next pass.
- Need-a-goal offense: Play with urgency, attack favorable matchups, move the ball quickly, and understand how much time is available.
- Emphasize smart substitutions and timeout awareness when appropriate.
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