Small Area Games & Unsettled

Small Area Games & 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 8 Practice /90 Minute Session	Activities Crossfire Passing 4v4 + X 4v4 Small Ball Game 6V6 BUILD UP WITH BUMPS 6v6 Scrimmage
Crossfire Passing - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A great warm up passing drill to get the kids engaged and alert Set Up Put 4-5 lines across from each other in a small area, like the restraining box area. On on side, give everyone 1st in line a ball, and give 1 player a ball on the opposite side. If you have 5 and 5, there would be 6 balls in play. The players must all make passes to teammates across, but CANNOT throw to a player directly across or from the same line the ball came from. Coaching Points & Principles		Communicate! players with and without the ball must communicate to connect with a good pass Stick work – Players should be always ready to receive a pass with their stick up as a target, and make good crisp passes Movement – We shouldn’t be passing standing stills, players should be slightly moving their feet to the teammate they are passing to
4v4 + X - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A great unsettled small area game designed by Jim Mitchell of Princeton Lacrosse Set Up Play 4v4 above GLE, and add a player at X on offense. The X player can only transfer the ball, they cannot dodge or shoot, but the defense must play them when they receive the ball. That will create an unsettle situation above GLE as the players move the ball through X Coaching Point and Principles		Offense – Get them to dominos and find the advantage. Work the 2-3 player game above GLE Defense – Communicate, protect the house, and slide/recover efficiently.
4v4 Small Ball Game - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
An uptempo game that emphasizes 2 player games, aggressive defense, and highly competitive! Set Up Bring the goals up to each restraining box creating a small sided game and split your group into two teams. On both ends, place 2 attack and 2 defense. To start the game, bring in two midfielders from each team and start the 4v4 game on one side. While they are playing 4v4, on the opposite end, add in 2 defensive midfielders who will be waiting for the gameplay to change direction. Once there is a goal, turnover, or dead ball deemed by coach, the defense will get the baulk up to the midfielders to bring down and play on opposite end. The defenders who have been waiting, will now play defense and the 2 midfielders who just finished playing offense, will return to the sideline. The Midfielders will play defense, then offense, and then they will be out. Attack and Defense can stay in for 2-3 minutes and then you can do wholesales changed depending on your personnel. Coaching Points and Principles Progressions You can play a smaller sided game with same principles for younger players in U14-U10 ages		Compete! Great game to keep score and compete Game IQ Offensively – playing in small spaces & implementing the 2 man game. Defense – Play with pressure, communicate Toughness! this drill will be highly competitive and players must be able to play fast and tough
6V6 BUILD UP WITH BUMPS - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
Set Up Put 4 offensive lines around the high and low wings. You will add a defensive line at x behind the cage, and another line at the point. Give the defenders numbers, and make sure the point and x lines are opposite. For example, the point Lines will have players 1,3,5,etc.. the line at X will have 2,4,6,etc.. On the whistle, coach will throw a ball in to an offensive line and call a defender number out. If they call “One”, that player will sprint and approach the offensive player receiving the ball from coach. They will play 1v1 until the play ends by a shot, turnover, or defensive takeaway. Coach will then add in the next defender, say “Two”. That player would be coming from X and coach will throw a new ball in to another offensive player and they play 2v2. Continue until you reach 6V6. Coaching Points and Principles Progressions Add in constraints to focus on a particular situation. For example, if the team needs to work on off ball offense, tell them on every rep that is 2v2+, off ball players must do some form of action like a V-Cut, Screen, etc..		Defensive – Approaches, focus on approach angles and keeping the offensive players away from center of field. Defensive – Communication: When the new defender is called in, they may be too far away from the new offensive player. In these situations, the new defender can bump a closer teammate to the ball, as you may do duing a recovery situation Offensive – Be a good dodger and attack the space or find ways to create the space you want. In the 2v2 + scenarios, you can work on picks and or on and off ball action
6v6 Scrimmage - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A live 6v6 scrimmage allows players to apply the skills and concepts practiced throughout the session in a game-like environment. Play continuously while encouraging communication, decision-making, and teamwork. Keep coaching interruptions to a minimum, using brief teaching moments between possessions to maintain the flow and maximize repetitions. Constraint Ideas: Possession clock • Every player touches the ball • Assisted goals only • Bonus points for defensive stops or caused turnovers • Start from specific situations (clear, ground ball, man-up, etc.) • Limit dodges or require a dodge before shooting • Reward good spacing and ball movement • Play uneven numbers (6v5, 5v6).

Jump to a Section

Crossfire Passing
4v4 + X
4v4 Small Ball Game
6V6 BUILD UP WITH BUMPS
6v6 Scrimmage

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 8 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.

Crossfire Passing

Set Up

Put 4-5 lines across from each other in a small area, like the restraining box area. On on side, give everyone 1st in line a ball, and give 1 player a ball on the opposite side. If you have 5 and 5, there would be 6 balls in play. The players must all make passes to teammates across, but CANNOT throw to a player directly across or from the same line the ball came from.

Coaching Points & Principles

Communicate! players with and without the ball must communicate to connect with a good pass
Stick work – Players should be always ready to receive a pass with their stick up as a target, and make good crisp passes
Movement – We shouldn’t be passing standing stills, players should be slightly moving their feet to the teammate they are passing to

4v4 + X

A great unsettled small area game designed by Jim Mitchell of Princeton Lacrosse

Set Up

Play 4v4 above GLE, and add a player at X on offense. The X player can only transfer the ball, they cannot dodge or shoot, but the defense must play them when they receive the ball. That will create an unsettle situation above GLE as the players move the ball through X

Coaching Point and Principles

Offense – Get them to dominos and find the advantage. Work the 2-3 player game above GLE
Defense – Communicate, protect the house, and slide/recover efficiently.

2-Player Game 3-Player Game 3v3 4v4 5v5 Advanced Anticipation & Recognition College Communication Decision Making Defense Slide & Recovery Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Lacrosse IQ Men’s Lacrosse Off Ball Defensive Play Off Ball Offensive Play Offense & Defense Principles Offense Spacing Principles Small Area Games Small Area Games Team Systems & Conceptual Play U10 U12 U14

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4v4 Small Ball Game

Set Up

Bring the goals up to each restraining box creating a small sided game and split your group into two teams. On both ends, place 2 attack and 2 defense. To start the game, bring in two midfielders from each team and start the 4v4 game on one side. While they are playing 4v4, on the opposite end, add in 2 defensive midfielders who will be waiting for the gameplay to change direction. Once there is a goal, turnover, or dead ball deemed by coach, the defense will get the baulk up to the midfielders to bring down and play on opposite end. The defenders who have been waiting, will now play defense and the 2 midfielders who just finished playing offense, will return to the sideline. The Midfielders will play defense, then offense, and then they will be out. Attack and Defense can stay in for 2-3 minutes and then you can do wholesales changed depending on your personnel.

Coaching Points and Principles

Compete! Great game to keep score and compete
Game IQ
Offensively – playing in small spaces & implementing the 2 man game.
Defense – Play with pressure, communicate
Toughness! this drill will be highly competitive and players must be able to play fast and tough

Progressions

You can play a smaller sided game with same principles for younger players in U14-U10 ages

6V6 BUILD UP WITH BUMPS

Set Up

Put 4 offensive lines around the high and low wings. You will add a defensive line at x behind the cage, and another line at the point. Give the defenders numbers, and make sure the point and x lines are opposite. For example, the point Lines will have players 1,3,5,etc.. the line at X will have 2,4,6,etc..

On the whistle, coach will throw a ball in to an offensive line and call a defender number out. If they call “One”, that player will sprint and approach the offensive player receiving the ball from coach. They will play 1v1 until the play ends by a shot, turnover, or defensive takeaway. Coach will then add in the next defender, say “Two”. That player would be coming from X and coach will throw a new ball in to another offensive player and they play 2v2. Continue until you reach 6V6.

Coaching Points and Principles

Defensive – Approaches, focus on approach angles and keeping the offensive players away from center of field.
Defensive – Communication: When the new defender is called in, they may be too far away from the new offensive player. In these situations, the new defender can bump a closer teammate to the ball, as you may do duing a recovery situation
Offensive – Be a good dodger and attack the space or find ways to create the space you want. In the 2v2 + scenarios, you can work on picks and or on and off ball action

Progressions

Add in constraints to focus on a particular situation. For example, if the team needs to work on off ball offense, tell them on every rep that is 2v2+, off ball players must do some form of action like a V-Cut, Screen, etc..

6v6 Scrimmage

A live 6v6 scrimmage allows players to apply the skills and concepts practiced throughout the session in a game-like environment. Play continuously while encouraging communication, decision-making, and teamwork. Keep coaching interruptions to a minimum, using brief teaching moments between possessions to maintain the flow and maximize repetitions.

Constraint Ideas: Possession clock • Every player touches the ball • Assisted goals only • Bonus points for defensive stops or caused turnovers • Start from specific situations (clear, ground ball, man-up, etc.) • Limit dodges or require a dodge before shooting • Reward good spacing and ball movement • Play uneven numbers (6v5, 5v6).

Advanced Beginner College Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse U10 U12 U14

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