Practice Plan: Defensive Approaches & Offensive Attacking Space

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Inside Out Chaos Passing Game
Defensive Skill Station: 4 Corner Approach
Offensive Skill Station: Dodging the Approach
1v1 General Drill
Small Field Build Up Game

Phase 1: Recognize & Execute – Players will Sharpen their skills within game context and improve execution under moderate pressure. Players should now have a functional skill base. The focus shifts from just “can you do it?” to “can you do it at the right time and make the right decisions?”

Week 1 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

Inside Out Chaos Passing Game

Set Up

Create a small playing around area, in this video specifically we’re using the right side restraining box. Split your group up in the two teams. Each team will have three players on each end line. The rest of the players will be around the playing field, alternating dark white dark white. Coach will put 6 to 8 balls in the middle of the field, and on the whistle the players in the end line will run to try to gain possession of a ball. After a player gain possession, they will find a teammate on the perimeter and make a pass. That teammate that just received the pass will now bring it in the playing area trying to find another teammate to pass it to while the other teammate takes their place on the perimeter. Play for 1 minute, the team in possession of the most balls, wins! Play best of 5, or 7 depending on your time. It’s really fun, engaging, and players will learn how to play within the chaos inside the box and finding teammates to pass to around the field.

Coaching Points & Principles

Groundballs! The game starts with a live ground ball, that is the best time to gain possession!
Ball Control – Players must be able to cradle through chaos inside the box to find open space and teammates to pass to
Communication – Perimeter players should be ready to receive a pass, and calling “ONE MORE” or HERE”S HELP”
Defense – If you don’t win a ground ball and are stuck on defense inside, try to force bad passes/turnovers.

Tags

Advanced Anticipation & Recognition Game - Live Play Ground Ball Battles Ground Balls Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Small Area Games Small Area Games Team Passing U10 U12 U14

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Defensive Skill Station: 4 Corner Approach

Set Up

In front of the goal, set up 4 cones in a box not he 4 corners, and 1 cone in the middle. Have the defensive player start in the middle cone, which is the house. They will approach each cone, and recover to the house cone, and repeating until the finish all 4 cones. Put players in a line behind the cage, and start the next player once the player has reached their 2nd cone.

Coaching Points and Principles

Focus on your angles at each cone getting the proper foot upfield, that would drive a player away from the goal, and not to the middle of the field
On approaches, lead with your stick and break down by chopping your feet
On recoveries, open up to the inside with your stick in the passing lane
Switch hands if you are a more advanced player

Progressions

Add a coach/player at each cone to emphasize the angle of approach

Tags

Advanced Beginner Block - On Air (no opponent)College Defense Defensive Positioning & Footwork Foundational Skills High School Intermediate Lacrosse IQ Men’s Lacrosse Offense & Defense Footwork Positional / Tactical Stick Control (without the ball)U10 U12 U14

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Offensive Skill Station: Dodging the Approach

Set Up

Start the players on the wing, with a ball in their stick. Add a coach or player about a stick length away acting as a guided defender. The player with ball will initiate with a bounce.. they step away from the defender, to create space. The guided defender will do 1 of 3 things: Take a high approach, a low approach, or stay neutral. The player with the ball will read the defender, and take the space given. If the defender stays neutral, the player with ball should initiate some form of deception like a fake pass, or a hitch to freeze and attack the space they want.

Principles and Coaching Point

Take the space the defender gives, and explode to it
When bouncing, get your stick in a loaded position acting as a triple threat (You can pass, shoot, or re-attack)
Finish quick, once you take the space, get loaded for a shot on the run and release quick

Progressions

Start with a dodge up the hash
Play tougher defender forcing a double dodge

Tags

Anticipation & Recognition Attack Decision Making Dodging & Escapes Foundational Skills Guided - Token Opponent High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Midfield Offense & Defense Footwork Other Skills Positional / Tactical Shooting Shooting on the Run U14

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1v1 General Drill

A drill that works on defense approaches and offensive dodging

Set Up

This drill starts with the offensive players on a high wing, and a defender on the crease, about 8-10 yards away. A coach will have the ball and will start the drill by throwing a ball into the offensive player. As the ball is in the air, the defense must approach the offensive player and take a good angle to keep them away from the middle of the field. The offense must catch the ball, and make 1 quick move to get their hands free for a shot. Try to limit the play to 5 seconds

Coaching Points and Principles

Defense

Focus on your angle of approach, we want to take away the middle of the field, where a shooting angle is higher
get your inside foot, top side to help with that approach and take short choppy steps so you stay balanced, trying not to lunge forward
Lead with your stick and get to the players hands, hole the topside as best you can’t and drive through shoulders during the dodge to prevent shots

Offense

One quick move and go, we want to use deception to get our hands free. If you get your hands free, get loaded and shoot, don’t let the defended recover.
Use split dodges and jab steps to freeze the defense
Try to take high quality shots, changing planes and shooting away from the goalies stick

Progressions

Use tennis balls if you want to keep it lighter for your goalies

Advanced Attack College Defense Defensive Positioning & Footwork Defensive Stick & Body Contact Dodging & Escapes Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Midfield Positional / Tactical Shooting on the Run U10 U12 U14 Women’s Lacrosse

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Small Field Build Up Game

Set Up

Set up a small fair area field, we’re using the restraining box area here and put two attack and 2 defense in on each end. Set up midfielders at the midline on their defense end lined up in a single file line. The game is going start with one team have an advantage so we’re giving the dark team the ball first they go down and play three on two. Once the play ends a new offensive player from the defensive team will come in on the wing. The offensive midfielder will stay on the field and get back and play defense and there will be transition other way going 3v3. Same thing, play till the whistle and then a new player will come on and then we’ll go back down the other way 4V3. We are building this up until I get to 5v5. One team will have advantage for every rep, one team will play all even every rep. Once you finish the 5V5, start a new round and give the other team the chance to start the ball and have an advantage every rep.

Coaching Points & Principles

Transition play – recognize all even or advantages
If playing with advantage, find the 2v1 and try to get a shot off quick
If playing all even, focus on creating advantages by clearing space, dodging, drawing slides, etc..

Progressions

Add a shot clock
Play full field

Tags

3v2 3v3 4v3 4v4 5v4 5v5 Advanced Game - Live Play Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Small Area Games Small Area Games Transition U12 U14

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