Practice Plan: Creating & Preventing Advantages

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Defensive Skill Station: Getting Squared
Offensive Skill Station: Triangle Passing
X-Factor
4v4 Low Game
Play 6v6

Phase 3: Create Under Pressure: Introduce Train to Compete elements while staying developmentally appropriate. This is where players begin learning how to create advantages intentionally, not just recognize them.

Week 8 Practice / 75 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

Defensive Skill Station: Getting Squared

Set Up

Put cones out as shown in diagram, and have the defender start on the pipe. They will RUN, not shuffle through this drill. They will run like they are chasing the a player through X to the opposite pipe, turn back and repeat. When they get back to side they started, they will continue running through the cones, but focusing on getting square, as if they are forcing a player back towards the endline

Coaching Points & Principles

Body & Position – We want to keep our stick out! shouldn’t be dropping to the ground
We are running, not shuffling
Square your hips and shoulders as you are approaching the pipe and low GLE ares

Offensive Skill Station: Triangle Passing

Set Up

Put your players in groups of 3 and spread out around field. They will get into a triangle shape about 10 yards away. They are just going to pass the ball around the triangle trying to catch it loaded, and pass it quickly with the next teammate calling “1 MORE”. Add in a 2nd ball so they have to react quicker after they make a pass

Coaching Points & Principles

Stickwork – getting comfortable catching and passing quickly – try to catch it loaded
Communication – Make sure they yell “1 more” so their teammate knows to pass

Progressions

String the triangle to 5 yards so they have to pass quicker
Add a 3rd ball

X-Factor

Set Up

Put 1 Attackman behind the cage, and a 2v2 Attack vs Defense on the crease. Create a line using cones on GLE that the player at X cannot carry past with the ball. To start, the player at X will scan to try and feed their two teammates moving above GLE for quick pass and finishes. A player who is on the crease, can come exchange with the player at X, to create some variability and make the defense switch, rotate more. If the offense doesn’t get a shot within the first 10 seconds, they must make a switch with the player at X.

Principles and Coaching Points

Crease Action – Use picks and deception to try and get hands free to receive a pass
Defense – Communicate through chaos and stick check when player is getting pass
Communication
Creativity – Offense find ways to exchange and make the defense work

4v4 Low Game

This is a drill to work on spacing and team play on the low wings or below GLE

Set Up

Play within the restraining wing box area, and have the top boundary be about 10 yards away from GLE. Its a live 4v4 play, and we want to reinforce spacing, movement, and off ball play.

Add in Constraints

20 Second Shot Clock per possessionn
Point System: Offense Gets 2 points for an assisted goal / Defense gets 2 points for a successful double team turnover.

The offense can play in any set, but as a coach, feel free to add in mods, like always 1 player on offense on the crease.

Coaching Points & Principles

Creating advantages around GLE and low wings
Defense trying to keep the offenser lo and closer to GLE

4v4 5v5 Advanced Anticipation & Recognition College Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Lacrosse IQ Men’s Lacrosse Off Ball Offensive Play Small Area Games Small Area Games U10 U12 U14

View Drill Page →

Defensive Skill Station: Getting Squared

Set Up

Coaching Points & Principles

Offensive Skill Station: Triangle Passing

Set Up

Coaching Points & Principles

Progressions

X-Factor

Set Up

Principles and Coaching Points

4v4 Low Game

Set Up

Coaching Points & Principles

Play 6v6

Play live 6v6 Scrimmage