Tempo and Ball Control
| Tempo and Ball Control | ||
|---|---|---|
| Activities | ||
| 1v1 Scoop and Chase - Link to Drill | Set Up | Focus Points |
|
|
|
| Tampa Clearing Drill & Game - Link to Drill | Set Up | Focus Points |
|
||
| Tight 2v2 to the Goal - Link to Drill | Set Up | Focus Points |
|
|
|
| Small Field Build Up Game - Link to Drill | Set Up | Focus Points |
|
|
|
| Scoop & Chase Unsettled - Link to Drill | Set Up | Focus Points |
|
|
|
Jump to a Section
Phase 1: Precision & Pace: focuses on refining players’ ability to execute fundamental skills quickly and efficiently under game-like pressure. Rather than introducing new concepts, this phase challenges players to perform with greater speed, precision, and decision-making while developing purposeful dodging, crisp ball movement, sound defensive habits, and transition awareness. The emphasis shifts toward accountability, game tempo, and consistently making quality decisions at spee
Week 1 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.
1v1 Scoop and Chase
A classic ground ball that is a great warm up for practice
Set Up
Put players in groups of 5 or 6 on sideline. The first player in line is going for the groundball, and the 2nd player is chaser. The ball is rolled out, and the player must gain possession and throw the ball back to their next teammate in line. The chaser should put pressure on back hands with a LIFT, not a slap. You can have the 3rd player be the one who rolls, if you don’t have enough coaches.
Coaching Points & Principles
- Groundballs – Accelerate through and run away from pressure.
- Chasers – Practice getting under the blow or hand of player going for groundball, and lifting. We want to avoid big slap checks
- Communicate – next player in line call for the ball
Tampa Clearing Drill & Game
Tight 2v2 to the Goal
Summary
A small area game that works on ground battles, and quick transition play around the goal!
Tags
Set Up
Put the group into 2 teams are the restraining box, alternating lines so you start in a 2v2 scenario. Coach rolls a ball in, the winning team is on offense and must go to the goal quick! Use a shot clock to speed up play
Coaching Points & Principles
- Win the Groundball Battle! use body positions and accelerate through
- Play quick in tight space
- Offense focus on spacing and 2-player game
- Defense work on physical on ball play!
Small Field Build Up Game
Summary
A fun small sided game that focuses on transition play with both advantages and creating advantages.
Tags
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
Scoop & Chase Unsettled
Summary
A fun game that works on small area and then full team offense and defense
Tags
Set Up
If you can, give your defense and attack different color tanks that the team. Here we are using green pennies for the attack, and red pinnies for the defense. They will always hold their positions.
The midfield will then be split up into their normal tank colors, so they are split black and blue.
The drill starts with either group (A or M) and coach rolls a live 3v3 out. They will play until either the offense scores there is a turnover (Defense clear to coach up top, or shot clock violation). Once that rep finishes, the M up top have a live 3v3 GB (You can change the numbers depending on how many you want on offense). Whoever wins that GB, is on offense, and go play 6v6 until another dead ball. Restart the drill, but give the first GB battle to the opposite group
Coaching Points & Principles
- Ground Ball Battles – Need to find the first GB and look to score or clear the ball fast
- Transition – Playing quick and finding those advantages
- Defensive Matchups and communication
Progressions
- If you want to take away the live GB, give the ball to the offense to start, good for some younger groups that puts a bigger emphasis on the transition play