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Spoke Passing w/ Groundballs & Pressure - Link to Drill
- 10 Minutes
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Focus Points |
A fun variation and take off this classic passing drills
Set Up
Put your players In groups of 8 or 10, and set up 4 lines all right next to each other, in the shape of a + sign. The first players in each line are on offense, and the second are defenders/trailers. Start with 1 ball in 1 line, with a live ground ball. the first player in line must top attack and get the ball, with the 2nd player defending as the trailer. The defender will shade one side, and the offense must roll to space and adjacent line teammate must pop out to support. Connect a pass to the outside so the trail defenders can intercept the pass, and continue until you get all the way around the circle. Reset and start a ground ball with a new line
Coaching Points & Principles
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- Groundballs – Accelerate and get your head up
- Escapes – Feeling the open Space
- Off Ball Play – Adjacent teammates must recognize if their teammate curls to them and pop out for support
- Passing – Pass the ball to the outside to prevent defensive knock downs
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Full Field Riding and Clearing - Link to Drill
- 12 Minutes
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Focus Points |
This full-field, continuous drill gives both sides of the ball live reps within your team’s clearing and riding systems. Start with the goalie and clearing unit working through your Ladder Clear (Or another system if that’s what you prefer), while the riding team applies your core riding principles at full speed. Once the clearing team successfully crosses the midfield line and establishes an offensive possession, the coach blows the whistle to create a dead-ball situation. The ball immediately starts going the opposite direction, with the units transitioning into their new riding and clearing responsibilities. There are no shots or goals unless the coach calls for live offense—the emphasis is on clearing, riding, communication, decision-making, and getting organized in transition.
The drill can easily be adjusted to prepare for specific opponents or reinforce different concepts. Have your clearing group work against different looks such as a 10-man ride, zone ride, or aggressive pressure, or challenge your riding unit against stack clears, traditional ladder clears, or other opponent-specific formations. Coaches can also emphasize transition substitutions, forcing players to recognize when and where to sub without sacrificing field balance. Keeping the drill moving continuously creates realistic conditioning while giving players repeated opportunities to recognize, communicate, and solve full-field situations. |
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Offense Skill Session - Link to Drill
- 12 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A Shooting Drill that incorporates decision making, especially if you play an offense with a 2 man game or just working on identifying slides and double teams.
Set Up
Do these on both sides of the field, so you have 4 lines and add a coach in between each line as a defender. The lines are up top, and starts with a pass down. That player who just passed the ball, will execute a shallow cut floating to the space/area their teammate just came from. The player will carry the ball up, at this point the coach will either slide to ball, or stay with the shllow cutter. If the coach Slides to the ball, the player will throw back to shallow cutter for a shot. If the defender holds on the shallow cut, they will continue to dodge for a shot. Its important to note the shallow cutter should not fade towards the crease, but more to the outside making slide longer for an opposing defender
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Simulate a Pick instead of a shallow cut
- Start opposite, pass up, clear throw for a shot up top
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- The shallow cut should be like a banana, cutting on an arc. Don’t just run to the new space
- Players must read the defender and make a decision, building some situational game IQ
- The ball carrier should add in a little pump fake ahead of them, before throwing back. Make sure they are stepping away to make a good pass
- Catch loaded and try to finish quickly. Aim for far pipe
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Defensive Skill Session: Stick in the Lanes - Link to Drill
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Focus Points |
A great skill drill to work with your defensive players on stick control and footwork
Set Up
Put Cones in a square pattern about 5 years apart. The defensive player starts at the top cone looking back at their teammates. They will drop step and side run in a zig zag pattern through the cones with emphasis on keeping their stick up in the middle of the field. Add in a ground ball at the end
Coaching Points & Principles
Progressions
- Make the distance between the cones wider to make it easier, or more narrow to make it tougher and a conditioning type drill
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- Side runs – this is mimicking a recovery type scenario when a player is dropping into help on the crease during play
- Stick up – VITAL for all defense when playing OFF-BALL. Sticks up allow opportunities to steal or knock down passes
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Transition Drill with Seth Tierney (Hofstra) - Link to Drill
- 15 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A great drill to work on quick transition around the goal
Set Up
Put 2 offensive lines and 1 defensive line around the offensive area (Both Wings, Top Center, and X). Each group plays a 2v1 to the goal, looking for a quick advantage to the goal. Play should last a few seconds, then move to the next line (field area) and repeat
Coaching Points & principles
Progressions
- Play from wings only, and change to 3v1
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- 2v1, find the advantage. Ball carrier should try and drag a defender with them, and off ball teammate finds a clear lane to get the ball and finish inside
- Defense, work on using deception and keeping your stick up in the lane to slow down the offense and knock down passes
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Full Field Build Up - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
This full field build up drill will work on all facets of 6v6 lacrosse. Players will be in all even situations, unsettled/uneven opportunities, and conditioning!
SET UP
Put 3 Attack and 3 Defense on each offensive end. Split the midfielders up in half, and out 1 line of each color on the box side of field. The play starts with a fast break for 1 team. Player until a dead ball. A new offensive player will come in from sideline from the team that just played defense, and goalie will outlet a new ball for a 4 v 4 to the opposite end. Repeat every step, and you will get a 4v5, 5v5, 6v5, 6v6. ALL Players stay on the field until the end, then restart a new buildup.
PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS
PROGRESSIONS
– Tell goalies they can only outlet to players who just played defense.. 2nd passes can go to new player coming into play |
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- Play fast!
- Attack Ride in transition
- Push the field, find the opportunities
- Defense communicate and rotate
- CONDITIONING!
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5v5 to 4v3 - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A full field drill that works on face-offs early offense, unsettled situations, and team defense
Set Up
Using the full field, set up 3 attack and 3 defense in each end. Put a midfield line of each team on both wings of the field. The game starts with a face-off & the players on wing. Once the F/O player wins and gets the ball to a wing teammate, or a wing player gains control, they will continue playing 5v5 on one end of the field. The 2 face off players will exit the game once possession starts with a wing teammate. While that is happening, coach will reward the team who won, and another midfielder from the same team will take a ball and start a fast break on the other end of the field.
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- You can play a smaller sided game with same principles for younger players in U14-U10 ages
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- Face Offs – Great opportunity for your players to compete and challenge each other at the X
- Early offense – Try to find early opportunities by use passing downs/picks, drawing double teams, etc..
- Defense – Play all even team principles, protecting the house, communicating, and sliding/recovering when necessary
- 4v3 – defense get in a zone approach while playing player-down / offense must attack quick and find the best shot
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6v6 Scrimmage - Link to Drill
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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). |
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