Decision Making Stations

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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.

8 Minutes

Activity 1: Trucks & Trailers

Start practice with this energetic ball control drill that will unlock creativity and naturally help players work on their cradling and change of direction

Summary

A fun drill that works on stick control and allows the kids to have some fun and creativity!

Tags

Anticipation & RecognitionAttackBall Control (with the ball)BeginnerBlock - On Air (no opponent)Box LacrosseDefenseIntermediateMen’s LacrosseMidfieldU10U8
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

Tags

Anticipation & RecognitionAttackBall Control (with the ball)BeginnerBlock - On Air (no opponent)Box LacrosseDefenseIntermediateMen’s LacrosseMidfieldU10U8

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8 Minutes

Station 1: Take the Space - Read the D

Summary

Take the space is a recognition drill we work on with our offensive players that will reinforce finding and taking the space when an action is afforded from a defender.

Tags

AdvancedAnticipation & RecognitionAttackBox LacrosseDecision MakingDodging & EscapesFoundational SkillsGuided - Token OpponentHigh SchoolIntermediateMen’s LacrosseMidfieldShootingShooting on the Run
Take the Space: Read the Defender

Set up

Put players in any part of the field, and have the offensive player start with a ball, and their back turned to the goal. The Defensive player should be a stick length away, on coaches whistle, the offense player flips around and the defender will either shade high or low. The player attacking the goal will take the space and finish with a shot

Coaching Points and Principles

  • Have O + D stay in role for 3-5 reps, and the defender change up the shade every time without the offense knowing
  • Read the space, and accelerate through it
  • Finish with a shot, which will vary depending on where you are attacking from.

Progressions

  • Add in disruptive defense

Tags

AdvancedAnticipation & RecognitionAttackBox LacrosseDecision MakingDodging & EscapesFoundational SkillsGuided - Token OpponentHigh SchoolIntermediateMen’s LacrosseMidfieldShootingShooting on the Run

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8 Minutes

Station 2: 3v1 Rondo

Add in defenders to make it a 3v2 to elevate the challenge!

Summary

A keep away game for younger players!

Tags

3v1AllBeginnerDisruptive - Light Physical OpponentIntermediateOff Ball Offensive PlayPassingSmall Area GamesSmall Area GamesU10U8
3v1 Rondo

Set Up

Create a playing area using cones or lines on the field. There will be 3 offensive player on the outside, and 1 defender inside. The players on the outside will play keep away. The defender will try to be deceptive, move towards the passer to knock down or intercept passes! Play for 30 seconds then switch the players. You can also sub a player in quicker, off they intercept or knock down a pass.

Coaching Points and Principles

  • Offense – Move your feet to make good passes. Off ball SHOW TARGET and call for help
  • Defense – Keep your stick in the air in passing lanes / use deception

Progressions

  • Play 4v2
  • Make it harder for the offender and play 3v2 or 4v3

Tags

3v1AllBeginnerDisruptive - Light Physical OpponentIntermediateOff Ball Offensive PlayPassingSmall Area GamesSmall Area GamesU10U8

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8 Minutes

Station 3: Windup Decision Shooting

A great shooting drill to help players read an approached defender!

Summary

This is a foundational drill that we work on for our step down shots and adding in some deceptive element into the shot

Tags

Anticipation & RecognitionAttackBall Control (with the ball)Decision MakingDodging & EscapesFoundational SkillsGuided - Token OpponentIntermediateMidfieldShootingShooting on the RunStep Down ShootingU12U14

Set Up

Set players up in a line with the balls. Add a coach as a guided defender into the drill. The player starts with the ball in a loaded position ready to shoot. We want the player to initiate some form of escape with the ball. Early on in the learning process, a simple concept to teach players dodging, is to attack the defenders butt end side of their stick. It forces the defender to cross over more making it harder to stay in position. As players gain more confidence and skill, they will be able to attack both sides of their defender, but that principle ideally never changes!

Coaching Points and Principles

  • Start loaded into your shot
  • Attack the butt end of the guided defender
  • try to get your shot off quick once you get hands away/free from the defender

Progressions

  • Make defense a little more physical
  • Delay the guided defense that requires a quicker reaction/decision from the player

 

Tags

Anticipation & RecognitionAttackBall Control (with the ball)Decision MakingDodging & EscapesFoundational SkillsGuided - Token OpponentIntermediateMidfieldShootingShooting on the RunStep Down ShootingU12U14

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Activity 5: 4v3 Unsettled

A fun Game to finish Practice with competition and players reading the advantages!

Summary

A fun small sided game that will get the players competing and working through finding advantages!

Tags

4v3Fundamental Team Offense & DefenseGame - Live PlayIntermediateMen’s LacrosseSmall Area GamesSmall Area GamesTransitionU10U12U14
4v3 Unsettled Game

Set Up

Create a small plating area, inside the restraining box. Add 2 goals so you have a full field within the playing area. Split you group into 2 teams, and put each team in a single file line at their respected defensive end. Start the game by putting 4 offense and 3 defense in, giving a team a starting advantage. Play until a dead ball, the last player to touch the ball on the offense is out. The 3 defensive players stay in and transition to the offensive end with a new teammate joining. They will go play 4v3 on the opposite end, until a dead. Continue this for about 8-10 minutes and your players will get a lot of touches and gameplay!

Coaching Points and Principles

  • Offense – Fine the advantage (2v1). We want players to start seeking their open teammates in these transition scenarios so we get the best shot possible
  • Defense – Communicate, get into a zone type shape where you can play the ball and slide for help. Keep your sticks up in passing lanes making it hard for the offense to make easy passes!

Progressions

  • Play full field with older players (HS/College) for a more intense workout
  • Give a shot clock, for faster play

Tags

4v3Fundamental Team Offense & DefenseGame - Live PlayIntermediateMen’s LacrosseSmall Area GamesSmall Area GamesTransitionU10U12U14

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