Tempo & Transition

Tempo & Transition
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 7 Practice /90 Minute Session	Activities 4v3 Keep Away 1v1 Scoop and Chase Miller 4v3 Transition 54 Drill 3/4 Field Scramble
4v3 Keep Away - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A good passing drill to get the sticks warm and adding some deception and decision making into the mix Set Up Players will be put in groups of 7 around the field, and play 4v3 keep away. For the high school and college level, we want the players to make quick passes and move! After a player makes a pass, they must cut behind their defender to a new spot. The defense must always play the ball. You can create systems where if a player throws a bad pass or a defender knocks it down, they can switch roles. Coaching Points and Progressions Progressions Give quicker time limits players can hold the ball Add in picks on or off ball		MOVE! Offense must always be moving After you make a pass, cut to find new space Defense must always play the ball – slide and recover to the inside Communicate on both sides!
1v1 Scoop and Chase - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
Keep your players in same groups from the 4v3 Keep Away,		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
Miller 4v3 Transition - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
A great transition drill to work on fast breaks with a sneaky conditioning element! SET UP Put goals at each retraining box. Put 1 line of players on each side of the cage, and start with 3 attack and 3 defense inside the playing area. The game starts with goalie outlet to line, and A/D need to rush in to the hole and get to their spots. Play until a goal is scored, goalie makes save, or missed shot. As soon as that happen, goalie outlets to a new player, and the 3 A/D need to rush to the opposite side of the field, and prepare for the 4 v 3. They do 3 reps, then change out A/D PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS		Get to your spots on O and D Defense communicate Small area play, protect ball, move it fast, and find the best shot
54 Drill - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
his transition drill will keep practice uptempo with constant unsettled 5 on 4’s. This is a great drill to use in the middle of practice as a warm up before an inter squad scrimmage. SET UP Put all the balls in both cages with the goalies. Put 3 Attack and 3 Defense on each offensive end. Split the midfielders up in half, and put 1 lines of each color on the box side of play. The play starts with a 5v4 scenario on end. Once there is a missed shot, save, or turnover, The goalie will put a new ball in play to go the other way. The goalie must outlet to a player in current field of play (not the new midfielder waiting). Send in one of the midfielders on defense, in to the hole, and play 5 on 4 until there is a goal, save, or turnover. Once the clearing team gets passed half field, the rinding midfielders are OUT. PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS PROGRESSIONS – Send Opposite side midfielder in on defense		Play fast! Get the ball down the alley and through X Find the 2v1 Defense communicate and get into a diamond set
3/4 Field Scramble - Link to Drill	Set Up	Focus Points
This transition rill gives players different looks and situations each time down the field. SET UP Put 3 attack and 3 defenders down on one side of the field in front of the cage. At the far restraining box, set up 3 offense lines and 3 defense lines, alternating by color. Each line has a number, to start the drill, coach gives the numbers going in and hands the ball to the offense. The offensive team must push the ball in transition while the defense has to communicate at talk through the situation. PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS PROGRESSIONS Tell Defense to play different types of D Add in contraints, like goals need to finish off a pass		Have coach change up numbers (4v3, 5v4, 6v5) Encourage to try and find solutions for quick scoring options Discuss slow breaks when occurs, and encourage moving the ball through X

Jump to a Section

4v3 Keep Away
1v1 Scoop and Chase
Miller 4v3 Transition
54 Drill
3/4 Field Scramble

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 7 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.

Theme Description

4v3 Keep Away

Set Up

Players will be put in groups of 7 around the field, and play 4v3 keep away. For the high school and college level, we want the players to make quick passes and move! After a player makes a pass, they must cut behind their defender to a new spot. The defense must always play the ball. You can create systems where if a player throws a bad pass or a defender knocks it down, they can switch roles.

Coaching Points and Progressions

MOVE! Offense must always be moving
After you make a pass, cut to find new space
Defense must always play the ball – slide and recover to the inside
Communicate on both sides!

Progressions

Give quicker time limits players can hold the ball
Add in picks on or off ball

Tags

4v3 Advanced Attack College Communication Defense Disruptive - Light Physical Opponent High School Men’s Lacrosse Midfield Offense & Defense Principles Passing Small Area Games Small Area Games Team Passing

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1v1 Scoop and Chase

Keep your players in same groups from the 4v3 Keep Away,

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

Advanced Beginner College Foundational Skills Ground Ball Battles Ground Balls High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse U10 U12 U14 U8

Tags

Advanced Beginner College Foundational Skills Ground Ball Battles Ground Balls High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse U10 U12 U14 U8

View Drill Page →

Miller 4v3 Transition

SET UP

Put goals at each retraining box. Put 1 line of players on each side of the cage, and start with 3 attack and 3 defense inside the playing area. The game starts with goalie outlet to line, and A/D need to rush in to the hole and get to their spots. Play until a goal is scored, goalie makes save, or missed shot. As soon as that happen, goalie outlets to a new player, and the 3 A/D need to rush to the opposite side of the field, and prepare for the 4 v 3. They do 3 reps, then change out A/D

PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS

Get to your spots on O and D
Defense communicate
Small area play, protect ball, move it fast, and find the best shot

Tags

4v3 Advanced Attack College Defense Defense Slide & Recovery Game - Live Play High School Men’s Lacrosse Midfield Offense & Defense Principles Small Area Games Team Systems & Conceptual Play Transition

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54 Drill

Summary

his transition drill will keep practice uptempo with constant unsettled 5 on 4’s. This is a great drill to use in the middle of practice as a warm up before an inter squad scrimmage.

Tags

5v4 Advanced College Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Lacrosse IQ Men’s Lacrosse Off Ball Defensive Play Off Ball Offensive Play Offense Spacing Principles Team Systems & Conceptual Play Transition U14

SET UP

Put all the balls in both cages with the goalies. Put 3 Attack and 3 Defense on each offensive end. Split the midfielders up in half, and put 1 lines of each color on the box side of play. The play starts with a 5v4 scenario on end. Once there is a missed shot, save, or turnover, The goalie will put a new ball in play to go the other way. The goalie must outlet to a player in current field of play (not the new midfielder waiting). Send in one of the midfielders on defense, in to the hole, and play 5 on 4 until there is a goal, save, or turnover. Once the clearing team gets passed half field, the rinding midfielders are OUT.

PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS

Play fast!
Get the ball down the alley and through X
Find the 2v1
Defense communicate and get into a diamond set

PROGRESSIONS

– Send Opposite side midfielder in on defense

Tags

View Drill Page →

3/4 Field Scramble

SET UP

Put 3 attack and 3 defenders down on one side of the field in front of the cage. At the far restraining box, set up 3 offense lines and 3 defense lines, alternating by color. Each line has a number, to start the drill, coach gives the numbers going in and hands the ball to the offense. The offensive team must push the ball in transition while the defense has to communicate at talk through the situation.

PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS

Have coach change up numbers (4v3, 5v4, 6v5)
Encourage to try and find solutions for quick scoring options
Discuss slow breaks when occurs, and encourage moving the ball through X

PROGRESSIONS

Tell Defense to play different types of D
Add in contraints, like goals need to finish off a pass

Tags

Advanced Game - Live Play High School Intermediate Men’s Lacrosse Offense & Defense Principles Transition

View Drill Page →