Clearing & Competing

Clearing & Competing
Phase 3: Compete & Adapt :As players enter the Train to Compete phase, the focus shifts to applying skills and concepts in competitive, game-like situations. Practices emphasize situational play, decision-making under pressure, and team principles while fostering communication, leadership, and adaptability. Coaches demand constant communication, reward smart team decisions, and encourage players to take ownership of their performance and growth.	Week 7 Practice /90 Minute Session	Activities Hawk Passing w/ Brendan Dawson (Haverford School) 4V3 TO 4V5 TRANSITION DRILL Offensive Skill Session: 2 Player Passing Defensive Skill Session: 2v1 Plus 1 Scoop & Chase Unsettled
Hawk Passing w/ Brendan Dawson (Haverford School) - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A good full field passing drills that works on ball control and transition Set Up Set up 8 lines total, and use 2 BALLS The ball will works its way up the field starting with the goalie to the low wing. Pass will continue ti restraining box, midfield wing, opposite restraining box, low wing, to the goalie. Continue the ball moving to the opposite side of field Coaching Points & Principles Everyone (except Goalie) Must cut to the ball to shorten the pass If you are on low wing or sideline, you always Rolla away towards the sideline before making the next pass		4 at each low wing 2 at the retaining box 2 on the Midfield wing sideline
4V3 TO 4V5 TRANSITION DRILL - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A great transition drill that works on fast breaks, slow breaks, and riding/clearing Set Up Put your attack and defense set up in the offensive end, and on the opposite restraining area, set up a midfield and d-midfield line. Coach rolls the ball in to the offensive midfielder for a fast break, and then the DM chases. The offense must play fast and try to get a shot off during the advantage before getting back into neutral. Coach can manipulate the start to add in slow breaks as well Coaching Points & Principles Progressions Start with a 5v4 or 6v5		Fast Breaks – Offensive spacing and playing with advantages Fast Breaks – Defense communication with slide and recovery Offense: Play fast, try to get high % shots Defense: pressure the ball, force low % shots
Offensive Skill Session: 2 Player Passing - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A great drill to work on passing out of the 2-player game Set Up Put cones at the top corner and at a 45 degree angle below, about 10 yards apart. The player will make a pass across, break down to their lower cone, and then go set a pick for their teammate. The player with the ball, will run off the pick and make a pass to their teammate opening up. Next group goes and repeates Coaching Points & Principles Progressions Change the way to pass Roll Away and Flat like a double team scenario Slip like a switch scenario Pop to space like a Stick scenario		Picker – Needs to make sure they do that hard v-cut.. always arrive alone to a pick (AAA) The dodger wants wot run right off their pickers outside shoulder The picker needs to open up to their teammate, never turn your back The dodger needs to make a good throwback or lever pass
Defensive Skill Session: 2v1 Plus 1 - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A drill to work on your slide and recovery Set Up Place 2 attackmen behind the goal, add 1 defender guarding 1, and the second defender on the crease. Use a trash can or a token offensive player on the crease. The defender will guard the 1 attacker, and force them to make a pass. They will then sprint over to the other attacker that received the pass, and guard them at they go to the goal. At this point, our second defender will come slide and help Coaching Points & Principles		Good on ball defense, force the ball carrier back under Goal Line Off Ball Help – We want to shade the side the dodges is happening from, so when the ball goes east-west, the defender on crease shades the other side of the crease Sliding – We want to slide and approach with good angles. Topside, we want to slide towards the top shoulder Underneath – Slide about 1 body length away from the ball carrier Topside, we want to slide towards the top shoulder Underneath – Slide about 1 body length away from the ball carrier
Scoop & Chase Unsettled - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A fun game that works on small area and then full team offense and defense Set Up If you can, give your defense and attack different color tanks that the team. Here we are using green pennies for the attack, and red pinnies for the defense. They will always hold their positions. The midfield will then be split up into their normal tank colors, so they are split black and blue. The drill starts with either group (A or M) and coach rolls a live 3v3 out. They will play until either the offense scores there is a turnover (Defense clear to coach up top, or shot clock violation). Once that rep finishes, the M up top have a live 3v3 GB (You can change the numbers depending on how many you want on offense). Whoever wins that GB, is on offense, and go play 6v6 until another dead ball. Restart the drill, but give the first GB battle to the opposite group Coaching Points & Principles Progressions If you want to take away the live GB, give the ball to the offense to start, good for some younger groups that puts a bigger emphasis on the transition play		Ground Ball Battles – Need to find the first GB and look to score or clear the ball fast Transition – Playing quick and finding those advantages Defensive Matchups and communication

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Hawk Passing w/ Brendan Dawson (Haverford School)
4V3 TO 4V5 TRANSITION DRILL
Offensive Skill Session: 2 Player Passing
Defensive Skill Session: 2v1 Plus 1
Scoop & Chase Unsettled

Phase 3: Compete & Adapt :As players enter the Train to Compete phase, the focus shifts to applying skills and concepts in competitive, game-like situations. Practices emphasize situational play, decision-making under pressure, and team principles while fostering communication, leadership, and adaptability. Coaches demand constant communication, reward smart team decisions, and encourage players to take ownership of their performance and growth.

Week 7 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.

Theme Description

Hawk Passing w/ Brendan Dawson (Haverford School)

Set Up

Set up 8 lines total, and use 2 BALLS

4 at each low wing
2 at the retaining box
2 on the Midfield wing sideline

The ball will works its way up the field starting with the goalie to the low wing. Pass will continue ti restraining box, midfield wing, opposite restraining box, low wing, to the goalie. Continue the ball moving to the opposite side of field

Coaching Points & Principles

Everyone (except Goalie) Must cut to the ball to shorten the pass
If you are on low wing or sideline, you always Rolla away towards the sideline before making the next pass

To view more from Championship Productions Click Here.

Tags

Block - On Air (no opponent)College High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Riding and Clearing Team Passing U14

View Drill Page →

4V3 TO 4V5 TRANSITION DRILL

Set Up

Put your attack and defense set up in the offensive end, and on the opposite restraining area, set up a midfield and d-midfield line. Coach rolls the ball in to the offensive midfielder for a fast break, and then the DM chases. The offense must play fast and try to get a shot off during the advantage before getting back into neutral. Coach can manipulate the start to add in slow breaks as well

Coaching Points & Principles

Fast Breaks – Offensive spacing and playing with advantages
Fast Breaks – Defense communication with slide and recovery
Offense: Play fast, try to get high % shots
Defense: pressure the ball, force low % shots

Progressions

Start with a 5v4 or 6v5

Tags

4v3 5v4 Advanced College Game - Live Play Goalie Clearing & Communication High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Off Ball Defensive Play Off Ball Offensive Play Offense & Defense Principles Small Area Games Team Systems & Conceptual Play Transition U14

View Drill Page →

Offensive Skill Session: 2 Player Passing

Set Up

Put cones at the top corner and at a 45 degree angle below, about 10 yards apart. The player will make a pass across, break down to their lower cone, and then go set a pick for their teammate. The player with the ball, will run off the pick and make a pass to their teammate opening up. Next group goes and repeates

Coaching Points & Principles

Picker – Needs to make sure they do that hard v-cut.. always arrive alone to a pick (AAA)
The dodger wants wot run right off their pickers outside shoulder
The picker needs to open up to their teammate, never turn your back
The dodger needs to make a good throwback or lever pass

Progressions

Change the way to pass
- Roll Away and Flat like a double team scenario
- Slip like a switch scenario
- Pop to space like a Stick scenario

To view more from Championship Productions Click Here.

Tags

2-Player Game 3-Player Game Advanced Attack Block - On Air (no opponent)College Foundational Skills High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Midfield Passing Positional / Tactical Team Passing U12 U14

View Drill Page →

Defensive Skill Session: 2v1 Plus 1

Set Up

Place 2 attackmen behind the goal, add 1 defender guarding 1, and the second defender on the crease. Use a trash can or a token offensive player on the crease. The defender will guard the 1 attacker, and force them to make a pass. They will then sprint over to the other attacker that received the pass, and guard them at they go to the goal. At this point, our second defender will come slide and help

Coaching Points & Principles

Good on ball defense, force the ball carrier back under Goal Line
Off Ball Help – We want to shade the side the dodges is happening from, so when the ball goes east-west, the defender on crease shades the other side of the crease
Sliding – We want to slide and approach with good angles.
- Topside, we want to slide towards the top shoulder
- Underneath – Slide about 1 body length away from the ball carrier

Tags

2v1 Advanced Anticipation & Recognition Defense Defense Slide & Recovery Defensive Positioning & Footwork Disruptive - Light Physical Opponent Foundational Skills High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Off Ball Defensive Play Offense & Defense Principles Positional / Tactical Team Systems & Conceptual Play U12 U14

View Drill Page →

Scoop & Chase Unsettled

Set Up

If you can, give your defense and attack different color tanks that the team. Here we are using green pennies for the attack, and red pinnies for the defense. They will always hold their positions.

The midfield will then be split up into their normal tank colors, so they are split black and blue.

The drill starts with either group (A or M) and coach rolls a live 3v3 out. They will play until either the offense scores there is a turnover (Defense clear to coach up top, or shot clock violation). Once that rep finishes, the M up top have a live 3v3 GB (You can change the numbers depending on how many you want on offense). Whoever wins that GB, is on offense, and go play 6v6 until another dead ball. Restart the drill, but give the first GB battle to the opposite group

Coaching Points & Principles

Ground Ball Battles – Need to find the first GB and look to score or clear the ball fast
Transition – Playing quick and finding those advantages
Defensive Matchups and communication

Progressions

If you want to take away the live GB, give the ball to the offense to start, good for some younger groups that puts a bigger emphasis on the transition play

Tags

Advanced Beginner College Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Small Area Games Small Area Games Team Systems & Conceptual Play Transition U10 U12 U14 U8

View Drill Page →