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Activity 1: Chaos Keep Away - Link to Drill
- 10 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A fun small sided game to use for warm ups to get the kids ready for practice!
Set Up
Create a small area playing field and split players into 2 teams. Both teams at opposite end of the fields, and lacrosse balls to the middle of the field. I usually like to you 1/2 balls to players.. so if there are 20 total players, use 10 balls. On the whistle, the players will run in trying to get a ball. Once they gain possession, they must run away and escape the defenders staying in the playing area. The team with the most balls at the end of 1 minute wins that round
Rules
Coaching Points & Principles
- Groundballs! Winn the ground ball battles
- Stick control & cradling with the ball vs pressure
- Teamwork, don’t be afraid to pass to open teammates to maintain possessions
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- Players can pass to teammates to escape pressure and maintain possession
- If they go out of bounds with a ball, turnover to defending player
- Players without the ball, can pressure to take away and flip a possession
- The team who possesses the most balls after 1 minute, wins
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Activity 2: Trucks and Trailers - Link to Drill
- 10 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A fun drill that works on stick control and allows the kids to have some fun and creativity!
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
Progressions
- Add less players so it goes quicker
- Use Cones to make it easier to navigate for less experienced players
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- 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
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Activity 3: 3 Team Relay - Link to Drill
- 10 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A fun game that emphasizes ground balls and teamwork!
Set Up
Put your players into 3 teams, smaller group drills so 2-4 players per team. You can use goals or cones as your scoring point. Coach will put a bag of balls In the middle of the playing area, and on the whistle, 1 player from each team must go get a ball, and bring it back to their scoring area. They can shoot on a goal or carry through a gate using cones as shown in this video. The next teammate in line can go get a ball, once they get back to line, acting like a relay race. The team with the most balls after a 1 minute session wins
Coach Points and Principles
Progressions
- Make field larger so they have to run more / smaller for less experienced players
- add more teams (4,5,6)
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- Ground balls – finding a loose ball and accelerating through
- Ball Control – carry the ball confidently back to your scoring area
- Shooting – if using Goals, add in shooting constraints (must finish on a bounce shot, as an example)
- Teamwork! Make sure players are rooting each other on
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Activity 4: Diamond Keep Away Game - Link to Drill
- 10 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A fun and engaging groundball and transition drill that works on both offensive and defensive teamwork & spacing
Set Up
Set up cones in the shape of a diamond in the playing area. You can make it larger to force longer passes but the stand length should be about 8-10 yards away from each other. On the sideline, set up 3 lines of each team, depending on your group size. They should be alternating (dark, light, dark, light, etc..). Coach rolls a ball into the field (doesn’t have to be inside the diamond), and the team that picks up the ball is on offense. Another teammate from the winning team will join, giving them an advantage (4v3). At this point the game-play will move to the cones, and the defense has to stay inside the diamond while the offense needs to stay out. Play keep away for 30 seconds or until coach blows the whistle for a new group!
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Make the groups smaller (2 lines of each color) so it turns into a 3v2 for more spacing at younger ages
- if you have more than 4 players (5v4) we can put an offensive players on the crease who can rotate in and out during the keep away play
- Add go to the goal
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- Ground Balls
- Offense – Make good passes, a teammate should be at an adjacent cone. If the player with the ball carries, the offense should move like a carousel maintaining their spacing.
- Defense – Communicate, who has ball! Need no play the ball, and have backside zone since we are playing with 1 less player. One the ball is passed, a new defender should slid to the ball, and the previous defender on ball needs to get back inside for backside supper and help. Keep stick UP to try and knockdown passing
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Activity 5: Zombie Tag - Link to Drill
- 10 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A fun game to play with you players early at practice, or make it a station when working on skill development!
Set Up
Create a small area using cones or lines on the field for boundaries. Every player will have a ball and there will be a coach(s) inside the play area as the zombies. On the whistle, the players will start running with their ball in the play are and coaches will walk around like zombies. if a player gets tagged by a coach or runs outside the playing area, they will freeze in place. Their teammates can unfreeze them, but rolling a ball through their legs, and scooping a ground ball. Continue for 5-10 minutes, and the kids will have a great run!
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Make field smaller so its more challenging or larges for less experienced players
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- Ball Control and Awareness – Keep your head up, stay away from zombies, and don’t run out of bounds!
- Communicate – Help unfreeze your teammates
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