A fun small area transition game that gets everyone playing offense and defense

Set Up

Create a small area field (30×35) , and split your players into 2 teams. Start with a 3v2 on 1 side of the field. Once the play ends or a turnover, the last player to touch the ball on offense needs to spring back on defense. The 2 defenders just in, transition back the other way and play 2v1. Once that ends, start a 3v2 the other direction and repeat

Coaching Points & Principles

• Transition – Play fast
• Early offense
• Find the advantages
• Communication

Progressions

• For youngest players, start with a 4v2 or shorten the field
• Add in more constraints like a shot clock
• Play all with weak hands

A fun way to play small area game and developing offensive and defensive game IQ

Set Up

Create a small playing area (30×35) and split your players up into 2 teams. Line them up on the sideline. We are going to play a 4v4 game with some added constraints to build in game awareness

• 8 Seconds to Clear / 10 Seconds to get a shot off once over midfield
• Sub on the fly – No Horns – Forces players to know how and when to sub off

Optional Added Constraints

• Initiate every offense with an on or off ball pick
• 2x Points if players score off ball from a pass, pick, or quick stick

Coaching Points and Principles

• Spacing – Transition spacing and riding gapes to move the ball up the field quickly
• Subbing – Try to sub in a strategic way so you aren’t playing with a disadvantage’
• Maintain gaps and coding spaces with shallow cuts and picks

Progressions

• Play 5v4 for the youngest players so there is always an advantage – Keep an extra offensive player in at all times but the goalie can not clear it full field to them.. the team must clear the ball first

A small area game that works or urgency and quick play

Set Up

On one half the field, play a 5v5 game. The offense will move the ball around and randomly the coach will yell time left on the clock, like “Ten!”. The offense now has 10 seconds to find a way to create offense and a scoring opportunity before the 10 seconds expires

Coaching Points & Principles

• Thinking 1 step ahead – players on field should be thinking about where they are on the field before the clock time arrives, think move and play to space
• Urgency – Don’t panic, and find the best spot where the advantage may be
  • If the player has it at X, and 8 seconds left, pass to the wing and dodge there, as an example

Progressions

• Youngest players, play 4v3 so there is always an advantage
  • Make shot clocks longer as well
• Play 4v4 or full squad

A game that forces the offense to find quick advantages off restarts and the defense to communicate and get into proper positioning

Set Up

On half field, play 4v4. Give the offense a 15 second shot clock. Play until one of the following happens

• Shot/Goal
• Goalie Save/Def Clear
• Defensive Clear

Once one of this has happened, coach blows the whistle and rolls a new ball in to the offense into a random area. The Defense must get back into the house/hole area to protect the goal, and the offense must move quick to find scoring opportunities.

Coaching Points & Principles

• Fast restart – Offense should try and take advantage of a defense that is spread out, and attack open space to get them to slide/rotate
• Defensive communication  – Off restarts, they need to match up and make sure they are supporting for help/slides
• Play 4v3 for the youngest players so there is always an advantage

A small sided game that that works on 2-player and 3-player game principles

Set Up

On one end of the field, split the players into 2 teams. They all start at wing (cannot play further than far side crease tangent), and the teams/groups waiting will alternate by color. Team 1 starts on defense and tam 2 starts on offense, play live 2v2. Play until there is a missed shot, save, goal, or turnover, and the play ends. Team 2 who was just on offense, stays on the field to play defense, and 2 new players from team 1 start up top on offense. Keep playing and alternating every rep

Coaching Points and Principles

• We are working on 2 player actions, use picks and slips offensively to create coring opportunities
• Defensively communicate through the picks, and play solid 1v1 defense on your opponent

Progressions

• Play 3v3 or 4v4
• Younger players don’t needs pick, can work on shallow cuts and moving to open space

A fun and competitive game that builds in conditioning!

Set Up

Use your full field, and split your players into two teams. There is a coach in the middle of the field with balls. Start with a live 5v5 on 1 side, and on the dead ball or turnover, coach rolls a new ball in. The team that gets the GB must go and play offense. Continue for 90 second shifts and then sub

Coaching Points & Principles

• Play through fatigue
• Communicate
• Find the advantages

Progressions

• Younger players can play on smaller field
• Add in shot clocks
• Add extra points for certain outcomes
  • Score off a pick
  • Defense pass knock down or intercept

A great drill that forces the defense to rotate and communicate, and offense finding the quick advantages

Set Up

On 1 half the field, set up 5 cones on the perimeter. Start and offensive player at each cone, and place 5 defenders inside the house area. Coach will have balls out in space and will start the drill buy throwing a ball to 1 offensive player. The game is now live, and the matching defender must run around the cone from where the ball left from, and the off ball defense must slide to support the attacking player. The off ball offense should try to find open space and move the ball quick enough to get an open shot.

• Defense gets 1 point for stopping the offense and getting them back to neutral
• Defense gets 2 points if they are able to turn the ball Over and clear it successfully.
• Offense gets 1 point for scoring with the advantage

Coaching Points & principles

• Defense must slide and rotate to stop the advantage
• Communicate through the rotations
• Off ball sticks up, disrupt passing lanes
• Offense should find the advantage and move the ball quickly

Progressions

• Youngers players play 5v4 or smaller numbers like 4v4 or 3v3

A shooting drill that works on outside and inside finishes – with off ball cuts

Set Up

Put a goalie in net, and put a line with balls on low GLE and another like on opposite high wing. Put some cones about 10 yards away from the goal that the top shooter has to shoot from. Start with the low GLE carry upfield and diagonal player banana cutting to the ball. They will receive a pass and shoot on the run getting down hill. The second player in line up top will carry and make a pass to the original low GLE player who will then get an inside finish. The 2nd player in line at GLE will then follow and make a pass to the 2 top corner and the flow keeps repeating

Coaching Points & Principles

• Passing while feet are moving – no flat footed
• Off ball cuts – Flash to the ball with stick up providing a target
• Shooting on the run – Getting down hill and driving to the cage
• Inside finishing – Add in fakes & Deceptions
• GO AT A PACE THAT ALLOWS THE GOALIE TO GET RESET AFTER EVERY SHOT

Progressions

• Younger players, shorten the passes/shooting areas
• Use cones for guidance with less experienced players
• Add Trailers for high level players

SET UP

Set up in front of the cage an arc using cones, that is about 10 yards away from the goal. Start in a 3v3, but you can build up to 6v6. The rules of the game are as followed

1. The offense can only score inside the arc OR
2. Outside the arc in any fashion
3. Play for 15 seconds reps
4. Flip teams after every rep, keep score

PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS

• Encourages off ball play, to get open inside the arc.. use backdoor cuts, picks, etc..
• Defense must communicate through off ball ball play to protect the HOUSE
• Use point system to encourage certain typer of goals (2 points inside the arc / 1 Outside)

PROGRESSIONS

• Add in Constraints/rules like must pick off or on ball
• Build up to 4v4, 5v5 – Makes it harder for offense as it’s more crowded inside.

An uneven off ball game that emphasizes movement and spacing designed by Jim Mitchell of Princeton Lacrosse

Set Up

put a 2v1 on both sides of the field. 1 Side will start with the ball and an action, like pass down pick down, etc.. The off ball offense will execute a Hammer pick (Upfield Pick) and try to get their hands free. The team that initiated must make a pass to the off ball teammates, and then its a live 4v2

Coaching Points and Principles

• Picks – working on angles and deception to execute picks and off ball screens
• Timing – Make sure the off ball team is timing it up on knowing when to try and run the Hammer

Progressions

• Add more defense to make it all even
• Use longpole defense
• Play 3v2 or 4v3 both sides