Practice Plan: Ball Control & Attacking Space

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Chaos Keep Away Game
Station 1: 2v2 No Pass Game
Station 2: Tic Tac Toe
Station 3: Trucks and Trailers
Football!

Phase 3: Attacking & Creating Space – Focus Points being finding the advantages and playing vs more pressure

Week 9 Practice / 60 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.

Theme Description This practice is designed for young players to gain confidence with player with more pressure. Players will compete in more 1v1 scenarios while adding in additional spacial awareness

12 Minutes

Chaos Keep Away Game

Set Up

Create a small area playing field and split players into 2 teams. Both teams at opposite end of the fields, and lacrosse balls to the middle of the field. I usually like to you 1/2 balls to players.. so if there are 20 total players, use 10 balls. On the whistle, the players will run in trying to get a ball. Once they gain possession, they must run away and escape the defenders staying in the playing area. The team with the most balls at the end of 1 minute wins that round

Rules

Players can pass to teammates to escape pressure and maintain possession
If they go out of bounds with a ball, turnover to defending player
Players without the ball, can pressure to take away and flip a possession
The team who possesses the most balls after 1 minute, wins

Coaching Points & Principles

Groundballs! Winn the ground ball battles
Stick control & cradling with the ball vs pressure
Teamwork, don’t be afraid to pass to open teammates to maintain possessions

Boys Version for Reference: https://lacrossedrive.com/chaos-keep-away-game/

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8 Minutes

Station 1: 2v2 No Pass Game

A fun game that emphasizes players finding solutions before finding the advantages

Set Up

Create a playing are ad add a 5-yard wide “no-pass zone” across the center of the field using two parallel lines of cones. The kids will play a Regular 2v2 1/2 field type game. While in the no-pass zone, you cannot pass. You must carry the ball through that zone individually. Once you exit the zone, passing is allowed again. This forces every ball carrier to have an individual carrying solution at least once per possession. It creates the 1v1 moment within a team game context. Rotate through, offense to defense to back of the line

Coaching Points & Principles

Transition Play, offense should be trying to find the dodging solutions
Have the defense double team once the dodger gets beat
Finding advantages – In the dodging aspect, players should find the space to attack in the 1v1 matchup, and then any 2v1 advantages outside the zone

Progressions

Widen the no pass zone for more 1v1 action
Narrow zone for faster play
play 3v3

Anticipation & Recognition Attack Ball Control & Cradling Beginner Defense Defensive Positioning & Footwork Dodging & Escapes Game - Live Play Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Midfield Small Area Games Small Area Games Transition U10 U8 Women’s Lacrosse

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8 Minutes

Station 2: Tic Tac Toe

A change of pace and fun game to do with younger players that emphasizes teamwork and hustle!

Set Up

Using Lacrosse sticks, create a tic tac toe board on the field. Split the players up into 2 teams, and each team has different colored balls. This is like a relay race as well, so the next teammate cannot run to place a ball, until their teammate returns. Play until the team makes 3 in a row!

Coaching Points and Principles

Teamwork!
Working Hard
Awareness

All Beginner Block - On Air (no opponent)Small Area Games Small Area Games U8

Station 3: Trucks and Trailers

Set Up

Put players in lines of 4 or 5, with the lead player with NO ball, they are the TRUCK. The 4 players behind them ar the Trailers and they all will be carrying a ball. The Truck will run in random patterns for 15-20 seconds, and the Trailers must run, and stay in line following the Truck! After the time is up, switch the roles until everyone has been a TRUCK!

Coaching Points and Principles

Truck – Try to make quick moves, change direction, create a pattern
Trailers – Keep your heads UP! cradling the ball under control. If you drop it, pick it up and continue

Progressions

Add less players so it goes quicker
Use Cones to make it easier to navigate for less experienced players

Football!

A fund game that introduces all even play and playing against pressure

Set Up

Make a 25 x 20 yd. field with a 3 yd. scoring zone on each end. The teams play 3v3 and score by cradling down downfield, making passes, and finishing with passing into the end zone. Once a TD is scored, the opposing team re-starts the game from their end zone. Players can’t carry the ball into the endzone unless they have made 2 passes already. Everyone must move to find space and connect

Coaching Points & Principles

Cradling – Carry the ball vs pressure
Finding Space
Play vs Pressure

Progressions

Set more passing limits
Play 4v4 with more advanced players or u10/u12

Ball Control & Cradling Beginner Defensive Positioning & Footwork Game - Live Play Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Off Ball Defensive Play Off Ball Offensive Play Passing Small Area Games U10 U12 U8 Women’s Lacrosse

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