Finding Space & Advantages

Finding Space & Advantages
Phase 3: Attacking & Creating Space – Focus Points being finding the advantages and playing vs more pressure	Week 10 Practice / 60 Minute Session	Activities 3v1 Box Passing 3v3 Wide Field Game Half Court Small Ball Football!
3v1 Box Passing - Link to Drill - 10 Minutes	Set Up	Focus Points
A great pre-practice drill to work on team passing Set Up Create a box using 4 cones, about 10 yards apart. Place 3 offensive players on the outside and 1 defender in the middle. The offense must stay outside the box, while the defender stays inside. They play keep away, and the cones are used as guidance for the off ball teammates to move to proper passing lanes. If the defender steals the ball or bad pass occurs, swap with the offense player! Coaching Points & Principles Progressions Add a defender in to play 3v2		Moving your feet with and without the ball Good passing and catching mechanics Defense keep stick up in passing lanes
3v3 Wide Field Game - Link to Drill - 10 Minutes	Set Up	Focus Points
Same model as the 2v2, but we are adding a 3rd player in.		Are kids opening up to space naturally? Using the attack to space principles After goals, see if kids can answer questions like, “How did that space open up?”
Half Court Small Ball - Link to Drill - 10 Minutes	Set Up	Focus Points
A live game where players can work on their skillset, creativity, and playing in small spaces Set Up You can play this game as half field, or full field. Make sure you are USING TENNIS BALLS OR SOFT LACROSSE BALLS for this game. Split players up into two teams, and play 3v3 or 4v4. One player on the defensive team has to play goalie, so it’s always an unsettled game. If the defense turns the ball over, or there is a dead ball, the defending team will clear it past restraining line (like basketball half court) and then they will be on offense. This is a great game for station play or small groups Coaching Points and Principles Progressions Change the number off players play a full field version with 2 goals		Unsettled offense and defense – Players should recognize the situation Offense – Draw a defender and find an open teammate / off ball move to space Defense – Play zone-like defense with slides and recovery Offense – Draw a defender and find an open teammate / off ball move to space Defense – Play zone-like defense with slides and recovery Awareness and Game IQ
Football! - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
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 Progressions Set more passing limits Play 4v4 with more advanced players or u10/u12		Cradling – Carry the ball vs pressure Finding Space Play vs Pressure

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3v1 Box Passing
3v3 Wide Field Game
Half Court Small Ball
Football!

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

Week 10 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 think about finding space and attacking advantages

10 Minutes

3v1 Box Passing

A great pre-practice drill to work on team passing

Set Up

Create a box using 4 cones, about 10 yards apart. Place 3 offensive players on the outside and 1 defender in the middle. The offense must stay outside the box, while the defender stays inside. They play keep away, and the cones are used as guidance for the off ball teammates to move to proper passing lanes. If the defender steals the ball or bad pass occurs, swap with the offense player!

Coaching Points & Principles

Moving your feet with and without the ball
Good passing and catching mechanics
Defense keep stick up in passing lanes

Progressions

Add a defender in to play 3v2

View Drill Page →

10 Minutes

3v3 Wide Field Game

Same model as the 2v2, but we are adding a 3rd player in.

A fun game that works on teamwork and live gameplay

Set Up

Create a 30 yd wide × 20 yd long (wider than normal — this is intentional). Two teams of 2. One small goal each end (or two cone goals 6 ft wide). Regular lacrosse rules apply, passing allowed, carrying allowed. The extra width is the entire teaching tool here. Don’t tell kids to spread out, the wide field makes spreading out feel natural and rewarded. Watch what happens. Play 3-minute games, Winners stay, losers rotate if you have enough players. If small group, just flip possession after each goal.

Coaching Points & Principles

Are kids opening up to space naturally?
Using the attack to space principles
After goals, see if kids can answer questions like, “How did that space open up?”

Progressions

String the field
Add a offensive players that is ALWAYS on offense, like our Rabbit Game

3v3 Ball Control & Cradling Beginner Defensive Positioning & Footwork Game - Live Play Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Off Ball Defensive Play Off Ball Offensive Play Offense Spacing Principles Small Area Games U10 U8 Women’s Lacrosse

View Drill Page →

10 Minutes

Half Court Small Ball

A live game where players can work on their skillset, creativity, and playing in small spaces

Set Up

You can play this game as half field, or full field. Make sure you are USING TENNIS BALLS OR SOFT LACROSSE BALLS for this game. Split players up into two teams, and play 3v3 or 4v4. One player on the defensive team has to play goalie, so it’s always an unsettled game. If the defense turns the ball over, or there is a dead ball, the defending team will clear it past restraining line (like basketball half court) and then they will be on offense. This is a great game for station play or small groups

Coaching Points and Principles

Unsettled offense and defense – Players should recognize the situation
- Offense – Draw a defender and find an open teammate / off ball move to space
- Defense – Play zone-like defense with slides and recovery
Awareness and Game IQ

Progressions

Change the number off players
play a full field version with 2 goals

3v2 4v3 Advanced Anticipation & Recognition Decision Making Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Small Area Games Small Area Games Team Systems & Conceptual Play Transition U10 U12 U14 U8 Women’s Lacrosse

View Drill Page →

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

View Drill Page →